Visual Studio 2008, multiple monitors, "find" window placement problem

Question

(another post here reminded me of this annoyance! it's not a fool!)

I am using VS2008 with multiple monitors. I have VS open on one, and the application that I am debugging, help pages, etc. - with another.

The problem is when I open the search window (Ctrl-F or click the "Find in files" icon), the window opens smack-dab in the middle of two screens: half on one, half on the other. Everytime. This is pretty useless in this position, so I have to drag it to another location. How to convince Visual Studio to place a window on one screen or another?

I don't care, just don’t separate them.

Followup

• Moving a window does not help. Position not remembered
• And yes, it happens every time.

Answer 1

Visual Studio 2010 now has a patch that takes care of this and other issues with the size and location of the search box:

VS10-KB2268081-x86

http://code.msdn.microsoft.com/KB2268081/Release/ProjectReleases.aspx?ReleaseId=4766

The patch says it will fix the size problem, but it seems to also take care of the placement problem.

Answer 2

If you have a monitor on the video card, then the search box should appear on one or the other. If, on the other hand, you use one of the Matrox matrix boxes to control two monitors from the same video output, then your computer knows nothing about the two monitors, treats them as one and centers the dialog (as you described)

To check the situation, enlarge the window - if it is up to a maximum of one monitor, then I am wrong. If it maximizes the coverage of both monitors, then I'm right.

Answer 3

Does it open like that every time? My remembers the position from the last place where it was closed. (Maybe UltraMon is jumping, not excluding this)

You also have the option of docking it somewhere if it suits your preferences.

Answer 4

Visual Studio 2008 should remember where your Find and Replace window was the last time you opened it, unless something was working on your system. I just checked the behavior on mine, although it seems to constantly appear where I last opened it.

So, try moving it and then closing and reopening it, is still displayed in the wrong place?

In addition, do you have a visual studio maximized on one monitor, or just stretched in a non-maximized state on both? Do you use any multi-monitor utilities that can change this behavior?

Alternatively, you can try the built-in search (Ctrl + I by default in VS2008) ... to search for a single file is generally better.

Answer 5

What I usually do is simply install the Dock in the search dialog on the right side, using my Solution explorer - fixed the problem - not elegant, but fixed. :-) You should right-click the title bar of the dialog box " Find "to make her attached to her.