Resize To Fit only when not manually sized?

[Jonathan G]

I have created a windows "automation" script. I use this script to handle all window functions (such as open new, close, etc). It keeps things consistent and simple. Part of the script when opening new windows automatically resizes the windows to auto-fit the layout. This is great due to the varied screen formats used by the database users. Problem is, some users have large screens, and they are manually resizing the windows to use that space. They want to be able to have the window reopen with the larger size next time it opens.

The Auto-resize command doesn't distinguish between the first time a window is opened-- and therefore needs to be resized-- and the next time it is opened after manually being sized.

Is there a way to identify if a screen was previously sized manually on a computer so that I can disable the auto-size script step? If they have manually adjusted the window, I'd like to leave it at that size for them.

Another challenge to this is that users sometimes work on different machines (desktop and laptop, for example) so I need to be able to track window size by system and not just by user. Resize should happen each time the user opens a window on a new computer.

Hope this isn't too confusing.

Details:

FileMaker Pro 11 Advanced clients and server

Database hosted on server

Both Windows and MAC systems (OS X 10.6+ and Windows 7)

Thanks for any suggestions you might have!

--Jonathan

[Agnes Riley]

You're probably better off storing the screen sizes with the people and adjusting them according to whom the user is, and what size screen they have.

[Jonathan G]

You're probably better off storing the screen sizes with the people and adjusting them according to whom the user is, and what size screen they have.

Thank you for the quick reply.

I was thinking of doing that-- saving the window sizes to a table when the window is closed-- but it wouldn't work for when they use a different computer with the same login account.

I'll puzzle over trying to identify different computers and see if I can track window size per machine.

Thanks again for the suggestion.

--Jon

[Agnes Riley]

You can identify the machines by IP, but then you will have to store that rather the person's preference.

Let me ask you something silly. What do you have against just making this simple and maximizing the window?

[Jonathan G]

Not silly at all, brilliant in fact.

Normally, this would be the ideal answer.

I have one particular database where the users want to be able to view other sources at the same time that they are filling in the forms and working with the database. If I keep the FileMaker window smaller than the screen size, they can do this. I suppose another answer, based off of your question, would be to have a second monitor with the database maximized on one and the other sources on the other...

I'll check to see if that is a possibility, however, I'd like to know the best practise-- or simply how other people handle the situation-- even if just for my own knowledge.

--Jon

[Agnes Riley]

Okay, in that case size the windows next to each other. Make the first one half the width of the screen and on the left side, then do the same with the second window just put it on the right.