Mac display problem :/
Community Forums/General Help/Mac display problem :/
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| I am doing some iphone work at the moment and have to use OSX ... but HOW do you turn off dual desktop?! I just want my external monitor as the primary one while still using the laptop keyboard. On a PC this is a simple matter of fn+f4(or whatever) and when running Ubuntu or XP i have to go to graphics options and force it manually every time i start the computer or unplug the monitor, which is a pain, but at least it is possible. The mac seems to have no concept of this other than extended desktop (which always puts the dock at the bottom of the laptop screen and menu at top of other :!?)... oh, and mirror screens which is a load of crap because it only has one res available. Last edited 2011 |
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| It works fine on my Mac. Got my dock on my external screen. |
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| In your displays system prefs panel, the you can organize your screens (set their relative positions) by dragging them around, but you can also drag the menu bar from one screen to another... the screen with the menu bar is the primary display. New windows open on the primary display, and the dock (in bottom position) is placed on the primary display as well. To my knowledge there is no way to switch off a laptop display, and JUST use an external display on a mac. You have to either extend or mirror. Mirror will resolution limit you obviously, and extending you can control the "main" display (ignoring the other if you like) by setting the menu bar screen. If you just want to move the dock, you can set it to a side position rather than the bottom, and it goes to the extreme of that side, across monitors... very handy if, like me, you want extra space on the main screen, but still want your dock visible all the time... If you're ignoring the laptop display (not taking advantage of multiple screens...) it might make more sense to also hook up an external keyboard... anything USB will work, and you can swap the windows and alt keys if you like (keyboard prefs) to get a mac key layout (command next to space bar), or keep them as is (alt next to space bar) so your alt is always where you expect it from a PC... Hope that helps. Last edited 2011 |
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| I found a "hack" in the end.. if you move the monitor config like this: ____---------- ..1...|.... 2 ------_______ then the dock it at the bottom of "all monitors" and the menu is at the top of "all monitors" meaning essentially no 2. I think this is what Ima is describing above. Its still annoying when i open stuff and it appears on the laptop screen though. Surely it would have been "user friendly" and "design ready" to simply put in a bloody keyswitch (preferably hardware but software would do) PS: i love multiple screens, but only when they are the same size and parallel. Otherwise it is more of a hassle than a benefit. |
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| I don't follow, you have the menu bar on your main (big/external) screen but apps are still opening on the laptop? or you're trying to get the dock and menu bar on different screens? And mirroring isn't an option presumably because the laptop screen doesn't support the resolution you want on the external display... |
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| Another thought, you might be able to run with the lid closed, or force the screen off like the process outlined here: http://www.mac-forums.com/forums/apple-notebooks/122092-how-keep-macbook-when-its-closed.html Of important note (as mentioned in the link above) macs are designed to run opened for cooling purposes so either make sure you've got something else in place to help out, or get the lid open while keeping the screen off... p.s. I can't vouch for the success of this approach, never tried it myself. also might not work with all models etc etc Last edited 2011 |
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| Yes closing it does work... Unfortunately i tried that the other week. (Of course you need an external kbd which is not really what i wanted) but then the bloody thing overheated playing HL2. So no dont run your macbook pro closed it is obviously not designed for it. |
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| Closing the lid works. You have to Make sure external power is connected, external monitor is connected, start laptop and close lid immediately. The external monitor will be used exclusively. Once OS X is booted you can open the lid and display sharing will not start. (Rider - If external power is not connected opening the lid will cause the laptop display to be used and display sharing will start) This works well on my white Macbook (2009). Hope this helps. Matthew |
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| if closing and opening works like matty (and that link) describes you can run it open, using an external screen, and presumably the internal keyboard as well... just close, trigger wake up with external kbd or mouse, open, off to the races... |
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