Abstract: A method and apparatus for supporting multiple displays per a drawing surface begins by receiving capability parameters regarding a first display of the multiple displays. The capability parameters include resolution, pixel depth, and/or refresh rate. Typically, the first display will be the primary display associated with a video graphics card. The processing continues by substituting selected display capabilities for the capability parameters of the first display. The selected display parameters are such that it exceeds the display capability parameters of each display, or monitor, coupled to the video graphics card. The processing continues by providing the selected display capabilities to an operating system. The operating system then stores the selected display capabilities in the display register associated with a particular video graphics card.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for controlling multiple displays from a drawing surface begins by obtaining a drawing surface setting that includes at least one of a refresh rate, resolution, and pixel depth. A user may select the drawing surface settings or are default parameters of the computer system. The processing continues by determining whether each of the multiple displays includes a display mode that substantially matches the drawing surface setting. If each of the multiple displays includes a display mode that matches the drawing surface setting, the images stored in the drawing surface are provided to the multiple displays based on the drawing surface setting. As such, the images will be displayed in full, without virtual desktop operation, unless selected by the user.

Abstract: A multi-view panning system and method links a plurality of virtual desktops into one larger desktop that may be navigated through the use of a position indicator over multiple display devices. The system and method facilitates multiple view panning by a user. In one embodiment, a separate panning rectangle is defined for each display device and a separate viewing area is associated with each panning rectangle. A common multi-display surface is defined to bound all pan locking rectangles associated with each display device of interest. Movement of a position indicator across at least one boundary of one pan locking rectangle causes the position indicator to control which data is contained in the second rectangular view on the second display to facilitate multi-view panning in a common surface, such as a desktop surface, over multiple displays.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for supporting multiple displays per a drawing surface begins by receiving capability parameters regarding a first display of the multiple displays. The capability parameters include resolution, pixel depth, and/or refresh rate. Typically, the first display will be the primary display associated with a video graphics card. The processing continues by substituting selected display capabilities for the capability parameters of the first display. The selected display parameters are such that it exceeds the display capability parameters of each display, or monitor, coupled to the video graphics card. The processing continues by providing the selected display capabilities to an operating system. The operating system then stores the selected display capabilities in the display register associated with a particular video graphics card.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for a multi-state window is accomplished by presenting a multi-state window on a computer screen in various states. In a given state, or ghost state, the multi-state window is provided on screen in a translucent form. In the translucent form, a window overlapped by the multi-state window will be shown and remain in focus. When a user input is received in the overlapped portion, a multi-state window driver associated with the multi-state window will provide the input to the overlaid window, i.e., to its associated window driver. If the user decides to activate the multi-state window, the multi-state window driver transforms the multi-state window from the translucent state to an in-focus state. When in the in-focus state, the user inputs are processed by the multi-state window driver and not provided to the overlaid window.