# Multiple monitors



## MikeFromMesa (Oct 17, 2015)

I am not sure that this topic belongs in this section, but I could not find a better location for it. Please move it if this is not the correct forum.

I have been playing around to see which of my photo editing apps works well with 2 monitors; that is, how can my workflow be improved by spreading the app functionality across 2 monitors, thus making the controls easier to use and the display larger and clearer. I have tried this with Lightroom (6.1.1) but found no way to meaningfully work using 2 monitors (that is, I found no way to undock the panels so they can be spread across both monitors). Is there a good way to move the panels so that LR can be used properly with 2 monitors? Or is LR a single monitor application?

Thanks for any help.


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## Nogo (Oct 17, 2015)

I only have Lightroom 5.7 but assume 6.1.1 works the same way.  

Just click on the small box near the left bottom of the screen that says 2.  This will put the image on both screens.  Then on the main monitor, simply grab and drag the edges of the boxes on the sides to make them larger than you would use them with a singular monitor.  This is the simple way to use Lightroom with two monitors.  There may be other things that can be done, but that is usually how people do it.  One monitor will have a small image with both panels and the other monitor will contain mostly the image by itself.


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## mecutler (Oct 17, 2015)

MikeFromMesa said:


> I have been playing around to see which of my photo editing apps works well with 2 monitors; that is, how can my workflow be improved by spreading the app functionality across 2 monitors, thus making the controls easier to use and the display larger and clearer. I have tried this with Lightroom (6.1.1) but found no way to meaningfully work using 2 monitors (that is, I found no way to undock the panels so they can be spread across both monitors). Is there a good way to move the panels so that LR can be used properly with 2 monitors? Or is LR a single monitor application?



 In the WINDOW menu, look for SECONDARY DISPLAY and that will provide you with multiple options.


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## BobMc (Oct 17, 2015)

*Alternate use of two monitors*

This configuration is not one of LR’s two screen options, but it works well for me. 

With LR’s right panel open, the single screen can be extended on the second screen showing the image on the larger calibrated monitor and the right panel on the 2nd screen, without any misalignment. This works very well for the develop module.  The second image is a laptop with 2 screens.


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## clee01l (Oct 17, 2015)

MikeFromMesa said:


> I am not sure that this topic belongs in this section, but I could not find a better location for it. Please move it if this is not the correct forum.
> 
> I have been playing around to see which of my photo editing apps works well with 2 monitors; that is, how can my workflow be improved by spreading the app functionality across 2 monitors, thus making the controls easier to use and the display larger and clearer. I have tried this with Lightroom (6.1.1) but found no way to meaningfully work using 2 monitors (that is, I found no way to undock the panels so they can be spread across both monitors). Is there a good way to move the panels so that LR can be used properly with 2 monitors? Or is LR a single monitor application?
> 
> Thanks for any help.


First, LR6.1.1 and OSX10.11 work horribly to gether on dual monitors.  Some of this is Apples new function to show/hide the menubar.  (Turn this feature off until Apple releases a 10.11.1 bug fix that hopefully will address these issues. Adobe has a Secondary Display option.  It worked well with OS X 10.10.x It is buggy and behaves erratic with OS X 10.11.

The way it is supposed to work is that everything that you see on the Primary display (Module Picker, Filmstrip, Left & Right Module Panels) and the center view window remain on the Primary display. You can not undock any of the panels.  They are designed like modeless panels and are not separate modal windows. The secondary display shows you a (full screen) window of the Grid, Loupe, Survey, Compare or Slideshow.  This will show you an active view of your develop changes or in Library the full size currently selected image while the primary display shows a grid. 

Until Apple & Adobe get their acts together, functionality is kludgy.  With OS X 10.11, the secondary display ALWAYS opens on the primary display.  If it opens full screen, it will hide the main LR primary display. If you have the OS X function to show/hide the menubar turned on, you can not access the primary display menus to hide the secondary display.  So for now, before you open a secondary display in LR, drag the primary display to the Display that OS X labeled Desktop2.  Then LR will show both displays on different desktops


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## acquacow (Oct 17, 2015)

I have one monitor at 2560x1440 for my main workspace and I leave grid view up on my 2nd monitor (touch screen).

I like keeping grid view open on a 2nd screen so that I can see slight changes in brightness/color cast across a set of thumbnails, plus I can touch the individual photo that looks out of place and it auto-loads on my main monitor... 

It's quite nice.

-- Dave


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## MikeFromMesa (Oct 17, 2015)

MikeFromMesa said:


> I am not sure that this topic belongs in this section, but I could not find a better location for it. Please move it if this is not the correct forum.
> 
> I have been playing around to see which of my photo editing apps works well with 2 monitors; that is, how can my workflow be improved by spreading the app functionality across 2 monitors, thus making the controls easier to use and the display larger and clearer. I have tried this with Lightroom (6.1.1) but found no way to meaningfully work using 2 monitors (that is, I found no way to undock the panels so they can be spread across both monitors). Is there a good way to move the panels so that LR can be used properly with 2 monitors? Or is LR a single monitor application?
> 
> Thanks for any help.


Ah, yes. I see. It was there in front of me the whole time and I did not notice.

Thank you.


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## MikeFromMesa (Oct 17, 2015)

BobMc said:


> This configuration is not one of LR’s two screen options, but it works well for me.
> 
> With LR’s right panel open, the single screen can be extended on the second screen showing the image on the larger calibrated monitor and the right panel on the 2nd screen, without any misalignment. This works very well for the develop module.  The second image is a laptop with 2 screens.



This is exactly what I was trying to do, but could not find a way to make work. I still don't understand how you made it work.

I tried to undock the adjustment panel to put it on the second monitor (which is a MBP screen) but could find no way to undock it. I tried dragging the entire window toward the second screen so the adjustment panel was on that display and the rest of LR was on the main display, but could not get that to work properly. The Adjustment panel just disappeared.

Can you explain how you did this. As I said, this is exactly what I was trying to do.


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## MikeFromMesa (Oct 17, 2015)

Clee01|:

*> **Turn this feature off until Apple releases a 10.11.1 bug fix that hopefully will address these issues.*

How do I do this?


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## clee01l (Oct 17, 2015)

MikeFromMesa said:


> Clee01|:
> 
> *> **Turn this feature off until Apple releases a 10.11.1 bug fix that hopefully will address these issues.*
> 
> How do I do this?


In OS X preferences, it is a check box on the General tab.


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## MikeFromMesa (Oct 17, 2015)

clee01l said:


> In OS X preferences, it is a check box on the General tab.


.
Got it. Thank you.


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## Jdancer (Oct 24, 2015)

clee01l said:


> First, LR6.1.1 and OSX10.11 work horribly to gether on dual monitors.  Some of this is Apples new function to show/hide the menubar.  (Turn this feature off until Apple releases a 10.11.1 bug fix that hopefully will address these issues. Adobe has a Secondary Display option.  It worked well with OS X 10.10.x It is buggy and behaves erratic with OS X 10.11.
> 
> The way it is supposed to work is that everything that you see on the Primary display (Module Picker, Filmstrip, Left & Right Module Panels) and the center view window remain on the Primary display. You can not undock any of the panels.  They are designed like modeless panels and are not separate modal windows. The secondary display shows you a (full screen) window of the Grid, Loupe, Survey, Compare or Slideshow.  This will show you an active view of your develop changes or in Library the full size currently selected image while the primary display shows a grid.
> 
> Until Apple & Adobe get their acts together, functionality is kludgy.  With OS X 10.11, the secondary display ALWAYS opens on the primary display.  If it opens full screen, it will hide the main LR primary display. If you have the OS X function to show/hide the menubar turned on, you can not access the primary display menus to hide the secondary display.  So for now, before you open a secondary display in LR, drag the primary display to the Display that OS X labeled Desktop2.  Then LR will show both displays on different desktops



Yes, I am having the same issue, however un-checking the box Automatically hide and show the menu bar does not change the behavior; the additional window still opens over the primary window. FYI, I am running OS X 10.11.1 and LR CC 2015.2.1.


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## clee01l (Oct 24, 2015)

Jdancer said:


> Yes, I am having the same issue, however un-checking the box Automatically hide and show the menu bar does not change the behavior; the additional window still opens over the primary window. FYI, I am running OS X 10.11.1 and LR CC 2015.2.1.


 This part is a LR bug that Adobe needs to address. The secondary windows ALWAYS opens and often reopens on Desktop1.  The work around solution until Adobe gets their act together wrt 2015.2.x is to open the primary LR window on Desktop 2,  The when the secondary window is set to "show", then it will open in a desktop that does not contain a LR Primary window.   You also need to turn off the "Show Full Screen" until alter you get the primary and secondary windows positions in the desktop where you wish.


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## Jdancer (Oct 25, 2015)

clee01l said:


> This part is a LR bug that Adobe needs to address. The secondary windows ALWAYS opens and often reopens on Desktop1.  The work around solution until Adobe gets their act together wrt 2015.2.x is to open the primary LR window on Desktop 2,  The when the secondary window is set to "show", then it will open in a desktop that does not contain a LR Primary window.   You also need to turn off the "Show Full Screen" until alter you get the primary and secondary windows positions in the desktop where you wish.



Yes, thank you this is correct the secondary window opens on the other screen when the primary window is open on desktop two, this is indeed a mess. The workaround you describe breaks on my setup if I add more desktops, but for now the secondary window is consistently opening on the other desktop. 

I wonder if anyone can test this on a windows setup with multiple displays and multiple desktops.


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## BobMc (Oct 25, 2015)

MikeFromMesa said:


> This is exactly what I was trying to do, but could not find a way to make work. I still don't understand how you made it work.
> 
> I tried to undock the adjustment panel to put it on the second monitor (which is a MBP screen) but could find no way to undock it. I tried dragging the entire window toward the second screen so the adjustment panel was on that display and the rest of LR was on the main display, but could not get that to work properly. The Adjustment panel just disappeared.
> 
> Can you explain how you did this. As I said, this is exactly what I was trying to do.



I use Windows and have no experience with a Mac, but this is what I do: I size the LR window on the main screen to fill the screen without using the "Maximize" button.  This lets me stretch the right side of the screen on to the 2nd screen on the right.  That's it.  Obviously I keep the right panel open.  The left panel can be open or not, your option. (F7 toggle)

BobMc


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## clee01l (Oct 25, 2015)

here's how it seems to work.  OS X defaults to w desktops labeled Desktop1 and Desktop2.  You can create more in the usual fashion. The get labeled Desktop 3 etc.   If you open LR in Fullscreen (click on the green dot), OS X opens LR fullscreen as its own Desktop labeled "Lightroom". This full screen will be positioned adjacent to the desktop in the same displa from which it was opened. If in LR you open a Secondary Display, it will always open in Desktop1.   So if you position your LR app in Desktop2 and open it full screen, you can then open the LR Secondary Display in Desktop1 as Full Screen and LR functions fairly well.


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## Jdancer (Oct 25, 2015)

Cletus, I've been testing this and i have found some consistency. First, make sure LR dock options [Assign To] is set to none, then open LR on any monitor you wish and when you click the secondary screen Icon, the window will indeed open over your main window. Drag it to the other monitor and it will remember to open and close and that monitor. if you quit the program and then start it again, you will need to move it to the other monitor again, but it works consistently until you actually quit.






Two finger tap on the LR icon in the dock, choose-options-assign to-none.


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## clee01l (Oct 25, 2015)

Jdancer said:


> Cletus, I've been testing this and i have found some consistency. First, make sure LR dock options [Assign To] is set to none, then open LR on any monitor you wish and when you click the secondary screen Icon, the window will indeed open over your main window. Drag it to the other monitor and it will remember to open and close and that monitor. if you quit the program and then start it again, you will need to move it to the other monitor again, but it works consistently until you actually quit.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


This is no longer an option for me. Are you running the latest OS X update 10.11.1?


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## Jdancer (Oct 27, 2015)

clee01l said:


> This is no longer an option for me. Are you running the latest OS X update 10.11.1?



Cletus, yes I'm running OS X - 10.11.1, the option becomes available only if you add at least one additional desktop.






 No additional desktops






One additional desktop on primary screen.

I'm also running the latest of CC.


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## clee01l (Oct 27, 2015)

Jdancer said:


> Cletus, yes I'm running OS X - 10.11.1, the option becomes available only if you add at least one additional desktop..


Not Here.   I currently have 3 Desktops – Desktop1, Desktop2 & Lightroom.  That was the state when I took the screen shot.  I've closed LR and created a total of 8 Desktops on my two monitors  Desktops 1,2,3&4 are on the same monitor and 5,6,7,& 8 are on the other.  Only after I create 4 Desktops do I get options for Desktops. AND then my choices are only Desktop1 and Desktop2 with no option for 3-8.  If I reduce my Desktops to Desktop1, Desktop2 , Desktop3 (no Lightroom), I get Options for Desktop 1 or 2. If I reduce my Desktops to Desktop1 & Desktop2, there is no choice again in the Options submenu.

I think we are looking and an OS X bug.

Take a Look at this Bug report.  If you can, please follow the sequence steps that I listed to reproduce the bug. Please let me know if your results are different from mine. 
Lightroom Secondary Display won't open in second monitor When Forced (Drag& Drop) it reopens full screen over the primary display


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## dolly (Nov 5, 2015)

My BenQ is a good one, should be happy with it for games


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## dolly (Nov 5, 2015)

Here are some things I've found after a quick look:http://thedigitalcamera.net/best-gaming-monitor/


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