Tip of the Month (February 2002)

Setting Window Size for Forms Running on the Desktop

Visual CE forms usually run on a handheld. If the form's tables are being synchronized, the form can also be run on a desktop computer by just double clicking the .VCE file's icon (Not supported in the Lite Edition).

However, when the form runs on the desktop, it runs in a fixed size window that is the same size as the handheld screen. Desktop monitors are usually larger than handheld screen, so you might want to make use of the additional space. Here's how....

In the Visual CE installation folder (usually C:\Program Files\Windows CE Services\SYWARE Visual CE), there is a file called VisualCE.ini. Copy this file to the Windows folder (on most machines this would be C:\Windows or C:\WINNT). Then, using a text editor like notepad, open this file.

You will see a line that reads

[SCREEN]

and a few lines below that, you will see lines that read

Width=nnn
Height=nnn

Set these to the value you want. Be sure to remove the semicolon (;) before the word "Width" and "Height". Save your changes and close notepad.

Now, open up the Visual CE development environment on the desktop. Notice the the dotted line now represents your new screen size. Create your form and save it.

That's all there is to it. The form "remembers" the screen size setting when it was last saved. When the form runs on the desktop, it will use that setting.