Programming for Multiple Monitors in Windows 98
How to use the new Win32 API functions that enable your programs to take advantage of multiple monitors.
By Paul Modzelewski
One of the most eagerly anticipated (and long overdue) features of Windows 98 is support for multiple monitors. This feature allows you to add a second video card and monitor to your PC; your Windows virtual desktop will be extended to cover the new monitor. Until now this capability has been possible only through the use of a specialized video card.
Programmers, Web page authors, graphic artists, and power users are the most likely audience for this technology. Most existing programs require no changes to work with multiple monitors, but there are several new Win32 API functions related to multiple-monitor support. If you want your programs to detect and take advantage of multiple monitors, you will need to be familiar with these functions and how they work. In this article, I'll discuss installing multiple monitors on your PC and how to use the new API functions in your programs. The programming section assumes a basic understanding of the Win32 API and C/C++ programming. It is important to note that the information in this article pertains to a beta version of Windows 98 and is subject to change by the time Windows 98 is released.
Paul Modzelewski is a software engineer and cofounder of Iconoclast Software. He can be reached via e-mail at paul@moon.jic.com.