Any structural engineers using dual monitors?

[FSS]

Posted here because I am looking for input mainly from structural engineers.

In considering upgrade of our computer systems (small structural design firm), we are looking into dual monitors. Any structural engineers out there using a dual configuration. If so, what are the advantages?

Thinking about having multiple drawings open, or maybe drawing on one screen and calculations on another. NOT looking for excuse for email to take even more control of my life by always being on one screen while working on another.

 

[oldrunner]

I figured if I was going to spend most of my life working on a computer, I would do the best I can to be comfortable. I've got two 31" Apple monitors running Windows 8 on a 64 bit machine. Then I have Winsplit Revolution which can automatically move windows to the corners ect - allowing 4 - readable panes per monitor. There are times where I have various pdfs, excel calculation books, ACAD 11, RISA as well as Windows Explorer and my email program.

Also have Ultamon which allows me to spread one screen over the two screens. We also use Photoshop and InDesign as well as read a lot of stuff in Bridge.

 

[apsix]

2 x 31"; you've obviously got a lot more desk space than I have.

 

[oldrunner]

New to me desk: L shape - 4' x 8' and mates to a 8' x 3' laminated table and an end file drawer cabinet- so basically a U-shape 8 feet long. The desk is recently purchased for $250 from a defunct truss company where the owner claims he had it made especially for $3200. (I don't believe that).

This replaces crappy tables and saw horses that I've been using in this location for 22 years. (Thought I would treat myself and had budgeted $1800 for new furniture). (The truss company guy and his friend even delivered it).

Have to admit that my commute is about 30 feet - back door of house to front entrance of a real building. We're out in the country where I sometimes meet the deer face to face when I walk out of the office.

The problem now is that our area is going to be spoiled with about 1300 homes going in across our non-busy road. Who would have thought this would be happening?

But I just attended a local structural engineering meeting and the county building official was there and said that there's starting to be a lot of activity lately. (And we've hundreds of bank owned homes that originally sold for over a million dollars now going to around $350K.)(Of course a lot of these "million dollar" homes were really poorly planned and built and people used them as a piggy banks, buying their Cadillac pickups and fast speed boats)

I know this isn't about monitors. Sorry.

 

[PersonalProfile]

I know you asked for structural input, though from a mechanical person, I found them very useful.
I too intially resisted, though found them to signficantly improve my efficiency (consider how may times per day do you have more than one item open and further more use the contents of one of the said open items for another said open item).

Regards,
Lyle

 

[P1ENG]

I am running dual monitors and can also testify to the usefulness. My only complaint is software related and I call on all of you running RISA to email or call support. The program will not run multiple instances and it should. Sometime I need to have models side-by-side to compare, but I am forced to open one, close it, and open the other when I want to do any comparison.

Juston Fluckey, E.I.
Engineering Consultant

 

[PaulValentine]

Couldn't work without 2 in the office. In Excel, have main sheet on one and the VBA on another. Look at drawings in Sketch Up and CAD on one whilst designing on the other with structural software. Cost very small - Don't hesitate

 

[Ron]

P1Eng...the RISA thing could be a function of the hardware key. Check with them...

JoshPlum??

 

[P1ENG]

@Ron

Plummer is my favorite. He is always quick to respond and very knowledgeable. I often send models to RISA because they don't behave the way I think they should and he always lets me know why.

Alas, this was the email I received back in 2010 from Michael Olson concerning wanting multiple instances:

I certainly understand your frustration with this. Being in tech support here at RISA I run across your situation all the time.

I believe the biggest problem with this is the memory allocation and temporary files that are created while using the program.

We create files during solution and even pre-solution for your model. If there were multiple instances then we would need to do a lot of coordination of these files.

This is something we have considered, but up until this point hasn't gotten a lot of steam. I will take note of your request and if we get more requests we can hopefully implement this.


Also, the files that store your unique data (saved report settings, custom shapes, etc.) cannot be modified with a text editor. This would be helpful for organizing the shapes or reports into alphabetical order or other grouping. These files (with extension .fil) are protected against my limited hacking ability (as well they should because they are important to the function of the program).

Sorry for being off-topic.

Juston Fluckey, E.I.
Engineering Consultant

 

[enginerding]

I also use 2 monitors and get very frustrated if I ever take work home and have to work with only 1 monitor. I have one monitor set wide screen and have the other rotated tall - this is great for spreadsheets!

Re RISA-3D running multiple instances, I was told that it had something to do with licensing. With remote desktop and other sharing it is possible to have several different people access one computer. If multiple instances were allowed, you wouldn't need to buy multiple licenses to have more than one person use RISA... I don't think they plan to change this.

It would be nice if you could have multiple files open in one program instance, like Excel. Then you could work on one while the other is running.

 

[ErZaZee]

I prefer two separate computers. But the essence is still the same...I still use two monitors.

 

[jeffhed]

I also use 2 monitors. At first I would forget that I didn't have to minimize windows to look at a spreadsheet or something else I had open. Now that I have been doing it for about three or four years, I would never go back.