Emacs Spanning Dual Monitors

Emacs Spanning Dual Monitors

[Lex Fridman]

Hi,

I'm using Ubuntu (Gnome). Also I'm using the word "frame" to denote an
instance of an emacs program and "window" as sub-divisions of that frame. I
believe this is the standard language that people use for Emacs.

Is it possible to span one emacs frame across dual monitors such that if I
were to split the frame into two windows, the right border of the left
window will "snap" to the right edge of the left monitor. In other words, is
it possible to tile windows in emacs across two monitors, such that each of
the two windows fits exactly to its respective monitor.

I can do this manually by simply stretching the Emacs frame across the two
monitors and then adjusting the window separator to fall exactly between the
two monitors, however, this kind of "manual" solution is not what Emacs
customization is all about! Any ideas?

Thanks in advance.
Lex
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Re: Emacs Spanning Dual Monitors

[Kevin Rodgers]

Lex Fridman wrote:
> Hi,
> 
> I'm using Ubuntu (Gnome). Also I'm using the word "frame" to denote an
> instance of an emacs program and "window" as sub-divisions of that frame. I
> believe this is the standard language that people use for Emacs.

Actually, an Emacs frame corresponds to a display system window -- a
single emacs OS process can display multiple frames.

> Is it possible to span one emacs frame across dual monitors such that if I
> were to split the frame into two windows, the right border of the left
> window will "snap" to the right edge of the left monitor. In other words, is
> it possible to tile windows in emacs across two monitors, such that each of
> the two windows fits exactly to its respective monitor.
> 
> I can do this manually by simply stretching the Emacs frame across the two
> monitors and then adjusting the window separator to fall exactly between the
> two monitors, however, this kind of "manual" solution is not what Emacs
> customization is all about! Any ideas?

Would 2 frames (instead of 2 windows in a single frame) also satisfy
your needs?

-- 
Kevin Rodgers
Denver, Colorado, USA

Re: Emacs Spanning Dual Monitors

[Lex Fridman]

Kevin Rodgers-2 wrote:
> 
> Would 2 frames (instead of 2 windows in a single frame) also satisfy
> your needs?
> 

No because then if you split each frame in two (thus having four total
frames open), you would switch between each pair of subwindows with "C-x o"
and between the two frames with alt-Tab. I would like to be able to use "C-x
o" across all four.
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Re: Emacs Spanning Dual Monitors

[Niels Giesen]

Lex Fridman <lexfridman@gmail.com> writes:
> Kevin Rodgers-2 wrote:
>> 
>> Would 2 frames (instead of 2 windows in a single frame) also satisfy
>> your needs?
>> 
>
> No because then if you split each frame in two (thus having four total
> frames open), you would switch between each pair of subwindows with "C-x o"
> and between the two frames with alt-Tab. I would like to be able to use "C-x
> o" across all four.

Use C-x 5 o (M-x other-frame) to select another frame. This shortcircuits any
window managers ALT-TAB rings.

On the subject of using a single frame, you can use a prefix argument to specify
the width of the left buffer in columns. I think you have to find out your width
yourself. So if your left screen has room for 138 columns, and your right one
178, do C-u 138 C-x 3 from your initial single-window frame. (Just type M-:
(window-width) RET to find out the proper width when you have adjusted
manually).

If there is a way to find out columns able to be fit into
a monitor screen from within emacs, you are able to automise this further.

Also, note the functions `window-configuration-to-register' and
`frame-configuration-to-register'.

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>
>
>

Regards,
Niels
-- 
http://niels.kicks-ass.org

Re: Emacs Spanning Dual Monitors

[Phil Sung]

On Thu, May 8, 2008 at 9:02 PM, Lex Fridman <lexfridman@gmail.com> wrote:
> No because then if you split each frame in two (thus having four total
> frames open), you would switch between each pair of subwindows with "C-x o"
> and between the two frames with alt-Tab. I would like to be able to use "C-x
> o" across all four.

Does using two frames and binding C-x o to 'next-multiframe-window do
what you want?

--Phil

Re: Emacs Spanning Dual Monitors

[Lex Fridman]

Niels Giesen wrote:
> 
> Use C-x 5 o (M-x other-frame) to select another frame. This shortcircuits
> any window managers ALT-TAB rings.
> 

Excellent idea. Although I knew of this solution, it didn't occur to me that
this is really what I was looking for: a way to switch between frames
outside the Alt-Tab interface which goes through all windows.


Niels Giesen wrote:
> 
> On the subject of using a single frame, you can use a prefix argument to
> specify the width of the left buffer in columns. I think you have to find
> out your width yourself. So if your left screen has room for 138 columns,
> and your right one 178, do C-u 138 C-x 3 from your initial single-window
> frame. (Just type M-: (window-width) RET to find out the proper width when
> you have adjusted
> manually).
> 

Very precise description. A great alternative solution.
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