Dual Monitor Setup Guide

[hassayari]

Hey everyone,

I noticed there was lack of information on how to setup dual monitors to play ATS and the instructions in the ETS website (Here) can be overwhleming if you're setting up a custom mode. So i decided to share the steps I followed to get my dual monitor setup working. After some research and experimenting, I ended with a decent dual monitor setup that anyone can use. I will also outline how you can make adjustments to make the configuration better. All I ask is that if you end up making the config better is to share it in the comment section.

Pre-requisites

You'll need the following:

• Dual Monitors of the same size (Haven't tested with different size monitors, but my guess is that it won't work since the game uses normalized vectors to determine the height/Width and location of each monitor)
  
• A graphics card that supports wide resolutions (Eyefinity for AMD or surround for Nvidia)
  
• Eyefinity or Surround enabled.

Turning on the in-game console

This is optional. However, you'll need the in-game console to make adjustments to the config if my setup didn't work for you or if you just want to experiment with it.

Steps

1. Use your favorite editor to edit the file located in C:\Users\<UserName>\Documents\American Truck Simulator\config.cfg
   
2. Find the text g_console & g_developer
   
3. Set their values from 0 to 1
   
4. Save & Exit

To bring up the console in the game, simply press ~ key on your keyboard. To hide the console, press the ~ key again.

Turning on Multimon Mode

For more inforamtion on this, refer to this page: https://www.eurotrucksimulator2.com/multimon_config.php

What we'll be doing is turn on the Customized Mode for MultiMon.

Steps

1. Use your favorite editor to edit teh file located in C:\Users\<UserName>\Documents\American Truck Simulator\config.cfg
   
2. Find the text r_multimon_mode
   
3. Set its value to 4
   
4. Save & Exit

This will turn on the customized multimon mode (Which will not be using any of the preset modes created by the game developers).

MultiMon Config

Below is the configuration I have come up with. It's not the best, but it works fine. It's very possible to come up with a better config, so feel free to suggest it and I'll edit my post to include it. I hope this will be a good starting point.

1. Use your favorite editor to edit teh file located in C:\Users\<UserName>\Documents\American Truck Simulator\multimon_config.sii (Create the file if it does not exist)
   
2. Paste/Replace the content with the following:

SiiNunit
{
	multimon_config : _nameless.2b4.d47e.7bb0 {
		 normalized_ui_x: 0.500000
		 normalized_ui_width: 0.500000
		 monitors: 2
		 monitors[0]: _nameless.2b4.d42d.2dc0
		 monitors[1]: _nameless.2b4.d42d.1a60
	}

	monitor_config : _nameless.2b4.d42d.2dc0 {
		 name: right
		 normalized_x: 0.500000
		 normalized_y: 0.000000
		 normalized_width: 0.500000
		 normalized_height: 1.000000
		 horizontal_fov_relative_offset: -0.100000
		 vertical_fov_relative_offset: 0.000000
		 heading_offset: -44.500000
		 pitch_offset: 0.000000
		 roll_offset: 0.000000
		 camera_space_offset: (0.000000, 0.000000, 0.000000)
		 horizontal_fov_override: 70.000000
		 vertical_fov_override: 0.000000
		 frustum_subrect_x: 0.000000
		 frustum_subrect_y: 0.000000
		 frustum_subrect_width: 1.000000
		 frustum_subrect_height: 1.000000
		 render_interior: true
		 render_exterior: true
	}

	monitor_config : _nameless.2b4.d42d.1a60 {
		 name: left
		 normalized_x: 0.000000
		 normalized_y: 0.000000
		 normalized_width: 0.500000
		 normalized_height: 1.000000
		 horizontal_fov_relative_offset: 1.000000
		 vertical_fov_relative_offset: 0.000000
		 heading_offset: -47.000000
		 pitch_offset: 0.000000
		 roll_offset: 0.000000
		 camera_space_offset: (0.000000, 0.000000, 0.000000)
		 horizontal_fov_override: 70.000000
		 vertical_fov_override: 0.000000
		 frustum_subrect_x: 0.000000
		 frustum_subrect_y: 0.000000
		 frustum_subrect_width: 1.000000
		 frustum_subrect_height: 1.000000
		 render_interior: true
		 render_exterior: true
	}

}

With this setup, you'll be able to see both left and right side mirrors, see the HUD, see the hood left/right mirrors and be able to see the full windshield. Also, sometimes I adjust the camera by making the camera look a bit to the right so the the dashboard GPS appears in my left monitor instead of the right. It's really a matter of preference. Also, I have it set so that the UI (The menu screen) appears only on the right monitor.

NOTE: I adjusted my left and right monitor heading_offset so that the bezel acts as if there was actually a column in the center of the trucks windshield. This way, things in my view appear to go behind the bezel/column instead of just suddenly appearing in the other monitor. You will have to compensate for that depending on the bezel size of your monitor.

If you need information on what each of the above settings does, please refer to https://www.eurotrucksimulator2.com/multimon_config.php

Adjustments/Experimenting with the configs from within the game

If you's like to make adjustments to the above settings from within the game, following the instructions below:

1. Run the game and go into free roaming mode
   
2. Bring up the console using the ~ key on your keyboard
   
3. Use the following commands structure (replace as necessary)

RELOAD
Syntax: multimon reload
Example: multimon reload
Replaces the runtime configuration using a content of multimon_config.sii
SAVE
Syntax: multimon save
Example: multimon save
Saves the current runtime configuration to multimon_config.sii. This MUST be used for the changes to persist restart of the game or change of display settings.
ADD
Syntax: multimon add <name> <x> <y> <width> <height>
Example: multimon add left 0.25 0 0.5 1
Defines monitor in specified area of output resolution and associates it with specified name. Note that name ui is reserved for special use.
REMOVE
Syntax: multimon remove <name>>
Example: multimon remove left
Removes monitor associated with specified name.
MAKE PRIMARY
Syntax: multimon make_primary <name>
Example: multimon make_primary center
Marks specified monitor as primary. This should likely be the monitor in the center of the view.
LIST
Syntax: multimon list
Example: multimon list
List names of all defined monitors
SET
Syntax: multimon set <name> <attribute> <value>
Example: multimon set left horizontal_fov_override 60
Sets specified attribute for specified monitor. Special monitor name ui allows changes of position of the ui itself.
GET
Syntax: multimon get <name> [<attribute_prefix>]
Example: multimon get left normalized_
Prints values of all attributes of specified monitor whose name begins with specified prefix. As with set ui provides access to the ui itself.

Notes:

• monitorName comes from the config file. You can set it to whatever you want. When adjusting the configuration, you need to use the monitor name to make adjustment to each monitor individually.
  
• When making adjustments using the console, this changes the setting in the runtime envionment only. Meaning the adjusted setting will not persist after restarting the game. If you made runtime changes to you setting and you would like it to persist, you MUST execute the save command above.

I hope this helps and I didn't miss anything. Let me know if you have any suggestion or comments or if this didn't work for you.

[ttower]

This is very helpful, I am debating getting two monitors, and this guide would be very helpful if I do so. Thank you for taking the time to post this.

[room217au]

For dual monitors it's also good to install SoftTH. It doesn't care what monitors you have, their resolution or size.

[hassayari]

Originally posted by ttower:

This is very helpful, I am debating getting two monitors, and this guide would be very helpful if I do so. Thank you for taking the time to post this.

Thanks ttower. I'm glad you liked it. Took me a while to write/format it.

Originally posted by room217au:

For dual monitors it's also good to install SoftTH. It doesn't care what monitors you have, their resolution or size.

I never tried SoftTH before I hear a lot of people talking about it. I guess the only reason I personally would want to use it is if I had monitors of different sizes/res, which I don't.

Also, if you use different size monitors, I'm guessing you'll probably have to adjust the frustum part of the config in order to compansate for that. At least that's what I'm thinking. I may add that in my original post just for completion. Thanks for the suggestion. :)

[Eddie Yantz]

Please consider recording all your hard work into a Guide:
https://steamcommunity.com/guides

[hassayari]

Originally posted by Eddie Yantz:

Please consider recording all your hard work into a Guide:
https://steamcommunity.com/guides

Haa! Thanks man. I didn't know this thing existed. Will do when I get some free time today.

[Airborne Trooper]

I have a triple setup 3-27" (23.5"diag) and use the multimon preset 2. I like it but I could definitely use a few improvments. Particularly the left interior view. Can I use a multimon mode 2 setup code in the config.sii (mode 4) so I can cuistomize it? If so where can I get the code for the existing multimon mode 2 config?

[hassayari]

Originally posted by Airborne Trooper:

I have a triple setup 3-27" (23.5"diag) and use the multimon preset 2. I like it but I could definitely use a few improvments. Particularly the left interior view. Can I use a multimon mode 2 setup code in the config.sii (mode 4) so I can cuistomize it? If so where can I get the code for the existing multimon mode 2 config?

I experimented a little bit with it and found out your solution. The answer is yes.

What you'll need to do is set the mode to 4, then issue the following two commands using the in-game console:

multimon init three
multimon save

Once you do that, you'll be able to tweak the config in the multimon_config.sii file or use the in-game console to make changes on the fly. Note that there are a few configurations/cvars relating to multimon in config.cfg, so be sure to check these out as well and adjust them.

See below from the official multimon documentation (https://www.eurotrucksimulator2.com/multimon_config.php):

INIT
Syntax: multimon init <setup_name>
Example: multimon init three

This command initializes the runtime configuration using one from predefined setups. Following setups are supported:

• empty - No views, UI over entire screen. This is convenient starting point for more complex custom setups.
  
• one - Creates single wide view UI over entire screen. This is similar to predefined mode 0 however it provides ability to disable interior rendering if desired.
  
• three - Setup corresponding to predefined mode 2
  
• three_with_dash - Setup corresponding to predefined mode 3
  
  When initializing using three or three_with_dash, the state of corresponding tweaking cvars at the moment of the initialization is applied to the runtime configuration. This can be used to do basic setup using the cvars in predefined mode and use the custom mode to only tweak the result.
  
  Hope this helps.
  
  Cheers

[ttower]

9 months later, I have a second monitor, but cannot get the game to display they want I would like. I dont know what is at fault, but ATS boots up on my second monitor, no matter which I set to primary in nVidia Surround configuration, my menus are directly in the middle, so they are cut down the middle for the two screens, not to mention only being half my screen hieght, and once Im in game, the steering wheel is directly in the center, and therefore the main part of the screen im supposed to look at is the inch and a half bezel between my monitors. Any ideas or fixes? I seem to ba having trouble with Nvidia Surround, so that might be where something went wrong.

[Slippin' Jimmy]

...or you could just buy an untrawide monitor. I'm currently using an LG 34" ultrawide.

[ttower]

Originally posted by Slippin' Jimmy:

...or you could just buy an untrawide monitor. I'm currently using an LG 34" ultrawide.

Would but I cant afford it, so Ill have to try getting dual monitors working.

[Eddie Yantz]

At first mine was like you describe, but I kept exerimenting, and It's geat now. I can help if you like.

What is your nVidia Surround resolution?

please post your config.cfg and multimon_config.sii: https://pastebin.com

[ttower]

My nVidia Surround Resolution is 3840x1080 (Dual 1920x1080) with 117 pixel Bezel correction, totaling 3957x1080.

Here is my Config.cfg. https://pastebin.com/ZU884gNQ

Here is the multimon_config.sii https://pastebin.com/1YQij2KM
I got the multimon_config.sii from the OP.

[Eddie Yantz]

Use my multimon_config,sii from pastebin link below.

Then launch the game. Make surre game resolution is same as desktop (3957x1080).

In developer console enter commands "multimon make_primary center" and "multimon save". Tell me how it turns out.

https://pastebin.com/7f8yvJJA

Using this command "multimon frustum_subrect_x 0.#" will move your view left with positive value (e.g., 0.20000) or right with a negative value (e.g., -0.20000). Mine is set to 0.20000, which clips a bit off the left side of the screen moving the center of my view a bit left.

Remember to save your work before leaving the game: "multimon save".
Or you can edit multimon_config.sii outside the game.

[ttower]

I couldnt get the command to work through the console, but I set the value to 0.300000, and it is such a huge improvement over my previous settings. I have to thank you so much for helping solve that, becuase it was getting frustrating. Only one thing left though, the FOV seems a bit off, even when I change it in game. I fell like I can see too much of the roof of my truck, and too far out the right window. The right mirror is in the center of my second monitor, when I would like it to be near the right edge, so the windshield appears closer, so I ahve a better view of the road itself, instead of the windshield only covering the middle third of my screen. If that is not fixable I can deal with it, but it would be nice to change.

[Eddie Yantz]

post a screen shot, please