ACC: How to Use the GetSystemMetrics() API Call
ID: Q88922
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The information in this article applies to:
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Microsoft Access versions 1.0, 1.1, 2.0, 7.0, 97
SUMMARY
Advanced: Requires expert coding, interoperability, and multiuser skills.
In the Windows environment, various display resolutions may cause screens
to appear out of proportion. As a developer, you can get the width and
height of various elements of the window display by using the Windows
application programming interface (API) function GetSystemMetrics().
Incorporating this function into a Microsoft Access application gives you
more information for designing the user interface. This article describes
the GetSystemMetrics() API function and shows you how to call the function
from Microsoft Access.
This article assumes that you are familiar with Visual Basic for
Applications and with creating Microsoft Access applications using the
programming tools provided with Microsoft Access. For more information
about Visual Basic for Applications, please refer to your version of the
"Building Applications with Microsoft Access" manual.
NOTE: Visual Basic for Applications is called Access Basic in Microsoft
Access versions 1.x and 2.0. For more information about Access Basic,
please refer to the "Introduction to Programming" manual in Microsoft
Access version 1.x or the "Building Applications" manual in Microsoft
Access version 2.0.
MORE INFORMATION
The Windows GetSystemMetrics() API function retrieves information about
the system metrics (the width and height of various display elements of a
particular window). The GetSystemMetrics() function can also return flags
that indicate whether a mouse is present or if the meaning of the left and
right mouse buttons have been reversed. System metrics are dependent upon
the system display and may vary from display to display.
To use the GetSystemMetrics() functions, follow these steps:
- Place one the following Declare statements in the Declarations section
of a module, depending on which version of Microsoft Access you are
using.
In Microsoft Access 7.0 and 97:
Declare Function GetSystemMetrics& Lib "User32" (ByVal nIndex&)
NOTE: The above statement is case-sensitive.
In Microsoft Access 1.x or 2.0:
Declare Function GetSystemMetrics% Lib "user" (ByVal nIndex%)
- Depending on which window property you want to determine, you must
define the correct constant to pass to the GetSystemMetrics()
function. Below are sample declarations of the constants and their
meaning. Constants by default are Private. If you want to place these
constants in a global module and have them available for the entire
application, then you would have to add Public at the beginning of the
constant statement. (Public Const SM_CXSCREEN = 0). For a complete list
of the constants available for Windows 95, please refer to the Win32
Software Development Kit.
Const SM_CXSCREEN = 0 ' Width of screen
Const SM_CYSCREEN = 1 ' Height of screen
Const SM_CXFULLSCREEN = 16 ' Width of window client area
Const SM_CYFULLSCREEN = 17 ' Height of window client area
Const SM_CYMENU = 15 ' Height of menu
Const SM_CYCAPTION = 4 ' Height of caption or title
Const SM_CXFRAME = 32 ' Width of window frame
Const SM_CYFRAME = 33 ' Height of window frame
Const SM_CXHSCROLL = 21 ' Width of arrow bitmap on
' horizontal scroll bar
Const SM_CYHSCROLL = 3 ' Height of arrow bitmap on
' horizontal scroll bar
Const SM_CXVSCROLL = 2 ' Width of arrow bitmap on
' vertical scroll bar
Const SM_CYVSCROLL = 20 ' Height of arrow bitmap on
' vertical scroll bar
Const SM_CXSIZE = 30 ' Width of bitmaps in title bar
Const SM_CYSIZE = 31 ' Height of bitmaps in title bar
Const SM_CXCURSOR = 13 ' Width of cursor
Const SM_CYCURSOR = 14 ' Height of cursor
Const SM_CXBORDER = 5 ' Width of window frame that cannot
' be sized
Const SM_CYBORDER = 6 ' Height of window frame that cannot
' be sized
Const SM_CXDOUBLECLICK = 36 ' Width of rectangle around the
' location of the first click. The
' second click must occur in the
' same rectangular location.
Const SM_CYDOUBLECLICK = 37 ' Height of rectangle around the
' location of the first click. The
' second click must occur in the
' same rectangular location.
Const SM_CXDLGFRAME = 7 ' Width of dialog frame window
Const SM_CYDLGFRAME = 8 ' Height of dialog frame window
Const SM_CXICON = 11 ' Width of icon
Const SM_CYICON = 12 ' Height of icon
Const SM_CXICONSPACING = 38 ' Width of rectangles the system
' uses to position tiled icons
Const SM_CYICONSPACING = 39 ' Height of rectangles the system
' uses to position tiled icons
Const SM_CXMIN = 28 ' Minimum width of window
Const SM_CYMIN = 29 ' Minimum height of window
Const SM_CXMINTRACK = 34 ' Minimum tracking width of window
Const SM_CYMINTRACK = 35 ' Minimum tracking height of window
Const SM_CXHTHUMB = 10 ' Width of scroll box (thumb) on
' horizontal scroll bar
Const SM_CYVTHUMB = 9 ' Width of scroll box (thumb) on
' vertical scroll bar
Const SM_DBCSENABLED = 42 ' Returns a non-zero if the current
' Windows version uses double-byte
' characters, otherwise returns
' zero
Const SM_DEBUG = 22 ' Returns non-zero if the Windows
' version is a debugging version
Const SM_MENUDROPALIGNMENT = 40
' Alignment of pop-up menus. If zero,
' left side is aligned with
' corresponding left side of menu-
' bar item. If non-zero, left side
' is aligned with right side of
' corresponding menu bar item
Const SM_MOUSEPRESENT = 19 ' Non-zero if mouse hardware is
' installed
Const SM_PENWINDOWS = 41 ' Handle of Pen Windows dynamic link
' library if Pen Windows is
' installed
Const SM_SWAPBUTTON = 23 ' Non-zero if the left and right
' mouse buttons are swapped
The following sample call will return the height of a form's caption bar:
HeightY% = GetSystemMetrics(SM_CYCAPTION)
REFERENCES
For more information about constants, search for "Const," and then
"Const Statement" using the Microsoft Access Help Index.
For more information about Declare, search for "Declare," and then
"Declare Statement," using the Microsoft Access Help Index.
Additional query words:
Keywords : kbprg kbusage
Version : WINDOWS:1.0,1.1,2.0,7.0,97
Platform : WINDOWS
Issue type : kbhowto