Can I start VLC on a specific screen? (Ubuntu)

[SteveMann]

I have a Halloween prop that is running Ubuntu 20.04 Desktop on two screens. One screen, the smaller one, is running a looped video of the oscilloscope from the opening scene of "The Outer Limits". The larger screen, a Viewsonic 22-inch display, is running a loop of the NASA Mars Sample Return conceptualization video.

What I would like to happen is for the Outer Limits video to start on the smaller screen, full-screen, and without any menus. And for the sample return video to play on the larger screen, full-screen, without menus.

What is happening is that when I manually start VLC, it always starts on the smaller screen. Worse, Ubuntu Settings - Display offers me no scalability of the smaller screen. Because I can't scale the display, I can't mouse to the top to move the video to the larger screen.

I've tried switching the primary display in Ubuntu Settings, but VLC ALWAYS starts on the smaller screen.

Any tips would be appreciated. (Like, is there a way to tell VLC which screen it should start on?)

[Rémi Denis-Courmont]

Window placement is controlled by the window manager, not VLC (even in full screen mode).

[SteveMann]

As I said, it doesn't matter which screen I set as the primary in the Ubuntu Settings, VLC always starts on the smaller screen. Even if I swap the HDMI ports.

How do I start VLC in less than full-screen so then at least I can grab the screen and move it to the other display?

[Rémi Denis-Courmont]

Uh, VLC doesn't run in fullscreen mode by default, so not sure what you mean by that.