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vb.netwinformsscreen-resolution

Setting Windows Forms sizes and maintaining proportion

I am developing a windows form application. It now has like 10 forms and in every form I am setting its size at properties. I'm wondering, now that I am using a 19inch square screen, what if the user will have something like a 32inch rectangular monitor. Will the proportion of my app forms be maintained or it will look tiny?

Solution

  • The form should be the same size (in inches) if the bigger screen has the same DPI (dots per inch) set for their screen resolution. The form will take up less of the screen, but will be the same size. However, the forms will look smaller if the user with the bigger screen has a greater DPI resolution. This is because the forms are sized by pixels:

    enter image description here

    The AutoScaleMode property on a form is set to "font" by default, so there should not be too much of a problem with the user on the bigger screen reading the form.

    If you still need to make controls "bigger", you can have the form detect the user's DPI (Dots per Inch) and resize the form controls, if you think it is necessary. Here is a link on how to do that:

    How to control the font DPI in .NET WinForms app