Per user screen resolution setting & multires

[Der Kaiser]

I have been trying to find a way of setting differing resolutions for
separate users under Win2K. It's my understanding that there is no
native support to do so in Win2K or indeed XP - ie. registry hacking
wont solve the issue (whereas there *had* been support under NT4). As
far as I can tell from other people's comments the only option is to
use a 3rd party utility, and whilst there are others, Multires seems
to be the suggested option.

So I have tried using Multires (as a shortcut for each user), setting
my resolution as 1900x1200 (75Hz), and my partner's as 1024x768 (85Hz)
- we have a 19in monitor. Unfortunately whilst this does work (with a
little help from WinTidy) it does not do so smoothly. Going from a
larger resolution (mine) to a smaller one is fine, but the opposite is
where the problems occur. Any new windows launched will only load as
if the screen was still 1024x768, so for example I like to launch IE
to the far right of my screen (in its "restore" state) - however if
the resolution has had to be changed between users since powering up
the window will actually appear more in the centre. What's more
dragging it back to the right will work but grudgingly almost as if
Windows is only just been made aware of the increased screen estate.
Also I like to launch Opera maximised, in the scenario described above
it will only take up 2/3rds of the screen and because it is maximised
it cannot be made wider without being "restored" and then resized.

I wonder if anyone else has happened upon these issues and found a
"neat" way in which per user screen resolutions can be effected in
Win2K, either by using Multires smarter than I am doing so, or by
using another utility.

Incidentally I am launching Multires through a shortcut in each user's
startup folder rather than a batch / logon script:

in mine - multires /1900,1200,16 /exit (take the path
settings/inverted commas as read)
in hers - multires /1024,768,16 /exit

The refresh rates are set in each user's multires.ini file which is
located separtely from on another and referenced in the "Start In "
area in the shortcut properties.

TIA

William

 

[Jerold Schulman]

See tip 6725 in the 'Tips & Tricks' at http://www.jsiinc.com to open IE.

I have been trying to find a way of setting differing resolutions for
separate users under Win2K. It's my understanding that there is no
native support to do so in Win2K or indeed XP - ie. registry hacking
wont solve the issue (whereas there *had* been support under NT4). As
far as I can tell from other people's comments the only option is to
use a 3rd party utility, and whilst there are others, Multires seems
to be the suggested option.

So I have tried using Multires (as a shortcut for each user), setting
my resolution as 1900x1200 (75Hz), and my partner's as 1024x768 (85Hz)
- we have a 19in monitor. Unfortunately whilst this does work (with a
little help from WinTidy) it does not do so smoothly. Going from a
larger resolution (mine) to a smaller one is fine, but the opposite is
where the problems occur. Any new windows launched will only load as
if the screen was still 1024x768, so for example I like to launch IE
to the far right of my screen (in its "restore" state) - however if
the resolution has had to be changed between users since powering up
the window will actually appear more in the centre. What's more
dragging it back to the right will work but grudgingly almost as if
Windows is only just been made aware of the increased screen estate.
Also I like to launch Opera maximised, in the scenario described above
it will only take up 2/3rds of the screen and because it is maximised
it cannot be made wider without being "restored" and then resized.

I wonder if anyone else has happened upon these issues and found a
"neat" way in which per user screen resolutions can be effected in
Win2K, either by using Multires smarter than I am doing so, or by
using another utility.

Incidentally I am launching Multires through a shortcut in each user's
startup folder rather than a batch / logon script:

in mine - multires /1900,1200,16 /exit (take the path
settings/inverted commas as read)
in hers - multires /1024,768,16 /exit

The refresh rates are set in each user's multires.ini file which is
located separtely from on another and referenced in the "Start In "
area in the shortcut properties.

TIA

William

Jerold Schulman
Windows: General MVP
JSI, Inc.
http://www.jsiinc.com

 

[Colon Terminus]

1900X1200 is an unusual and non-standard setting.
I wonder what would happen if you set your resolution to a more "standard"
4:3 ratio. Try it at 1600X1200 and see.

 

[Der Kaiser]

umm, it is rather isn't it. What I meant was 1600x1200 in fact. 1900
was a typo.

so the problem remains. hasn't anybody come across the issues i'm
talking about? it seems strange if not especially as the standard
advice from these groups about per user screen resolution in win2k is
"use multires".

 

[Der Kaiser]

replying to my own post. well like I said below I really cant
understand why nobody seems to be able to come up with anything about
this problem. i think after having done a little bit of tinkering that
any change in screen resolution from smaller to larger will affect
window positions and sizes *if* it is changed after logging on as a
user. if on the other hand i change the resolution to the larger size
whilst logging out of the user who needed the smaller size (ie.
"restoring" my resolution) then it should not cause problems on my
logon as the resolution need not be changed in that process. i think.
i'm not even sure if a logout script can successfully do this. but i
reckon that can be the only way to make this work.