ID Number: Q74527
3.00 3.10
WINDOWS
Summary:
Every day, the Microsoft Windows graphical environment is run at
greater screen resolutions and sizes with more colors. This article
outlines several guidelines to follow to ensure that an application
runs well on all video configurations.
More Information:
Avoid the following three pitfalls:
1. Hard-coded screen sizes. The VGA 640 by 480 standard resolution
screen will not be around forever. If more screen area lets the
application display more data, let the window grow as big as the
user demands. If screen dimensions are important to the
application, use the GetSystemMetrics function with the SM_CXSCREEN
and SM_CYSCREEN constants to obtain the screen size.
2. Scaling all screen output proportional to resolution. Many users
prefer high screen resolutions for the extra screen "real estate"
they allow, not just for improved readability.
3. Centering dialog boxes relative to the screen. On a very large,
high-resolution monitor, many applications can run simultaneously
without overlapping. Because users expect dialog boxes and
notifications to appear near the main application window, position
dialog boxes relative to the main application window.
Perform the following five steps:
1. Test the application at all screen sizes. Watch out for poorly
scaled objects that may require fine-tuning, oversized windows, and
hard-to-read fixed-size text.
2. Take advantage of leftover screen real estate. For example, if an
application document does not require the full screen, allow users
the option of filling the remaining space with multiple windows,
toolbars and other controls, help information, and so forth.
3. Use scaled graphical screen resources where possible. If the
application uses a toolbar, icons, pictures, and so forth, Windows
metafiles are likely to be more versatile than bitmaps (although
perhaps slower). Scaling based on screen resolution is more
effective than scaling based on application window size.
4. Use the WM_GETMINMAXINFO message to help Windows decide how big the
maximized application window needs to be. Maximizing a text editor
application to the full 2048 x 2048 screen size is probably not
useful. Maximizing an application at startup is particularly
impolite.
5. Optimize window redraws. If a window contains a lot of information,
try to redraw the entire window as infrequently as possible. Use
the InvalidateRect function to coalesce window update regions into
a single repaint. Even if there is not much to draw, many
application windows may be open on a high-resolution screen.
Additional reference words: 3.00 3.10