Detecting and setting Screen res.

[Johnny_Dev]

Is there a way to detect what the users screen resolution is and then set it to a specified setting i.e. set the resolution to 1024x768

[AGRO]

Re: Detecting and setting Screen res.

AniRez v1.3

[njlech]

Re: Detecting and setting Screen res.

Otherwise, you can set your screen width and height as variables, and give the user the option to change the width and height at runtime by presenting them with a couple of choices.

[Corey]

Re: Detecting and setting Screen res.

OK:

1. Do a search here in the forum for "screen resolution" and set it to show all posts, you'll find tons of stuff.

2. We don't reccomend changing people's screen resolution abitrarily.

3. You can get the user's resolution using the SYSTEM>GET INFORMATION function, simply retrieve either the horizontal OR vertical resolution to figure it out. The correct method is to have multiple projects prepared and then simply execute the one which matches the user's screen res.

Corey Milner
Creative Director, Indigo Rose Software

[Lorne]

Re: Detecting and setting Screen res.

Additional note on #3: you should check both the horizontal and vertical. Some users don't run standard resolutions, e.g. many people prefer 1280x960 over 1280x1024, etc.

[Corey]

Re: Detecting and setting Screen res.

Personally though I would only create 3 version, 640 X 480, 800 X 600, and 1024 X 768, so I tend to grab only one value. In my entire carreer I've yet to see a client using any resolution other than those three... I've run into the odd developer working at 1280 X 1024 but only 1 or 2...

That being said it's just as easy to grab 2 values so I guess it's way to ensure you're safe...

Corey Milner
Creative Director, Indigo Rose Software

[Lorne]

Re: Detecting and setting Screen res.

I personally use 1152x864...any higher and I'd have to increase the font size to be able to work comfortably on a 19" monitor...and too many apps don't like nonstandard font sizes.

There are nonstandard sizes in the lower resolutions, too, but they are used mostly by gamers seeking performance tradeoffs on low-end systems, so they aren't as likely to be a big deal. [img]/ubbthreads/images/icons/wink.gif[/img]

[TJ_Tigger]

Re: Detecting and setting Screen res.

I am new to AMS and am curious as to how easy it is to resize a project. Can you make one in 1024X768 and then resize it ot 800X600 by changing the layout parameters, or is there a lot or recreation that takes place?

[Corey]

Re: Detecting and setting Screen res.

I've never actually met anyone who uses 1152x864 and I've probably been on over 1,000 systems in the field. Lorne's an expert at minutea and being an exception to rules, which is why we love hm. [img]/ubbthreads/images/icons/smile.gif[/img] Unless you are distributing your stuff purely to programmers and developers that concern is overstated.

Currently, realistically you can consistently expect over 95% of your audience to be using either 640 X 480, 800 X 600, or 1024 X 768. I have said it before and I'll say it again, you can never, ever make 100% of your audience happy, if you can keep 95% of them consistently happy, that's true success.

And, again, the people like Lorne who are doing things in a non-standard way are always keeners, that is to say they are technically savvy, will figure out very quickly that they are out of sync with your project and make the appropriate adjustments themselves.

In terms of the dynamic resizing, that's not really how AMS works. You are far better of to create 3 versions of your project at the aformentioned standard resolutions and then use the 640 X 480 one as your launcher. Then set it to check the resolution and then switch to the appropriate version based upon that info.

Using that method you should nail over 95% of your users... That's the method I used on the few commercial menus I have done...

Corey Milner
Creative Director, Indigo Rose Software

[TJ_Tigger]

Re: Detecting and setting Screen res.

<quote>
In terms of the dynamic resizing, that's not really how AMS works. You are far better of to create 3 versions of your project at the aformentioned standard resolutions and then use the 640 X 480 one as your launcher. Then set it to check the resolution and then switch to the appropriate version based upon that info.
</quote>

Nice to meet you I am another that has their screen set to 1152X864.

About the above quote can one copy the buttons from one project and paste into another or are you stuck with rebuilding each size screen from almost scratch? Not a big issue, just curious.

Thank

[Lorne]

Re: Detecting and setting Screen res.

Yep, you can copy and paste objects from one project to another...you can even copy and paste whole pages.

If you want to get really fancy, you could even use a text editor to search-and-replace all the X and Y coordinates for the objects between two projects, by editing the .am4 file (which is actually XML).

[Corey]

Re: Detecting and setting Screen res.

Again, I've never actually met anyone with that screen res, and out of 1,000 or so host machines I've been on I haven't seen it. There's a point to be had there, ignore it or refute it if you like but that's the cabbage my friends...

As to the cut and pasting, if you are a graphic designer you will not want to re-use the same components for each, but rather you will want to have everything properly sized for each res, i.e. the buttons and screens at 640 X 480 would be physically smaller than the ones at 1024 X 768 (Or it'll look half baked) so cut and pasting is of no use really...

Corey Milner
Creative Director, Indigo Rose Software

[Corey]

Re: Detecting and setting Screen res.

BTW one more option is to make your GUI in Flash and all your actions in AMS. That will allow you to use the same exact content, unaltered, for each build.

With this method since building alternate resolutions is sooooooo easy you could take a half hour and make files for all resolutions, even the non-standard ones...

Corey Milner
Creative Director, Indigo Rose Software

[jekyll700]

Re: Detecting and setting Screen res.

Just figured I'd jump in with my observations as they may prove to be at odds with the norms. And while they may be appear to be at odds, I believe a trend of rising resolution has begun.

As I am typing this, I am running 1600x1200 res with normal size fonts on a 19" monitor and can see just fine thank you... Since I only have one monitor, I need all real estate I can get. (Some apps I need to have two instances up and visible for the type of work I usually do.) At home I also am running 1600x1200... but alas, no gaming for me... that's what the Playstation is for... never any crashes... :-)

Now, granted the department I work in is more of a development environment, but on their DEVELOPMENT PC's, the LOWEST res I've seen from other engineers here is 1152x864, with the majority being 1280x1024. When we TEST, obviously we have to test whatever is within the spec range for the software.

Further, upon talking with our IS manager, in the rest of the company (thankfully here in development we take charge of our own PC's) 1024x768 is the lowest res and with the larger monitors 1152/1280 (horiz) are now common.

Sorry for the long post just to say in effect:
People are using higher and higher resolutions as the larger monitors come down in cost. The stats for my company's web site show almost no one is coming in at 800x600 or lower, 1024x768 is #1 followed CLOSELY by 1152x864, and 1280 has a good showing as well.

In general I create full screen apps between 640x480 and 800x600, so almost no matter what their res they can use them.

Just by 2 cents... or couple bucks by the length of it wouldn't ya' think? ;-)

[kpsmith]

Re: Detecting and setting Screen res.

I think jekyll700 is on the right track. You need to design for the customer base that you are targeting.

I work for an educational publishing company that deals with a lot of trade schools using older machines.

Therefore, up until last year we required all our software to use no more than 640x480 and 256 colors.

With the cost of computers dropping and the power of today's inexepensive video cards we finally decided that 800x600 and 16bit is our new standard across the board since any "Old" computer by todays standards can handle that.

However, if we are working on projects for engineers, CAD users, or art and design people it is a safe bet they are at least at 1024x768.

It really all depends on how well you know your market.