App window "trapping" doc windows

[Lana]

I have a dual-monitor setup, and I can have 2 different docs open on 2
different monitors in Word, Excel, etc... for some reason this is not working
in Visio as of yesterday, when I installed Office 2007. I'm still using Visio
2003.

Now, when I open 2 different Visio docs, they are "trapped" in a single
Visio application window on one monitor. I can't drag a doc window over to
the 2nd monitor like I used to.

I've checked settings, etc. but I can't find what might have gone wrong. Any
suggestions? Thanks!

 

[Al Edlund]

the ms office group has traditionally been pretty cavalier on installations
by over-writing modules that they consider to be theirs. this has caused
havoc a number of times. since your problem started after installing o2007,
I would suggest that you uninstall v2003 and then reinstall it in the hopes
that you get the needed level of code back on your system.
al

 

[J Kallay, Visimation Inc]

Lana,
Your post makes it sound like this is a new issue that has only revealed
itself since you installed Office 2007, which confuses me a little. It
sounds to me that you're running into a fundamental difference between the
way Visio, Word, and Excel handle document windows. For a few versions now,
Word and Excel have been SDI (single document interface) applications,
meaning you get a container window for every open document. Visio is an MDI
(multiple document interface) application, with a single container window
that can contain multiple documents.
You can have Visio documents open on multiple monitors, but first you have
to size the Visio application window to span across the displays.

Jonathan

 

[Lana]

You are right! My memory is at fault here...
I did a test on other computers that aren't upgraded yet, and no -- you
can't have independent Visio docs with their own app windows. Bummer.

Do you know why Visio works this way, when MS, Excel (even Photoshop) docs
can float independently between 2 monitors?
Thanks for your help!

 

[J Kallay, Visimation Inc]

Maybe to keep us on our toes?

This may not offer much consolation, but PowerPoint (at least pre-2007, I
haven't checked the new version) is also an MDI application. At least it's
not just Visio...

 

[Lana]

My IT dept just uncovered this help doc:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx/kb/299191/en-us

That sounds more like what I was doing: opening multiple instances of Visio
(not just multiple docs). What's your take on that?