* Long Term Niggle

[Pollowick]

I previously used V3 and am now on V5 - my laptop is XP based.

I run both my PCs with multiple monitors - normally two and often like to have parts of my (non-FH) activities spread across the screens.

The Niggle:

When I open FH, I can maximise the window and quite correctly it maximises to fully cover a single screen - normally the primary however I can move it to the secondary. Within the main application window, I can then create numerous others: Focus, Records, Diagram (Several) &c. I can then access them as necessary.

However, I cannot drag one of the windows outside the boundary of the main FH window so I am tied to using a single screen. Why, can I not, for example run the main FH window on the smaller screen, then drag an Ancestors Diagram and Records window to the second screen, whilst reviewing the Focus and inputting new data about an individual on the primary display?

My CAD and Image manipulation software allows this ... Any ideas why FH does not and puts an artificial restriction in place?

[tatewise]

Yes, even using Window > Cascade so all the windows can be individually sized & positioned they are sill bounded by the main FH window. But can that main FH window be sized to span both monitors?

However, some windows a can float anywhere outside the main FH window.
e.g. in FH V5 & V6:
Property Box window in Float mode.
e.g. in FH V6:
Witnesses window opened from Facts tab.
View Media window opened from Facts tab and Source For pane.

[Pollowick]

Yes, even using Window > Cascade so all the windows can be individually sized & positioned they are sill bounded by the main FH window. But can that main FH window be sized to span both monitors?

It can, however due to the alignment of the monitors I use, it is not feasible. The left hand monitor is lower than the right by about half height and they are not (deliberately) set to be perfectly left right aligned either. So, if I expand it across both, I lose the menu bar completely!


Yes, it is good that the property box can be floated off. And the location is normally remembered so that when I close FH and reopen, the box is in the same place. The option to do that would be nice for all windows although there will be some users who do not want that and are content with bounded location so a set of toggle switches for each type of window might be an answer.

[tatewise]

It is a pity your monitors are not the other way round, with the taller one on the left, then the menubar & toolbar would still be visible with the main FH window spanning the two monitors.

Hopefully as FH evolves, more windows will become free to float anywhere, but any updates that satisfy your wishes will require you to dispense with Windows XP.

[Pollowick]

It is a pity your monitors are not the other way round, with the taller one on the left, then the menubar & toolbar would still be visible with the main FH window spanning the two monitors.

Hopefully as FH evolves, more windows will become free to float anywhere, but any updates that satisfy your wishes will require you to dispense with Windows XP.

It is down to the way I like to work ... and what I want where on my physical desk!

I know I will need to dispense with XP - however that is on a PC that moves with me often working with the single display so floating is not an issue andit is the only one in current use with XP. I could install V6 on the other PC, if/when floating becomes available - provided the GEDCOM files are fully interchangeable.

[tatewise]

Unfortunately, the GEDCOM are NOT compatible between V5 and V6 due mainly to the introduction of Witnessses and Place records. You definitely cannot synch via the cloud, etc. The only way of working would be to exclusively enter new data to V6 and export to V5 via a Plugin, but never enter new data to V5.