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

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

esch — Fri, 25 Jun 2004 22:20:14 -0800

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. ;)

By: mdeatherage

mdeatherage — Fri, 25 Jun 2004 22:50:55 -0800

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.

By: kindall

kindall — Fri, 25 Jun 2004 23:45:20 -0800

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.

By: bcwinters

bcwinters — Sat, 26 Jun 2004 06:43:35 -0800

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.

By: Mo Nickels

Mo Nickels — Sat, 26 Jun 2004 08:14:00 -0800

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).

By: Mo Nickels

Mo Nickels — Sat, 26 Jun 2004 08:17:56 -0800

Ah! Here it is: DejaMenu, found through the inestimable HyperJeff, who often has Mac OS X software not listed at Versiontracker or MacUpdate.

By: esch

esch — Sat, 26 Jun 2004 09:28:12 -0800

Mo, that is simply the most amazing thing I have ever seen.

By: anathema

anathema — Sat, 26 Jun 2004 13:45:51 -0800

Another vote for Deja. I've been using it for a month or so with no problems.