Multi-monitor on Amiga compatibles

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jPV
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Multi-monitor on Amiga compatibles

Post by jPV »

I have postponed trying this for some reason, but now tried if the multi-monitor support would work on MorphOS, because it would be handy with my latest production to have a control GUI on other monitor and fullscreen display on another. I tried the example on GetMonitors() but it only lists one monitor on my dual-monitor setup on MorphOS. Should this work on Amiga compatibles?

The dual-head on MorphOS is practically the same as using several graphics cards on an Amiga. You get different graphics card/chip name in front of screenmode names in the system... and at least in MorphOS there's GetMonitor#? functions in the intuition.library etc..
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airsoftsoftwair
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Re: Multi-monitor on Amiga compatibles

Post by airsoftsoftwair »

Actually, multi-monitor support is completely unimplemented on AmigaOS and compatibles because I was always of the impression that you need two graphics boards in your system to make this work. Is this no longer the case?
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Re: Multi-monitor on Amiga compatibles

Post by jPV »

airsoftsoftwair wrote: Mon Jul 07, 2025 10:37 pm Actually, multi-monitor support is completely unimplemented on AmigaOS and compatibles because I was always of the impression that you need two graphics boards in your system to make this work. Is this no longer the case?
It's not the case anymore, MorphOS has supported dual-head graphics cards for a while now, and they're used quite commonly nowadays. There's mouse movement between screens, mirroring, etc. implemented. I'm using a PowerBook with an external monitor on its DVI-connector, so two displays on it (internal and external). Multi-head supported graphics cards are available also for PowerMac G5:s, iMac:s etc..
bitRocky
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Re: Multi-monitor on Amiga compatibles

Post by bitRocky »

For me it works here with your latest DongDing app!
The SoundBoard is opened on the second monitor!
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Re: Multi-monitor on Amiga compatibles

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bitRocky wrote: Tue Jul 08, 2025 8:54 pm For me it works here with your latest DongDing app!
The SoundBoard is opened on the second monitor!
But that's just pure luck, I don't know what defines it on which monitor it opens and I can't control it in any way. I'd like to make an option on which monitor it opens. Also multimonitor setups are problematic with my RNOInfoScreen as a blanker... IIRC it may blank the wrong monitor or randomly...

So, as a feature request, please, could we get multi-monitor working on Amiga compatibles too, or at least on MorphOS which has extended the support more than other platforms :)

BTW. why not on other Amigas too, because multi-monitor setups are quite easy to set up on them too. Basically if you add a graphics card on your Amiga, you already have two monitors setup (RTG + native). I've also had two graphics cards (3 monitors) on my A1200, and then there can be setups like this with 5 monitors https://saku.bbs.fi/yhdistys/tapahtumat ... 00004.html :)
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Re: Multi-monitor on Amiga compatibles

Post by airsoftsoftwair »

jPV wrote: Wed Jul 09, 2025 7:33 am So, as a feature request, please, could we get multi-monitor working on Amiga compatibles too, or at least on MorphOS which has extended the support more than other platforms :)
Ok, should be doable.
jPV wrote: Wed Jul 09, 2025 7:33 am BTW. why not on other Amigas too, because multi-monitor setups are quite easy to set up on them too. Basically if you add a graphics card on your Amiga, you already have two monitors setup (RTG + native). I've also had two graphics cards (3 monitors) on my A1200, and then there can be setups like this with 5 monitors https://saku.bbs.fi/yhdistys/tapahtumat ... 00004.html :)
Eww, multiple gfx cards is a huge turn off. It means I have to change the hardware configuration before being able to do anything and of course then whenever I have to test it I have to set up this specific hardware again. Not very excited to do this. I'll support OS4 once it gets real multi-monitor support, i.e. two monitors on a single gfx board.
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Re: Multi-monitor on Amiga compatibles

Post by airsoftsoftwair »

This is postponed now. I've taken a look and it seems like MorphOS lacks APIs that are necessary to return the individual monitors' position. AFAICS it's currently only possible to query all monitors in the system but not the way they're positioned.
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Re: Multi-monitor on Amiga compatibles

Post by jPV »

Hmm.. I would like to let user select on which monitor the display is opened, I woudn't care that much about monitor positioning...
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Re: Multi-monitor on Amiga compatibles

Post by airsoftsoftwair »

jPV wrote: Sun Sep 21, 2025 5:57 pm Hmm.. I would like to let user select on which monitor the display is opened, I woudn't care that much about monitor positioning...
Not possible with current APIs AFAICS. In order to open a display on a specific monitor, Hollywood needs to know the offsets of the monitor in the multi-monitor setup, i.e. its x and y position in the multi-monitor setup.
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