[SOLVED] resizing the window?

[writebunny]

Hello all,

I'm very new to PCLinux. I've just downloaded it this morning and am running it via LiveDVD on a Pentium M laptop without a hard drive (yet). While last night I had tried another distro, I find PCLinux just simply sings - even from a DVD! It's very very nice. Coming from a Mac background for over 15 years, I feel relatively at home in the default environment. Oh - I should mention - I am using the XFCE version. I just like the look of the interface more - and the fact that it is lickity-split fast on older hardware.

A question though. I have this hankering to resize the windows. Presently, they take up the entire screen. I kept instinctively trying to grab the lower right corner of a window (like for instance, firefox, or the text editing program) - but there isn't anything to grab.    Clearly I'm not understanding something. I bet this is easy. Could you tell me how to make the window a bit smaller?

I'm hoping to get a tiny hard drive soon, but money is tight. I may need to run from the DVD for a while.

Thanks for any info. I think I'm going to love PCLinux.  

[writebunny]

Maybe my question was harder than I thought. Does anyone have thoughts on resizing the windows?

[Old-Polack]

Maybe my question was harder than I thought. Does anyone have thoughts on resizing the windows?

Go into PCC --> Hardware --> Configure Video Card choose your monitor first, then the video card, then set the resolution to something higher, preferably the monitor's native resolution. In my case, with a 17" CRT monitor that is 1280x1024. You should be able to find your own monitor's native resolution from either the documents that came with the monitor, possibly a sticker on the back of the monitor, or documentation from the manufacturer's web site.

Once the settings are made, log out, then log back in. When the X server restarts it should be using the new settings.

[writebunny]

Thank you for responding.

It is a 15" Thinkpad R51. It is running at the highest resolution option listed - which is 1024x768.

I would be unable to reboot to effect a change since I am still running from a liveDVD without a hard drive.

As a work-around, I entered into the "workspace" adjustment area, entered "50" on the bottom and "10" on the right side. There still is nothing to "grab", however at least the bottom of the screen no longer disappears under the bar at the bottom of the screen.

When I have a hard drive and am able to make a real installation of PCLinuxOS, will there be a way to grab the bottom corner of a screen and change it at will?

[Old-Polack]

Thank you for responding.

It is a 15" Thinkpad R51. It is running at the highest resolution option listed - which is 1024x768.

I would be unable to reboot to effect a change since I am still running from a liveDVD without a hard drive.

As a work-around, I entered into the "workspace" adjustment area, entered "50" on the bottom and "10" on the right side. There still is nothing to "grab", however at least the bottom of the screen no longer disappears under the bar at the bottom of the screen.

When I have a hard drive and am able to make a real installation of PCLinuxOS, will there be a way to grab the bottom corner of a screen and change it at will?

I said log out and then log back in, not reboot. Logging out will restart the X server without a reboot.

As to an individual window, if you pres the Alt key, hold it down, then left click anywhere in the window a four arrow cross cursor appears and you can drag the window up, down, or sideways to reveal the buttons you seek, as long as the window is not maximized.

From a technical description of the Thinkpad R51 ...a big 15 inch screen offering a high 1,400×1,050 native resolution... That's the resolution you should be aiming for.

[parnote]

On the default window decorations in the Phoenix Live CD, you CAN drag the lower/upper corners of a window to change window size. It's just that the default window decorations have a very small threshold where you can grab them. Watch the cursor closely. Once you install it on a hard drive (and after you run all the necessary updates via Synaptic), change to another window manager theme. Most of them will provide what you are looking for.

HTH!

parnote

[writebunny]

Thank you both for the  info.

I'm going to test out your suggestions tonight and see what happens. All good info to have.

Reboot vs log out. I will see if I can do that tonight too.

As for the screen size - I know that the screen is supposed to support a higher resolution - but I promise you, the highest option I am allowed to click under the settings is 1024. Maybe it is just restricted because of running from the CD?

I will get a HD hopefully by the weekend and will get the full install set up then. Maybe that will be a huge difference in all respects.

[Just17]

the highest option I am allowed to click under the settings is 1024

What is preventing you from clicking the native res of the monitor?

[writebunny]

I am prevented from clicking on it because it does not show up in the list of options. It isn't there at all. There is no option for it.

[Old-Polack]

I am prevented from clicking on it because it does not show up in the list of options. It isn't there at all. There is no option for it.

Where are you looking?

[Just17]

I am prevented from clicking on it because it does not show up in the list of options. It isn't there at all. There is no option for it.

I will assume you are setting this up in PCC - Hardware - Configure video card
Click 'Other', then click on the button again and a full list will be presented .....  the native res should be present.

[pags]

I am prevented from clicking on it because it does not show up in the list of options. It isn't there at all. There is no option for it.

I will assume you are setting this up in PCC - Hardware - Configure video card
Click 'Other', then click on the button again and a full list will be presented .....  the native res should be present.

Also, check what your monitor setting is (i.e., is it Flat Panel - 1024x768, etc?), as this will affect your available options.

You could also try setting your monitor to Plug and Play, and your resolution to Automatic, and then try logging out and back in...I've had pretty good success with that from Live environments.

[writebunny]

Hi all,

Well I've sorted out these problems, finally. Thanks for all your thoughts and prompts.

It turns out there were two versions of the 15" R51 in respect to screen resolution - mine does not get the higher res of 14## x. Mine has a max of 1024 x 768. That's why even though I followed directions that you gave to enter the settings through the control center the change was not showing up in the settings manager.

Soooo ... I did something else that was suggested here: I played around with the windows manager and appearance options. My thinkpad didn't play well with the 2011 settings, but it really does nicely with the Phoenix 2010 options. The windows now behave themselves and I can grab the bottom corners etc. Hurray!

I also discovered that the default keyboard setting makes my " (double quotation mark) appear as an "at" (@) sign. I changed the keyboard to one similar to mine - a different thinkpad model, and now that behaves well.  (I had it set properly to US English - not international)

Could I please register a suggestion for the next Live CD package? This has been wonderful to play with. It does a lot of things with great ease. Despite the few bits of confusion, I do quite like it. That said, I would have LOVED to have found a simple text editor besides mousepad available.  My suggestion would be a simple writing program, like focus writer. (Thoughts from a newbie - for what they're worth.)

Thanks  all for your help.

PS: I can't be totally sure, but I believe my thinkpad runs cooler running PCLinuxOS than the other distros I've tried. Granted, all are running from DVD so I don't know if the same would be true on HD, but I found it interesting. No real heat testing was done, except how the unit felt underneath to my skin and how much heat I felt blowing from the vent.