Opening multiple instances as DM

[Psicolabis]

I have an ultimate License. I am able to open two intances, one as a DM and the second as a player. However, i want to be able to open both instances as a DM, I want to utilize both my monitors, one to have the map on the foreground, the second for charachter/party sheets, and other stuff like that without having to constantly rearrange stuff to look at it. Is this viable?

[JulioIP]

I dont think so. you wouldnt think multi-monitor support/dockable windows would be all that complicated but it must be. it has to be one of the most requested features. they have explained it before just dont recall the reasoning. There are some videos and tips out there for managing the dm screen that may provide some relief, i would suggest a youtube search. there is also the quicklink bar at the bottom, it can help. i think it is probably one of the most under utilized features of FGU. good luck!!!

[Sulimo]

As I recall Unity (https://unity.com/) (the underlying engine for FGU) is not designed as a windowing environment. NOTE: The 'windows' in FG are not windows in the traditional sense, they only exist within the bounds of the FG platform. I think one of the devs called them panels or something like that.

See developer responses here (https://www.fantasygrounds.com/forums/showthread.php?38056-Dual-Monitor-Support&p=342564&viewfull=1#post342564) (emphasis mine):


That's not entirely accurate. Unity does support multiple monitors and does not require additional GPUs. There are issues if the monitors are different vertical resolutions. The primary issues with multiple monitor support in Unity are 1) requires Unity to be in fullscreen mode, 2) once an additional monitor is enabled, it cannot be disabled, 3) it breaks the UI.

Unity is not designed to be a windowing environment, i.e. the ability to move subwindows outside the main program window boundaries, and is very unlikely to be able to do so. It is worth noting that even if Fantasy Grounds was developed in an environment that supported multiple windows (which would require separate codebases for each platform), windows within Fantasy Grounds are not windows. At least not in the way that the OS defines them. Windows in Fantasy Grounds are defined in the ruleset XML and have no contextual meaning outside of Fantasy Grounds.

And here (https://www.fantasygrounds.com/forums/showthread.php?38056-Dual-Monitor-Support&p=373839&viewfull=1#post373839) (emphasis mine):


There may be some misunderstanding of the multi-monitor support in Unity. It is used for fullscreen, non-windowed use of multiple monitors like you might find in an FPS or other game. This doesn't allow access to the desktop, or other folders. Expanding a window across multiple monitors is, of course, supported just like any windowed program.


You can of course stretch the FGU window across as many monitors as you might like.

Or use a tool like AMD Eyefinity or Nvidia Surround (not 100% certain about the Nvidia one, as I have an AMD card).

[LordEntrails]

No you can not open two instances of a single campaign as a GM without seriously corrupting your campaign file. The database is not designed for simultaneous host access by multiple instances. Therefore you will end up with data corruption.

Been there (accidentally), done that.

But, you can use FG on more than one screen. Depending upon your graphic card, you might just be able to maximize FG and it will include both monitors or you might have to stretch the FG window across both monitors (but they will need to be identical resolutions and scale).

[Psicolabis]

Thank you very much for the swift responses! I used to do the stretching the window between both monitors but a) they are of different resolutions so it doen's play very nice and b) windows starts _aggresively_ complaining after about 2 hours (as in anything from freezes to BSOD). Probably updating my GPU could fix this last issue so i will be able to fully use this program.

[Morenu]

I bought a new monitor 8 months ago to replace a dead one. I then bought a second of the exact same model a few months later. makes a HUGE difference in my FGU play