Dual monitors on OSX 10.3 - can I ad a menu bar to the 2nd one?

June 25, 2004 10:20 PM

I'm using dual monitors on OSX 10.3, is there any way to add a menu bar to the second monitor so I don't have to traverse 2500+ pixels to use my file menus?

I'd like to mirror the one on my primary monitor.

A second dock would be good too. ;)

posted by esch to computers & internet (7 comments total)

Nope. There's only one menu bar, just like there's only one copy of each window. You're essentially asking the OS to drop multiple copies of the same object in different places on the same virtual desktop, and it doesn't do that.

Either you want a big multiple-monitor desktop or you don't.
posted by mdeatherage at 10:50 PM on June 25, 2004

I would pay decent shareware money for a menu bar on my second monitor. As for the dock, you can add DragThing docks anywhere you want, including one with the active processes and another with your favorite apps. It won't be an exact copy of the Apple dock, but you can get all the same functionality and more.
posted by kindall at 11:45 PM on June 25, 2004

Is it possible to AppleScript the Displays Preferences? If so, maybe you could make a keyboard shortcut/mouse-button-chord that would make the menu bar switch screens on the fly.
posted by bcwinters at 6:43 AM on June 26, 2004

I can't find it right now, but there's a contextual menu item which will allow you to put all of your menu items at your control-click/right-click point. I think it's one of the launchers, like Butler or Quicksilver. A search of Versiontracker for "contextual menus" didn't turn up what I was after. I'll keep looking, but this seems like it might be the easiest solution for you. You might even get to the point where it's easier to use the contextual menu on both monitors (since, if you're looking for the menu bar, you're not using keyboard commands, or are using items that don't have them).
posted by Mo Nickels at 8:14 AM on June 26, 2004

Ah! Here it is: DejaMenu, found through the inestimable HyperJeff, who often has Mac OS X software not listed at Versiontracker or MacUpdate.
posted by Mo Nickels at 8:17 AM on June 26, 2004

Mo, that is simply the most amazing thing I have ever seen.
posted by esch at 9:28 AM on June 26, 2004

Another vote for Deja. I've been using it for a month or so with no problems.
posted by anathema at 1:45 PM on June 26, 2004