question about resolutions and solutions.

[kin37ik]

this might sound like a very odd post indeed, however im scripting a new skin and the way i have built the task bar so far doesnt allow it to dynamically reshape itself to fit a wide variety of screen resolutions unless i manually change it, as im still developing the skin and getting feedback from some friends that are testing, ive found that there are a massive variety of screen resolutions, which means me working on my 1680 Wide by however high task bar is unsuitable for a few people because of varying resolutions, is there a generla consensus on screen resolutions being used?? or is there a way that my possibly oddly designed task bar can still make it scale itself properly without breaking it?? as before when i tried making itself scale correctly, it broke the task bar into several peices.

[Kaelri]

Rainmeter has built-in variables called #SCREENAREAHEIGHT# and #SCREENAREAWIDTH#. If you use these variables to determine the size and positions of your meters, your skin will be able to adapt to the screen dimensions on any other system. For example, a meter with W=#SCREENAREAWIDTH# will be exactly as wide as the screen on any computer.

You can also use these variables if you have meters that are supposed to be center-aligned or right-aligned. For example, with X=(#SCREENAREAWIDTH# / 2), the meter will start at the exact center of the screen area. So if you have, say, an image that's 200 pixels wide, you would use X=(#SCREENAREAWIDTH# / 2 - 100) to center that image on the screen.

As another example, X=#SCREENAREAWIDTH# would place a meter at the far-right edge of the screen. So if you wanted place that 200-pixel image so that it's flush with the right side of the screen, you would use X=(#SCREENAREAWIDTH# - 200).

One other thing: you may also want to use #WORKAREAWIDTH# and #WORKAREAHEIGHT# in place of the variables I used above. The difference between "work area" and "screen area" is that the work area excludes spaces that are reserved (for things like the Windows taskbar). So if you use work area variables, your skins may not be exactly centered on the monitor, but there will be a lower chance of overlapping other parts of the Windows interface.

[kin37ik]

Rainmeter has built-in variables called #SCREENAREAHEIGHT# and #SCREENAREAWIDTH#. If you use these variables to determine the size and positions of your meters, your skin will be able to adapt to the screen dimensions on any other system. For example, a meter with W=#SCREENAREAWIDTH# will be exactly as wide as the screen on any computer.

will that work if i only specify a specific part of the taskbar to resize?? on both ends i have apended a slant/slope and my thought is if i set it to resize through a variable that a user could change that it might stretch/shrink those slants and make them look out of proportion, but im thinking if i specify just the centre part of the bar to resize so i dont stretch the slanted ends that it might separate them into peices, but im not totally 100% sure, guess i could give it a whirl first and see how it goes.

You can also use these variables if you have meters that are supposed to be center-aligned or right-aligned. For example, with X=(#SCREENAREAWIDTH# / 2), the meter will start at the exact center of the screen area. So if you have, say, an image that's 200 pixels wide, you would use X=(#SCREENAREAWIDTH# / 2 - 100) to center that image on the screen.

As another example, X=#SCREENAREAWIDTH# would place a meter at the far-right edge of the screen. So if you wanted place that 200-pixel image so that it's flush with the right side of the screen, you would use X=(#SCREENAREAWIDTH# - 200).

One other thing: you may also want to use #WORKAREAWIDTH# and #WORKAREAHEIGHT# in place of the variables I used above. The difference between "work area" and "screen area" is that the work area excludes spaces that are reserved (for things like the Windows taskbar). So if you use work area variables, your skins may not be exactly centered on the monitor, but there will be a lower chance of overlapping other parts of the Windows interface.

this is really nifty info (: im going to sticky note this onto my LCD's so i do not forget (: many thanks for the enlightenment (:

[MerlinTheRed]

Well, it will require some math to get everything placed completely dependent on the screen size, while still keeping the size of some elements.

[KreAch3R]

You have two options about the stretching part.

1. Use your background image as the skin's Background, use BackgroundMode=3 and set the BackgroundMargins correctly
2. Use your background image as a meter image, and use ScaleMargins on the image

Both will let you stretch the part of the image you want, without messing up with the edges. Check illustro or my suite "Edge" for examples.

[MerlinTheRed]

Also, the new Section Variables will make your life a lot easier when positioning stuff relative to each other.

[kin37ik]

Well, it will require some math to get everything placed completely dependent on the screen size, while still keeping the size of some elements.

thats what im worried about, my maths skills are not the strongest, but i could try as best as i can.

[KreAch3R]

thats what im worried about, my maths skills are not the strongest, but i could try as best as i can.

You won't need math if you use the image margins, only trial and error. In case you need, though, we will try our best to help you.

edit: stupid mistake

[kin37ik]

You want need math if you use the image margins, only trial and error. In case you need, though, we will try our best to help you.

awesome, thank you (: i will give it a red hot crack first and report back if i have no success (:

[kin37ik]

okay. ive taken a stab at it and got half of it working but cannot get the right hand side peice to come into line, it gets pushed off the screen on the right hand side and i cant figure out how to have it included in spanning the #SCREENAREAWIDTH# property, heres my code: