# Windows (in windows) stuck too small **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 14, 2005, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-in-windows-stuck-too-small/331056 "2005-11-14T21:36:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![smiling\_bandit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@smiling\_bandit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smiling_bandit)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2005, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-in-windows-stuck-too-small/331056/1 "2005-11-14T21:36:41Z")
Every now and then, I come across a program which has the following problem: it will have a menu window which you can open, but this window doesn’t work right. It has options you can’t see, off to the right. But you also can’t resize the window or scroll within it. The window is just set wrong. Changing your display size doesn’t always fix the problem. Anyone know how to get around this? It’s just sloppy programming on the part of the interface designers, AFAIK. One program I was using recently which uas this problem is RPGMaker XP. On the characters windows, I can’t see some of their stats or alter them. ---
**Author:** ![FatBaldGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecd19e/32.png) [@FatBaldGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FatBaldGuy)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2005, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-in-windows-stuck-too-small/331056/2 "2005-11-14T21:48:54Z")
Is it because the right side of the window (with the scroll bars and resize handles) is off the screen so that you can’t reach them? If so, you can grab the title bar and drag to the left (and up) until the scroll bar and resizers can be used. If not, it’s just plain bad design and you should complain the the vendor/author. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2005, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-in-windows-stuck-too-small/331056/3 "2005-11-14T21:54:32Z")
Something that works for me in some apps is to adjust the font downwards by holding down the control key and scrolling the mouse wheel. Doesn’t always work, but when it does, my wife is impressed, and I’ll take what I can get. ---
**Author:** ![Nanoda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ce73a5/32.png) [@Nanoda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nanoda)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2005, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-in-windows-stuck-too-small/331056/4 "2005-11-14T22:17:57Z")
Assuming you’re running XP - are you using ‘Small fonts’ or ‘Large fonts’ under Display Adapter/Advanced/General? How about changing the default font? I know that some of our apps have dialogue boxes that don’t behave well under those conditions. ---
**Author:** ![smiling\_bandit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@smiling\_bandit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smiling_bandit)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2005, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-in-windows-stuck-too-small/331056/5 "2005-11-15T00:43:30Z")
The entire thing is on the screen, and I’m using plain medium size font (changing ffont size doesn’t help; the scale is locked into the program). It’s just that there is much more data in the window than I can see, which means I can’t alter it. Maybe because the program is a trial version? But it says I should have full functionality, and the properties to change are clearly there; they’re simply off so far to the right of their own window that I can’t affect them. If anyone wants to see what I mean, you can download the free trial off fileplanet. It’s pretty big, so don’y worry too much about it. ---
**Author:** ![smiling\_bandit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@smiling\_bandit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smiling_bandit)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2005, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-in-windows-stuck-too-small/331056/6 "2005-11-15T15:05:51Z")
bit of a bump here, hoping someone can help me out around lunchtime ---
**Author:** ![rowrrbazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rowrrbazzle/32/414_2.png) [@rowrrbazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rowrrbazzle)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2005, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-in-windows-stuck-too-small/331056/7 "2005-11-15T21:30:24Z")
For a temporary fix, you could increase your screen resolution. This should at least allow you to see everything. ---
**Author:** ![smiling\_bandit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@smiling\_bandit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smiling_bandit)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2005, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-in-windows-stuck-too-small/331056/8 "2005-11-16T00:05:43Z")
It doesn’t with this program. ---
**Author:** ![Southessex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Southessex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Southessex)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2005, 5:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-in-windows-stuck-too-small/331056/9 "2005-11-16T05:12:11Z")
> [@smiling bandit](#): > > It doesn’t with this program. Huh? So if you’re running the program maximized at 800x600 and can’t see some data on the right-hand portion of the screen and decide to kick it up to 1600x1200… what happens? Does the screen retain the same proprotions as before, only the fonts are now huge? Does the screen simply add tons of whitespace on the right of the screen? What’s the dealio? ---
**Author:** ![smiling\_bandit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@smiling\_bandit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smiling_bandit)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2005, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-in-windows-stuck-too-small/331056/10 "2005-11-16T14:41:00Z")
Changing the screen resolution does not fix the problem. It has nothing to do with my screen resolution. I tried it up to 1280x960 from my usual 1024x768. Text size is also not the issue. The screen appears to be pre-formatted to appear at a certain display size pr something. ---
**Author:** ![Thirty-Nine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f0a364/32.png) [@Thirty-Nine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thirty-Nine)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2005, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-in-windows-stuck-too-small/331056/11 "2005-11-16T14:51:59Z")
Have you tried using Tab or the arrow keys to move between the options? You should at least be able to select and edit the hidden options, even if they’re not visible. Otherwise this sounds like a problem with the program, not your system. ---
**Author:** ![smiling\_bandit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@smiling\_bandit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smiling_bandit)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2005, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-in-windows-stuck-too-small/331056/12 "2005-11-16T15:43:27Z")
Well, I can get most of them that way, but I guess it’s just a prgram glitch.