I do I keep my mail from opening on the second screen?

Question

Level 1

6 points

I do I keep my mail from opening on the second screen?

I have an iMac connected a beautiful second screen that is also a TV. I want to watch my TV when surfing the internet and I check my mail. Opening my mail defaults to my second monitor. Therefore, I have to stop watching TV, switch the second monitor from TV mode to Monitor mode. What I would like to do is figure out how to open my mail and keep the mail on my iMac screen. I see no documentation online that shows me how to change which screen the mail open on....thanks

iMac, Mac OS X (10.6.7)

Posted on Apr 17, 2011 7:12 PM

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Answer 1

Apr 17, 2011 7:30 PM in response to rojo

Based upon my use of two monitors, this should only be happening if you once dragged the Mail window to the second monitor. OSX remembers, and opens any app opened on the second monitor on that monitor until the app's window is dragged back to the other monitor. Is something different going on for you?

Ernie

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Answer 2

rojo Author

Level 1

6 points

Apr 17, 2011 8:23 PM in response to Ernie Stamper

Ernie,

Thanks for the quick response, I have tried that several times with no luck. I have even brought back the email to the main screen, closed it, reopened the email and it went to the second monitor again. I have open and moving the pages with the command, option and control commands with no change. Even a combination of keys and it still goes to the second screen. I find no documentation anywhere on this problem. Again, thanks. Ron

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Answer 3

dechamp

Level 4

3,495 points

Apr 17, 2011 9:05 PM in response to rojo

Are you using Spaces and have a preference set for the Mail program?

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Answer 4

Apr 17, 2011 9:28 PM in response to rojo

Ive just had a look around and had a look at the plist file for mail, i threw mail over to my external monitor and recorded the setting, then put it back over to my macbook's main screen.. The plist value changes back and forth.

This will only really work if you have the developer tools installed, as you need the Property List Editor

If you want to have a look, navigate to ~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.mail.plist and make a copy of this (you dont want to screw your mail up). Open that plist up. There's a Key called 'NSWindow Frame Main Window 0' This is the key that changes when i move the window around... On my mac this key is '3 95 1280 681 0 0 1280 778' when its on my MacBook monitor, a totally different value on the external monitor.

If you can change it to that it might help you out!

John

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Answer 5

Apr 18, 2011 8:15 AM in response to rojo

I just tested on my Mac Pro, and moving the Mail window between monitors did not result in having the Mail window default to the second monitor.

Have you tried disconnecting the second monitor, launching Mail on the primary, quitting Mail on the primary, and then reconnecting the second one?

Ernie

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Answer 6

rojo Author

Level 1

6 points

Apr 18, 2011 9:00 AM in response to Ernie Stamper

Ernie it WORKED! Thank you so much. It has been so frustrating. I have spend a lot of time trying to research it and could never find anyone else with the same problem. Do appreciate it....again thanks...

Ron

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