Windows layout on square monitors

Dorico
#1

I’m using a Eizo FlexScan EV2730Q perfectly square 26" monitor which is excellent for creative work, you can comfortably view the full score. In the old days monitors were squareish (5:4 usually), when computers became media devices for watching film and playing games the landscape format became standard. But for document work flipped landscape or square is best. I can highly recommend this screen for Dorico work - even better because it’s narrower than most landscape monitors you can more easily fit it between your speaker monitors.

Anyhow Dorico is a bit inflexible with this and carries something of a bias towards landscape. Look at this screen shot on my Eizo

Screen Shot 2020-09-19 at 7.01.12 AM.jpg
Screen Shot 2020-09-19 at 7.01.12 AM.jpg2032×2009 348 KB

The side frames can’t be mimized, and the expanded frames always take up horizontal space, wasting a lot of vertical. Request to support docking the side windows for a more efficient layout. The notes pane could easily be docked below the tools pane on the left hand side for example.

#2

Press Cmd-7 to minimize the left panel. It helps a little.

#3

Thanks yeah I know about that, I was showing the frame to illustrate, but especially because I need that up there to remind me the presently selected duration. In a separate thread I proposed a simple solution to address needing to keep that windows up.

#4

And Cmd - 6 to hide the top panel.

1920 pixels at 27 inches is pretty big pixels. If they did a 2560 or 3840 pixel square monitor at 27", then that might be something.

Though the standard landscape ratio is pretty good for a double-page spread, plus extra space at the sides so you can keep the panels open.

#5

Yes exactly! The pixel size is perfect for creative work which always involves so many symbols (text, music). High res kills my eyes. In my little game company I’m a software engineer, 3D artist and composer, and I use this monitor for all that work (three different computers) because it’s so spot on for this kind of work. You’d think in 3D modeling you’d want high res but not so, remember it all has to do with your zoom level. When working on a model an artist constantly zooms in and out regardless of the screen resolution, but your text size is fixed to the texel density. And not to mention programming, high DPI is terrible for that kind of work. I only use high res for play testing.

Though the standard landscape ratio is pretty good for a double-page spread, plus extra space at the sides so you can keep the panels open.

True, but for me I guess I spent too much time at the podium to use anything but single page all visible.

#6

?? If you only view a single portrait page full height, then you should have plenty of room at the sides for the panels on a square display.

For my eyes, Hi-res displays offer much sharper, clearer text and vector lines for coding, drawing, DTP and music layout. I can barely look at a 1080p screen now.

Horses for courses, I suppose!

#7

Yeah I’m the same. The first time I used Dorico in 4K, I was blown away… and now it’s painful to go back to 1080.

#8

There’s plenty of room, but mostly it’s wasted space that could be used for music.

For my eyes, Hi-res displays offer much sharper, clearer text and vector lines for coding, drawing, DTP and music layout. I can barely look at a 1080p screen now.

Yes it looks fine if the software properly scales it’s UI and text. In my experience only a handful have this option. It’s a pain to support and keep the layout proper from the programming standpoint. I agree 1080 is painful, but my Eizo is 1920x1920 which gives plenty of resolution and great aspect ratio. Additionally as I say it also works better for my studio desk, which allows the monitors to be properly set up for imaging. I agree there’s trade offs either way.