The Ignition Designer Output Console is still enabled, but its floating window can remain positioned outside the current screen after a monitor change; Reset Panels may not restore that saved window position.
Which menu path can reopen the Output Console?
First try the panel command in the Designer. The reported menu path differs between installations: one report identified Tools > Output Console, while another on version 7.9.13 found it at View > Panels > Output Console. Use the path present in your Designer rather than assuming both menus exist.
This command toggles visibility. It can bring the console back if it is merely hidden, but it does not necessarily move a floating window that is positioned beyond the current display area. If selecting the panel only hides or shows it, proceed to resetting the saved window layout.
| Approach | Where | Effect and limitation |
|---|---|---|
| Show or hide the console |
Tools > Output Console or View > Panels > Output Console, depending on the Designer |
Toggles visibility; does not itself reposition an off-screen floating window. |
| Reset the saved console layout | C:\Users\{current-user}\.ignition\windows.layout |
Resets the stored window layout; reported to restore the console as a popup after relaunch. |
| Delete the full Ignition user folder | C:\Users\{current-user}\.ignition |
Rebuilds the Designer cache and returns to a default view, but is broader than changing the layout file alone. |
Why does the console disappear after changing monitors?
The console was moved to a floating position on another monitor. When the available screen area changes, the saved window coordinates can leave some or all of that window outside the visible desktop. The Designer may still treat the console as open, which explains why the panel command can toggle it without making it reachable.
This is a window-layout problem, not evidence of a project tag fault or a controller communication fault. The symptom is confined to the Designer console window; resetting its saved layout addresses that layer without changing project logic or controller configuration.
Should you reset panels or clear the layout file?
Use the least disruptive approach that matches what you see. Try the menu toggle once if the console may simply be hidden. The original report found that Reset Panels did not bring the console back, and the visibility command alone did not reposition a window whose lower half was visible while the rest remained off-screen.
For a console stranded outside the display, resetting windows.layout is the targeted fix. Removing the entire .ignition folder was also reported to rebuild the cache and restore a default Designer view, but that is a broader reset. Prefer the layout-file method first when the problem is specifically the console position.
How do you reset the saved window position?
- Close all running Ignition Designers. Do not edit the layout while a Designer is open.
- Open
C:\Users\{current-user}\.ignitionfor the Windows account running Designer. - Delete the
windows.layoutfile to reset the saved window layout. If you want a reversible change, rename or copy the file first, then remove the active file. - Relaunch Designer. Its layout is rebuilt; open the Output Console from the menu path available in that installation.
If the targeted reset does not restore the window, close all Designers and use the broader reported reset: delete the .ignition folder, then relaunch Designer to rebuild its cache. This clears more than the single saved window-layout file, so use it only after trying the targeted reset.
How can you verify the console is back on screen?
After relaunch, open the Output Console and confirm that the complete window—not only a visible edge or lower portion—is within the current display area and can be accessed. The reported result after resetting windows.layout was that the console reappeared as a popup. If it remains off-screen, confirm that all Designer instances were closed before resetting the layout, then repeat the targeted reset and reopen the console.
Frequently asked questions
How do I reopen the Ignition Designer Output Console?
Use the available menu command: Tools > Output Console or View > Panels > Output Console. If it toggles visibility but leaves the window off-screen, reset windows.layout.
How do I move an off-screen Output Console back?
Close all Designers, delete C:\Users\{current-user}\.ignition\windows.layout, relaunch Designer, then open the console again. The reset was reported to restore it as a popup.
How do I verify the Ignition console layout reset worked?
Open the console after relaunch and confirm the entire window is visible and accessible on the current display. If it remains off-screen, repeat the reset after closing every running Designer.