[EricHoya]

I have been trying to work thru this issue. When I have my HTPC connected to my receiver, XBMC running in true fullscreen will jump to screen one when the receiver is off. When the HTPC is connected directly to the TV, the computer can still see the TV, even when the TV is off, so things are ok. I have had trouble with XBMC losing focus so I installed the XBMC Launcher, which will put XNMC back in focus, but does not appear to send it back to the tv (secondary monitor), if it is sent to the first. If I knew how to write code, this could probably be done.
I have some new equipment on the way which will require connecting the HTPC to my receiver. I have set XBMC to "use a full screen window rather than true full screen" under system/settings/video output. In this mode XBMC does not minimize if I open another program on my primary display. I am hopeful that if the secondary display is not seen by the computer, then XBMC will not kick over to the primary, with this setting. I'll have to test this in the next few days and will report back.
The other option is to use windowed mode, which will keep XBMC on the display that it was opened on, but then you will have the window bar at the top.

[EricHoya]

Update:
When I disconnected the HDMI cable from the HTPC XBMC did jump over to my primary display with XBMC running in use a full screen window rather than true full screen mode. I may have to run this is windowed mode until there is a solution.
E

[Livin]

My workaround is to have Eventghost copy the "good" guisettings.xml over the existing before every launch... then XBMC is always on the correct screen. But, if the 2nd screen does get disconnected during use (which is never does unless my 3 yr old turns off the tv), then a restart of XBMC is needed -- no biggie, that only takes 5 seconds.

See the TRAC bug convo with the devs... Master ticket http://trac.xbmc.org/ticket/13103
... and related ticket "Command Line parameter - Start / Move to a specified display" http://trac.xbmc.org/ticket/12823

If you don't have a TRAC account, please create one -- then post your support for this fix. The more people posting the more attention/priority it will get from the devs. I don't think they realize how large of a problem it is.

[EricHoya]

Livin,
Thanks for your efforts, although it does not look like a solution is near. My options are to use only one display (home automation software will have to go on another computer) or run in windowed mode.
E

[Livin]

out of interest is it possible to hotkey anything within the UI? i.e. could I cycle through video options via hotkeys?

No. Only specific actions and functions can be mapped to keystrokes. This can be extended a bit because you can have a key mapped to a Python script and you can do various cunning tricks from Python. There's also a SendClick function that you can use to emulate mouse clicks. I suppose you could have a Python script open the settings screen then simulate mouse clicks on the relevant bits of the screen, but this is going to get terribly hacky.

JR

JR,
I have working VC source code for a 'watchdog' type app called "The Maxifier" that is made for Windows Media Center to move it to a specified monitor. It works flawlessly... I've been using it for 2 years. I'm not a coder and cannot modify it for XBMC. If you'd be willing to see about adding XBMC to the code, I can send the code to you. Let me know.

[danroberto]

I have this issue as well. the '\' Key does not function how it should.

the '\' key should switch to windowed mode, and then back to whatever mode its usually set too.

Exactly! Any news about that?

[sickyd]

I just recently moved to a two monitor setup on my rig and I experience this all the time with Frodo 12.3 on Win 7. I like to work with XBMC in windowed mode at a smaller resolution, while sometimes I'll have it fullscreen on the second monitor. Sometimes the toggle works correctly, sometimes it will do the jump from secondary to primary monitor. Seems like the ability to switch between all possible display modes with '\' would solve everything.

[mestar12345]

It is the same in 13.0 Gotham as well.