Resetting Dialog Box Placement?

[JamesTaylor]

I've been using a laptop recently and had attached it to a second monitor. whilst using CAD and VIZ i'd moved some of the dialog boxes - material editor etc onto the second screen. Unfortunately now when i use the laptop on a single screen, CAD and Viz still remember that the dialog boxes were moved onto the second screen, so i can no longer access them without pluging back into the 2nd monitor.

 

i'm sure there is a way to reset this but i can't remember how. anyone got any suggestions?

 

i've tried loading the default layout in viz but no luck - i need to know for a number a programs please - AutoCAD, Viz, Photoshop.

 

Thanks James

[lambros]

I think that all that kind of information is held in the 3dsmax.ini file. You can either delete the file, max will create a new one when you start max (losing all custom info though), or better, you can search in the .ini file to find the piece of info you are looking for. Yeah, I think that's better..

[JamesTaylor]

thanks Lambros,

 

i've got a feeling that there is any easier way than that - almost a windows command or something like that which will reset all placements of dialog boxes back to one screen across all software apps. i may well be wrong tho!

 

i'd guess your right about the .ini file tho so will bear it in mind for the future.

 

any more suggestions?

[lambros]

I think that if you use specific "span across two displays" software such as nvidia's or ati's software, it can be done easily. But, to my knowledge, max does not have such an option. Anybody else?

[John Dollus]

From the Max forum:

 

Immediately after invoking the window, it will still have the focus. Hit

Alt-Space-M (That brings up the window menu and invokes the "move" command.)

Press and hold the left or right arrow key that will bring the window back

onto your reduced desktop. Shortly, you will see a "ghosted" window frame

toodling into your frame. Once it gets to where you'll be able to grab it

with a mouse, leggo the arrow key, press "Enter" and there you are.

 

If you know in advance of shutting Max down that you're going to do this

(frex: you're on a laptop and are going to unhook it from the second

monitor), pull any windows that are on the extended desktop onto the main

screen before you close them. In most cases (the only exception I've seen so

far are the material preview windows) they will open on the main desktop

next time.

 

Now, I'm pretty green with Max. But it seems to me that there should be a

way to preset some of this stuff and save the screen layouts. Is there?

 

Regards,

Mark Alger

Otto Printing & Entertainment Graphics

Cincinnati, OH/Dayton, KY

[JamesTaylor]

Thanks John,

 

thats a good tip and quite straight forward, the type of thing i was looking for.

 

now i've caused myself the problem of unhooking the 2nd monitor but leaving behind the windows i'll be more careful not to let it happen again! but you now how it goes - at some point i'm bound to forget, just got to remember the ALT-SPACE-M routine!

 

in regards to the saving and loading presets in viz / max it is possible and at first i tried loading the default UI file but it didn't help restore my windows, hence the post

 

thanks again

 

james

[Wayne Harney]

I've been looking for a solution like this for years! Thanks!!!