All Text Cannot Be Seen In Dialog Boxes.

N

Nancy

My monitor is set at 1152 X 720 pixels. The default is 1440 x
900, but that makes everything so super tiny that I can't see
text too well. Text size is set at default or standard. The
Windows dialog boxes are all cut off so that at least one third
of them cannot be seen. From using old Windows OS systems in the
past, I can guess at what is unseen and just use the tab key to
select "Ok, Cancel, and Apply".

But some boxes, for example, the "Sound Theme" dialog box has a
whole section below of selecting sounds for events and I cannot
see any of it.

Here's the clincher. Just to adjust my sound theme, I set my
monitor to the microscopic 1440 x 900 setting and still cannot
see the dialog boxes. The text size set on default.

What settings are these boxes viewable?

I should point out that my Sister and a couple of friends have
the exact same problem.

Any help on this would be appreciated.

Thank you.



Nancy
 
J

John Doe

Nancy said:
Text size is set at default or standard.
The text size set on default.

That is a common problem when adjusting fonts/sizes in Windows.

Try making Windows font/size smaller.

FWIW. In XP, the path is Control Panel -- Display Properties --
Appearance -- Advanced.
 
H

Hiram B Culpeper

Nancy said:
My monitor is set at 1152 X 720 pixels. The default is 1440 x 900, but
that makes everything so super tiny that I can't see text too well. Text
size is set at default or standard. The Windows dialog boxes are all cut
off so that at least one third of them cannot be seen. From using old
Windows OS systems in the past, I can guess at what is unseen and just use
the tab key to select "Ok, Cancel, and Apply".

But some boxes, for example, the "Sound Theme" dialog box has a whole
section below of selecting sounds for events and I cannot see any of it.

Here's the clincher. Just to adjust my sound theme, I set my monitor to
the microscopic 1440 x 900 setting and still cannot see the dialog boxes.
The text size set on default.

What settings are these boxes viewable?

I should point out that my Sister and a couple of friends have the exact
same problem.

Any help on this would be appreciated.

Thank you.



Nancy
You need to update your display drivers.
 
C

Clark

Nancy said:
My monitor is set at 1152 X 720 pixels. The default is 1440 x 900, but
that makes everything so super tiny that I can't see text too well. Text
size is set at default or standard. The Windows dialog boxes are all cut
off so that at least one third of them cannot be seen. From using old
Windows OS systems in the past, I can guess at what is unseen and just
use the tab key to select "Ok, Cancel, and Apply".

But some boxes, for example, the "Sound Theme" dialog box has a whole
section below of selecting sounds for events and I cannot see any of it.

Here's the clincher. Just to adjust my sound theme, I set my monitor to
the microscopic 1440 x 900 setting and still cannot see the dialog
boxes. The text size set on default.

What settings are these boxes viewable?

I should point out that my Sister and a couple of friends have the exact
same problem.

Any help on this would be appreciated.

Thank you.



Nancy
It is my understanding the monitor should be run at its' default setting
for the best display. If things are too small, there are several ways
to increase the size in Vista.

Right on the desktop and click personalize. Then Adjust font size (DPI)
in the left pane.

Check the Help and Support for "Windows font size"

Clark
 
K

Ken Blake, MVP

My monitor is set at 1152 X 720 pixels. The default is 1440 x
900, but that makes everything so super tiny that I can't see
text too well.


I assume that you have an LCD monitor. If I am right, it's important
that you run the monitor at its standard default resolution. If you
run it at any other resolution, the quality of the image will suffer.

The resolution you run it at does not necessarily impose a particular
size for the text. Almost every application lets you change the size
of the text it displays. How to do it depends on the application, but
most applications (for example, IE, Word, Excel, etc.) follow the
Windows standard of letting you change the size by holding down the
CTRL key and scrolling the mouse wheel; one way makes it bigger, the
other way smaller.
 
J

John Doe

The resolution you run it at does not necessarily impose a
particular size for the text.

If you use a smaller resolution, font size will appear larger.
Almost every application lets you change the size of the text it
displays. How to do it depends on the application, but most
applications (for example, IE, Word, Excel, etc.) follow the
Windows standard of letting you change the size by holding down
the CTRL key and scrolling the mouse wheel; one way makes it
bigger, the other way smaller.

The original poster is talking about dialog boxes.
 
C

Clark

John said:
If you use a smaller resolution, font size will appear larger.


The original poster is talking about dialog boxes.

Is the OP saying the dialogue boxes are not on the screen so they can't
be seen or so small they can't be seen?

Maybe they need to resize the windows for the different resolution.

Clark
 
N

Nancy

Sorry that my post is unclear...

The dialog box fits on the screen perfectly.
It is the contents within the box that I only see part of.
Also, if you go to the control panel>Sounds>Sounds(tab), there is
a list of computer events that you can set your own sounds to and
then name your sound theme or use the default theme. I'm using
Vista Home Premium on a newer PC.

My monitor's default display is 1440 x 900.
But that is what my point is... is that even when set at the
default display, I am not able to view all the contents of the
dialog boxes.

Nancy
================================
 
C

Clark

Nancy said:
Sorry that my post is unclear...

The dialog box fits on the screen perfectly.
It is the contents within the box that I only see part of.
Also, if you go to the control panel>Sounds>Sounds(tab), there is a list
of computer events that you can set your own sounds to and then name
your sound theme or use the default theme. I'm using Vista Home Premium
on a newer PC.

My monitor's default display is 1440 x 900.
But that is what my point is... is that even when set at the default
display, I am not able to view all the contents of the dialog boxes.

Nancy
================================
in message >
You are saying you can't see the "Play Windows Startup sound or anything
below that?

I have never seen that before, but my first suggestion would be to go
back to the native resolution and see if it helps. Then deal with the
text size. If the full dialogue box is not visible there, you may have
a larger problem.

Clark
 
N

Nancy

"Clark" wrote in message
You are saying you can't see the "Play Windows Startup sound or
anything below that?

I have never seen that before, but my first suggestion would be
to go back to the native resolution and see if it helps. Then
deal with the text size. If the full dialogue box is not
visible there, you may have a larger problem.

Clark
---------------------------------------------------------
Yes that is how it is. Although I can see the "Play Windows
Startup sound" and nothing below that. The Windows sound dialog
is just what I am using for an example. There are many more
within Windows that are un-viewable. As I said before, my Sister
and a couple of others I know have the same problem and we all
have different type PCs and monitors.
If you do not mind me asking.... What display setting is your
monitor and font size set at? Just curious.

Thanks everyone.

Nancy
 
C

Clark

Nancy said:
"Clark" wrote in message
---------------------------------------------------------
Yes that is how it is. Although I can see the "Play Windows Startup
sound" and nothing below that. The Windows sound dialog is just what I
am using for an example. There are many more within Windows that are
un-viewable. As I said before, my Sister and a couple of others I know
have the same problem and we all have different type PCs and monitors.
If you do not mind me asking.... What display setting is your monitor
and font size set at? Just curious.

Thanks everyone.

Nancy

Well, I'm using a 1680x1050 and the normal 96 DPI setting. But that
isn't really relevant. You may have an explorer corruption issue since
it isn't your type size that is causing the problem. Where did you get
your copy of Vista and do the other computers have something in common?
I don't remember if you said you had scanned you system for corrupted
system files.

The sound dialogue box is one of those windows whose size cannot be
adjusted. Mine is a little taller than it is wide. Is it possible
yours is a square? Maybe there is a default setting somewhere that
could be changed if anyone knows of one.

I suppose there is a possibility of a virus, but I don't remember one
that caused your type problem. I would probably rule out a video driver
problem if different type of computers are having the same situation.

Can I assume you have switched to different resolutions and the same
problem exists?

Clark
 
N

Nancy

Open one of these un-viewable dialog boxes and
use the snipping tool to capture an image, including the
border. Post it to any one of the many free image hosting
sites, e.g.:
http://photobucket.com/
http://www.freeimagehosting.net/
http://imageshack.us/
or take your pick from this directory:
http://www.free-webhosts.com/free-image-hosting.php

Post the link back here in this thread.
As they say, "A picture is worth a thousand words".
--------------------------------------------------------------------
I followed your instructions, which seems like a good idea, and
just uploaded two "sniplets" .....
The first is at 1152 x 720 pixels
http://flickcabin.com/public/view/full/22455
This one at 1440 x 900
http://flickcabin.com/public/view/full/22456

Here is both
http://flickcabin.com/public/viewset/7389

Hope my links work.

Nancy
 
C

Clark

Nancy said:
in message
--------------------------------------------------------------------
I followed your instructions, which seems like a good idea, and just
uploaded two "sniplets" .....
The first is at 1152 x 720 pixels
http://flickcabin.com/public/view/full/22455
This one at 1440 x 900
http://flickcabin.com/public/view/full/22456

Here is both
http://flickcabin.com/public/viewset/7389

Hope my links work.

Nancy
I ran my DPI up to 120 and could still read my entire display. What
have you done to change the size of your text, just the resolution
chage? Do you run any software to increase the size? Have you tried
changing themes?

Clark
 
N

Nancy

"Clark" wrote in message
I ran my DPI up to 120 and could still read my entire display.
What have you done to change the size of your text, just the
resolution chage? Do you run any software to increase the
size? Have you tried changing themes?

Clark
----------------------------------------------------------
I have not used any software to modify the size of anything.
When I first got my PC, I set it to the Windows "Classic" theme
and did all kinds of adjustments then.
However, I switched to the Aero theme immediately after.
My Sister and I both have HP PC's... not sure about my friend's
PCs... Maybe that is the thing??
I should mention that some third party software's dialog boxes
are not all viewable. For example, Spybot Search and Destroy's
"Tea Timer" is almost completely un-viewable. My Sister has that
same problem.
Thank you for your help.

Nancy
 
Q

Questor

--->
"Clark" wrote in message
----------------------------------------------------------
I have not used any software to modify the size of anything.
When I first got my PC, I set it to the Windows "Classic" theme and did
all kinds of adjustments then.
However, I switched to the Aero theme immediately after.
My Sister and I both have HP PC's... not sure about my friend's PCs...
Maybe that is the thing??
I should mention that some third party software's dialog boxes are not
all viewable. For example, Spybot Search and Destroy's "Tea Timer" is
almost completely un-viewable. My Sister has that same problem.
Thank you for your help.

Nancy

As an aside, the Tea Timer dialog box DOES have a flaw. It's been there
for some time now and for some reason the Spybot people haven't fixed
it. One button (the Allow, I think) sits almost on top of the checkbox
for "remember this decision".

Questor
 
G

George

As an aside, the Tea Timer dialog box DOES have a flaw. It's been there
for some time now and for some reason the Spybot people haven't fixed
it. One button (the Allow, I think) sits almost on top of the checkbox
for "remember this decision".

That was fixed as I used it in XP up until a couple of weeks ago. I
haven't installed it on this new Vista Home Premium PC yet. So I can't
say if there is a problem with it in Vista.
 
N

Nancy

-----------------------------------------------------------------
You have somehow changed the system fonts.
What values do you have for the two registry entries under this
key ?
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows
NT\CurrentVersion\FontSubstitutes

MS Shell Dlg
MS Shell Dlg 2
 
Q

Questor

--->
That was fixed as I used it in XP up until a couple of weeks ago. I
haven't installed it on this new Vista Home Premium PC yet. So I can't
say if there is a problem with it in Vista.

Thanks for that info Geordie. I stopped using Tea Timer when it began
to annoy me. ;)

Questor
 
N

Nancy

I have uploaded another sniplet that may be a clue to the
problem.
Please have a look at my "DPI Scaling" dialog box and notice how
the selection for "default size of text" has a line thru it:

http://flickcabin.com/public/view/22591

Maybe just wishful thinking, but perhaps it might lead to the
answer to this problem.

Thanks again.

Nancy
--------------------------------------------------------
 

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