What's the best way to design layouts when you don't know the user's screen resoution? I would like to design a solution that any one can use (PC computer) reguardless of the screen resolution. Certainly when you load other PC programs (Word, Excel, Utilities, etc.) screen resolution is not an issue. Why isn't FM the same? I don't think MS Access has the same problem.

If you don't know your users screen resolution then the next step would be to make an educated guess of what their MINIMUM resolution might be. Next, you can make a choice of the MINIMUM resolution you'd like to support. You should be able to come up with something from these steps. Then, when building your layouts use autosizing to make your layouts scale up to larger windows nicely.

Thanks for the tip. I'll give it a try. Do you set the monitor screen resolution to a lower value before you start building the layout?

Do you set the monitor screen resolution to a lower value before you start building the layout?

Not when I do it. I have a desktop background with "bowties" marking the sizes of different monitors. You can crop it to fit your monitor, and it's translucent so it can work on top of whatever image you like. I will, however, do final testing with a monitor at the same resolution as the target workstation.

desktop background with "bowties" marking the sizes of different monitors

That's a great idea; i'm going to using it!

(it looks like the attached image size was reduced to 1200 x 750 though; maybe that wouldn't happen if you zipped it?)

I see that, now. Here's a zipped version.

SizeReference-2560x1600.zip

Good post. I made a layout for the owner to see. When she opened it, it was very tiny and she could not read it. My size is 1024 x 768. She has a huge monitor, probably 4' wide. What is standard size? I read it few months ago then lost it. I think I should set my monitor to something more common, right?

1280x800 is the size I use as a lowest common denominator unless a specific application (a FileMaker Go application, for example) calls for something different.

There is also a freeware utility called Sizer that allows you to precisely size any window; including the FM application window.

http://www.brianapps.net/sizer/

A Windows ONLY utility

Edited January 5, 201214 yr by Lee Smith
to save time for Mac users

Jeremy, thanks for the zipped image.

Ted, thanks for the link.

I'm using both methods now; might be able to do away with the wallpaper method if I use the 'sizer' program, but i'll try it out for a while.

I was dismayed to discover in a recent survey that the new "standard" for laptops is 1366 x 768.

It seems the Wide Screen Cinema format is driving the industry ... at the expense of personal productivity. Plus, the 5-year trend toward tool "ribbons" doesn't leave much vertical space. FileMaker, unfortunately, is among the perpetrators.

I downloaded sizer. but it doesn' work with win 7 64 bit

I downloaded sizer. but it doesn' work with win 7 64 bit

I downloaded the Win7 64-bit version that is still in development and it works perfectly. I got it at http://brianapps.net/sizer/sizer34.html.

Use the link labeled Sizer 3.4 Dev Build 426.

I am afraid I am not smart enough to figure how to use either Jeremy's file nor the links provided.   The laptop of my boss is 1280 x 800 13" and I need to make the solution exactly that size so it does not produce scroll bars either direction and I cannot test it so it must be right.  Is there any way that someone can create an fm file that size so I can see or just tell me how many px high and wide it should be? 

 

Even better would be explaining how to use the screen shot provided by Jeremy so I can use it in future if needs change.  I cannot read the text and I do not know how to measure or place those butterfly images to use it.  Hey guys, I am sorry I am such a dunce on this.  I've been trying to solve it off and on for months now and I am ready to create my good final solution and I want to do it right.  I also plan on using anchors for those with larger monitors but I need the minimum before I can begin.

Since you are developing for a particular computer, rather than needing to test at multiple sizes, you're probably better off using that computer to get the window size that works best. My reasoning for this is that if you resize your FileMaker window to exactly 1280 x 800, that won't account for the start bar on windows, or the dock on Mac.

David,

The file attached is set to show on a Windows machine at exactly 1280 x 800 px if the Start Bar is set to auto-hide. This also takes into consideration the window frame.  See screenshot.

If the Start Bar is not set to auto-hide, you would need to know his exact Start Bar parameters to get it right (ie; Large or Small Icons, etc).

 

I am not permitted to upload files so download the file here.

Hi Dan,

 

Thank you for helping me, I really appreciate it.  I never thought about the start bar or dock.  Problem is ... my boss is the only one with 13" and it is kept at his other office (in another country).  The Owner has a huge Mac and I plan on using anchors to expand it for the Owner but I need minimum for the boss. 

Thank you Pro Tour!  As for the details, I do not know whether this is a mac or windows laptop.  I think I'll use this file and send it to him and let him see if it works without producing scroll bars.  Maybe I'll have him take a screen shot of it open on his desktop, capturing his entire desktop in the shot.  Thank you very much for your help.

 

I think I have figured out that the butterflies in Jeremy's screen shot represent the lower right corner.  And I think I see the 1280x800 although I cannot read what it says after that.  But I do not know what to do with it. I can't lay it over my FM file.  How to use it?  If I use my theory that the butterfly is lower right then the 1280x800 SizeReference is much smaller than the file's window that you sent me.

 

Of all the difficult things I am trying to learn in FM, I find the screens issue the most frustrating of all.  It astonishes me that FM does not adjust like most other programs do.  Anyway, I'll go with your file and see what boss says.  Thank you again for helping me.

I can't believe I actually helped someone instead of asking for help. I think I hear angels singing.

I think I have figured out that the butterflies in Jeremy's screen shot represent the lower right corner.  And I think I see the 1280x800 although I cannot read what it says after that.  But I do not know what to do with it. I can't lay it over my FM file.  How to use it?  If I use my theory that the butterfly is lower right then the 1280x800 SizeReference is much smaller than the file's window that you sent me.

Jeremy's file is meant to be set as your desktop background and displayed at actual size NOT shrunk/stretched to fit.

 

 

 

I think I'll use this file and send it to him and let him see if it works without producing scroll bars.  Maybe I'll have him take a screen shot of it open on his desktop, capturing his entire desktop in the shot.

You can do better than that - create a new FileMaker file with a script that captures information about the available window space, then have your boss email that file back to you (or have it email you the data directly). Have a look at these functions, for some ideas of the types of data you can capture:

Get(WindowContentHeight)

Get(WindowDesktopHeight)

Get(WindowHeight)

Get(ScreenHeight)

 

On Windows, some of these values can change based on the size of the Application window, or if the database window is maximized.

I sure wish I could give you two stars right now.  Instead I will have to give you a pepper

FileMaker Pro Advanced 12 has a feature you can turn on & off that will show you different screen resolutions and iPhone & iPad screens for a quick reference. I'm not sure about the other versions.