sunlight

QuickResNT

Introduction

QuickRes was an applet originally written for Windows 95. It allowed the user to select their resolution from a taskbar ('tray') icon quickly, without having to restart the computer. This applet was later built into Windows 98. However, it has never been available for Windows NT or Windows 2000.

QuickResNT is a clone of QuickRes for Windows NT 4 and Windows 2000. 

 

Under Windows 2000, QuickResNT will examine your monitor profile, and display only the optimal refresh rates for your monitor. Make sure you have the right driver for your monitor, for otherwise you may have to reboot in Safe Mode to change back.

Under Windows NT, QuickResNT cannot determine your monitor capabilities, and so it will display all the possible refresh rates between 60Hz and 85Hz. It is important that you select an appropriate refresh rate, or you will have to restart in VGA mode.

QuickResNT Code Notes

You can view the code for QuickResNT here: QuickResNT.cpp. You can also download a Zip file of the source code, including all the resources and a Microsoft Visual C++ project you can use to build the program.

Things to note:

  • A double-linked list is used to keep track of the DEVMODE structures returned by EnumDisplaySettings.
  • The menus are built using a template popup menu. A new popup menu is created, the modes added to it, then the template items are added.
  • The window registers and checks for the "TaskbarCreated" window message that is sent when Explorer restarts. If the shell crashes, QuickResNT will reappear when it reloads.
  • QuickResNT also illustrates the "right" way to check for OS versions. 

Although QuickResNT is written for NT 4 and Windows 2000 only, the tray item functionality is fully general and will operate on any 32-bit Windows, including Windows 95.

QuickResNT Download

Source code (7k): QuickResNT.zip

Program (36k): QuickResNT.exe

 

Copyright © David McCabe, 1998 - 2001. All rights reserved.

You will need to download and install the m-math control to display any equations on this Web site. Without this control, you will not see most of the equations. Please do not e-mail me asking why the equations do not display!