Question : Screen Resolutions

When building an application to be distributed to multiple users, what are the form design considerations that should be taken into account to make sure that forms will be visible on most users machines.

For example I've designed an entire application on my pc with a resolution of 1280x1024 and when I tested it on a mini notebook with a different resolutions - couldn't see bottom section of the forms.

What is the most common (sensible) resolution to have your computer set to when developing applications other than going to 800x600?

Secondly is there a way to have the forms adjust programatically to fit all resolutions?

Answer : Screen Resolutions

or try this:
                       
         
           
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             I haven't tested this but I think it will place the form in center of the screen with the same proportions as the monitor is was designed on. 

Private Sub Form_Load()
'   This assumes you disigned your app on a monitor
'   with the res set to 1280 x 960. If not change the
'   vaule in the sngHeightPrecent and sngWidthPrecent
'   calculations.
Dim sngWidthPrecent      As Single
Dim sngHeightPrecent    As Single 
    sngHeightPrecent = Me.Height /(960 * Screen.TwipsPerPixelY)
    sngWidthPrecent = Me.Width/ (1280 * Screen.TwipsPerPixelX) 
    GetStats Me
    
    With Me
        .Width = Screen.Width * sngWidthPrecent
        .Height = Screen.Height * sngHeightPrecent
        .Left = (Screen.Width - .Width) \ 2
        .Top = (Screen.Height - .Height) \ 2
    End With
End Sub  

**********************END CODE********************** 

now you have to resize the controls on the form. 
here are 2 ways to accomplish that: 
1. is written in Basic so will have to be translated, but the approach is good never the less. 

**********************Begin Code********************** 
Option Explicit
Public blnGotStats As Boolean
Dim Stats() As CtlStats 
Private Type CtlStats
   udtName        As Variant
   udtLeft        As Single
   udtTop         As Single
   udtWidth       As Single
   udtHeight      As Single
   udtFontSize    As Single
   udtX1          As Single
   udtX2          As Single
   udtY1          As Single
   udtY2          As Single
End Type 

Public Sub MoveResize(frm As Form)
   Dim ctl As Control
   Dim intCnt As Integer
   
   On Error Resume Next
   
   If blnGotStats = False Then
      GetStats frm
   End If
   
   For Each ctl In frm.Controls
      For intCnt = 1 To UBound(Stats)
         If ctl.Name = Stats(intCnt).udtName Then
            ctl.Left = frm.ScaleWidth * Stats(intCnt).udtLeft
            ctl.Width = frm.ScaleWidth * Stats(intCnt).udtWidth
            ctl.Top = frm.ScaleHeight * Stats(intCnt).udtTop
            ctl.Height = frm.ScaleHeight * Stats(intCnt).udtHeight
            ctl.Font.Size = frm.ScaleHeight * Stats(intCnt).udtFontSize
            ctl.X1 = frm.ScaleWidth * Stats(intCnt).udtX1
            ctl.X2 = frm.ScaleWidth * Stats(intCnt).udtX2
            ctl.Y1 = frm.ScaleHeight * Stats(intCnt).udtY1
            ctl.Y2 = frm.ScaleHeight * Stats(intCnt).udtY2
            Exit For
         End If
      Next intCnt
   Next ctl
End Sub 
Public Sub GetStats(frm As Form)
Dim ctl As Control
Static StatsInitialized As Boolean 
   On Error Resume Next
   
   If StatsInitialized = False Then
      ReDim Stats(0)
      StatsInitialized = True
   End If
   
   For Each ctl In frm.Controls
      ReDim Preserve Stats(UBound(Stats) + 1)
         Stats(UBound(Stats)).udtHeight = ctl.Height / frm.ScaleHeight
         Stats(UBound(Stats)).udtLeft = ctl.Left / frm.ScaleWidth
         Stats(UBound(Stats)).udtTop = ctl.Top / frm.ScaleHeight
         Stats(UBound(Stats)).udtWidth = ctl.Width / frm.ScaleWidth
         Stats(UBound(Stats)).udtName = ctl.Name
         Stats(UBound(Stats)).udtFontSize = ctl.Font.Size / frm.ScaleHeight
         Stats(UBound(Stats)).udtX1 = ctl.X1 / frm.ScaleWidth
         Stats(UBound(Stats)).udtX2 = ctl.X2 / frm.ScaleWidth
         Stats(UBound(Stats)).udtY1 = ctl.Y1 / frm.ScaleHeight
         Stats(UBound(Stats)).udtY2 = ctl.Y2 / frm.ScaleHeight
   Next ctl
   blnGotStats = True
End Sub 

**********************END CODE**********************
  
2. I used 4 different resolutions. 800x600 1024x768 1152x864 and 1280x760 
the sub asks for an initial resolution. meaning which resolution was this file created on. the range is from 1-4, 1 being 800x600 1280x760 being 4. 
So if you designed it on 800x600 you would call the sub like
Private Sub Form_Load()
Call Resize_Form(1)
End Sub 
And here is the layout of the sub. Basically you have to enter the amount you want to change the size of the controls and the form depending on what resolution it was initially made in or what resolution the screen is at. 
I gave 1 example of how to cycle through the controls and resize them as well as the form. 

VB Code: 
**********************Begin CODE********************** 
Private Sub Resize_Form(OriginalRes As Integer)
iWidth = Screen.Width / Screen.TwipsPerPixelX
iHeight = Screen.Height / Screen.TwipsPerPixelY
Size = IWidth & "X" & IHeight
Dim Con As Control 
Select Case Size 
Case "800X600"
If OriginalRes = 1 Then Exit Sub 'No need to resize if it was made in this rez. 
If OriginalRes = 4 Then
'resize your form and controls accordingly. The controls and form will have to be made much much smaller.
End If 
If OriginalRes = 3 Then
'resize your form and controls accordingly. The controls and form will have to be made much smaller.
End If 
If OriginalRes = 2 Then
Me.Width = Me.Width - 800
Me.Height = Me.Height - 800
For Each Con In Me.Controls
Con.Width = Con.Width - 800
Con.Height = Con.Height - 800
Next
'Make the controls and form slightly smaller
End If 
Case "1024X768" 
If OriginalRes = 2 Then Exit Sub 'No need to resize if it was made in this rez. 
If OriginalRes = 4 Then
'resize your form and controls accordingly
End If 
If OriginalRes = 3 Then
'resize your form and controls accordingly
End If 
If OriginalRes = 1 Then
'resize your form and controls accordingly
End If 
 
Case "1152X864"
If OriginalRes = 3 Then Exit Sub 'No need to resize if it was made in this rez. 
If OriginalRes = 4 Then
'resize your form and controls accordingly
End If 
If OriginalRes = 2 Then
'resize your form and controls accordingly
End If 
If OriginalRes = 1 Then
'resize your form and controls accordingly
End If 
Case "1280X720"
If OriginalRes = 4 Then Exit Sub'No need to resize if it was made in this rez. 
If OriginalRes = 3 Then
'resize your form and controls accordingly
End If 
If OriginalRes = 2 Then
'resize your form and controls accordingly
End If 
If OriginalRes = 1 Then
'resize your form and controls accordingly
End If 
End Select
End Sub 
**********************END CODE**********************
           
         
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