Screen Magnification

[writeco]

I was at a presentation this weekend where the instructor wanted to show aspects from this laptop screen via the projector. Even with a projector, the screen image was too small to read. He then use an accessibility feature native to Windows XP to magnify a section of the screen wherever the cursor was resting. It occurred to me that I read several posts concerning font size and readibility problems and that this feature might help. To launch the magnify function go to Start|Programs|Accessories|Accessibility. If you have a program like QuicKeys, you can assign a hot key combination to facilitate the launching of the program. You can also search Windows Help to get more information on the magnify function.

[mommalina]

Joe, thanks for trying to help us Old Folks.

We discussed the XP Magnifier on KH here: http://www.kickenhardware.net/forum/showthread.php?t=2228&highlight=magnify

Personally, I don't care for XP's magnifier. Ctrl+ (Firefox) or rotating the wheel on the mouse enlarges most font on most web pages. But these don't work for the fine print in pdf documents, download agreements, etc, which I encounter at times. Then, I guess, as a last resort, the XP Magnifier may be worth the hassle.

In the post mentioned above, I asked if anyone tried the free Virtual Magnifying Glass, found at http://magnifier.sourceforge.net/. No response to that. The web page reads: Virtual Magnifying Glass is designed for visually-impaired and others who need to magnify a part of the screen. Unlike most similar programs it does not open a separate window for the magnification but instead puts a movable magnifying glass on screen.

Google provided this review of Virtual Magnifying Glass:Magnifying Glass is a very small program that will, when activated, put a magnifying glass on your screen. The magnifying glass is wooden-handled, round, and silver-rimmed, much like you probably played with as a kid. You can use the mouse to move the magnifying glass across the text or icons or other information on your computer screen. Click on the magnifying glass and it will disappear from the screen and appear as a small icon in the system tray (the area on the right side of the task bar, opposite the Start button.) You can activate the magnifier at any time by clicking on its icon in the system tray. Right clicking on the magnifier in the system tray will allow you to set the magnification level. The magnifier enlarges items from two to sixteen times. A help menu including instructions is available, although I found the magnifier so easy to use that the instructions were unnecessary. You can also elect to start the magnifier every time you turn on the computer.

I'm tempted.....but I don't have a bench machine and have learned to only download software tried, tested, and recommended here.

Lina

[photolady]

Lina, you can change somethings in XP that don't require using other software or the magnifier built into this os.

Go to your desktop, right click and chose Properties, next click on the settings tab. Then click Advanced button. Now in that window, you'll see that it, hopefully, is on the General window. Click the drop down arrow and chose a setting other than 96DPI, I've set mine to 120DPI, makes the type bigger on desktop, in menus and on most browsers. You can adjust these dpi settings to suit your own sight. Using the Custom settings in the drop down menu, you can move the slider bar to whatever suits you. And this way, you don't have to keep scrolling that mouse wheel up and down.

[casey]

Lina, you can change somethings in XP that don't require using other software or the magnifier built into this os.

Go to your desktop, right click and chose Properties, next click on the settings tab. Then click Advanced button. Now in that window, you'll see that it, hopefully, is on the General window. Click the drop down arrow and chose a setting other than 96DPI, I've set mine to 120DPI, makes the type bigger on desktop, in menus and on most browsers. You can adjust these dpi settings to suit your own sight. Using the Custom settings in the drop down menu, you can move the slider bar to whatever suits you. And this way, you don't have to keep scrolling that mouse wheel up and down.

I've found besides changing the above setting, that changing the individual settings in appearance helps the text on the screen immensely.

[mommalina]

photolady wrote:
Lina, you can change somethings in XP that don't require using other software or the magnifier built into this os.

Go to your desktop, right click and chose Properties, next click on the settings tab. Then click Advanced button. Now in that window, you'll see that it, hopefully, is on the General window. Click the drop down arrow and chose a setting other than 96DPI, I've set mine to 120DPI, makes the type bigger on desktop, in menus and on most browsers. You can adjust these dpi settings to suit your own sight. Using the Custom settings in the drop down menu, you can move the slider bar to whatever suits you. And this way, you don't have to keep scrolling that mouse wheel up and down.

Mine is set to 120 DPI, and I still have to enlarge font on some web sites. The disadvantage for me is that when I go to install something and the installation buttons are missing. Then I have to reduce the DPI, install, and go back and increase the DPI again. A PIA.

And, oh yeah, one time I reduced the DPI too much and the desktop icons were so tiny, I could not find Start or do a System Restore. Had to call Dell. God love the tech, he tried everything, and we finally prevailed!

The mouse wheel scroll will not increase font size on some printed matter. A better magnifier than the one provided by XP would come in handy.

Casey wrote:
I've found besides changing the above setting, that changing the individual settings in appearance helps the text on the screen immensely.

I've done that, Larry. I enlarged font there, and it does help.

Thanks Photolady and Larry.

Lina

[photolady]

Can't you increase webpage font size via View? I don't use FireFox but that's how you do it in IE. Surely FF has a setting somewhere for this.

[mommalina]

Can't you increase webpage font size via View? I don't use FireFox but that's how you do it in IE. Surely FF has a setting somewhere for this.

I did increase web page font size in IE via View, but rarely use I.E. I haven't discovered the same feature in Firefox. I'll make a separate post and ask.

Lina