DELL Alienware AW2521HFLA Display Manager User Guide

Dell Display Manager User’s Guide

Overview
Dell Display Manager (DDM) is a Microsoft Windows application used to manage a monitor or a group of monitors. It allows manual adjustment of the displayed image,  assignment of automatic settings, energy management, window organization, image rotation, and other features on select Dell monitors. Once installed, Dell Display Manager runs each time the system starts and places its icon in the notification tray. Information about monitors connected to the system is available when hovering over the notification-tray icon.

Alternatively, you may launch DDM by right-clicking on the desktop background to select Dell Display Manager from the desktop menu.  NOTE: Dell Display Manager needs to use DDC/CI channel to communicate with your monitor. Please make sure DDC/CI is enabled in the menu as below.

Using the Quick Settings Dialog
Clicking Dell Display Manager’s notification tray icon opens the Quick Settings dialog box. When more than one supported Dell monitors are connected to the computer, a  specific target monitor can be selected using the menu. The Quick Settings dialog box allows you to easily adjust the brightness, contrast, resolution, window layout, and so on. It also allows you to enable automatic switching between preset modes or to select a preset mode manually.

The Quick Settings dialog box also provides access to Dell Display Manager’s advanced user interface that is used to adjust basic functions, configure auto mode and access other features.
NOTE:

Quick DDM
Access| Quick key to call up DDM UI| Ctrl+Shift+D Use Page Up/Page Down key or click on “>” to flip through all Easy Arrange layouts.
Control individual  multiple monitor setup| From dropdown box to select monitor, selected the monitor has Dell logo shown. Perform monitor self-test feature check.  Move DDM UI to the monitor to be controlled.  Press Ctrl+Shift+D to bring up the mini UI under the mouse pointer.

Setting Basic Display Functions
You can manually select a preset mode or you can select Auto Mode that applies a preset mode based on the active application. An onscreen message momentarily displays the current Preset Mode whenever it changes. The selected monitor’s Brightness and Contrast can also be directly adjusted from the Basic tab.

NOTE: When multiple Dell monitors are connected, select “Enable display matrix control” to apply brightness, contrast, and color preset controls to all monitors.

Assigning Preset Modes to Applications
The Auto Mode tab allows you to associate a specific Preset Mode with a specific application, and apply it automatically. When Auto Mode is enabled, Dell Display Manager automatically switches to the corresponding Preset Mode whenever the associated application is activated. The Preset Mode assigned to a particular application may be the same on each connected monitor, or it can vary from one monitor to another. Dell Display Manager is pre-configured for many popular applications. To add a new application to the assignment list, simply drag the application from the desktop, Windows Start Menu, or elsewhere, and drop it onto the current list.
NOTE : Preset Mode assignments for batch files, scripts, loaders, and nonexecutable files such as zip archives or packed files, are not supported. You can also configure the name preset mode to be used whenever a  Direct3D application runs in full-screen mode. To prevent an application from using the mode, assign a different preset mode to it.

Organizing Windows with Easy Arrange
Easy Arrange helps you to effectively organize your application windows on the desktop. You first choose a pre-defined layout pattern that suits your work, then you just need to drag the application windows into the defined zones. Press “>” or use the Page Up/Page Down key to find more layouts. To create a custom layout, right-click on the thumbnail with a tiny triangle at the bottom right corner, arrange the numbers of rows and columns in the open window, and then click OK to set up your preferred arrangement.

For Windows 10, you can apply different window layouts for each of the virtual desktops. If you often use the Windows snap feature, you can select “Hold down the SHIFT key to enable zone positioning”. This gives Windows snap priority over Easy Arrange. You will then need to press the Shift key to use Easy Arrange positioning.

If you are using multiple monitors in an array or matrix, Easy Arrange layout can be applied across to all the monitors as one desktop. Select “Span multiple monitors” to enable this feature. You need to align your monitors properly to make them effective.

There are other advanced ways for the usage of Easy Arrange. Refer to the table below.

Enhanced Easy
Arrange| Custom layouts| • Save and name 5 customized Easy Arrange patterns.
• Configure x*y patterns.
5 MRU (most recently-
used) layouts| Press Ctrl+Shift+Home to cycle among the last 5
MRU layouts.
On the fly
partition resizing| Hold down Ctrl while resizing the current Easy
Arrange layout to adjust the size and numbers of cells in a layout.
The newly formed Easy Arrange pattern is saved into the Easy Arrange icon position.
Hold down Ctrl while clicking on a modified layout icon to restore it to the default layout.
Easy Arrange
layouts for
portrait mode| Portrait mode Easy Arrange icons are presented when the monitor is rotated.

NOTE: Some application requires a minimum effective resolution for their window. The application may not fit in an Easy Arrange zone if the zone is smaller than the required window size.

Managing Multiple Video Inputs
The Input Manager tab provides convenient ways for you to manage multiple video inputs connected to your Dell monitor. It makes it very easy to switch between inputs while you works with multiple computers. All video input ports available to your monitor are listed. You can give each input a name as you like. Please save your changes after editing. You can define a shortcut key to quickly switch to your favorite input and another shortcut key to quickly switch between two inputs if you often work between them.

You can use the dropdown list to switch to any input source.

NOTE : DDM communicates with your monitor even when the monitor is displaying video from another computer. You can install DDM on the PC you frequently use and control input switching from it. You may also install DDM on other PCs connected to the monitor.
Restoring Application Positions
DDM can help you restore application windows into their positions when you reconnect your PC to the monitor(s). You can quickly access this feature by right-clicking on the DDM icon in the notification tray.

If you choose “Auto-restore window layout”, your application windows’ positions are tracked and remembered by DDM. DDM automatically puts the application windows into their original positions when you reconnect your PC to your monitor(s).

If you want to go back to a favorite layout after you have moved the application windows around, you can first “Save current window layout” and later “Restore saved window layout”. You may use monitors with different models or resolutions in your daily routine, and you may apply different window layouts on them. DDM is able to know the monitor you have reconnected and restore application positions accordingly. In case you need to replace a monitor in a monitor matrix configuration, you can save the window layout before replacement and restore the layout after a new monitor is installed.
NOTE: You should keep your applications running in order to benefit from this feature. DDM doesn’t launch applications.

Applying Energy Conservation Features
The Options tab provides PowerNap energy conservation options and allows you to customize keyboard shortcuts.
In the upper pane, you can choose to set the monitor’s brightness to the minimum level or to put the monitor to sleep when the screensaver is activated.
Other Shortcut Keys
You can define shortcut keys for quick access to the following DDM functions:
• Program shortcut key: to quickly open the Quick Settings dialog box.
• Easy Arrange MRU shortcut key: to quickly apply the 5 recently used window layouts.
• Application window shortcut key: to launch a quick menu for options under Auto Mode and Easy Arrange.

Attaching DDM to active windows
For Windows 10, you can add the DDM shortcut icon to the toolbar region of active windows. To activate this feature, right-click on the DDM icon in the notification tray and choose Attach to active window from the opened menu.

Once you right-click the icon in the toolbar, a quick menu of DDM appears, displaying options under Auto Mode and Easy Arrange for you to easily make adjustments.

Troubleshooting
If DDM cannot work with your monitor, DDM will show below the icon in your notification tray.

Click on the icon, DDM shows a more detailed error message.

Please note that DDM only works with Dell-branded monitors. If you are using monitors from other manufacturers, DDM doesn’t support them.
If DDM is unable to detect and/or communicate with a supported Dell monitor, please take below actions to troubleshoot:
1. Make sure the video cable is properly connected to your monitor and your PC, especially the connectors should be firmly inserted into position.
2. Check the monitor OSD to ensure DDC/CI is enabled.
3. Make sure you have the correct and latest display driver from the graphics vendor (Intel, AMD, NVIDIA, etc.). The display driver is often the cause of DDM failure.
4. Remove any docking stations or cable extenders or converters between the monitor and the graphics port. Some low-cost extenders, hubs, or converters may not support DDC/CI properly and can fail DDM. Update the driver of such a device if the latest version is available.
5. Restart your system.
DDM may not work with the below monitors:
• Dell monitor models earlier than the year 2013 and D-series of Dell monitors.
You can refer to Dell Product Support websites for more information
• Gaming monitors using NVIDIA-based G-sync technology
• Virtual and wireless displays do not support DDC/CI
• Some early models of DP 1.2 monitors, it may be necessary to disable MST/ DP 1.2 using the monitor OSD
If your PC is connected to the Internet, you will be prompted with a message when a newer version of the DDM application is available. It is recommended to download and install the latest DDM application.
You may also check for a new version by right-clicking on the DDM icon while pressing and holding the ‘shift’ key.

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