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Q: Dual monitors and fullscreen fiasco, is there a work around?

If you have a dual monitor set-up and Lion and you have tried the fullscreen setting, then you know what is wrong.

 

Might as well not even have the second monitor...Lion completely takes over both monitors and only allows you to have one app up. Pointless, and no way to stop it. (A preference setting in System Preferences under Displays would have been the right thing to do).

 

I know I don't have to use fullscreen, but it was nice to be able to view a Quicktime movie fullscreen on one monitor while continuing to work on the other. Lion makes that impossible.

 

Anyone know of a work-around or fix for the fullscreen/dual monitor fiasco?

 

Thanks for all help.

Posted on Jul 21, 2011 2:07 PM

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  • by ricardofromriverside,

     ricardofromriverside Jul 21, 2011 2:13 PM in response to donebylee
    Level 1 Level 1 (0 points)
    Jul 21, 2011 2:13 PM in response to donebylee

    i have the same problem im not getting anything from having two screens anymore its just a blank screen when i go full screen with an app

    Jul 21, 2011 2:13 PM

  • by Richard Olpin,

     Richard Olpin Jul 21, 2011 5:23 PM in response to donebylee
    Level 1 Level 1 (5 points)
    Jul 21, 2011 5:23 PM in response to donebylee

    So frustrating. Apple have clearly decided that laptops and tablets are where it's at now, hence all the new features which are aimed at small screen computing.

     

    Have they forgotten their desktop users?  I'm running a Mac Pro with three monitors and yet now I can't even full screen a quicktime movie on one of my additional displays while I'm working on the main monitor without it trying to take over my whole system..  Just what the heck do they think they're playing at?

    Jul 21, 2011 5:23 PM

  • by CynicalEagle,

     CynicalEagle Jul 21, 2011 5:53 PM in response to donebylee
    Level 1 Level 1 (0 points)
    Jul 21, 2011 5:53 PM in response to donebylee

    Completely agree. This is a crazy issue, and one that needs to be fixed soon.

    Jul 21, 2011 5:53 PM

  • by Mactheny,

     Mactheny Jul 22, 2011 2:07 PM in response to CynicalEagle
    Level 1 Level 1 (0 points)
    Jul 22, 2011 2:07 PM in response to CynicalEagle

    Anybody here to have a tipp changing the ugly background texture using fullscreen in dual mode?

     

     

    background.jpg

    Jul 22, 2011 2:07 PM

  • by charlesfromfoster city,

     charlesfromfoster city Jul 23, 2011 3:46 AM in response to donebylee
    Level 1 Level 1 (0 points)
    Jul 23, 2011 3:46 AM in response to donebylee

    Thanks for the discussion. I don't have a real workaround, but if you want to watch video on the second monitor, VLC still lets you full screen while blacking out the primary monitor. Still no good for those of you who want to watch TV while you work on the primary.

     

    Apple: Please fix ASAP!

    Jul 23, 2011 3:46 AM

  • by UnixToy,

     UnixToy Jul 24, 2011 1:38 AM in response to donebylee
    Level 1 Level 1 (0 points)
    Jul 24, 2011 1:38 AM in response to donebylee

    This is correct I have dual screens and can no longer use them and get the same issue as the screen shot above!
    Somone fix this now guess I will need to go back to Snow Leopard?????

    Jul 24, 2011 1:38 AM

  • by mjt1,

     mjt1 Jul 24, 2011 2:44 AM in response to donebylee
    Level 1 Level 1 (0 points)
    Jul 24, 2011 2:44 AM in response to donebylee

    Dual-monitor control is one area where Lion is less functional than Snow Leopard. Full-screen defaulting to a single monitor isn't just a problem with videos, as other people have said, but it destroys the usefulness of the feature for programs like Mail or Preview as well. It's fairly common (at least, I do it) to have a technical document or emails open full-screen on a second monitor, and the new full-screen behaviour makes that impossible.

     

    A solution would be for apps/windows to go full-screen on the monitor on which they were displayed. Full-screen apps could still be switched between using Mission Control - they would just move from one screen to the other before disappearing into virtual-desktop land.

    Jul 24, 2011 2:44 AM

  • by coocooforcocoapuffs,

     coocooforcocoapuffs Jul 24, 2011 2:51 AM in response to mjt1
    Level 3 Level 3 (858 points)
    expertise.macosx
    Mac OS X
    Jul 24, 2011 2:51 AM in response to mjt1

    I think you are right on how it should work, at a minimun, look how chrome did it. It works somewhat rationally there. Put chrome on the external, it goes fs, and leaves the primary monitor open to use, like I am doing right now. very nice!

     

    So I wonder this: does each app developer write the fullscreen code for themselves, and insert into their app using some fullscreen api from apple? If so, thumbs up for the folks at google!!!

     

    Oh, and by the way, I'd like to rename this thread "Dual Monitors and the fullscreen festival" if I may.

    Jul 24, 2011 2:51 AM

  • by djdavetrouble,

     djdavetrouble Jul 24, 2011 11:04 AM in response to donebylee
    Level 1 Level 1 (0 points)
    Jul 24, 2011 11:04 AM in response to donebylee

    I just tried it for the first time with the corner button on Safari: 4 monitors, 3 become blank "canvas". lol. My kids were not happy as they were watching VLC on the LCD that we use for video output. There needs to be more configuration for fullscreen mode. VLC has an option to black out or leave the other displays alone, and you can choose a default fullscreen monitor.

    Jul 24, 2011 11:04 AM

  • by fluxzzz,

     fluxzzz Jul 24, 2011 11:44 PM in response to donebylee
    Level 1 Level 1 (0 points)
    Jul 24, 2011 11:44 PM in response to donebylee

    I'm finding the fullscreen a bit confusing too, as i am mostly on dual screens.

    For me it makes no sense in going to another desktop neither, when activating full screen mode.

     

    Back to divvy i suppose.

    This handy util works for every program, and if you make a keybinding for it, i fairly simple to trigger full screen mode.

    Jul 24, 2011 11:44 PM

  • by UnixToy,

     UnixToy Jul 25, 2011 12:13 AM in response to djdavetrouble
    Level 1 Level 1 (0 points)
    Jul 25, 2011 12:13 AM in response to djdavetrouble

    Some configuration for the fullscreen mode is very important

     

    I cannot beleave that this is so broken

    Jul 25, 2011 12:13 AM

  • by tyronecapetown,

     tyronecapetown Jul 25, 2011 1:09 AM in response to donebylee
    Level 1 Level 1 (0 points)
    Jul 25, 2011 1:09 AM in response to donebylee

    Yeah just tried now watching a movie on our external hdmi setup office TV, and used to be able to output fullscreen to it, now cant. Wow, cant believe this is happening, any ideas?

    Jul 25, 2011 1:09 AM

  • by Richard Olpin,

     Richard Olpin Jul 25, 2011 2:40 AM in response to tyronecapetown
    Level 1 Level 1 (5 points)
    Jul 25, 2011 2:40 AM in response to tyronecapetown

    tyronecapetown wrote:

     

    Yeah just tried now watching a movie on our external hdmi setup office TV, and used to be able to output fullscreen to it, now cant. Wow, cant believe this is happening, any ideas?

     

    Yes, don't just post here, report it to Apple.  Can't stress that enough. These are user forums, and whilst Apple may moderate them at times the only way to be sure you're being heard by the right people is to use the official feedback form.

    Jul 25, 2011 2:40 AM

  • by tyronecapetown,

     tyronecapetown Jul 25, 2011 3:13 AM in response to Richard Olpin
    Level 1 Level 1 (0 points)
    Jul 25, 2011 3:13 AM in response to Richard Olpin

    sorry about that, can't seem to delete my comment?

    Jul 25, 2011 3:13 AM

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