Floating vs Re-docked window sizes

[shaeffer]

Can someone with multi-monitors tell me, when you return (re-dock) a floating (popped-out) window to the main eSignal window, does it appear in the same size? If the floating window was 2"x3", does it re-dock as 2"x3"? Mine don't

Thanks
shaeffer

[ACM]

shaeffer
On my computer when I redock a floating window it resets itself to the same size and position it had at the time it was set to floating.
Alex

[shaeffer]

Hey Alex
Thanks so much for your reply... it prompted me to try a few things.

I created a new chart, then floated it (including moving to another monitor), then redocked it - all stayed the same size. That surprised me.

Then again from the main window, I floated and this time resized and saved the chart, then redocked it. The redocking ignored the resizing and saving while floated, and instead returned it to the original size it was in the main window. Even if I resize it in the main window and don't save it first, regardless what I do while it is floating, it returns to the size it last was in the main window.

Over the years, I've changed the number and orientation (landscape / portrait) of my monitors, and maybe even the location of the main window. So maybe the windows that are redocking in some monstrous size are 'remembering' some old setup. And maybe that's why the program is slowing down - because its processing graphics linked to old window locations??

So I'm going to redock every window I have, roughly size it to what I want, then float, position and fine tune its size. This just may drop my eSignal CPU useage average to well under 50% instead of usually over. I've got high hopes.

I'll let you know if it works on Monday

Regards
shaeffer

[shaeffer]

Well, two hours wasted! Each time I redocked a floating window, only one corner of it would appear in the main window. The window would redock at about 3 x the size of one monitor it seems. I would have to drag it up to the top left corner of the main eSignal window, shrink the two sides I could see until about 2"x2" was showing in the bottom right of the main eSignal window, then drag that up to the top left, shrink two sides again, and then when I dragged that back up a 3rd time I could see all four sides of the chart window.

I then floated it, positioned and resized it in my other monitors. I did this 30 times (for all 30 floating windows).

If I dedocked a floating window during the same session, it would go back to the main window in the correct size.

But then I shut down eSignal and restarted. And every single floating window reverted back to its huge size if I tried to redock it.

I'll have to phone in Monday afternoon and see if someone knows why this is happening.

[ACM]

shaeffer

I created a new chart, then floated it (including moving to another monitor), then redocked it - all stayed the same size. That surprised me.

If in the process of floating and redocking the chart you did not resize it then the behavior you describe is what I would expect to see.

Then again from the main window, I floated and this time resized and saved the chart, then redocked it. The redocking ignored the resizing and saving while floated, and instead returned it to the original size it was in the main window.

This also is consistent with my understanding of the floating/redocking process

If I dedocked a floating window during the same session, it would go back to the main window in the correct size.
But then I shut down eSignal and restarted. And every single floating window reverted back to its huge size if I tried to redock it.

After you have redocked and resized the pre-existing windows you may need to save them and the Layout (if using Layouts) or the Page (if using Pages) prior to floating them again so as to set their new docked size and position settings (and override their prior settings). Try this process with a few windows then shut down and restart eSignal and see if this makes a difference.
Hope this helps
Alex

[shaeffer]

Hi Alex,

I tried your suggestion. After opening eSignal, I redocked three floating windows (each redocked in a larger size than when it was last docked in the main window). I then shrunk these redocked windows to an arbitrary 'redock size' and saved them (while still in the main window), then saved my Layout, and shutdown.

After restarting, those three windows were in the main window, as expected. I floated them, positioned them in other monitors and adjusted them to the desired floating size. I specifically saved each of the three charts, and the Layout, and shutdown the program.

I then restarted, and the three appeared in the correct size and floated location. But, when I redocked them, they were much bigger again. So even after saving the redocked charts in the main window and saving the Layout, their original redock size was lost.

I resized them again to an arbitrary redock size, then this time on a whim I clicked the float button, but did not move them anywhere. I simply clicked the redock button from their floating-within-the-main-window position. I saved each window (one Std chart, one Adv chart, and one QuoteBoard) saved the Layout, and shutdown (with Exit ALL and Save).

Then did a complete cold shutdown of the computer (to ensure no settings of any kind were being warm saved).

Then exactly paragraphs two and three above repeated.

So, it was a good idea Alex to try saving some files in their docked position and to save the associated Layout as well, but it did not work. I would say that somehow those files are remembering some old docked settings, except that one of those three files is the new Quoteboard I rebuilt just yesterday.

I posted another thread on Saturday asking if the eSignal Main window and the Primary monitor in a multi-monitor setup need to be the same. Maybe a program designer will respond to that on Monday. 'Cause all I can think is that these redocked windows are fixing their bottom right coordinate in the Primary monitor (hence their huge redocked size).

Thanks for your suggestion though
shaeffer

[eSignal_AveryH]

Hi Shaffer,
If I could just ask a couple questions regarding your system setup.
Are all of your montors to same? And are all of the settings for each of the monitors the same?

I experience the same behavior but it was because my settings on one of monitor was different then the others.

AveryH

[shaeffer]

Hi Avery
They are all 19", all 1280 x 1024 resolution, though with mixed color (16 and 32 bit) settings. There are four Samsung 940T's using their digital inputs (via a Matrox G200MMS), and two Samsung 910T's using their analog inputs (via a Matrox G450 dual card).

The 910T monitors digital inputs are connected to my other computer for non-trading use after the markets are closed (via an nVidia NVS 285 card), with the same settings as above.

So its not a resolution mismatch. I just changed so all are 16 bit color.

Is there an .ini file where the main window coordinates for all windows (charts, quote lists, QB's etc) are stored? I'm thinking I could manually change them all?

My other post on Saturday mentions the strange behaviour of the EFS Performance Monitor window. The difference being that this is a window that can not be docked or floated, if that might provide a clue to what's happening?

Regards
shaeffer

[eSignal_AveryH]

Hi Shaffer,
Sorry for the delay, I thought I had addressed this post earlier.

eSignal does not remember prior positioning of the windows after the application is saved and closed. Any change made to your windows during the session are saved in memory (RAM and are accessible until the final function of Exit or Exit all and Save called. Once this function is called the new positions are written to file and the memory is release and all data inside the memory space is deleted.

The recommendations made to help in this situation is to have multiple for docked and undocked windows.

Thank you for post.
AveryH
eSignal Support.

[shaeffer]

Hello Avery,

Thank you for the reply. That makes perfect sense to me - that once a floating window is repositioned and/or resized, and then either 'Exit' or 'Exit All and Save' are used, only the last size and position are saved. All previous size and position info, whether floating or docked, is lost.

Let's say a floating window was last saved with size 4"x3". Can you tell me what the program is intended to do when that floating window is then redocked. What determines its size and location in the main window when it is redocked? And should it redock entirely within the main eSignal window?

Regards
Shaeffer

[eSignal_AveryH]

Hi Shaeffer,
Thanks for the post, on you question regarding save the window size 4X3.
If the window was saved inside the eSignal layout/page and you undocked and saved it again. When you redock the window it would go back to it originally saved positions. Provided eSignal has not been exited. And the same goes for if you then undocked the same window again. So it save the positions of both docked and undocked in RAM. Once eSignal is exited the last position of the window is written to file and everything else is deleted.

In the case that you have saved the window undocked and exit eSignal, when you launch eSignal again and redock that same window there is neither rhyme nor reason as to where the window will be redocked. One small piece of information on the Quote Windows is when it redocks the length is always equal to the length (top to bottom) of the monitor. All other windows whne they redock are completely random.

Avery

[shaeffer]

Thanks for the reply Avery,

Your first paragraph explains why sometimes a floating window would redock to where it was originally floated from, i.e. if I had not saved/exited yet, then both the floated and docked positions and sizes where still in memory. But if saved and exited, the docked position and size are lost. That makes sense.

I had to smile at your 2nd paragraph response.... I didn't think computers / software did things without rhyme or reason :-).
Maybe you could pass on to the developers the suggestion that the redocking process 'sees' and uses the size of the floating window when it redocks it. Because sometimes a 4"x3" floating window will redock with a new monstrous size of 3'x2' (much much larger than the main eSignal window). I have to drag up the one visible corner of the window then drag smaller the two visible sides 2 or 3 times before the whole docked window becomes visible. Its as if the upper left corner of a window is redocked, but the lower right corner stays where it was, one monitor down and three over. I thought I had a software glitch, but from your answer it seems that is be normal.

So the ability to redock a window with the same size as when floating would save some hassle.

Regards
Shaeffer

[eSignal_AveryH]

Hi Shaeffer,

I guess I could have chosen my words a little better to say the window would randomly go back into the main window.

I hope you don't mind that I've take your comments and sent them over to ideas as a suggestion to enhance the windows. Not to worry... I'll be sure and give you all the credit when the praises start pouring in ;-).

Thanks for the post

AveryH
eSignal Support