MP 6,1 My Mac forgets my dual monitor arrangement!

[Selsk]

Hello friends. I recently added my old 23" Cinema Display to my Trashcan in addition to the main 27" Eizo. I'm using the apple DisplayPort adapter. I got it set up just fine and mounted vertically on a nice new dual monitor stand. Suddenly after a few reboots (latest Mojave) my arrangement gets forgotten and it thinks the Cinema Display is my main screen. I have to re-do my screen arrangement and drag the task bar back over. I reset p-ram and nvram and PMC. Sometimes it remembers and I think it is cured and then on the next restart it forgets again!!

Has anyone had any similar issues? Thanks for your time.

 

[Alex Sanders74]

We have the "Trashcan" model at work with a 27" Dell connected via Displayport and an older Cinema display that does the exact same thing. It drives me nuts, but fortunately it's a rendering station for Cinema 4D and I don't use it more than a couple times a week. Tried PRAM reset and a multitude of other tricks, but it persists. I've kinda given up at this point.

 

[saulinpa]

Similar here. Two monitors on a nMP and sometimes the monitors swap on reboot/power cycle.

 

[loby]

Hello friends. I recently added my old 23" Cinema Display to my Trashcan in addition to the main 27" Eizo. I'm using the apple DisplayPort adapter. I got it set up just fine and mounted vertically on a nice new dual monitor stand. Suddenly after a few reboots (latest Mojave) my arrangement gets forgotten and it thinks the Cinema Display is my main screen. I have to re-do my screen arrangement and drag the task bar back over. I reset p-ram and nvram and PMC. Sometimes it remembers and I think it is cured and then on the next restart it forgets again!!

Has anyone had any similar issues? Thanks for your time.

Yes, noticed this problem off and on since OS X Yosemite. Moved the bar in display setting over the main monitor, but occasionally occurs. Have not had the issue lately with my systems. Have a Cinema display 23" as well as an apple thunderbolt monitor. Occurred when I attached a dell monitor. Noticed it more with my mac pro 2013...

 

[Selsk]

https://superuser.com/questions/110...op-set-keep-switching-places-between-monitors

I found this:

"I "solved" this problem using https://github.com/jakehilborn/displayplacer. If I connect my hub and the monitors are incorrect, instead of having to rotate screens or reconnect cables, I can now run a script (via a hotkey) to resolve this.

First, make sure your monitors are in the correct configuration. Then install displayplacer and run it.

brew tap jakehilborn/jakehilborn && brew install displayplacer
displayplacer list

At the bottom of the output you'll see that it generates the command which will place your monitors in the back into the current configuration. Example:

displayplacer "id:C00DE6B5-2BF1-D707-8452-14BD6BFAAC84 res:1920x1080 hz:60 color_depth:8 scalingff origin0,0) degree:0" "id0823E00-B252-0F5C-DE87-D142F95D0CB4 res:1680x1050 color_depth:8 scalingn origin-1680,0) degree:0" "id:1A13BBCA-7176-912E-4048-7E7E22D786C2 res:1080x1920 hz:60 color_depth:8 scalingff origin1920,-386) degree:90"

I then created a service/action and set a keyboard shortcut for this item. Now a quick keystroke will resolve the issue.

More info: The answer by Dan is the root of this problem for me. I have two identical monitors, both being connected to a hub via Displayport. That hub is connected to my mac via one USB-C connection. Randomly, the dock will load the settings in a different order which causes this issue. Since my 3rd monitor is rotated, this makes two screens now improperly rotated.

For months I have been disconnecting both DisplayPort connections on the hub, and then reconnecting in the reverse order. This solves the problem, but it was really annoying."

Might give it a shot. Pretty annoying though. Almost makes me want to get a Apple Thunderbolt Monitor....

 

[Alex Sanders74]

https://superuser.com/questions/110...op-set-keep-switching-places-between-monitors

I found this:

"I "solved" this problem using https://github.com/jakehilborn/displayplacer. If I connect my hub and the monitors are incorrect, instead of having to rotate screens or reconnect cables, I can now run a script (via a hotkey) to resolve this.

First, make sure your monitors are in the correct configuration. Then install displayplacer and run it.

brew tap jakehilborn/jakehilborn && brew install displayplacer
displayplacer list

At the bottom of the output you'll see that it generates the command which will place your monitors in the back into the current configuration. Example:

displayplacer "id:C00DE6B5-2BF1-D707-8452-14BD6BFAAC84 res:1920x1080 hz:60 color_depth:8 scalingff origin0,0) degree:0" "id0823E00-B252-0F5C-DE87-D142F95D0CB4 res:1680x1050 color_depth:8 scalingn origin-1680,0) degree:0" "id:1A13BBCA-7176-912E-4048-7E7E22D786C2 res:1080x1920 hz:60 color_depth:8 scalingff origin1920,-386) degree:90"

I then created a service/action and set a keyboard shortcut for this item. Now a quick keystroke will resolve the issue.

More info: The answer by Dan is the root of this problem for me. I have two identical monitors, both being connected to a hub via Displayport. That hub is connected to my mac via one USB-C connection. Randomly, the dock will load the settings in a different order which causes this issue. Since my 3rd monitor is rotated, this makes two screens now improperly rotated.

For months I have been disconnecting both DisplayPort connections on the hub, and then reconnecting in the reverse order. This solves the problem, but it was really annoying."

Might give it a shot. Pretty annoying though. Almost makes me want to get a Apple Thunderbolt Monitor....

Pretty convoluted... Appreciate the post but I think I'll just let the IT team deal with it here. Not my computer.

 

[Selsk]

Update. Well I finally caved and swapped out the Cinema Display for a much newer Thunderbolt Display and my problems are gone. Then I had another issue where my desktop wallpaper would reset to the Catalina default after every reboot. Did a lot of research and turned off 'Displays have separate Spaces" in Mission Control Preferences. That fixed that.

 

[milkrocket]

I was having this issue, post upgrade to Catalina on my 2016 MBP. Mac would refuse to remember my screen roation settings. Also, I was unable to rotate more than one screen at a time. Setting the rotation on the 2nd would reset it on the 1st external display.

Fixed it by resetting my PRAM and deleting the

~/Library/Preferences/ByHost/com.apple.windowserver.[UUID].plist

 

[John_B Beta]

I have this issue with my 1st gen touchbar 13" MBP (mojave) - connected to an LG ultrawide and another LG 4K display, through an elgato ('pro' I think) dock - ie one USB C cable to dock, then USBC-HDMI dongle doing to the ultrawide, and displayport to the regular 4K LG.

Never does quite what it should do but I have various steps every morning to correct it when first connecting, only with the 4K display starting at 1080p, then haveing to be coaxed into 4k, then turning off and on again to get it to 60hz and then changign the scaling lol. am used it it so only takes 1 min a day - BUT I have noticed now occasionally on top of that it forgets the relative arrangement they were in, and also the 4K one ends up with a different wallpaper. I'm just living with it as no biggie but thought i'd mentino here so you know you're not alone hah!

will be interesting to see the situaion when i upgrade the MBP to catalina next week - and if newer MBPs behave the same way with the same dock and monitor set up ie when I get the new 14" MBP when/if it comes

 

[astrohchung]

https://superuser.com/questions/110...op-set-keep-switching-places-between-monitors

I found this:

"I "solved" this problem using https://github.com/jakehilborn/displayplacer. If I connect my hub and the monitors are incorrect, instead of having to rotate screens or reconnect cables, I can now run a script (via a hotkey) to resolve this.

First, make sure your monitors are in the correct configuration. Then install displayplacer and run it.

brew tap jakehilborn/jakehilborn && brew install displayplacer
displayplacer list

At the bottom of the output you'll see that it generates the command which will place your monitors in the back into the current configuration. Example:

displayplacer "id:C00DE6B5-2BF1-D707-8452-14BD6BFAAC84 res:1920x1080 hz:60 color_depth:8 scalingff origin0,0) degree:0" "id0823E00-B252-0F5C-DE87-D142F95D0CB4 res:1680x1050 color_depth:8 scalingn origin-1680,0) degree:0" "id:1A13BBCA-7176-912E-4048-7E7E22D786C2 res:1080x1920 hz:60 color_depth:8 scalingff origin1920,-386) degree:90"

I then created a service/action and set a keyboard shortcut for this item. Now a quick keystroke will resolve the issue.

More info: The answer by Dan is the root of this problem for me. I have two identical monitors, both being connected to a hub via Displayport. That hub is connected to my mac via one USB-C connection. Randomly, the dock will load the settings in a different order which causes this issue. Since my 3rd monitor is rotated, this makes two screens now improperly rotated.

For months I have been disconnecting both DisplayPort connections on the hub, and then reconnecting in the reverse order. This solves the problem, but it was really annoying."

Might give it a shot. Pretty annoying though. Almost makes me want to get a Apple Thunderbolt Monitor....

Brilliant. Same issue on my side. Exactly two identical monitors with different orientations. This completely solves my issue by just one keyboard shortcut. Thanks so much.

 

[rpat]

Brilliant. Same issue on my side. Exactly two identical monitors with different orientations. This completely solves my issue by just one keyboard shortcut. Thanks so much.

Hey if you don't mind, would you be able to guide me in the right direction to help me figure out how to keybind it? I turned it into an executable file, so opening the file automatically runs the command but I am trying to keybind it and can't get it figured out... Thanks in advance!

 

[chfilm]

Hello friends. I recently added my old 23" Cinema Display to my Trashcan in addition to the main 27" Eizo. I'm using the apple DisplayPort adapter. I got it set up just fine and mounted vertically on a nice new dual monitor stand. Suddenly after a few reboots (latest Mojave) my arrangement gets forgotten and it thinks the Cinema Display is my main screen. I have to re-do my screen arrangement and drag the task bar back over. I reset p-ram and nvram and PMC. Sometimes it remembers and I think it is cured and then on the next restart it forgets again!!

Has anyone had any similar issues? Thanks for your time.

I used to always have the same issue, it seemed that it had to do with the fact that I had the Mac Pro on a power supply that was turned off over night.

 

[Dan Patterson]

I was having this issue, post upgrade to Catalina on my 2016 MBP. Mac would refuse to remember my screen roation settings. Also, I was unable to rotate more than one screen at a time. Setting the rotation on the 2nd would reset it on the 1st external display.

Fixed it by resetting my PRAM and deleting the

~/Library/Preferences/ByHost/com.apple.windowserver.[UUID].plist

So the fix above ^ solved half of my problem. That is when I unplug my two external displays from my Macbook Pro 16" 2019 usb type c ports and replug them in, the displays are still in correct order.

Restarting my computer though I still end up with reset display arrangements that I have to manually correct in settings.

 

[mattspace]

Curious out of folks having problems, who is running their displays with separate spaces for each display (multiple menubars & docks), and who is using a single space for all displays, and therefore a single menubar?

Also, who is using SwitchResX.

 

[Dan Patterson]

Well I have two external monitors plugged in via two dongles to two usb c ports on my macbook pro. I was not even aware you can have a "single space". The docker is only on my main display. How does one setup a single space, I'd like to try it.

 

[mattspace]

Well I have two external monitors plugged in via two dongles to two usb c ports on my macbook pro. I was not even aware you can have a "single space". The docker is only on my main display. How does one setup a single space, I'd like to try it.

System Preferences, Mission Control (or whatever the equivilent on your version is) "displays have separate spaces". On is the default, I have them off, so my desktop looks like this:



That'a the way all macs used to be with multiple monitors. The multiple menu bars / separate spaces is a relatively recent addition. The biggest difference, is that with a single space, your windows & documents can span displays.

 

[appletechgenius]

Hello friends. I recently added my old 23" Cinema Display to my Trashcan in addition to the main 27" Eizo. I'm using the apple DisplayPort adapter. I got it set up just fine and mounted vertically on a nice new dual monitor stand. Suddenly after a few reboots (latest Mojave) my arrangement gets forgotten and it thinks the Cinema Display is my main screen. I have to re-do my screen arrangement and drag the task bar back over. I reset p-ram and nvram and PMC. Sometimes it remembers and I think it is cured and then on the next restart it forgets again!!

Has anyone had any similar issues? Thanks for your time.

Good day,

I encountered the problem as well and I have a solution. If you switch your video input cables on the monitors it will keep them in the proper order. You have to make sure that the monitor on the left is (1) and the right is (2).

This is if your horizontal monitor is on the left and your vertical monitor is on the right. The horizontal monitor is always (1) and the vertical is (2) for this to work.

You also have to make sure to turn off the monitors in the proper order as well to keep it this way after you sleep the computer. First turn off 2 and then 1 in that order. It will keep your display settings in place without having to install third-party scripts. Hope this helps...peace.

 

[ryknow225]

Hello friends. I MAAAYYYBE solved my version of this problem, but my testing has only occurred in the past few minutes here, and is with a setup that I just launched last night. I am running:

-M1 Mac Mini 8GB (Yes, I took the leap. It was an upgrade from 2011 MBP, which would not support dual displays.)
-Big Sur (obviously)
-Dell U2518D (direct connection, no hub. USB-C --> DP cable. Horizontal configuration, right side. I am preserving the HDMI port to be used for a Roku stick to be added later.)
-Dell U2418D (direct HDMI <--> connection. Vertical configuration, left side)

In addition to being my main long term storage machine, the true purpose of all of this is stock trading. I could be throwing upwards of $50k in equities around at any given moment. The displays are a massive help for live trading and especially researching. WHAT A BUMMER when my machine went into sleep mode and woke up with my vertical display in horizontal mode! First troubleshooting step was to try putting the displays to sleep with the computer awake. This lead to the monitors waking up in proper configuration. I suppose that was a good sign.

It occurred to me to check the monitor settings. I did have another source (my old machine) plugged into the vertical monitor's DP port. That monitor was also set to auto-select sources. I switched that setting to off on both monitors. Perhaps this was leading to my old machine taking control of the vertical monitor whenever the Mac Mini went to sleep. I also realized that the horizontal monitor, being slightly newer, has more settings. There was a display sleep setting that was on, and I deactivated that. I suspect that this may have have put the monitor into a deeper sleep mode, and it was perhaps not waking with the vertical monitor. There was an instance where only the vertical monitor woke up (in the wrong orientation) and I had to unplug the horizontal monitor for USB-C and re-introduce it.

With all that crap changed, I did a full shut down and reboot after 10 mins. Success. The Mini detects the vertical monitor first, and begins loading the OS in the wrong configuration at first. However, before it's fully loaded, you can see the horizontal monitor power up and take over as the primary. I suppose that's an extra-good sign, because it means that despite the monitors not being detected in the proper order, the machine still figured out that it was supposed to use the USB-C connection as the primary based on previous config.

It doesn't sound like this will be a solution for many of you, but maybe someone has just the right hardware where this can be helpful. I've got a couple more things to test, and if I learn anything else I will update here.

 

[thepatellife]

@ryknow225 your solution worked for me! My problem was that I have two identical make/model monitors that flank my primary screen that would constantly swap and rotate when I woke up my mini. Manually setting the input to HDMI got rid of the issue for me.

 

[lesamurai]

I have the same problem. Using iPad as the second monitor via "Duet Display" (app) when connected by USB-C cable, and also wireless via "AirPlay Display" (Mac OS). Both work great but I have to keep rearranging the second monitor position every day after waking up the Mac. Tried it with another second monitor (not iPad) and still the same problem. Any official news regarding this? Isn't Apple going to solve this bug? I am not tech-savvy, so I really don't want to mess with the important files in the system as some previously suggested. This shouldn't be happening.

 

[milkrocket]

That file is absolutely safe to delete and is just a "preference file" used to save settings. It will auto-created by macOS as and when needed, if deleted.

I have the same problem. Using iPad as the second monitor via "Duet Display" (app) when connected by USB-C cable, and also wireless via "AirPlay Display" (Mac OS). Both work great but I have to keep rearranging the second monitor position every day after waking up the Mac. Tried it with another second monitor (not iPad) and still the same problem. Any official news regarding this? Isn't Apple going to solve this bug? I am not tech-savvy, so I really don't want to mess with the important files in the system as some previously suggested. This shouldn't be happening.

 

[lesamurai]

That file is absolutely safe to delete and is just a "preference file" used to save settings. It will auto-created by macOS as and when needed, if deleted.

Thanks for replying. So, following your advice I tried it but the iPad keeps forgetting the arrangement place every time the Mac goes to sleeps, which is absolutely annoying. I think this solved the sidecar connection. But is still happening with the better way of connecting it which is using the iPad as a second monitor using the Duet Display app.

 

[andrewsheridan5]

Thanks for replying. So, following your advice I tried it but the iPad keeps forgetting the arrangement place every time the Mac goes to sleeps, which is absolutely annoying. I think this solved the sidecar connection. But is still happening with the better way of connecting it which is using the iPad as a second monitor using the Duet Display app.

Having the exact same problem with Duet Display. Multiple times a day my Mac will change the arrangement for the iPad display ever so slightly. Small change on the arrangement screen = big change in positioning for small iPad display. Drives me crazy every single day! Hope there's a fix out there.

 

[lesamurai]

They haven't fix it yet, though they've said they are working on it.

It's tricky though because Apple says it's a Duet Display problem and Duet Display says it's an Apple system update bug that needs to be fixed by Apple. in the middle are we, users, losing functionality.

It would be much appreciated if everyone reading this thread can write to Duet Display support asking to fix this ASAP! If they have a lot of complaints, they might be able to do something.

I don't think Apple will be hearing us customers asking for this kind of issue with a particular app.

 

[scanstad]

Install ScreenPosition from Appstore (free) Works perfect