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Set Primary Display (ChangeDisplaySettingsEx)

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11 Aug 2009CPOL 65.1K   2.8K   18   6
Simplified code for setting the primary display on a multi-monitor PC.

Image 1

Introduction

I've seen plenty of "complicated" code for setting the "primary" display in a multiple display PC environment, but never a "simple" C# version. (This code is based off plenty of samples I've seen on the web.)

Background

This code originated out of the need to pop applications to multiple monitors during an automated start-up script (i.e., set a designated monitor as primary, start apps, then revert back to original monitor).

Using the code

The code is left raw for addition of "bells and whistles".

C#
//manual gather - NewPrimary name ----------------------------------
WinApi.DISPLAY_DEVICE ddOne = new WinApi.DISPLAY_DEVICE();

ddOne.cb = Marshal.SizeOf(ddOne);
deviceID = 1;
WinApi.User_32.EnumDisplayDevices(null, deviceID, ref ddOne, 0);
string NewPrimary = ddOne.DeviceName;

WinApi.DEVMODE ndm6 = NewDevMode();
result = (WinApi.DisplaySetting_Results)WinApi.User_32.ChangeDisplaySettingsEx(NewPrimary, 
          ref ndm6, (IntPtr)null, (int)WinApi.DeviceFlags.CDS_SET_PRIMARY | 
          (int)WinApi.DeviceFlags.CDS_UPDATEREGISTRY, IntPtr.Zero);
Console.WriteLine("Action 3.2 result:" + result.ToString());

License

This article, along with any associated source code and files, is licensed under The Code Project Open License (CPOL)


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Systems Engineer
United States United States
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Comments and Discussions

 
SuggestionWorking VB.Net "Conversion" Pin
LostIt127823-Jan-13 16:55
LostIt127823-Jan-13 16:55 
GeneralRe: Working VB.Net "Conversion" Pin
LostIt127824-Feb-13 7:59
LostIt127824-Feb-13 7:59 
GeneralDoes not work for me. Pin
Bill Langlais2-Nov-09 13:02
Bill Langlais2-Nov-09 13:02 
GeneralManually set monitor\display name Pin
beyonder42211-Aug-09 5:48
beyonder42211-Aug-09 5:48 
If anyone can chime in on whether or not it is possible to manually set a display name I am looking for that now.

The registry Machine\system\CurrentControlSet\Enum\PCI\XXX seems to be the place to look, but I have just started this piece.

www.beyonder422.com

GeneralRe: Manually set monitor\display name Pin
The_Mega_ZZTer11-Aug-09 6:51
The_Mega_ZZTer11-Aug-09 6:51 
GeneralRe: Manually set monitor\display name Pin
dalek925-Aug-09 2:23
dalek925-Aug-09 2:23 

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