Dual vs single monitor setups

[alexliz]

I run Archicad on my laptop. At home I only have the built-in screen only; at the office I plug into a multi-USB/HDMI etc dock and extend my desktop to a big, external monitor. The trouble is...

..when I arrive at the office or at home, the first time I open a project file I have to relocate *every single window* (ie the main AC window, then also any element settings dialog, pop-up or pet palettes etc) from the wrong location or from the wrong monitor. It's doable but tedious. Here's the question:

Is there a setting or workflow to avoid having to do this every time I switch (physical) work environments? Is there any way you can 'cake in' the WE that windows and palettes etc must remember this or that location?

[Marc H]

A saved Work Environment (WE) can include open palettes in a preferred position, including placement on another screen.  (For example, in one of my WE Profiles, one of my extended screens is my main workspace, and I have the Find & Select box, the Issues Manager box, and the Organizer palette open on my native laptop screen.)  A WE can also include custom Dialog box settings as well.  

In my mind, the WE configuration UI is confusing, but eventually I worked it out:

A WE Profile consists of several sub-components, called Schemes.  When you have all your custom settings set up the way you want them, you will select each Scheme group header (on the outline tree).  You then store the 'Custom' scheme with a name of your choosing via 'Store As'. Then, with each of these Schemes groups updated with names, you assemble them as you want them into a saved Profile.  You can mix and match the saved Schemes to form different Profiles.  One issue with saving:  AC will not let you overwrite an existing Scheme name, so you will need to save an updated one uniquely (I add a '1' or a '2'), then delete the old one, then optionally rename the new one.  You will then need to update the relevant Profiles with the updated Scheme names via the Edit... under Profile Options.  (The "Schemes Stored . . ." window under Profile Options will only tell you the type of Scheme stored not the name of the one assigned.)  Whew!    

The benefit, once done, is a fairly consistent WE to call up when needed.  I added the WE drop-down choice command in my standard toolbar, so I may quickly change between Profiles.  

You can export and import WE Schemes and Profiles if they are not traveling with you.  I'm not sure they will recognize a different external screen in another environment, but in that case you may be able to create new Schemes for that environment and save them to another WE Profile (e.g, "Arch Modeling Away" vs "Arch Modeling Office").

[Barry Kelly]

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@Marc H wrote:

One issue with saving:  AC will not let you overwrite an existing Scheme name

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Make your changes, select the scheme name you want update and then press the 'Redefine' button.

Any Work Environment set to use that scheme will automatically update with the new settings when it is applied.

Barry.

[alexliz]

Thanks guys. I'm still struggling to identify which subsection of the WE stores the location/size of dialogs, pet palettes etc. I tried creating variants in 'Workspace Schemes' and 'Tool Schemes', then attaching those to variants of the same WE, but dialogs' positions do not seem to stick with the sets.

[Barry Kelly]

It is in 'Workspace Schemes'.

There are no settings as it is simply the position of palettes on your screen.

Set Archicad up as you want, go into WE and 'Workspace Schemes'.

It will always default to 'custom' but select your scheme and 'Redefine".

Barry.

[alexliz]

Thank you very much for the detailed screenshot, @Barry Kelly .

I already have used this method and set my toolboxes and palettes up for various workflows.

Sadly, Element Settings dialog boxes, pet palettes etc don't seem to be remembered by the schemes. Regardless of which WE I have applied, they seem to appear at their last known location (ie on the main or extended display).

Are you able to get *those* to be affected by WE selection?

[Barry Kelly]

I can't say I have ever used WE for switching between single and dual screens.

My custom WE is set for just one monitor and then if I need anything on the other screen I just drag it there.

But I did just save a new WE with palettes on my second monitor as well.

I can then switch WE and it will reset the palettes from one screen to the other.

Dialogues such as tool settings are not saved with the WE though.

Only the palettes and toolbars you see when you go to the WINDOWS menu > Palettes or Toolbars.

Barry.

[alexliz]

Ah, right! So what I am seeing at my end is the normal behavior then. Thanks Barry.

I might submit a feature request.

[Brad Elliott]

I see you are on a Mac. What works best for me is to make the external monitor the one with the menu bar. The Mac then remembers that setting for that monitor moving forward so when you work on the laptop alone it has the menu bar, and when you plug into the monitor it moves the menu bar and everything on the screen over to it. I have to do a minor resize of the main Archicad screen and am done.

[alexliz]

Thanks @Brad Elliott . I already do that. The problem is with the likes of Element Settings dialogs and pet-palettes (also Attributes/Classifications/Properties/Composite Profiles etc - these tend to appear on the wrong monitor every time I switch, and I constantly have to bring them into the main monitor (I don't want to have to turn my head to look at one monitor, then turn to the main all the time, you see).