Map panel not showing

Started by Carlo Didier, October 08, 2020, 10:46:07 AM

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Carlo Didier

The map panel doesn't show anymore. I have both monitors connected, so it can't be somewhere on a display that's not currently connected.
How can I get it back without resetting all iMatch settings?

This is an old issue with the iMatch GUI that it cannot handle changes in attached monitors by automatically moving windows/panels, like almost any other application can.

thrinn

Do you have AutoHotkey installed? Or are you willing to install it? If so, just save these lines as an .ahk script,e.g. GetPanelBack.ahk

WinTitle := "Map"
WinActivate, %WinTitle%
WinMove, %WinTitle%, , 0, 0, 1024, 500


Then run the script by double clicking it. It should move the window with Map in the titel back to the origin of your main screen - whereever that is. If it is too large or too small, you can adapt the last two parameters (width and height) of the WinMove command to your needs.
Thorsten
Win 10 / 64, IMatch 2018, IMA

Carlo Didier

Quote from: thrinn on October 08, 2020, 11:52:18 AM
Do you have AutoHotkey installed? Or are you willing to install it? If so, just save these lines as an .ahk script,e.g. GetPanelBack.ahk

WinTitle := "Map"
WinActivate, %WinTitle%
WinMove, %WinTitle%, , 0, 0, 1024, 500


Then run the script by double clicking it. It should move the window with Map in the titel back to the origin of your main screen - whereever that is. If it is too large or too small, you can adapt the last two parameters (width and height) of the WinMove command to your needs.

That reminds me of AutoIt which I used years ago for automated software deployments (when the installer wouldn't run non-interactively). I'll have a look at autohotkey and the latest version of AutoIt. Thanks!

Still, it remains a problem that iMatch cannot itself handle these situations. It's currently the only application I know of who can't.

Mario

#3
Quote from: Carlo Didier on October 08, 2020, 10:46:07 AM
The map panel doesn't show anymore. I have both monitors connected, so it can't be somewhere on a display that's not currently connected.
How can I get it back without resetting all iMatch settings?

This is an old issue with the iMatch GUI that it cannot handle changes in attached monitors by automatically moving windows/panels, like almost any other application can.

You are mistaken.
IMatch detects when the current monitor count is different than the monitor count the last time it was used and displays a message. This has been added many versions ago. I use up to 3 monitors myself. Are you using a recent version of IMatch?



IMatch does not forcefully change the panel layout to some default settings. Or just piles all panels back on the main monitor.
This would be considered rude by most users, because you might just have forgotten to switch a monitor on and don't want to lose all your carefully placed panels on other monitors.

Just load the workspace you have created for the "other monitors off" situation. Or reset the default workspace if you don't have created other workspaces for different monitor layouts.
Hold down CTRL while IMatch is starting and then use the option to reset your workspace: Advanced Startup Options (Recovery)

Workspaces are the way to deal with different monitor setups in IMatch. Please consider using them.
Setting up a workspace for one, two, three monitors allows you to work with optional layouts for each configuration you might use. Very practical and easy to do.
-- Mario
IMatch Developer
Forum Administrator
http://www.photools.com  -  Contact & Support - Follow me on 𝕏 - Like photools.com on Facebook

Carlo Didier

Quote from: Mario on October 08, 2020, 12:02:17 PM
Quote from: Carlo Didier on October 08, 2020, 10:46:07 AM
The map panel doesn't show anymore. I have both monitors connected, so it can't be somewhere on a display that's not currently connected.
How can I get it back without resetting all iMatch settings?

This is an old issue with the iMatch GUI that it cannot handle changes in attached monitors by automatically moving windows/panels, like almost any other application can.

You are wrong.

IMatch detects when the current monitor count is different than the monitor count the last time it was used and displays a message. It also forces all windows and panels outside the visible area back the main monitor in this case. This has been added many versions ago. I use up to 3 monitors myself. Are you using a recent version of IMatch?



If this fails for some unknown reason on your system, just load the workspace you have created for the "other monitors off" situation. Or reset the default workspace if you don't have other workspaces for different monitor layouts. Workspaces are the way to deal with different monitor setups in IMatch. Please consider using them.

As I said in my original post, all monitors ARE connected ... and still, somehow iMatch (latest version) lost the map panel. I do get that warning when I start iMatch without the external monitor. But that doesn't solve the problem, it just warns the user that there is a problem. A real solution would be to give the user the option to automatically move panels/windows to an existing display if the one they were on before isn't present. That's what other applications do. That's what a user should expect. Using different display configurations should just work. I'm pretty sure I'm not the only one who switches between working with laptop alone and laptopn plus external monitor(s).

Mario

I have no idea how the map panel could get lost. What happens when you use the View menu to show it? Or when you load another workspace?
I have never lost a map panel and I don't recall a similar user report ever...not sure how this can happen.

I have decided not to add a "pull all panels back to the main monitor" hard-coded because a) most users never have any problem like this and b) workspaces exist and are a much more elegant and versatile solution. Please use them.

Just load your default workspace again via the View menu to reset all panels back to their defaults. Or your preferred workspace. Takes all but a second.
-- Mario
IMatch Developer
Forum Administrator
http://www.photools.com  -  Contact & Support - Follow me on 𝕏 - Like photools.com on Facebook

Carlo Didier

Quote from: thrinn on October 08, 2020, 11:52:18 AM
Do you have AutoHotkey installed? Or are you willing to install it? If so, just save these lines as an .ahk script,e.g. GetPanelBack.ahk

WinTitle := "Map"
WinActivate, %WinTitle%
WinMove, %WinTitle%, , 0, 0, 1024, 500


Then run the script by double clicking it. It should move the window with Map in the titel back to the origin of your main screen - whereever that is. If it is too large or too small, you can adapt the last two parameters (width and height) of the WinMove command to your needs.

Got the panel back (with autohotkey)! Thanks!

Mario

Then you have somehow managed to move the map panel outside the visible screen area...

If you manage to do this again, make sure you have a workspace with your current settings. Then you can just load that workspace and don't need any external tools or hacks like this.
-- Mario
IMatch Developer
Forum Administrator
http://www.photools.com  -  Contact & Support - Follow me on 𝕏 - Like photools.com on Facebook