Hi Alice,

this is indeed a common problem.  One thing you may want to try is to set
the taskbar to "auto hide."  Also, keep in mind that "controls" or dialog
and message boxes are typically written so that the "OK" button is active
when open.  that means you can make changes and press the enter key and it
will "usually" accept the change.  You can "tab" through the dialog boxes
and unless you tab to a "button," the "OK" button will remain active.  These
are standard programming procedures in Visual Basic and my teachers have
insisted that we comply.  Other standard practices include having the OK
button on the right side and the first button either from the left or from
the top, if it is hidden, it should be the first button to the right of
midline, so when tabbing, the focus will "usually" go to the "ok" button
immediately after it is lost (some dialog boxes may have a lone button to
the left of midline (e.g., options, default) so it helps to be familiar).
If you feel trapped in a window, just tab to a text box or list box and
press enter and you should get the "ok."  It is also standard practice to
not allow dialog and message windows/boxes to be resized.  I think it is
because you don't want any of the options to be hidden if it is sized too
small, or so large that it hides the program it pertains to.  You may be
able to move them but not higher than the top of the screen.

Hope this helps,

--
Ramon Castillo



-----Original Message-----
From: Denis Anson [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Friday, April 12, 2002 12:28 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: modifying windows viewable area?


Alice,

David's keystrokes will work, but the problem is that the authors of the
program have not followed the "rules," such as they are, for writing
Windows programs.

A "well-behaved" program will size it's window based on the actual
screen size, or, when the content of the window is too large to fit, use
scroll bars.  But a lazy program might "assume" that you have an 800x600
screen, and just make the window that size, ignoring your actual
hardware. You can use the keyboard commands to move a window up and
down, but what a pain to have to do that all the time.

I recommend calling the company and yelling at them a bit.  Let them
know what your problem is, and the hassles that you have using their
products, *and* that you communicate with other people about your
difficulties, and you will educate them that there are folks in the
world who don't have 20-20 vision, who don't have 19 inch monitors, but
who might like to use their programs.

If you are lucky, and they have any heart at all, they will yell at the
programmers, and the next version might follow the rules.  If you are
really lucky, they'll fix the problem, and send you an upgrade for
bringing it to their attention. (And to have you saying *nice* things
about them on the list serves.)

Remember, the squeaky wheel gets the grease.  Or, as we say around our
house, "I have a keyboard, and I know how to use it!"

Denis Anson, MS, OTR
Computer Access Specialist
College Misericordia
301 Lake St.
Dallas, PA 18612
email: [log in to unmask]
Phone: 570-674-6413


> -----Original Message-----
> From: * EASI: Equal Access to Software & Information
> [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of David Poehlman
> Sent: Friday, April 12, 2002 3:00 PM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: modifying windows viewable area?
>
> I was given this:
>
> <<assuming I understand the question correctly...>>
>
> ALT + SPACE + M to move the window,
> ALT + SPACE + S to resize the window.
>
> Now, use the arrow keys to move/resize the window to your heart's
> desire.  Press ENTER when done.
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Alice Anderson" <[log in to unmask]>
> To: <[log in to unmask]>
> Sent: Friday, April 12, 2002 1:32 PM
> Subject: modifying windows viewable area?
>
>
> EASI list,
> I received this question today, and am hopeful someone on the list can
> help?
>
> I have an accessibility question. It's not a web issue but involves
> windows programs of all kinds. Here's the issue: I require large
fonts.
> I keep having trouble with programs on windows where the screens
assumed
> a higher resolution so that some crucial controls are actually located
> off the screen (like the next or finish or OK button or a big drop
down
> list where the bottom is actually off the screen) Then windows will
not
> allow me to move the top of the window up so that I can see the bottom
> of the window. Is there a way to modify windows so it will get over
not
> letting a window go up when it is letting the bottom of the window be
> out of the viewable area? I have actually encountered programs so
> recalcitrant that the only way I could operate the program was to
> increase the resolution. This must be an extremely common problem.
What
> am I missing?
>
> thanks to all,
> --
> Alice Anderson, Division of Information Technology (DoIT) Technology
> Accessibility Program (TAP)
>
> phone 608-262-2129, fax 608-262-4679
> email: [log in to unmask]