I made these two simple examples up so I could quickly switch from 1280x1024 video resolution (my default setting) and 1024x768 video resolution on my LCD.
Being an asm programmer and a website developer I like to see how things look in these two different resolution settings. I have an icon for each resolution setting on my desktop so I just double click the icon to change the resolution setting I want to see.
Using Windows Control Panel/Display applet sucks when you wish to change display settings. These two simple examples make it quick and easy.
But, before using these two examples make sure your monitor supports the values I am using within the source codes for pixel width, pixel height and monitor frequency.
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Cycle Saddles,
Thanks, could come in handy. :thumbu
It never occurred to me to make something like that. I do some webpage development on the side, I am always switching res when testing them. Thanx for the cool idea.
Paul
The web developer toolbar in Firefox sizes the browser for you to any resolution you wish.
That's nice to know. If I ever use FireFox, I will use that. I use K-Meleon, not really sure why, Doc.
Cycle saddles,
Since you are sure of your Display driver capabilities, that method is fine but as you hinted at, others may have problems (and you could, also, if you try the same values on another machine.
I would recommend using EnumDisplaySettings to initialize DEVMODE instead of manually doing it. makes sure the settings are valid.
There is also, as I am sure you are aware, the CDS_TEST Flag that will cause the system to do that test thing. Again, if you are always working on the same system, it is not necessary; but, if you carry these programs in your toolbox - that Flag and EnumDisplaySettings would be the way to go, I think.
Paul
Quote from: PBrennick on February 19, 2009, 02:25:41 AM
That's nice to know. If I ever use FireFox, I will use that.
It's not a question of which one you regularly surf with. All web designers use the many dev tools available on FF for checking such things. Opera, too, has some great stuff. I usually surf with Firefox because I always have it up while working, but I also have Opera, Safari, Chrome, Konqueror and Lynx installed.
My display looks awful in anything but 1920x1200, well 1024x768 isn't bad but lacks real estate, way too busy of a desktop for that small a resolution. Nice utility for the toolbox though.
Well thanks fellows, I think !? :bg
I do not have much free time to post here on the board. Thankfully I have a full time job and a couple things going on the side as well. So at the least I like to post useful source code here primarily pointed towards those who are learning or wish to learn assembly.
I do not create these simple examples to be deep or complicated they are purposely kept simple for the new learner to grasp. I think you'll find that all my examples, and there are many, are all simplistic and to the point.
If anyone wishes to build on any of my examples here on the board please do.
Cycle Saddles,
Quote
If anyone wishes to build on any of my examples here on the board please do.
Since you mention that, I will work on a simple dialog box that the user can use to switch modes instead of using one program for each mode. I'll use Radio Buttons. I played with the idea last night because when working on a project, I rest my brain by switching to another project temporarily. Anyway, I was not sure how you would react to it so I deleted it all. I will do it again and post it here. Others may or may not do the same. There is nothing big about the doing of it and all of us can do this type of thing in our sleep. I just like the idea of being able to have it all in one app which I will leave running while testing.
It will probably become a K-Meleon add-in.
Paul
Quote from: PBrennick on February 19, 2009, 02:41:18 PM
Since you mention that, I will work on a simple dialog box that the user can use to switch modes instead of using one program for each mode.It will probably become a K-Meleon add-in.
Paul
Paul,
Sounds interesting, I await your endeavor. :bg
Quote from: Cycle Saddles on February 19, 2009, 09:42:27 AM
If anyone wishes to build on any of my examples here on the board please do.
hi, i play with this too (make a tray/context menu tool), but have a problem... when i enumerate the displays, i have always 3 results (except for the larger display) for the same resolution... since EnumDisplaySetting only define 5 dwords of the DEVMODE structure (and no difference in those elements), is someone have an idea to filter this ? or am i reduced to search an already existing resolution ?
I am not sure what you are getting at. I am going to have to figure this out, myself, Donkey probably has the answer. I know that there are several Graphics modes for each display adapter. You would start with a zero setting for iModeNum and then increment by one and test. Repeat this process until the return value in eax is false. Once that happens, you will know how many modes your adapter has.
Paul
Nightware,
My display adapter has 65 modes of operation. Since I always use True Color and will never use 640x480, I can narrow this to 15. Chances are I will not use 800x600, either, but my final program will include this because lots of people on the Internet use it.
Cycle Saddles,
I am posting a program that does what you are doing. You will need to make two changes for it to work on your machine, though. You need to set the dmDisplayFrequency back to 70 (my machine required different values there).
When the program is totally done, it will look similar to what it is now but will have many more options. This works fine, though, and can be a starting point for anyone else's dream.
Paul
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Quote from: PBrennick on February 20, 2009, 03:59:03 PM
Cycle Saddles,
You need to set the dmDisplayFrequency back to 70 (my machine required different values there).
I chose 70 cause it seems to be supported by must any crt or lcd monitor.
If I had the time I'd make a tray utility that you right clicked on that then listed the video systems possible resolutions that you could then click on to instantly set. I'm forgetting things but seems to me there was once a utility that did just that but can't remember, it was a tray utility I do remember that.
i think something similar was in win 9x.. maybe part of the plus pack...
until i find a way to filter thoses display, i must search if there is an already existing resolution... not numberous anyway... here the tray tool, work fine for me but must be tested (it's all in french, sorry but, if i translate it, it will takes me 2 weeks... :()
EDIT :
changed the minimum processor required, thanks PBrennick.
EDIT 2 :
oops, correction, should work for all resolution now...
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I get a minimum processor error which I do not think I should so there is something odd about the code. I think I will just write my own.
What did you need to use CPUID for??
Paul
Quote from: PBrennick on February 20, 2009, 11:12:11 PM
What did you need to use CPUID for??
no need here, it's just included in my tray app skeleton...
Quote from: donkey on February 19, 2009, 03:11:53 AM
My display looks awful in anything but 1920x1200, well 1024x768 isn't bad but lacks real estate, way too busy of a desktop for that small a resolution. Nice utility for the toolbox though.
Hi Edgar,
1920x1200 just would not work for me :eek my eyesight isn't what it once was. I wear thick reading glasses and I blame over 25 years of staring at computer monitors for damaging my eye site. 1280x1024 is my limit if the monitor is at least a 19 incher. I work on numerous small notebooks with 8.5 inch screens and laptops with 15 inch screens at work running 1024x768. Staring at those little notebooks always strains my eyes but they are popular with those that travel or carry them back and forth everyday to home and work.
Quote from: evlncrn8 on February 20, 2009, 08:59:31 PM
i think something similar was in win 9x.. maybe part of the plus pack...
Yes, I believe thats the one I'm thinking of. That was some time ago.
CycleSaddles,
Here is the same program with some modifications so thart it minimizes to the System Tray. When the dialog is showing thwe Radio Buttons and the Switch Button work as they did in the old program. The Close, Minimize and X buttons all cause the dialog to minimize to the System Tray.
Once the Program is running in the Tray, it has a Right-Click menu that has two instructions to duplicate what the Switch button does so you can do everything from the Tray. I added a couple of other menu items to give you some ideas of where you might go from here. There is an Exit manu item to close the program there. Tomorrow, when I will add an Exit Button to the Dialog. If you want the Close Button to perform the Exit, change the code in WM_CLOSE to:
invoke DestroyWindow, hWnd ; End Program
That will also make the X button Exit the program, also.
As in the past change 60 and 85 hz values to suit.
2-22-2009:7:56 The attachment has been moved to the next post down.
Paul
New upload. I have added Separators into the menu for appearance sake. The Exit button is now on board and the Close button has changed into a Minimize Button. The X button does the same as the Exit button. So, now, everything works as expected.
I do not know if I should add submenues or not. I added the separators so people can see how it is done with AppendMenu. If anyone has trouble with submenues, just ask. I have another version of this tray utility that uses a window instead of a dialog. I can post if it is needed. That is my main LINKS program. All the websites I visit are in there for easy access. (Just to say what can be done to continue to make this small thing more and more useful).
Paul
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Hi Paul,
Just tried it with some weird results. The resolustion
changed from 1024 to 1280, but my background picture
and start bar did not adjust. Trying to return to 1024 did
not work. Matrox G400 video card with Windows 2000.
Regards,
Steve N.
As I said, those values need to be changed to suit your display adapter. Please do not run this program without knowing what the settings should be and changing them accordingly.
1. Right click the Desktop and choose Properties.
2. Click the Settings Tab.
3. Click the Advanced button.
4. Click Adapter.
5. Clcik the List All Modes Button.
6. Scroll down to 1024x768 (True Color (32 bit).
7. Change the program to use the exact same Hertz setting.
8. Repeat 6 & 7 for 1280X1024 (etc.) and make the same adjustment in the source.
9. Rebuild the program.
10. Now, it will run correctly.
QuoteAs in the past change 60 and 85 hz values to suit.
That is there in the above post for a reason, my friend.
Paul
Paul, you are on the right track placing it in the system tray. When I set the appropriate settings to fit my video system it works perfect.
This has gotten me more interested and since I have had nothing to do today I played around with the EnumDisplayDevices and EnumDisplaySettings API's and put together the attached simple example. It has been fun playing with considering the awful winter weather outdoors. Anyways, my old NVIDIA card appears to handle over 150 different modes. Why so many I don't know but that is what is returned by my little test app. I have only run this on my Vista machine and would be curious how many graphic modes other systems return (requires a lot of mouse clicking though). :bg
(http://www.quickersoft.com/enumer.jpg)
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Cycle Saddles,
INTEL 82845G/GL/GE/PE/GV Graphics Controller
My result was 232 which is a lot more than is shown in the Settings Dialog. I think a lot of the really odd ones that Windows wont like are not shown and that may be why.
For example: 320x200 (looks like my display adapter works on handhelds, also).
Paul
My NVIDIA reports 320x200 as the lowest graphics mode also.
Interesting, when I run enumdisplay.exe in Windows 2000 or XP - Virtual PC it states that the video card is a S3 Trio32/64 supporting 29 modes not the NVIDIA card actually installed in my Vista system which reports 156 modes. It is odd that it returns a frequency of 1 in the 4 bit color modes?? Wow, that refresh would be tuff on the old eyes.
(http://www.quickersoft.com/vpcenumer.jpg)
EDIT: On further examination when you call the EnumDisplaySettings function the dmDisplayFrequency member may return with the value 0 or 1. This value represents the display hardware's default refresh rate whatever that happens to be.
Exactly, about the '1' I mean. That means that the refresh rate for that setting can be the default which also means that more than one refresh rate will work for that setting. 800x600 used to have flicker problems and you could successfuklly bump up the refresh rate from the chip default.
About the S3 Trio thing, it is probably because that is a 'nearest match' used by Virtual PC. It does not have a large driver set and you are stuck with what you get, I guess.
Do you need to know how to do submenues with AppendMenu or are you all set?
Paul
No matter what the actual graphics card, Virtual PC always uses the 'S3 Trio32/64' as the virtual graphics card.
Thanks, Greg,
I new it was not a wide selection. Guess it is no selection at all!
Paul
Quote from: PBrennickGuess it is no selection at all!
Yeah, and the 'S3 Trio32/64' is a very low-end card.
Quote from: PBrennick on February 22, 2009, 11:49:20 PM
Do you need to know how to do submenues with AppendMenu or are you all set?
Paul
All set !
Quote from: Greg on February 23, 2009, 02:05:40 AM
No matter what the actual graphics card, Virtual PC always uses the 'S3 Trio32/64' as the virtual graphics card.
Greg,
When I run my little test app in Windows 7 Virtual PC says its using a standard vga adapter (must be why Win 7 seems so poky installed on my virtual pc). Anyway, Virtual PC doesn't always appear to choose the S3 Trio32/64 adapter driver.
(http://www.quickersoft.com/w7enumer.jpg)
Cycle Saddles,
I guess I shouldn't have said 'always'. If you have installed the Virtual Machine Additions (which I always do), it will be an S3 Trio 32/64. If you have not installed them, it will be a Standard VGA Graphics Adapter (I think). I just wanted to make the point that it's a virtual graphics card and it's the same regardless of the actual hardware.