How to get EQ2 to start up on secondary monitor every time?

Subservience · 08-27-2010, 10:38 AM

I'm running 2 instances of EQ2 on the same machine.

They are both in separate/different directories.

Currently, I will start the primary instance on the main monitor. Then I start the secondary instance and have to manually drag the window to the secondary monitor. But this is a pain and I'm hoping someone can tell me how to make the secondary instance always start up on the secondary monitor automatically.

And I would like this solution to work by using the launcher, not by directly launching the everquest2.exe executable file.

Any advice?

Kizee · 08-27-2010, 11:07 AM

OT but why do you have 2 seperate installs? O.o

Seems like a waste of hard drive space to me.

I used to run 4 instances of EQ2 on 1 machine with only 1 install.

Barx · 08-27-2010, 11:11 AM

Shimmer@Befallen wrote:

OT but why do you have 2 seperate installs? O.o
Seems like a waste of hard drive space to me.
I used to run 4 instances of EQ2 on 1 machine with only 1 install.

Not necessarily. Multiple installs is required if you're using the streaming client, or it could be for performance if the installs are on different disks.

Re: the OP, I don't know of any way to force it to launch on a secondary screen. There may be one, but I have not seen it.

Subservience · 08-27-2010, 11:27 AM

Shimmer@Befallen wrote:

OT but why do you have 2 seperate installs? O.o
Seems like a waste of hard drive space to me.
I used to run 4 instances of EQ2 on 1 machine with only 1 install.

No particular reason - just seemed to me like the way to do it. I figured a lot of the files would be locked and in use by the first instance.

Which way do you think (2 installs vs 1) would get the best performance? Also, I'm running off a single 500gb drive of which I've only used about 50% of. And they're both the full client from the disks - not the streaming client.

Subservience · 08-27-2010, 11:29 AM

Barx@Antonia Bayle wrote:

Shimmer@Befallen wrote:
I don't know of any way to force it to launch on a secondary screen. There may be one, but I have not seen it.

So you guys that routinely box with 2 or more accounts - you start them all up and have to manually arrange the windows each time?

Banaja · 08-27-2010, 12:10 PM

There is a nice piece of software called ISBoxer by Lavish Software that allows you to designate areas of your screen for each individual client you run and has support for multi-monitor or even multi-PC.

Kizee · 08-27-2010, 12:12 PM

Dervicive@Kithicor wrote:

Barx@Antonia Bayle wrote:
Shimmer@Befallen wrote:
I don't know of any way to force it to launch on a secondary screen. There may be one, but I have not seen it.
So you guys that routinely box with 2 or more accounts - you start them all up and have to manually arrange the windows each time?

Yes, I never thought it was a big deal to drag them to second screen.

I'm not sure what would be faster. I am running a SSD and a 5870 vid card so maybe if you were running a low end system having 2 installs would be better.

Narsikus · 08-27-2010, 05:50 PM

I use a program called UltraMon:

http://www.realtimesoft.com/ultramon/

You will have to create a shortcut on your desktop that maps directly to the everquest2.exe file in your installation directory. You can then edit the shortcut properties, click the ultramon tab, and tell it to open maximized on your secondary monitor.

I know you said you wanted to use the launcher, but I'm not sure how to do it that way. You could try this process, but it would open the LAUNCHER window on the secondary monitor, then the launcher would run the everquest2.exe file on your primary monitor like normal. I know you're thinking, "well how do i update it then?". When SOE releases a POS update like GU57, you will get an error message launching everquest2.exe directly that says "client version different" or something like that. Just go run the launcher at that point to update it, then resume your normal way.

I'm assuming ISBoxer probably does something similar to this, but it's probably got more game related settings whereas UltraMon is probably more for general apps and programs.

Wingrider01 · 08-28-2010, 10:21 AM

Shimmer@Befallen wrote:

OT but why do you have 2 seperate installs? O.o
Seems like a waste of hard drive space to me.
I used to run 4 instances of EQ2 on 1 machine with only 1 install.

I keep 4 installs, simply becasue I have 4 differnt disk subsystems in the build, each subsystem has it's own controller logic, helps with performance in raids. The mother board has two seperate sata controller chips on it and I have 2 seperate sata controllers in the slots.

This box was not built with gaming in mind, it was built as a validation unit for testing some labatory analytical software for a company

08-27-2010, 10:38 AM	#1
Subservience Defender Join Date: Feb 2010 Posts: 9	I'm running 2 instances of EQ2 on the same machine. They are both in separate/different directories. Currently, I will start the primary instance on the main monitor. Then I start the secondary instance and have to manually drag the window to the secondary monitor. But this is a pain and I'm hoping someone can tell me how to make the secondary instance always start up on the secondary monitor automatically. And I would like this solution to work by using the launcher, not by directly launching the everquest2.exe executable file. Any advice? __________________

08-27-2010, 11:11 AM	#3
Barx Server: Antonia Bayle Guild: Mayhem Rank: Officers Loremaster Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Manors of Mithaniel, New Halas Posts: 3,480	Shimmer@Befallen wrote: OT but why do you have 2 seperate installs? O.o Seems like a waste of hard drive space to me. I used to run 4 instances of EQ2 on 1 machine with only 1 install. Not necessarily. Multiple installs is required if you're using the streaming client, or it could be for performance if the installs are on different disks. Re: the OP, I don't know of any way to force it to launch on a secondary screen. There may be one, but I have not seen it.

08-27-2010, 11:27 AM	#4
Subservience Defender Join Date: Feb 2010 Posts: 9	Shimmer@Befallen wrote: OT but why do you have 2 seperate installs? O.o Seems like a waste of hard drive space to me. I used to run 4 instances of EQ2 on 1 machine with only 1 install. No particular reason - just seemed to me like the way to do it. I figured a lot of the files would be locked and in use by the first instance. Which way do you think (2 installs vs 1) would get the best performance? Also, I'm running off a single 500gb drive of which I've only used about 50% of. And they're both the full client from the disks - not the streaming client. __________________

08-27-2010, 11:29 AM	#5
Subservience Defender Join Date: Feb 2010 Posts: 9	Barx@Antonia Bayle wrote: Shimmer@Befallen wrote: I don't know of any way to force it to launch on a secondary screen. There may be one, but I have not seen it. So you guys that routinely box with 2 or more accounts - you start them all up and have to manually arrange the windows each time? __________________

08-27-2010, 12:12 PM	#7
Kizee Loremaster Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 3,093	Dervicive@Kithicor wrote: Barx@Antonia Bayle wrote: Shimmer@Befallen wrote: I don't know of any way to force it to launch on a secondary screen. There may be one, but I have not seen it. So you guys that routinely box with 2 or more accounts - you start them all up and have to manually arrange the windows each time? Yes, I never thought it was a big deal to drag them to second screen. I'm not sure what would be faster. I am running a SSD and a 5870 vid card so maybe if you were running a low end system having 2 installs would be better.

08-27-2010, 11:07 AM	#2
Kizee Loremaster Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 3,093	OT but why do you have 2 seperate installs? O.o Seems like a waste of hard drive space to me. I used to run 4 instances of EQ2 on 1 machine with only 1 install.

08-27-2010, 12:10 PM	#6
Banaja Journeyman Join Date: Aug 2010 Posts: 2	There is a nice piece of software called ISBoxer by Lavish Software that allows you to designate areas of your screen for each individual client you run and has support for multi-monitor or even multi-PC.

08-27-2010, 05:50 PM	#8
Narsikus Loremaster Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 69	I use a program called UltraMon: http://www.realtimesoft.com/ultramon/ You will have to create a shortcut on your desktop that maps directly to the everquest2.exe file in your installation directory. You can then edit the shortcut properties, click the ultramon tab, and tell it to open maximized on your secondary monitor. I know you said you wanted to use the launcher, but I'm not sure how to do it that way. You could try this process, but it would open the LAUNCHER window on the secondary monitor, then the launcher would run the everquest2.exe file on your primary monitor like normal. I know you're thinking, "well how do i update it then?". When SOE releases a POS update like GU57, you will get an error message launching everquest2.exe directly that says "client version different" or something like that. Just go run the launcher at that point to update it, then resume your normal way. I'm assuming ISBoxer probably does something similar to this, but it's probably got more game related settings whereas UltraMon is probably more for general apps and programs. __________________

08-28-2010, 10:21 AM	#9
Wingrider01 Loremaster Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 5,999	Shimmer@Befallen wrote: OT but why do you have 2 seperate installs? O.o Seems like a waste of hard drive space to me. I used to run 4 instances of EQ2 on 1 machine with only 1 install. I keep 4 installs, simply becasue I have 4 differnt disk subsystems in the build, each subsystem has it's own controller logic, helps with performance in raids. The mother board has two seperate sata controller chips on it and I have 2 seperate sata controllers in the slots. This box was not built with gaming in mind, it was built as a validation unit for testing some labatory analytical software for a company __________________ Fixing computer issues, one SOC7 at a time. Yes Jim, the user has experienced the dreaded PICNIC error