Microsoft and AT Vendors solve GDI+ problem
By Peter Verhoeven

GDI+ is a new Microsoft technology that provides powerful graphics
capabilities to Windows developers. However, Microsoft has found that
screen magnifiers cannot magnify graphics rendered by GDI+. This issue
affects applications that use GDI+, including Microsoft® Office XP.
To date, Microsoft has not identified issues between GDI+ and screen
readers.

Microsoft has worked closely with major screen magnification software
vendors to develop a patch (also called a QFE or Quick Fix Engineering)
for GDI+ to address this issue. End users can obtain this solution by
taking the following steps in this sequence:

1) The screen magnifier must support the Microsoft Fix:

- ZoomText;
ZoomText 7.11 including support for the GDI+ QFE will be released next week.

- MAGic;
An upgrade of MAGic 8 is tested at this moment and it will support the GDI+
QFE.

- Lunar / LunarPlus / Supernova;
EThe next update of these products will include support for for the GDI+
QFE.

For the current release (5.02) there is already a fix available.
You can simply turn on the GDI+/DirectDraw compatibility checkbox in
the Magnification preferences. This implements a workaround which will
allow all GDI+ applications to be magnified correctly.


2) Call Microsoft Product Support Services (PSS) at
(800)936-4900 and select option 1 for Windows and Office support.
Tell the support engineer you wish to download the QFE Q316618.

The Microsoft QFE makes it possible for users of commercial screen
magnifiers to turn off the use of GDI+ by Microsoft products.

It is unknown at this moment what the effect on commercial screen
magnifiers is when GDI+ is used by third party products.

Copyright note:
The Screen Magnifiers Homepage at http://www.magnifiers.org
is a non-profit organizations, that since 1996 tries to stimulate
the quality and compatibility of AT Products and improve sharing of
information and experiences by the users of these products.
Because of this all information on The Screen Magnifiers Homepage
and articles published by me can be copied and distributed without
notifying the author, by individuals, organizations and companies,
that provide information for free.

Indiviuals, organizations and companies, that are charging people
for information, including magazines, are not allowed to
copy any information without the permission of the author.

Peter Verhoeven
Internet : http://www.magnifiers.org (The Screen Magnifiers Homepage)


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