AutoCAD Access via Remote Desktop

[Bill Tillman]

Has anyone else run into this. I'm working on my office computer from home using remote desktop. FYI - when using Remote Desktop on a multiple monitor setup, only Windows Ultimate will allow you to see both monitors on the remote machine. But the office computer are only Win7 Professional.

 

So I'm doing some LISP coding and the Watch window was opened while I was at the office and moved it over to the other monitor. So, from home, I cannot see it even though I open it. I was wondering if there is a way to force the Watch window to open on the current monitor or am I stuck until Monday when I get back to my office?

[Lee Mac]

Ctrl+Shift+W

Alt+Space

M

Use Arrow keys to reposition

[BlackBox]

Remote Desktop, as in RDP, or did you mean Direct Access/Remote Web Access via RDS on your RDS Host (fka Terminal Sever)?

 

I manage workstations using WinXP Pro, Win8.1 Pro, and Win10 Enterprise from home using RDP, and there's a simple checkbox in the RDP session/file settings to allow the use of 'all my monitors' - as example, I have some clients/servers set to single monitor, and others like my own workstation for 'all'.

 

Cheers

[kpblc]

Another way is to use TeamViewer. It will show only 1 screen, but you can switch between monitors

[Bill Tillman]

Well I've thrown even the kitchen sink at this and it appears that the office computer is an older Windows TS and for security we all have to go through it. They do not allow a direct remote connection to one's desktop at this place. That's cool. Just can't get that little sucker to show back up on the main monitor. Tomorrow I will physically move the Watch window back over to the main monitor before I leave the office.

 

BTW - this new Windows 10 OS is slick and besides a few things like Copy+Paste not working duplex over the RDT connections...I'm sure that too is some obscure setting I just have to find, and they basically took away my Windows Explorer, and the File Explorer only works their way. The Explorer window will not come up. The icon merely glows for a few moments and then nothing. Always learning, that's they trick.

[BlackBox]

Remote Access is highly susceptible to environmental factors, such as bandwidth from remote site or internal bandwidth behind your office's security appliance/switch/VLAN or target server's load balancing (NIC Teaming?). Never mind the implicit limitations of cross OS configuration options respectively.

 

Win8.1 was a great OS for VDI/Remote technologies generally over that of Win7 (thank you, Client Hyper-V!!!) - I categorically renounce Win8, which despite the naming convention is an entirely different OS than Win8.1 - Win10, not without some early release issues of its own, is even better than Win8.1, particularly for VDI/Remote technologies like Direct Access via IPv6 (whereas RDP is IPv4, and generally in addition to VPN/IPSEC by way of Terminal Server/Security appliance).

 

 

 

With all of this new and/or improved technology, comes terminology.

 

What used to be called Terminal Server, and Terminal Services is now (as of Server 2012 R2) referred to as RDS Host, and RDS (Remote Desktop Services), respectively. This can be observed in Group Policy Management console (Computer Configuration, Policies, Administrative Templates, Windows Components, Remote Desktop Services, Remote Desktop Session Host), whilst even Server 2012 R2's Server Manager application, Tools menu, includes the Terminal Services menu item to get to RD Licensing Diagnoser, Remote Desktop Gateway Manager, and Remote Desktop Licensing Manager. Depending on whom I'm speaking with, I interchange TS --> RDS, etc.

 

Direct Access, while not new per-se, it is greatly unused due to the configuration required to implement it effectively. Win10 has greatly simplified, and even greatly improved upon what was available even to Win8.1, which was leaps and bounds above that of Win7.

 

As a generalization, Direct Access can automagically connect the dependent VPN/IPSEC tunnels necessary to map internal server shares/drive before you even log into a laptop at a remote site (and it's smart enough to know when you're outside the domain, and/or able to use the available WiFi securely or not), so that your regular network drives are already made available for you at user login.

 

No more double clicking Corp IT's VPN application icon, etc. waiting, validating, etc - just log in, and well, you're in. The other side of Direct Access is the myriad benefits it yields for the domain/network admins, as they now have the ability to manage your remote/mobile device, anywhere in the world, and all without having to ask you to bring your device into the nearest Corp office. This means Group Policy, Active Directory, etc. can reach you in near real-time, so long as your device is connected (which is usually before you even log into the computer).

 

If you'd like to know more about Direct Access, consider this, or this article.

 

 

 

There are two ways 'settings' affect your RDP session....

 

When you simply launch the Remote Desktop Connection application, you're consuming the last settings used to make a valid connection, and any settings changes configured leading to a failed connection, that were not saved to a specific .RDP file, are unsaved come the next launch.

 

When you instead save a Remote Desktop Connection's settings to .RDP file (Remote Desktop Connection dialog, expand Show Options, General tab, Connection Settings pane, Save As...), those specific settings are used regardless of your last successful Remote Desktop Connection launch.

 

The latter is what I use to assign monitor, experience, and even user credentials to myriad possible connections I need to make - to my Windows 2012 R2 Terminal Server, to my workstation from TS, to another user's computer as me (the network admin), or even to another's computer as them (using Active Directory extracted password).

 

To configure the monitors to use - Remote Desktop Connection dialog, Display tab, drag the Display Configuration slider to the right for full screen, and check the 'Use all my monitors for the remote session' checkbox - this will use all of your monitors, regardless of the target machines connected displays. As example, my servers have either no monitor, or one shared across multiple via KVM, yet my remote session can easily span three monitors. I would also ensure that you check the 'Display the connection bar when I use the full screen' checkbox.

 

To configure Windows key combinations, Remote Desktop Connection dialog, Local Resources tab, keyboard pane, and set the 'Apply Windows key combinations' dropdown to 'Only when using the full screen', and also ensure that you check the Clipboard checkbox under Local Resources tab, Local Devices and Resources pane. These settings will allow you to manipulate the RDP connection window without accidental Win key functions even when the RDP connection window is active.

 

 

 

Coming full-circle, environmental factors that can also affect your Remote Desktop Connection experience would include your domain (or forest's) Group Policy, Terminal Server's RD Connection Broker policies, etc., which can be used to implement RDS session limits (how long an idle remote session takes before it is removed, aka user is logged out), whether or not a user can store the credentials for a given .RDP file, etc.

 

If you're having problems with working remotely, then contact your network admin (a company of sufficient size may have separate individuals handle various aspects of the 'network' umbrella, unlike small firms like mine, where I'm basically the only person who understands what's going on beyond 'double click this', Haha), and ensure that you're understanding the limitations put in place by Corp IT, so you can either better configure your remote site settings accordingly, or perhaps identify what is bottle-necking your work.

 

 

 

Lastly, as Lee's already well covered the movement of various windows once you've remotely accessed your workstation, the only thing I may be able to add to that is to check your Display Adapter's included software - as example, NVIDIA allows me to check a box that precludes windows from opening off-screen.

 

 

 

Cheers

[Bill Tillman]

And if the remote office thing weren't enough, the home computer also is showing the same problem. This box used to have dual monitors but right now it only has one. And when I go to the screen resolution settings in this new Windows 10 OS I see it's only recognizing one monitor. But no matter what I do when in the IDE I cannot bring up the Watch window. I've tried all the hot+keys I can think of. So am I still missing something here. I did the Ctrl+Shift+W multiples times but it's still a no show.

[Jef!]

with windows 7 id try the following

press and hold windows keyboard button, then use right/left arrows. Should make the windows dock half the screen 1 to full screen 1 to full screen 2 to dock on the side of screen 2. not sure if the windows button can work via remote desktop tho..

 

If you use keyboard shortcuts to get a window to move, in many different windows you have to

1- do the alt space m

2- use any keyboard arrow (the cursor then snap to that window)

3- after that you should be able to drag it back using the mouse.

 

1 on my monitors just blew, being on XP on that computer i could right click on the taskbar and chose "move".. use an arrow then the mouse.

 

Another option that i can see, maybe less user friendly, would be to go in the registry to manually change the values associated with the dialogs last positions. I always could manage without having to do that... but if anything else doesn't work for you it might be something to try.. good luck

[BlackBox]

And if the remote office thing weren't enough, the home computer also is showing the same problem. This box used to have dual monitors but right now it only has one. And when I go to the screen resolution settings in this new Windows 10 OS I see it's only recognizing one monitor. But no matter what I do when in the IDE I cannot bring up the Watch window. I've tried all the hot+keys I can think of. So am I still missing something here. I did the Ctrl+Shift+W multiples times but it's still a no show.

 

You cannot modify display settings on the target computer from the remote site computer, and even with successful 'all displays' sessions, there's no way to ensure that the remote site displays are aligned with the host's displays, same resolution, etc.

 

For example, I have 3x24" monitors at the office, but only 2x20" monitors at home. I frequently have to move existing Windows on screen at home, and/or once back in the office following a remote session the night before.

 

Now, as for the IDE window, the best I can offer is for you to keep it within the VLIDE, and to minimize/close your VLIDE session before you lock your office computer. Then once home, you restore/launch VLIDE.

 

I do have not once experienced the issue you describe here; the only VLIDE-related issue I've experienced - aside from the new online (not-so-much) help window being paired with the main application preventing side-by-side use with VLIDE - is any open Projects I have, which is why I usually just close their windows, and reopen when needed.

 

HTH