1024x600 netbook native resolution and the unclickable 'OK' and 'Cancel' buttons

I recently got a netbook and it is my first time to use its native 1024x600 resolution. A major problem that I got from this is that the 'OK' and 'Cancel' buttons on some confirmation windows are unclickable (they sometimes appear at the bottom of the screen, way below the taskbar, even when the taskbar is hidden). I've tried moving the confirmation window up, but the buttons return back to the same area.

Does anyone know any way to prevent these buttons from showing up in an unclickable area? If not, are there workarounds? Also, what are the default shortcut keys, for 'OK', 'Apply' and 'Cancel'. I am currently using Windows 7 starter on the netbook.

Edit: I also would like to know: if this is avoidable or has an easier workaround in Windows XP?

 

Being new to laptops I'm surprised no one is complaining about this sort of
issue. The screen resolutions are so high now, and programs don't care about
it, that everything ends up tiny. If you enlarge things so you can read them
the confirm/cancel buttons fall off the bottom.

The worst I've seen is my wife's new Blackberry. The text is so small even
a youngster would need a magnifying glass. Things were just fine on her old
one. I guess we just have to wait for software designers to finally realize
that everyone doesn't have they same screen they do.

You mention XP but it's the same with 7.

 

I have XP Pro installed on my netbook and rarely have problems with windows and dialog boxes not fitting the screen. The only programs I've ever seen have an issue fitting a netbook's pitiful screen are AT&T's POS Communication Manager or the Alternative Sierra 3G Watcher. Are you having this issue with everything or a particular program?

 

I am using Windows 7 Starter with the laptop. I'm just wondering if this issue does not happen, or has a workaround in XP (I am willing to install XP instead if this can be fixed there).

This happens with almost every program I use, including confirmation windows by Windows 7 itself. Most of the confirmation boxes/windows I encounter have this issue.

 

here's a workaround, although I don't recall if xp lets you place windows above the top edge - hit alt, space, m to bring up the move arrows, then press the up arrow until the window is high enough.

The default "ok" should be alt-o or alt-y (yes), "cancel" should be alt-c but i've seen "cancel" and "apply" as alt-a, "defaults" can be alt-e, "save" as alt-s, "print" as alt-p. hitting ok/yes isn't always as hitting enter since cancel is sometimes the first highlighted. You could try tabbing between buttons, but it might be hard if they're invisible.

I know in ubuntu/other linux variants you can hit a super (windows) key and click on a window to drag it above the top. Not sure whether any program in windows could enable the same functionality.

alternatively, can you hook up to a monitor if this is not a dialog box that comes up frequently?

 

I'm not sure what the keyboard shortcuts are for "OK", "Apply" and "Cancel", as these may sometimes differ especially with software that deviates from standard Windows conventions. However hitting ALT should show underscores beneath certain letters of the text in menus and dialog box controls: these are the relevant keyboard shortcuts for that program.

Additionally you can use TAB to advance focus from one control to the next. In Windows 7, the current element usually has a differentiating color highlight (often blue) and a lightly dashed focus box for some elements (tabs). Hitting ENTER or the SPACEBAR will activate the control currently focused.

Another possible workaround would be moving the window, without having to click/drag the title bar. I find it's much easier to simply hold ALT, then click & drag anywhere inside the window/dialog. This is a Linux convention: while not baked into Windows, it can be had with some 3rd party software.

AltMove or an AutoHotKey script and exe.

--L.

 

Thanks for this, never heard of it. I just tried in on my desktop XP machine
and it works fine. You can also use the arrow keys and enter to select the
move function from the alt+space menu. I'll try it out tomorrow on my W7
laptop, although I've usually been able to see a pixel row or two of the
buttons to click on.

 

Thanks for the suggestions.

Thanks for this. I've tried AltMove and it seemed to be the best and easiest solution so far. It should have been made a Windows feature by default (or at least for netbooks). It also contains a host of other features which are very useful for netbook owners.

 

I just re-tried the Alt+space/move again and, while it does move the window
up, as soon as you try to do anything on the window the window pops back
down so the title bar is visible, and the buttons disappear again. This happens
on both XP and 7.

Is there any way of making the window stay where it is long enough to be
able to click on the buttons at the bottom ?

 

Paul P, try the AltMove program from lbohn's post above. It allows moving the window using alt+left click (anywhere on the window), without the window snapping back down.

 

I always found this app helpful called MOVEME. You can move windows even if they're unmovable. Great little app and a must have IMHO for 1024x600 screens.

http://www.damnsoft.org/cgi-bin/ghostgui.cgi?nographics=;app=projects;section=moveme