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halcyonrichard
United Kingdom
16 Posts |
 Posted - 23 Nov 2014 : 13:21:53
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Hi,
I have been trying to set my laptop up to give maximum display area for schematics and PCB layout. I have a few questions and would appreciate if anyone has solutions.
1/ The program always opens with a windows title on the top is there any way to stop displaying this ?
2/ I then have a file toolbar and some optional tool bars can these be combined so that they only take up a thinner single toolbar ?
3/ Similarly at the bottom I have the tabs bar and a status bar I can turn these off. Is there any way to combine these into one ? Or have the bars only come up when a function key is pressed ?
4/ The scroll bars are always present can the mouse be used to navigate the design instead ? And not have the scroll bars.
Any other ways to maximise screen area used ?
Many thanks Richard
Richard |
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edrees
United Kingdom
779 Posts |
Posted - 23 Nov 2014 : 15:23:22
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View => Toolbars, & View =>Tabbed Designs gives you some control of what you see on screen. Also View =>Rulers allows you to get rid of the rulers.
Not sure about getting "single line toolbars", -that's what my screen looks like. Try dragging the toolbar on the second line to the top line by grabbing the 4 grey vertical dots.
Keyboard "P" gives you a shortcut key for Pan. Middle mouse button can do this too (if mouse set up correctly). Press & hold middle button to drag. Don't know of a way of eliminating the scroll bars completely though.
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Edited by - edrees on 23 Nov 2014 15:30:56 |
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halcyonrichard
United Kingdom
16 Posts |
Posted - 24 Nov 2014 : 11:56:26
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Hi Ed,
Thanks for that. I have had a play. I did not realise the menu toolbar could be detached and moved around. I removed all the top tool bars and have laid the menu toolbar over the title bar. This saves a lot of space. As suggested I removed the rulers. In windows 8.1 I can make the title bar a lot smaller but no option to remove it. I also found that items/text other than the title bar can be resized and I have set everything to the minimum size. Bit hard to read some items but I know where and what they are.
This has made a very noticeable difference and means a lot less zooming and panning. On a small PCB I can layout without zooming/panning. I am considering a second screen as I think this will save a lot of time and pay for itself in a short time.
Richard |
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halcyonrichard
United Kingdom
16 Posts |
Posted - 24 Nov 2014 : 11:59:45
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Hi,
Forgot to say the scroll bar size can also be reduce and that helps as well.
Richard
Richard |
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edrees
United Kingdom
779 Posts |
Posted - 24 Nov 2014 : 12:07:50
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Richard, don't buy a second monitor just for EPC.
"Dual Screen Mode" still remains unstable.
Buy a bigger monitor instead, so your "unreadable" items/text might become bigger too (depending on resolution). |
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halcyonrichard
United Kingdom
16 Posts |
Posted - 24 Nov 2014 : 13:19:40
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Hi Ed,
I have recently bought a new laptop and this is why I am looking at resolution etc. I went to currys PC world to look for what was about. Quite frankly I had been living with good but old technology. The touch screens, all in one PC's,Tablets etc have really come on. I am going to look at a 4k (ultra HD) 3840 x 2160 28 inch for use at the office at home. This will give me 4 times the pixels and size of my current setup. I will be able to run it as a single monitor or with the laptop screen on as well (windows 8.1 function). I also use it for embedded programming and having to scroll/switch documents really absorbs time. I am certain A good monitor will pay for itself in a few weeks.
Richard
Richard |
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tswelectronics
United Kingdom
88 Posts |
Posted - 25 Nov 2014 : 20:57:16
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The idea of using a 4K monitor is something I had not considered but it sounds like it could be a great idea.
I just saw a 4K TV in currys for £500. The resolution is awesome but I am wondering what kind of graphics card would be required. Still, be really nice screen to layout boards with.
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halcyonrichard
United Kingdom
16 Posts |
Posted - 26 Nov 2014 : 08:59:27
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Hi I am a bit wary of jumping in. As Ed said there may be some issues. I have been looking at a 28 inch samsung 4k monitor in currys currently at £430. (as a buisness I can get VAT back). I have an inspiron with a full HD screen. Adding a 4k monitor in effect gives me an extra 4 ! I have the latest Dell ispiron with an Invidia 750 m display card that it came with. It states HDMI 1.4a - which looking on wiki should support the 4K monitor at full resolution. I am trying to find a monitor to try out ? Maybe I will take my laptop to currys and see if they will let be try it out ?
Richard |
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edrees
United Kingdom
779 Posts |
Posted - 26 Nov 2014 : 09:19:09
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Hi Richard,
That would be really interesting.
Please let us know how you get on with your laptop connected to a 4K monitor at Currys, (other Retailers are also available!). |
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tswelectronics
United Kingdom
88 Posts |
Posted - 26 Nov 2014 : 09:37:22
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| Yeah, please take your laptop to Currys and let us know what happens. |
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rvpilot
United Kingdom
51 Posts |
Posted - 26 Nov 2014 : 09:48:19
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4K is 3840x2160 and according to the Nvidia spec, the 750M will do :
LCD – eDP 1.2 support Up to 3840x2160
LCD – LVDS support Up to 1920x1200
VGA analog display Support Up to 2048x1536
DisplayPort Multimode Support Up to 3840x2160
so if your laptop has a DisplayPort or eDP it should work ! |
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halcyonrichard
United Kingdom
16 Posts |
Posted - 26 Nov 2014 : 10:24:47
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Hi,
No such luck. They do seem to make things difficult. I think the Nvidia chip is built in. The description for the laptop mentions that the HDMI is 1.4a which should just be plug and play for 4k(or plug and crash as I like to call it ). It works on my HD TV but that is not 4k.
I think it's a trip to currys !
Richard
Richard |
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halcyonrichard
United Kingdom
16 Posts |
Posted - 26 Nov 2014 : 14:05:36
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Well I could not wait any longer. So I took my laptop to currys with a little excitment and a warm christmas feeling. I dodged all the sales people with my laptop in it's carry case. I could not find my preferred Samsung monitor !
So I had to ask on of the sales people who I had met before. Only the mega/superstores stock them. Sod. The nearest was Derby. Sod.
Well they had all kinds of 4k televisions and I was not sure if they are as good as monitors. Anyway I persuaded the chap to let me plug my laptop into a 48 " 4k TV.
Very disapointed my desktop came on the 48 " up and my dogs photo looked no better than my home HD TV. No better clarity.
So I had to set up dual monitors in windows 8.1 to be able to get the EPC onto the big screen.
The photo of the dog became crisp and well defined (I think the default was HD until it worked out it was 4K)
Managed to drag the EPC window to the big monitor and it was tiny. But this was just the pixels were now set to the old HD. Hit the restore button and AMAZING. Just a totally different way to see the board everything worked smoothly. Impressed very impressed.
I have ordered the 28 " 4k monitor and will get it tomorrow 
I have been living in the stone age. I still can't believe how good it was.
Richard
Richard |
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tswelectronics
United Kingdom
88 Posts |
Posted - 18 Dec 2014 : 12:39:16
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Just wondering how the 4K monitor is doing? I am really tempted to buy a 42inch 4K screen to work with. This represents such a fantastic pixel density.
Still not sure what the minimum spec graphics card required is. |
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halcyonrichard
United Kingdom
16 Posts |
Posted - 18 Dec 2014 : 13:27:27
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Hi,
It makes a big difference. It's easier to do things and I noticed less eye strain and less stressed while getting more done. Getting a full 4k driver is important as this is what give the resolution. I have an invedia geforce 750m. I keep getting screen resets and the drivers for it seem to be updated regularly. If you have a currys there it is well worth seeing if they will let you try it out. Also having the old screen and new one also makes things a lot easier i.e. schematic on one and layout on another. i.e. PDF the schematic this seems to give better readability for component text etc. 4K TV's at argos were £390 and I think they will still be falling.
Richard
Richard |
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tswelectronics
United Kingdom
88 Posts |
Posted - 18 Dec 2014 : 13:35:06
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Cheers, Argos do have them cheaper. Not sure if I trust Bush but there are a few so I think the prices will come down as you say. I know this time of year is where all the TV sales happen so might be good timing.
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Topic |
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Fullscreen/minimising toolbars/tabs