Form Displaying In Different Size Monitors

alexisa · Nov 27, 1999

I work with an 17" monitor where I do all my programming. However when I try to run my programs in different size monitors (14" or 15" ) the forms do not display full size screen as when I develop them on my 17" monitor. They display with a lot of empty space around them. 
Please help and thanks in advance. 
Alexis Alexis <a href=mailto:alexisale@msn.com>alexisale@msn.com</a> <a href= > </a>

Logit · Nov 29, 1999

The following was taken directly from the M$ Knowledge Base 
of information. Perhaps the contents will assist you in 
correcting your problem of having a resolution independent 
display. The example is quite lengthy ... 
 
Jim - aka Logit 
 
HOWTO: Create a Resolution-Independent Form 
The information in this article applies to: 
Microsoft Visual Basic Learning, Professional, and Enterprise Editions for Windows, version 5.0 
Microsoft Visual Basic Standard, Professional, and Enterprise Editions, 16-bit and 32-bit, for Windows, version 4.0 
 
 
SUMMARY 
If a Form takes up most of the screen at 640 x 480 (VGA) resolution, it will only take up a small portion of the screen at 1600 x 1200. Normally, this is exactly what you want to happen, but some circumstances arise where you want a Form to retain the same proportional size and position regardless of screen resolution. This article discusses a simple way to accomplish this. 
 
 
 
MORE INFORMATION 
When designing Forms to be resized at run-time, keep the following in mind: 
 
When designing Forms, it is best to design them for the lowest screen resolution you expect users to run. Even using the technique outlined here, it is best to stay with this rule because Forms resize better going to higher resolutions than they do going to lower ones. 
Use TrueType Fonts because they are scalable. Also, try to use Fonts that will be available on the user's system. Otherwise, a substituted Font may not scale properly. 
Because resizing may not always be exact, especially with Fonts, make the controls a little larger than the minimum necessary. Also, try to leave a little space between controls. 
Some controls, like CheckBoxes and Option buttons, will not resize, and some controls may require special handling. For example, the Height property of ComboBoxes is read-only at run-time, but changing the font size will adjust the Height. 
 
Step-by-Step Example 
1. Change the video resolution to 800 x 600. 
 
2. Start a new project in Visual Basic. Form1 is created by default. 
 
3. Add a Label, a CommandButton, and any other types of controls you would 
 
like to test. 
 
4. Copy the following code into the Form's module: 
 
Option Explicit 
 
Dim MyForm As FRMSIZE 
Dim DesignX As Integer 
Dim DesignY As Integer 
 
Private Sub Form_Load() 
Dim ScaleFactorX As Single, ScaleFactorY As Single ' Scaling factors 
' Size of Form in Pixels at design resolution 
DesignX = 800 
DesignY = 600 
RePosForm = True ' Flag for positioning Form 
DoResize = False ' Flag for Resize Event 
' Set up the screen values 
Xtwips = Screen.TwipsPerPixelX 
Ytwips = Screen.TwipsPerPixelY 
Ypixels = Screen.Height / Ytwips ' Y Pixel Resolution 
Xpixels = Screen.Width / Xtwips ' X Pixel Resolution 
 
' Determine scaling factors 
ScaleFactorX = (Xpixels / DesignX) 
ScaleFactorY = (Ypixels / DesignY) 
ScaleMode = 1 ' twips 
'Exit Sub ' uncomment to see how Form1 looks without resizing 
Resize_For_Resolution ScaleFactorX, ScaleFactorY, Me 
Label1.Caption = "Current resolution is " & Str$(Xpixels) + _ 
" by " + Str$(Ypixels) 
MyForm.Height = Me.Height ' Remember the current size 
MyForm.Width = Me.Width 
End Sub 
 
Private Sub Form_Resize() 
Dim ScaleFactorX As Single, ScaleFactorY As Single 
 
If Not DoResize Then ' To avoid infinite loop 
DoResize = True 
Exit Sub 
End If 
 
RePosForm = False 
ScaleFactorX = Me.Width / MyForm.Width ' How much change? 
ScaleFactorY = Me.Height / MyForm.Height 
Resize_For_Resolution ScaleFactorX, ScaleFactorY, Me 
MyForm.Height = Me.Height ' Remember the current size 
MyForm.Width = Me.Width 
End Sub 
 
Private Sub Command1_Click() 
Dim ScaleFactorX As Single, ScaleFactorY As Single 
 
DesignX = Xpixels 
DesignY = Ypixels 
RePosForm = True 
DoResize = False 
' Set up the screen values 
Xtwips = Screen.TwipsPerPixelX 
Ytwips = Screen.TwipsPerPixelY 
Ypixels = Screen.Height / Ytwips ' Y Pixel Resolution 
Xpixels = Screen.Width / Xtwips ' X Pixel Resolution 
 
' Determine scaling factors 
ScaleFactorX = (Xpixels / DesignX) 
ScaleFactorY = (Ypixels / DesignY) 
Resize_For_Resolution ScaleFactorX, ScaleFactorY, Me 
Label1.Caption = "Current resolution is " & Str$(Xpixels) + _ 
" by " + Str$(Ypixels) 
MyForm.Height = Me.Height ' Remember the current size 
MyForm.Width = Me.Width 
End Sub 
 
5. Add a Module from the Project menu and paste in the following code: 
 
Public Xtwips As Integer, Ytwips As Integer 
Public Xpixels As Integer, Ypixels As Integer 
 
Type FRMSIZE 
Height As Long 
Width As Long 
End Type 
 
Public RePosForm As Boolean 
Public DoResize As Boolean 
 
Sub Resize_For_Resolution(ByVal SFX As Single, _ 
ByVal SFY As Single, MyForm As Form) 
Dim I As Integer 
Dim SFFont As Single 
 
SFFont = (SFX + SFY) / 2 ' average scale 
' Size the Controls for the new resolution 
On Error Resume Next ' for read-only or nonexistent properties 
With MyForm 
For I = 0 To .Count - 1 
If TypeOf .Controls(I) Is ComboBox Then ' cannot change Height 
.Controls(I).Left = .Controls(I).Left * SFX 
.Controls(I).Top = .Controls(I).Top * SFY 
.Controls(I).Width = .Controls(I).Width * SFX 
Else 
.Controls(I).Move .Controls(I).Left * SFX, _ 
.Controls(I).Top * SFY, _ 
.Controls(I).Width * SFX, _ 
.Controls(I).Height * SFY 
End If 
.Controls(I).FontSize = .Controls(I).FontSize * SFFont 
Next I 
If RePosForm Then 
' Now size the Form 
.Move .Left * SFX, .Top * SFY, .Width * SFX, .Height * SFY 
End If 
End With 
End Sub 
 
Try running this under different screen resolutions and the Form should take up the same desktop area and retain its look and screen position. You may notice that your design resizes better when changing to a higher resolution than it does when changing to a lower one. You can also use the Mouse to Resize the Form and it will re-scale automatically. Finally, if you change video resolution while the Form is open, you can click on Command1 and it will adjust for the new resolution. 
 
 
REFERENCES 
For additional information, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: 
 
 
ARTICLE-ID: Q187562 
TITLE : HOWTO: Resize the Controls in SSTab When Form is Resized 
 
Additional query words: scale kbVBp400 kbVBp500 kbDisplay kbForms kbVBp 
Version : WINDOWS:4.0,5.0 
Platform : WINDOWS 
Issue type : kbhowto

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Form Displaying In Different Size Monitors

alexisa

MIS

Logit

Programmer

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