Change users screen resolution and change back

[Song Su]

My application is 1024 x 768 resolution. How can I change user's resolution
in code to match this and restore it back when user quit my application?

 

[Stefan Hoffmann]

hi Song,

My application is 1024 x 768 resolution. How can I change user's resolution
in code to match this and restore it back when user quit my application?

Don't do that, it's a no-go. The user has his causes for his resolution.


mfG
--> stefan <--

 

[Rick Brandt]

My application is 1024 x 768 resolution. How can I change user's
resolution in code to match this and restore it back when user quit
my application?

Gaming software is the only software thyat has ever been able to get away with
such control of the PC.

What if they want to run other programs besides yours at the same time? What if
you change the resolution to one that their screen/card doesn't support?

The problem is with your app, not the user's settings. If you need to support
users at lower resolution settings then you need to design your forms to fit on
the screen at those resolutions.

 

[BruceM]

To add to what Rick has said, there are utilities that can resize forms
relative to the screen resolution, but a split database and a choice of
front ends may be a more workable solution. Splitting a database offers
other advantages in a multi-user environment. One place for some more
information can be found here:
http://allenbrowne.com/ser-01.html
For more detail:
http://www.members.shaw.ca/AlbertKallal/Articles/split/index.htm

 

[Song Su]

Hi, Rick:

We are a community college and my access application is highly customized
just for facutly and staff (not students) use only.

Our IT staff is very strict that users even cannot install software on C
drive. Of cause no games are allowed.

We only have 2 types of computer on campus: Dell and HP and they are quite
new and I do not think screen/card is issue. If it does, I can always walk
to user's office.

People usually do not run multitasking when running my program.

Only a few power users on campus who are allowed to run some kind of virtual
machine connected to District with 800 x 600. They like my application with
1024 x 768 and want easier way to change instead of doing so manually.

I tried re-sizing form utilities that Bruce mentioned and it does not work
well with my forms. I also want my reports to display certain sizes and area
as well and only 1024 x 768 works well.

Can you help? (change to 1024 x 768 in code in my app and return back to
users original resolution when they quit my app).

 

[Douglas J. Steele]

It's just plain wrong to change the user's resolution. How is that person
with limited vision going to cope? However, if you insist, check out the
code Randy Birch has in
http://vbnet.mvps.org/code/enums/enumdisplaychange.htm

Obligatory warning: Randy's site is aimed at VB programmers. There are
significant differences between the controls available for forms in VB and
in Access, so his code sometimes doesn't port directly to Access. I believe
this particular sample is an example of such code.

In your case, rather than display a menu of available resolutions like Randy
is, all you care about is determining whether the user's machine can handle
the resolution you want, and, if so, then set it to that resolution.

 

[Albert D. Kallal]

I would break your legs if your software fooled around with my screen
restoon

why don't you try chaing your rsotnon to 800 x 600, and the rebeoot....

See what happens to your desktop, (all of your icons etc get moved).

The idea that users can't surf the web, use email or anhting else while they
run your softwqare s rude enough, but worse is chaing my mahcine seetings is
very much likey to cause some users to go postal on you.

I would REALLY REALLY REALLY think hard about this, I ussppe some

 

[Albert D. Kallal]

opps, bumped send key...

I would break your legs if your software fooled around with my screen
resolution

why don't you try changing your resolution to 800 x 600, and the
rebeoot....

See what happens to your desktop, (all of your icons etc get moved).

The idea that users can't surf the web, use email or anything else while
they
run your software is rude enough, but worse is changing my machine settings
is
very much likely to cause some users to go postal on you.

I would REALLY REALLY REALLY think hard about this, I suppose some people
don't mind cutting in line, and some people don't care about the settings on
my computer, but rude is just plain rude, and the reaction I am giving you
is very mild compared to what many of your users will give you. It are
trying to really piss them off, you are on the right path....

Please try changing your resolution to 800 x 600...and then try a few
things. Notice how all of your desktop icons are messed up. Now change your
resotion back....notice how things are still messed up.

what happens if the user software freezes up? You now have a machine in
wrong resolution. Worse, how can they change to other applications?

You might have a exception to how most humans use computers, but you do walk
a very slippery slope when you change setting like screen resolutions. I
just trying to save you some embarrassment, and having your users say who is
the rotten person who set this system up, he should be fired on the spot....

 

[Song Su]

Ok, people. I would not insist changing users resolution. so many people are
against it and I think it's my problem. I do need your support in the
future. Thanks a lot for pointing out my mistake. I'm new so forgive me.

 

[Douglas J. Steele]

A wise decision. <g>

 

[BruceM]

In my limited experience with the resizing utility it works pretty well to
make 800 x 600 resolution fit onto a 1024 x 768 screen (it applies only to
the current Access program, by the way; it is not a global, or even an
Access-wide change), but not the reverse. I am referring specifically to
the free utility available through the Developer's Handbook site; I have not
tried any others, although I have heard some good things about the
Peterssoftware one referenced in an earlier posting in this thread.
Here is the last link I had for the resizing utility:
http://www.developershandbook.com/

A split database and a couple of different front ends may provide a
solution.