XnView Software

Halo, XnViewMP Developer.

XnViewMP 0.61 on Xubuntu 13.10

The screen height of my laptop running Windows is 768 pixels, but another one (netbook) running Xubuntu is only 600 pixel.

For XnViewMP on Linux, is it posible to make sure that all windows are adjustable and by default they fit on 600 pixel height screen ? Usualy users have panel at the top with at least 26 pixel height. Mine is xfce panel.

I am tired of having to use Alt and drag the windows to get the buttons at the bottom. e.g. the "Settings" window.
I have tried reducing the font size and reducing the DPI, but that window is still to high for 600 pixel.

I think, if all adjustable windows fit on 600 pixel height and their size is remembered by XnViewMP, then it is not an issue for the users having more than 600 pixel height screen. Am I right or wrong ? XnViewMP on Windows7 did not use maximum screen height (768 pixels) so I just *once* needed to drag it to use the maximum height and XnViewMP remembers that size. So, it is not annoying at all. However, it is annoying on 600 pixel height screen since I can not reduce the window height and use Alt+drag again and again on xubuntu.

The more annoying thing is the suggestion to buy another computer with higher-pixel screen.
As an ordinary user, I do not understand what "Window Management" means in an OS, Windows/Linux. If it is so sophisticated, then why a developer must set the minimum and maximum window size; why not let the Windows-Management handle it? Sorry, a stupid user here.

Thanks.

1. Any programmer can load / save the left + top + width + height + State of any window if he wants. (State = maximized, minimized, normal etc.). Sometimes there are entire (sub)frameworks (classes, packages) dealing with GUI serialization (how it is called) not only from/to ini files but from/to any destination (streams etc.). Also he can save not only the window's properties but also any serializable (published) property of the controls.

why a developer must set the minimum and maximum window size; why not let the Windows-Management handle it?

2. Sometimes there are size restrictions imposed to different windows (usually minimum sizes) because of different factors (including negligence) but usually by far the main factor is the size constrains of the form's inner controls. There are different controls on which programmer has limited control WRT layout and he wants to be sure that the said control appears correctly on screen (appears entirely and/or undistorted etc.).

One of the classical examples are the toolbars (but not only) which sometimes must have a minimum width in order to be functional. In your case, there are other controls which requires a minimum height. For ex. menus and/or (sometimes) vertical tabs. In XnViewMP the menu View | Filter By... does not fit in 600px height (yes, I measured it).

OTOH, IMHO (...and sorry to say) I think that a notebook with 600px height is such a corner case that I, as a programmer, I would hesitate to sacrifice from workflow flexibility of 99.9999% of my user base, just in order to cover this singular request. But if it is easy to fix it I would give it a go...

Some panels in Option dialog need more than 600px

xnview wrote:Some panels in Option dialog need more than 600px

by m.Th. » Sat Oct 26, 2013 4:46 pm
[... 2. Sometimes there are size restrictions imposed to different windows (usually minimum sizes) because of different factors (including negligence) but usually by far the main factor is the size constrains of the form's inner controls. There are different controls on which programmer has limited control WRT layout and he wants to be sure that the said control appears correctly on screen (appears entirely and/or undistorted etc.). ...]


Understood.
That was more or less the same respond I got from a linux mint developer.
And, amazingly almost similar to the respond from a developer by early 2000 in Palm OS era; 13 years ago.


by m.Th. » Sat Oct 26, 2013 4:46 pm
[... I think that a notebook with 600px height is such a corner case that I, as a programmer, I would hesitate to sacrifice from workflow flexibility of 99.9999% of my user base, just in order to cover this singular request. But if it is easy to fix it I would give it a go ...]


Thanks, m.Th.
However, if you have to spend much time on it, then forget it.
The netbook with 600pixel screen is the secondary device for me. It is mainly for surfing and collecting things I want and finally I move them all to another laptop.
It ran OEM XP, but I removed it 2 years ago and tried many linux distros such as mint (mate, xfce), ubt (unity, Gnome), xubt, lubt, the dogs (puppy, simplicity). Last six months, I used Xubuntu; now I use Lubuntu.

Thanks.