Split monitor into virtual monitors

Question

I'm searching for a solution to split one physical monitor into two( or more?) virtual monitors.

Let's say I've a monitor (monitor_a) with the resolution of 1920*1080.
Now I want this monitor_a to be divided into (monitor_a(1)[960*1080]) and (monitor_a(2)[960*1080]).

Both virtual monitors (monitor_a(1) & monitor_a(2)) must be shown at any time. They must be handled just like physical monitors.

If I run an application in full screen on monitor_a(1), monitor_a(2) must not be affected, just as it would be another physical monitor.

Extended Difficulty:
I'm using several physical monitors of which not all are controlled by the same video controller (3 physical monitors @ Nvidia GTX 780, 1 physical monitor @ Intel HD 4600). The monitors use different ports (DP, DVI, HDMI)

EDIT / Additional info:
The machine is running Windows 7 64Bit Professional.
If no solution on Win7 is present, moving to Win10 is an option.

NOTE:
I do NOT want to expand the desktop behind the physical limits of the monitor (Virtual Desktop).
Instead I want to divide the physical monitor into two ( or more) virtual monitors.
If the difference is unclear, please state in the comments, so I can describe further.

I need this for productivity. Using virtual machines would be too bulky and disturbing against the workflow.

EDIT #2:
Best I could find so far is https://www.displayfusion.com/ Seems pretty powerful, can create virtual monitors with some fancy features. However, it cannot limit a full screen application to run on a virtual monitor ("yet" according to their forum)

Solution 1

I use DisplayFusion and while the screen splitting functionality works well, it can't overcome applications (games, browser videos that you make "full screen", etc) that tell Windows they want to go full screen. So it works well enough for workaday needs, anything that wants raw access to a display for full-screen stuff will just ignore the splits you've setup with DisplayFusion.

There is a whole thread about this on their support forum -- https://www.displayfusion.com/Discussions/View/fullscreen-video-in-split-window/?ID=58d293bf-a1fe-4b2a-be82-c770407005d5.

I'm actually surprised in an era of 4k, 5k and maybe soon 8k monitors that video card vendors haven't come up with a way to implement splitting at the display card level. The card would know what your actual monitor is, but would present the OS with info that suggested the "monitors" connected were however you sliced up that display space.

The OS could then use/manage these as if they were physical monitors and things like full-screen modes would be constrained to the defined region of the larger monitor.

Solution 2

Ive seen and had few needs like this and I know exactly what your after.

I had the same problem and even more so with "Program" type ones to make the multi-monitor. I ended up using a multi monitor switch for mine so I could have different systems running on each of the monitors (3 CPUs on one and 2 CPUs on another) and "Physically" switched them. However this is not what youre after by what im seeing (or maybe im wrong).

My solution for this one is just splitting the screen by "Windows key + arrow" OR using the quick desktops("cntrl + Windows key + D") and organizing this way. Ended up a slight learning curve but now I have all of my development environments contained in each "Desktop" and "cntrl + windows key + arrow" to quick switch. Even have multiple browsers open and duplicated programs open on each one so when I hot switch its ready to go or is saved so I can pickup where I left off.

I still have 4 monitors but two are for Uptimes or communication and really aren't on my desk. When I hot switch I have those open on all so a switch doesn't stop someone from glancing over to see if the servers are up. So I only have 2 monitors on my desk but as of right now have 9 "Hot" desks going.

If im way off base just let me know and I'll remove this answer but from my situation which I think is kinda like yours this helped me a lot.

Note I run multiple OSes in different areas but this one im talking about is on a Windows 10 OS

Side note Also have heard from others this program helped:

Virtual Display Manager

but I have not used it since my fix was better for my need also one of the Ops girls I knew switched from this program to my way but again this is the other advice I'd give for the problem

Solution 3

Display Fusion Pro starting with version 5.1 has this capability.

Alas it is not in the free version as far as I know, however if you are looking to have this feature for your personal computers then you can find a cheaper version on steam, I bought a copy during a sale myself.

If you need it at work, I doubt that the price is too steep so see if your employer is willing to buy a license.

Here is a link to the comparison chart for the different versions.

All in all I can't help but endorse this software enough, it has helped me in many ways. Worth every penny.

Solution 4

Maybe you could connect a second video cable to the monitor from the same PC, trick it into thinking there's 3 monitors. You would have to switch though.

I have a monitor I use with 2 PCs, so one or the other gets dual monitor. When I used a (cheap $10 with remote) HDMI switch, Windows 7 would detect the change and switch all my apps around. So I reconnected using HDMI from one PC and DVI from the other. Now the desktops are safe, but I have to hit the button on the monitor, which would be fine except it's flaky and requires special attention every time, but that's another issue.

Actual Window Manage has a Desktop Divider feature. You can tell AWM very specifically what programs should open where based on class, caption, and file path/name. http://www.actualtools.com/windowmanager/help/features/windowmenu.php#putintodividertile The full package is 49.95. I'm a fan, but benefit in no way by promoting it.

I'm here today because AWM doesn't do something I need, but probably no program does. I may need a magic wand.

AWM is the only one I've used for dividing the screen, but there are plenty others. https://www.nvidia.com/object/nview-display-us.html

Here: http://displaylink.com/downloads/multi-monitor-tools#download you'll find... Millions of satisfied users are already using Actual Multiple Monitors today. However if you find a problem on your PC, or if you have an idea for a great new feature, please contact Actual Tools, the authors of Actual Multiple Monitors.

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Comments

[Lockszmith]

It has been over 3 years since you asked this question, and none of the answers provide exactly what you were (and now I am) looking for. Any insights?

[samjco]

There's only ONE true way to make a virtual monitor. And that is to buy a dummy display emulator adaptor: amazon.com/dp/B074FT1P8M/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_U_x_HdTEEbXET5JYY

[ranjeet]

@samjco can you explain how that will work? I have one hdmi port which is connected to my wide monitor.

[Suresurep]

Here displaylink.com/downloads/multi-monitor-tools#download you'll find... Millions of satisfied users are already using Actual Multiple Monitors today. However if you find a problem on your PC, or if you have an idea for a great new feature, please contact Actual Tools, the authors of Actual Multiple Monitors. --> Oops. I had not got that far in looking at DisplayLink, just saw that it would do dividers.

[nightcoder]

Thanks. I downloaded trial version of DisplayFusion and it works. Not completely as I would like to (you described some of the shortcomings in your answer) but not bad. Worth a try.

[RomanSt]

It is indeed amazing that neither nVidia nor AMD have implemented this in their drivers. Would be quite a major selling point for many.

[T_D]

At least one of them did. There's a tool from nVidia called nView Desktop Manager which is actually the only free tool I found that more or less solves OP's question. I'll add an answer explaining what it does.

[T_D]

Short summary (don't have rep to answer) Source: nvidia.com/en-us/design-visualization/solutions/nview-displa‌​y Drawing lines in nView divides your screen in grid (full monitor A, left 5th of monitor B, top-right monitor B, etc) Whenever you drag a window and get near a grid line (having "Show while dragging" enabled) it will highlight a grid section, if I release the mouse button there the window will maximize here (similar to OS default, dragging a window to top will maximize that window). Or "Add nView options to system menus" for titlebar rightclick. Or assign hotkeys.

[Mobocracy]

Having used nView over the years with various nVidia displays, I'm not sure that their gridline feature actually does any more than what DisplayFusion does now (minus all of DisplayFusion's existing features). It doesn't do the magical thing, which is present Windows with the defined regions with virtual physical displays. I looked at the existing nView documentation and it doesn't lead me to believe its gotten any smarter. Or it could be it's not possible at all (eg mandatory Windows APIs that can't be tricked into not revealing actual physical monitor info).

[Juha Palomäki]

Display Fusion is very nice tool, but it does not create "real virtual" monitors. This means that applications like Teams and PowerPoint are not bound to these virtual screens when they go full screen.

[Nikita]

nView desktop manager only works for nVidia Quadro cards.