List box problem - from monitor resolution

[craigbelson]

Hey all -

Long time lurker, first time poster - although I couldn't tell you how much
I've learned just from lurking on this board.


I'm working on an application using VBA in Excel 2003 and running into an
issue that I haven't seen anywhere else on the web. I have multiple tabs -
and depending on certain conditions being met, a listbox will show up on the
main menu with a list of skus for the user to choose from. Herein lies the
rub.


In our office, about half the employees (but all the people who would use my
application) have flat-panel monitors, capable of anything from 800x600 to
1280x1024. If they run my application in 1280x1024, the listbox won't work.
It will display and populate properly, but they can't choose anything from
it. If it's run at 1024x768, it's perfectly fine and functions normally. To
the best I can figure, it has something to do with the higher resolution -
but like I said, I can't find any information on this anywhere. I know I can
use pieces of the Windows API to get their resolution, but this hasn't helped
me develop a solution to the problem.

A temporary workaround would be for them to change their resolution to
1024x768 to use my application, but it's been communicated to me that that
would have to be temporary. Having them ALWAYS have to do that isn't an
option.


Anyone, thoughts, help, please? Is there some super-obscure command or
setting or something out there? Thanks in advance...


-CB


(also, if it matters - I created this listbox using design mode. I seem to
remember there being 2 different ways to create a listbox, but for the life
of me, I can't remember a) what they're called or b) what the other way is...)

 

[JLGWhiz]

I won't say definitely that resolution is not the problem, but I have never
experienced resolution being a problem with controls not functioning as
designed. And I have used programs for one screen resolution to another. If
the listbox displays properly, then if the underlying code is not flawed, the
listbox should function properly. Check your references to see if it shows
any missing on the system that does not work.

 

[craigbelson]

Hi JLG -

I can actually run it and get it to work at the lower resolution on the same
computer. If I run my application at 1024x768, it works fine. If I change
the monitor resolution, no such luck. Same system, though - the only setting
that's changing is the monitor resolution.

-CB

 

[JLGWhiz]

Then the only thing that I can think of is that the mouse driver is not
compatible with that resolution. Originally, I was thinking in terms of the
VBA code execution and could see no reason why the code would not execute.
Did you try selecting from the listbox with the arrow keys and then use the
enter key to execute the click event? I would be interested if that works.
If it does, then it isolates the problem to the mouse.

 

[craigbelson]

Hi JLG -

Doesn't seem to work. All the arrow keys (and the tab key, for that matter)
do is move me from cell to cell - even though I'm activating the listbox, I
still can't click on it or make any selections within it. However, I know
the users use this resolution on their computers with other programs no
problem - could it be just some sort of an issue with Excel at this
resolution? I don't think so, because I haven't been able to find any sort
of information about it online, but I've learned to not rule anything out.
I've seen a PCI modem go bad being carried across a room. ;-)

I'm open to any other suggestions you or anyone else might have, though - I
think the two things I'm going to try today are checking to see if there's a
selection made or not and if not, then making one for them, and/or switching
out the type of listbox I use...

Thanks again.

-CB

 

[JLGWhiz]

At this point, I would have to be there to check all the settings and try
different troubleshooting methods to figure it out. I just can't believe it
is related to VBA per se. It could be a system quirk. In my mind, the
resolution should only affect the display, not the logic. But I have been
wrong before.

 

[JLGWhiz]

P.S. The Tab key is normally used to select the controls manually, then
arrow to select items withing the control and enter to execute the click
event. I am sure that was the way you tried it.

 

[craigbelson]

The tab key is only going from cell to cell - left to right. If I go into
design mode and choose one of the controls first, then it will go through
each control with each press of the tab button. Once it makes it to the
listbox, hitting the down arrow moves the control down, the right arrow moves
the listbox to the right, the up and left arrows seem to have no effect...

 

[craigbelson]

Also, for whatever this might be worth - if you resize the window, then
re-maximize it (basically, double click on the title bar so it's not
maximized, then double click again so it is maximized), the listbox works
fine.

 

[craigbelson]

JLGWhiz -

Fixed it.

(name of listbox).select




And no, I don't know why that fixed it either - but all I care about is that
it did.