KnowledgeBase Archive

An Archive of Early Microsoft KnowledgeBase Articles

View on GitHub

Q103583: Screen Fonts Varying in Size When in Different Resolution

Article: Q103583
Product(s): Microsoft FoxPro
Version(s): 2.5x 2.60 2.60a 3.00
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): 
Last Modified: 25-AUG-1999

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Visual FoxPro for Windows, version 3.0 
- Microsoft FoxPro for Windows, versions 2.5x, 2.6, 2.6a 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

You may note that items carefully sized in the Screen Builder for one
resolution do not exactly match in another resolution. This behavior is the
result of the Windows font mapper being unable to exactly match the font in
the new resolution.

The font mapper attempts to match the many characteristics of the named
font with the fonts available in the new resolution. It matches size,
style, family, and a number of other characteristics to determine the best
match. If no exact match is found, the nearest possible match is chosen.

This varying font selection can become a problem when the font that is
chosen as the screen font for a screen (see the Screen Layout dialog box)
cannot be matched on the destination resolution. Since the screen font is
used to size and position all the items on the screen, sizing and
positioning can vary significantly if the font cannot be exactly matched,
which results in Windows selecting a "best fit" match.

To mitigate the effects of this problem, do the following:

1. Follow Windows dialog box design practice and design screens with a lot of
  space around individual items. This type of design allows items to "float"
  when varying resolutions and screen fonts are used.

2. Design screens with a TrueType screen font. Because the various sizes of each
  TrueType font are derived programmatically for each resolution and size
  combination, TrueType fonts are available in virtually any size, which means
  that the font mapper never has to settle for second best.

3. Make sure that the chosen design font is available on the destination
  machines--for example, TrueType fonts are not available in Windows 3.0. Also
  make sure you don't use a font that wasn't shipped with Windows because that
  font may not be installed on the destination machines.

  If the destination machines are running Windows 3.1, it is best to use the
  TrueType fonts that are shipped with Windows 3.1 (for example, Arial, Times
  New Roman, and so on).

  If the destination machines may be running Windows 3.0 instead of 3.1, use the
  fonts shipped with Windows 3.0 (such as Courier, Helv, or Tms Rmn).

Additional query words: VFoxWin FoxWin 2.50 2.50a

======================================================================
Keywords          :  
Technology        : kbVFPsearch kbAudDeveloper kbFoxproSearch kbFoxPro260 kbFoxPro260a kbVFP300
Version           : 2.5x 2.60 2.60a 3.00

=============================================================================

THE INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THE MICROSOFT KNOWLEDGE BASE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND. MICROSOFT DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. IN NO EVENT SHALL MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER INCLUDING DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, LOSS OF BUSINESS PROFITS OR SPECIAL DAMAGES, EVEN IF MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. SOME STATES DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF LIABILITY FOR CONSEQUENTIAL OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES SO THE FOREGOING LIMITATION MAY NOT APPLY.