多屏幕显示器编程.docx

ProgrammingforMultipleMonitorsinWindows98

HowtousethenewWin32APIfunctionsthatenableyourprogramstotakeadvantageofmultiplemonitors.

ByPaulModzelewski

Oneofthemosteagerlyanticipated(andlongoverdue)featuresofWindows98issupportformultiplemonitors.ThisfeatureallowsyoutoaddasecondvideocardandmonitortoyourPC;yourWindowsvirtualdesktopwillbeextendedtocoverthenewmonitor.Untilnowthiscapabilityhasbeenpossibleonlythroughtheuseof

aspecializedvideocard.

Programmers,Webpageauthors,graphicartists,andpowerusersarethemostlikelyaudienceforthistechnology.Mostexistingprogramsrequirenochangestoworkwithmultiplemonitors,butthereareseveralnewWin32APIfunctionsrelatedtomultiple-monitorsupport.Ifyouwantyourprogramstodetectandtakeadvantageofmultiplemonitors,youwillneedtobefamiliarwiththesefunctionsandhowtheywork.Inthisarticle,IlldiscussinstallingmultiplemonitorsonyourPCandhowtousethenewAPIfunctionsinyourprograms.TheprogrammingsectionassumesabasicunderstandingoftheWin32APIandC/C++programming.ItisimportanttonotethattheinformationinthisarticlepertainstoabetaversionofWindows98andissubjecttochangebythetimeWindows98isreleased.

PaulModzelewskiisasoftwareengineerandcofounderofIconoclastSoftware.Hecanbereachedviae-mailatpaul@moon.jic.co.m

InstallingMultipleMonitors

ContinuedfromIntroduction

Settingupmultiplemonitorsisrelativelyeasy,butthereareafewgroundrules.BothofyourvideocardsmustbeonthePCIbus,andyoursecondary

displaymustbeoneofthedevicessupportedbyWindows.MostpopularbrandsofPCIdisplayadaptersarecurrentlysupported,andthelistwillsurelyexpandbythetimeWindows98isreleased.

Oneminorissueintheinstallationprocessisthatthenewlyaddedvideocardwillbecomeyourprimarydisplay.Thedocumentationstatesthat