Feature Request Panning while dual monotors are used.

Otis · 12-31-2009, 05:48 AM

First of all I wish everyone a Happy New Year! I am a newbie not sure where my thoughts should go. But at my aage what the hell.

I sent a note of the the tech boys that in dual nonitor mode that the was no panning. Here was their reply"

"This is a problem we are still working on fixing in the Beta. It only appears on a limited number of systems so we'd love for you submit this over at the Beta Forums."

Well here I am , and after watching the preview (panning working) I bit my lip and guess the only way to fix this is to make thes whole screen wider, does this make andy sence?

Otis

Jim Sachs · 12-31-2009, 09:07 AM

Welcome to the Forum, Otis.

The tank is about 2.5 widescreens wide, so two wide monitors should still leave a little room for panning.

Dale · 12-31-2009, 07:22 PM

Originally posted by Otis:

I sent a note of the the tech boys that in dual nonitor mode that the was no panning. Here was their reply"

.....
..., and after watching the preview (panning working)

I'm not sure what you mean. Are you saying that it pans in Screen Saver Preview mode, but does not pan in regular operation?

rctneil · 01-01-2010, 09:13 AM

I have two 20" widescreen monitors and the aquarium does not pan. I thought this was it's maximum width!

cjmaddy · 01-01-2010, 10:02 AM

Yes that is it's maximum width. - Depending on the aspect ratio of your wide-screen monitors, there will be little if any panning across the two screens. - On my two 5x4 monitors, the maximum width of MA3 is approx 2.5 screens wide. If I make a window to fill the width of both screen (2560), then the maximum height of the window when panning stops is approx 800. - That is the approx equivalent ratio of two wide-screen monitors.

Rick Simon · 01-01-2010, 11:22 AM

Originally posted by rctneil:

I have two 20" widescreen monitors and the aquarium does not pan. I thought this was it's maximum width!

This gets difficult to judge because of the vast differences in displays, both in their aspect ratios and possible multi-monitor configurations. To further complicate matters, MA3 auto adjusts itself to some degree. After doing some experimentation, I came up with the following procedure to figure out whether MA3 should, or should not pan on multi-monitor displays:

1) find the resolution of each monitor in use and jot them down.

2) add up all of the horizontal resolutions for the widest part of the overall display. For example:

a) 2 monitors side by side at 1024x768 = 2048
b) 3 monitors side by side, 2 at 1024x768 and one at 1680x1050 = 3728
c) 4 monitors, 3 side by side at 1024x768 and one above the center monitor at 1024x768 = 3072 (3 times 1024 for the 3 side by side monitors which comprise the widest part of the display)

3) repeat step 2 above for the vertical resolutions.

4) divide the maximum horizontal resolution found in step 2 by the maximum vertical resolution found in step 3. The resulting number is the aspect ratio of your entire display (i.e. x.xx:1). For example, here are the aspect ratios for the examples cited in step 2 above:

a) 2 monitor setup: 2048x768 = 2.66:1 aspect ratio
b) 3 monitor setup: 3728x1050 = 3.55:1 aspect ratio
c) 4 monitor setup: 3072x1536 = 2:1 aspect ratio

As far as I can tell, for aspect ratios of 3.15:1 or lower (i.e. 3.0:1, 2.8:1, etc), MA3 will pan. The smaller the first number, the more panning there will be.

For aspect ratios between 3.2:1 and 4.2:1, MA3 will display quite well without panning. It does so by cutting off the upper and lower parts of the overall scene to auto-adjust itself. Aspect ratios of up to 4.2:1 maintain all of the coral formations and the almost all of the top layer of gravel within the visible scene.

Aspect ratios greater than 4.2:1 continue to try to auto-adjust by cutting off more and more of the top and bottom of the scene, but it really begins to detract from the overall scene due to parts of the coral, clams, etc. disappearing.

cjmaddy · 01-01-2010, 12:22 PM

The simple answer, as I have said above, is....
MA3 can not pan if the total of the two monitors is 3.2:1 or greater. (example: 2560x800), which is equivalent to two 16:10 widescreen monitors.
Two 16:9 widescreens will have black bands, unless the image is distorted or cropped. - And it also will not pan.

rctneil · 01-01-2010, 12:22 PM

Cheers for that Rick. My aspect ratio seems to be 3.2:1 and I get no panning at all but MA3 looks perfect here.

Rick Simon · 01-02-2010, 08:52 AM

Originally posted by cjmaddy:

The simple answer, as I have said above, is....
MA3 can not pan if the total of the two monitors is 3.2:1 or greater. (example: 2560x800), which is equivalent to two 16:10 widescreen monitors.
Two 16:9 widescreens will have black bands, unless the image is distorted or cropped. - And it also will not pan.

Simple answer? Yes. Accurate answer? No. For the most part, you and Jim are both talking about "2.5 screens wide" or "two widescreen monitors wide". Both of those statements however, mean virtually nothing without knowing what screen resolution those monitors are set to. As a for instance, I have a 16:10 monitor that offers screen resolutions of 1360x1024 and 1360x768. If I had two of them sitting side by side, MA3 would pan with them set to one resolution (2720x1024 = 2.6:1) and would not pan with them set to the other (2720x768 - 3.5:1).

Similarly, you're example of 2560x800 doesn't mean much unless the reader understands how to convert that to a ratio which can then be measured against THEIR screen resolutions. All I did was provide a step by step procedure for people who may not know how to do that for themselves.

--

Ralph · 01-02-2010, 10:28 AM

Do we know if Otis is running on a MAC or a PC? Wasn't "panning" one of those things not implemented in the MAC version?

Jim Sachs · 01-02-2010, 10:37 AM

There has been a discussion about panning over on the Mac side of the Forum for a couple of weeks. Since this one is on my side of the fence, I was assuming that we are talking about PCs.

cjmaddy · 01-02-2010, 12:48 PM

Originally posted by Rick Simon:

Simple answer? Yes. Accurate answer? No. ....

Not so.
Rick, those are facts in my posts, not opinions. There is nothing wrong with my statements. - Please read both my posts again.

Originally posted by Rick Simon:

....Similarly, you're example of 2560x800 doesn't mean much unless the reader understands how to convert that to a ratio which can then be measured against THEIR screen resolutions. ....

You simply divide one by the other..... 2560/800 = 3.2 ..... Therefore the ratio = 3.2:1

As rctneil says, two widescreen monitors giving 3.2:1 will not pan! ...... That is also what I said.

12-31-2009, 05:48 AM	#1
Otis Registered Join Date: Dec 2009 Posts: 1	Panning while dual monotors are used. First of all I wish everyone a Happy New Year! I am a newbie not sure where my thoughts should go. But at my aage what the hell. I sent a note of the the tech boys that in dual nonitor mode that the was no panning. Here was their reply" "This is a problem we are still working on fixing in the Beta. It only appears on a limited number of systems so we'd love for you submit this over at the Beta Forums." Well here I am , and after watching the preview (panning working) I bit my lip and guess the only way to fix this is to make thes whole screen wider, does this make andy sence? Otis

12-31-2009, 09:07 AM	#2
Jim Sachs Developer Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Southern Oregon Posts: 9,789	Welcome to the Forum, Otis. The tank is about 2.5 widescreens wide, so two wide monitors should still leave a little room for panning. Jim Sachs Creator of SereneScreen Aquarium

01-01-2010, 11:22 AM	#6
Rick Simon Registered Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Michigan Posts: 93	Originally posted by rctneil: I have two 20" widescreen monitors and the aquarium does not pan. I thought this was it's maximum width! This gets difficult to judge because of the vast differences in displays, both in their aspect ratios and possible multi-monitor configurations. To further complicate matters, MA3 auto adjusts itself to some degree. After doing some experimentation, I came up with the following procedure to figure out whether MA3 should, or should not pan on multi-monitor displays: 1) find the resolution of each monitor in use and jot them down. 2) add up all of the horizontal resolutions for the widest part of the overall display. For example: a) 2 monitors side by side at 1024x768 = 2048 b) 3 monitors side by side, 2 at 1024x768 and one at 1680x1050 = 3728 c) 4 monitors, 3 side by side at 1024x768 and one above the center monitor at 1024x768 = 3072 (3 times 1024 for the 3 side by side monitors which comprise the widest part of the display) 3) repeat step 2 above for the vertical resolutions. 4) divide the maximum horizontal resolution found in step 2 by the maximum vertical resolution found in step 3. The resulting number is the aspect ratio of your entire display (i.e. x.xx:1). For example, here are the aspect ratios for the examples cited in step 2 above: a) 2 monitor setup: 2048x768 = 2.66:1 aspect ratio b) 3 monitor setup: 3728x1050 = 3.55:1 aspect ratio c) 4 monitor setup: 3072x1536 = 2:1 aspect ratio As far as I can tell, for aspect ratios of 3.15:1 or lower (i.e. 3.0:1, 2.8:1, etc), MA3 will pan. The smaller the first number, the more panning there will be. For aspect ratios between 3.2:1 and 4.2:1, MA3 will display quite well without panning. It does so by cutting off the upper and lower parts of the overall scene to auto-adjust itself. Aspect ratios of up to 4.2:1 maintain all of the coral formations and the almost all of the top layer of gravel within the visible scene. Aspect ratios greater than 4.2:1 continue to try to auto-adjust by cutting off more and more of the top and bottom of the scene, but it really begins to detract from the overall scene due to parts of the coral, clams, etc. disappearing.

01-02-2010, 10:37 AM	#11
Jim Sachs Developer Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Southern Oregon Posts: 9,789	There has been a discussion about panning over on the Mac side of the Forum for a couple of weeks. Since this one is on my side of the fence, I was assuming that we are talking about PCs. Jim Sachs Creator of SereneScreen Aquarium

12-31-2009, 07:22 PM	#3
Dale Banned Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Western Missouri Posts: 960	Originally posted by Otis: I sent a note of the the tech boys that in dual nonitor mode that the was no panning. Here was their reply" ..... ..., and after watching the preview (panning working) I'm not sure what you mean. Are you saying that it pans in Screen Saver Preview mode, but does not pan in regular operation?

01-01-2010, 09:13 AM	#4
rctneil Registered Join Date: Jul 2008 Posts: 239	I have two 20" widescreen monitors and the aquarium does not pan. I thought this was it's maximum width!

01-01-2010, 10:02 AM	#5
cjmaddy Registered Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Lancashire, UK Posts: 7,854	Yes that is it's maximum width. - Depending on the aspect ratio of your wide-screen monitors, there will be little if any panning across the two screens. - On my two 5x4 monitors, the maximum width of MA3 is approx 2.5 screens wide. If I make a window to fill the width of both screen (2560), then the maximum height of the window when panning stops is approx 800. - That is the approx equivalent ratio of two wide-screen monitors.

01-01-2010, 12:22 PM	#7
cjmaddy Registered Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Lancashire, UK Posts: 7,854	The simple answer, as I have said above, is.... MA3 can not pan if the total of the two monitors is 3.2:1 or greater. (example: 2560x800), which is equivalent to two 16:10 widescreen monitors. Two 16:9 widescreens will have black bands, unless the image is distorted or cropped. - And it also will not pan.

01-02-2010, 08:52 AM	#9
Rick Simon Registered Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Michigan Posts: 93	Originally posted by cjmaddy: The simple answer, as I have said above, is.... MA3 can not pan if the total of the two monitors is 3.2:1 or greater. (example: 2560x800), which is equivalent to two 16:10 widescreen monitors. Two 16:9 widescreens will have black bands, unless the image is distorted or cropped. - And it also will not pan. Simple answer? Yes. Accurate answer? No. For the most part, you and Jim are both talking about "2.5 screens wide" or "two widescreen monitors wide". Both of those statements however, mean virtually nothing without knowing what screen resolution those monitors are set to. As a for instance, I have a 16:10 monitor that offers screen resolutions of 1360x1024 and 1360x768. If I had two of them sitting side by side, MA3 would pan with them set to one resolution (2720x1024 = 2.6:1) and would not pan with them set to the other (2720x768 - 3.5:1). Similarly, you're example of 2560x800 doesn't mean much unless the reader understands how to convert that to a ratio which can then be measured against THEIR screen resolutions. All I did was provide a step by step procedure for people who may not know how to do that for themselves. --

01-02-2010, 10:28 AM	#10
Ralph Retired Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Edmonton Alberta Ca Posts: 2,441	Do we know if Otis is running on a MAC or a PC? Wasn't "panning" one of those things not implemented in the MAC version?

01-02-2010, 12:48 PM	#12
cjmaddy Registered Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Lancashire, UK Posts: 7,854	Originally posted by Rick Simon: Simple answer? Yes. Accurate answer? No. .... Not so. Rick, those are facts in my posts, not opinions. There is nothing wrong with my statements. - Please read both my posts again. Originally posted by Rick Simon: ....Similarly, you're example of 2560x800 doesn't mean much unless the reader understands how to convert that to a ratio which can then be measured against THEIR screen resolutions. .... You simply divide one by the other..... 2560/800 = 3.2 ..... Therefore the ratio = 3.2:1 As rctneil says, two widescreen monitors giving 3.2:1 will not pan! ...... That is also what I said.