Working with external monitor using Macbook

I have an external 24'' monitor which I use with my macbook pro (aluminium). Usually I need only one display to work on. However in Mac OS, there is no easy way to turn off one monitor other than to manually disconnect it. But if I am connected to the external monitor, and I want to turn off the display of laptop screen itself, there is no simple way in the Mac OS Leopard. That is irritating.

Today I found one way to solve this problem. To make the laptop screen close, connect USB mouse or keyboard to the laptop (which is connected in my case). Then close the lid of the laptop screen to make the macbook go to sleep. The monitor will go dark. After that, click a key or a button with the connected mouse. The laptop will wake up but the laptop screen won't!

For this to happen, the external monitor display may have to be the default one. That is, the dock should be in the external monitor. This can be done by changing the arrangement in the display settings in the system preferences. But again, it may not be required.

Another cool trick I learned, is how to put the laptop to sleep when its screen is turned off. This trick is a direct consequence of the first trick. Once we have put the laptop screen to sleep, how to put the laptop to sleep? Simply closing the lid of the laptop will not work.

So, for putting a macbook to sleep, press

Ctl + Command + Eject.

That is neat!