Precise Window Placement Across Multiple Monitors with SetWindowPos

Effectively positioning windows across multiple monitors using SetWindowPos requires a nuanced understanding of system display configuration and the virtual screen concept.

Understanding System Displays and the Virtual Screen

System Display Configuration:

The primary monitor's origin is (0, 0). Secondary monitors have negative X coordinates (left of primary) or positive X coordinates (right of primary).

The Virtual Screen:

This is a conceptual display encompassing all connected monitors. Its origin is the top-left corner of the leftmost monitor. Its width is the sum of all monitor widths, and its height is the height of the tallest monitor.

Obtaining System Display Information

Leveraging the Screen Class:

The Screen class offers methods to retrieve crucial screen information:

• Screen.FromHandle(hwnd): Identifies the screen containing a given window (hwnd).
• Screen.GetBounds(rect): Returns the bounds of the screen containing a specified rectangle.
• Screen.DeviceName: Retrieves the screen's device name, useful for graphics context creation.

Utilizing Native Win32 Functions:

These functions provide alternative methods for monitor identification:

• MonitorFromWindow: Returns the monitor handle associated with a window.
• MonitorFromPoint: Returns the monitor handle for a given point.
• MonitorFromRect: Returns the monitor handle for a given rectangle.

Positioning Windows with SetWindowPos and Monitor Coordinates

To position a window on a specific monitor using SetWindowPos, follow these steps:

1. Identify the Target Monitor: Obtain the hMonitor handle of the desired monitor using the methods described above.

2. Calculate Virtual Screen Coordinates: Adjust the window's X coordinate based on monitor position relative to the primary monitor. Subtract the total width of preceding monitors for those to the left of the primary, and add the total width of preceding monitors and the primary for those to the right.

3. Use SetWindowPos: Employ the calculated virtual screen coordinates within the SetWindowPos call:

   SetWindowPos(hwnd, hWndInsertAfter, x, y, cx, cy, SWP_NOZORDER | SWP_NOSIZE | SWP_SHOWWINDOW);

By carefully considering the system's display arrangement and employing these techniques, you can accurately position windows on any monitor within a multi-monitor setup using SetWindowPos.