Dual Monitors Requirements
A dual monitor configuration requires the following:
- A single dual head video card or two identical cards from the same manufacturer.
- Two monitors which support the same resolution and frequency.
- A dual monitor driver provided by the video card manufacturer.
For MicroStation to use dual monitors in Windows, the operating system must already be running in a dual monitor environment. Each operating system (Windows 3.1x, Windows 95/98/ME/2000, Windows NT, and Alpha NT), requires its own drivers from the manufacturer. Bentley does not provide drivers for a dual monitor configuration. Bentley does not recommend specific hardware manufacturers. If you are unsure about what equipment to use, the best solution is to test several systems with different video configurations. In addition to speed, you should also compare the functionality of the cards' Windows drivers, as there may be significant differences.
Using a Dual Monitor Setup
When dual monitors are configured, all applications, including MicroStation, will be able to take advantage of the additional screen resolution. Windows will force all applications and dialog boxes to the center of the desktop, splitting them between the two monitors. MicroStation 95, MicroStation SE, Microstation J, and Microstation V8 address this with a user preference that lets you open two application windows (labeled MicroStation (1) and MicroStation (2).
To enable this preference:
- For Microstation 95/SE/J Choose Workspace > Preferences > GUI Options and turn on Open Two Application Windows, then click Okay (this user preference is only available in Windows). Choose File > Save Settings, exit and restart MicroStation for this change to take effect.
- For Microstation V8 Choose Workspace > Preferences > Operation and turn on Open Two Application Windows, then click Okay (this user preference is only available in Windows). Choose File > Save Settings, exit and restart MicroStation for this change to take effect..
When MicroStation is restarted, two application windows will open on the same monitor. Simply drag one window to the second monitor and choose File > Save Settings. This preference can also be utilized on a single monitor system.
When this preference is turned on you will be able to drag some dialog boxes between the two monitors. Some window items, such as view windows and dialog boxes, cannot be dragged between monitors, but you can click the Bentley logo at the upper left of the window and select Change Screen to move the view or dialog to the other application window. In addition to providing a second application window, the Open Two Application Windows preference lets you dock tool boxes on each window.
Note: Some video drivers will give you the option of remembering the application's position on the desktop. This setting on most drivers will override the MicroStation preferences. If you run into conflicts contact Bentley Technical Support.
Dual Monitors for DOS
Different versions of MicroStation use different methods of controlling dual monitors. The DOS versions of MicroStation V5 and MicroStation 95 under Windows 3.1x used USCONFIG.EXE, a 32bit DOS executable which allowed MicroStation to control the second monitor while Windows controlled the main monitor. MicroStation 95 for Windows is a true 32bit Windows application which allows the operating system to have full control of peripherals such as graphic adapters and input devices. This eliminates the need to use USCONFIG.EXE for video configurations.
The Windows versions of MicroStation 95 and MicroStation SE utilize the resources from the operating system to provide dual monitor capability. This applies to Windows NT 3.51, NT 4.0, Windows 95 and Alpha NT. Windows 3.1x does have some dual monitor configurations which the Windows version of MicroStation 95 will utilize (Note: MicroStation SE is not supported on Windows 3.1x).