Serial Screen Missing

Development Tools IDE 1.x
1

I am using 1.8.19 and it has worked with no problems. Then one day the IDE would not show up on the computer screen, just a tray icon. I looked up the issue and renamed the Arduino folder and started the IDE and then that part worked again. Now the Serial Monitor screen is missing. Again, I see it in the tray icons as being "open" but there is no Windows screen anywhere in site. Thanks.

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2

Hi @ljbeng. Do you sometimes use multiple displays on your computer? This is usually caused by putting the Arduino IDE 1.x window on another display which is not always connected to the computer, which makes it inaccessible.

3

Thanks... Yes I have 3 displays but I tried this with only the laptop screen and I get the same issue.

4

Try it with the three displays.

5

Unfortunately, this is a known issue for many Java programs. The IDE is not unique. You have the window open on another monitor and then when you run it just on your laptop, it tries to put the window on the other, non-existent monitor.

6

Very strange, I have tried it all ways possible with all screens attached or no. So I just use Hyperterminal (yes the old one from Windows unknown... ) ; ) I just have to make sure it's closed during compile and download.

7

I think you can restore it to the primary display by doing this:

  1. Start Arduino IDE.
  2. Select File > Preferences from the Arduino IDE menus.
  3. Click the link on the line following "More preferences can be edited directly in the file".
    A folder named something like Arduino15 will open in Windows File Manager.
  4. Close all Arduino IDE windows (including any that only show on the Windows taskbar).
  5. Delete or rename the file named preferences.txt that you see in the File Manager window that was opened when you clicked that link in the Arduino IDE preferences.
    :warning: Please be very careful when deleting things from your computer. When in doubt, back up!
  6. Start Arduino IDE.

preferences.txt contains all the preferences you set via File > Preferences, so you will need to reconfigure the IDE if you made any changes there (e.g., adding URLs to the Additional Boards Manager URLs field).

As an alternative solution, you could update to Arduino IDE 2.x. It does not have this problem with multiple displays.

8

Thanks! That worked... Luke

9

You are welcome. I'm glad it is working now.

Regards,
Per

10

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