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Windows BIGGER than monitor: HELP! :(

P

Piarpreet

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Dec 14, 2011
4
0
Hi guys!

So I recently got this 11' Macbook Air with Lion. The resolution is at 1366 x 768 and I am trying to use two programs that don't work well with this computer.

Rosetta Stone (one of the programs) has a very large window in which there is no scrolling or any way in which I can manually alter the size, width, length of the window to make it fit in the small monitor.

Here is an image of what it looks like:
View attachment 316170

And here is how it is supposed to look like:
View attachment 316171

the difference is that at the bottom of the "good" rosetta there are a set of numbers in boxes with which you can navigate through the lesson. This si because the window doesn't fit the screen.

I have also found this problem with several videogames :( so no language learning or videogames for me! that sucks!

I tried changing the resolution and I called Apple peeps and they "tried" helping me, but they wanted 50 bucks to "research" more.

Can you guys help me out!?
 
GGJstudios

GGJstudios

macrumors Westmere
May 16, 2008
44,545
943
Have you tried holding the Option key down while clicking the green button in the upper left corner of the window?
 
P

Piarpreet

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Dec 14, 2011
4
0
GGJstudios said:
Have you tried holding the Option key down while clicking the green button in the upper left corner of the window?
Click to expand...

yes, I have, Unfortunately the only thing this does for me is fit it in terms of width but not height.
 
Intell

Intell

macrumors P6
Jan 24, 2010
18,955
509
Inside
Run this command in the Terminal "defaults write com.apple.Finder AppleDisplayScaleFactor .5" Then this one "killall Finder". When Finder comes back, it'll be really strange looking. Resize the windows and make sure you open the hard drive's window, make it small, then click the red close button. Then run this command "defaults write com.apple.Finder AppleDisplayScaleFactor 1", then this "killall Finder". When Finder comes back everything will be regular size and the windows will be smaller.
 
P

Piarpreet

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Dec 14, 2011
4
0
Intell said:
Run this command in the Terminal "defaults write com.apple.Finder AppleDisplayScaleFactor .5" Then this one "killall Finder". When Finder comes back, it'll be really strange looking. Resize the windows and make sure you open the hard drive's window, make it small, then click the red close button. Then run this command "defaults write com.apple.Finder AppleDisplayScaleFactor 1", then this "killall Finder". When Finder comes back everything will be regular size and the windows will be smaller.
Click to expand...

1) I have never used terminal and this sounds like chinese to me...
2) I don't want the windows to be smaller, they are all just fine and perfect except for the Rosetta stone and the game.

I really just want to be able to resize those only, or to be able to scroll or move the window. changing the whole system with this terminal stuff doesn't only sound complicated for a noob like me, but I'm scared this would mess something up, or that i'd have to do all this every time I use these programs or not.
 
GGJstudios

GGJstudios

macrumors Westmere
May 16, 2008
44,545
943
Piarpreet said:
1) I have never used terminal and this sounds like chinese to me...
2) I don't want the windows to be smaller, they are all just fine and perfect except for the Rosetta stone and the game.

I really just want to be able to resize those only, or to be able to scroll or move the window. changing the whole system with this terminal stuff doesn't only sound complicated for a noob like me, but I'm scared this would mess something up, or that i'd have to do all this every time I use these programs or not.
Click to expand...
What Intell is suggesting will make the items on your screen half their normal size, so you can grab the lower right corner of the oversized window and make it smaller. Then you make your screen normal again. If you copy and paste the commands Intell gave you, there won't be a problem.

Launch Terminal
  1. Press Command-spacebar on your keyboard
  2. In the Spotlight search window that pops up in the upper right of your screen, type "Terminal.app"
  3. Press Enter
Make everything on the screen smaller
  1. Highlight the red text that follows and press Command-C to copy:
    defaults write NSGlobalDomain AppleDisplayScaleFactor 0.8
  2. Click on the Terminal window and press Command-V to paste
  3. Press Enter
  4. Highlight the red text that follows and press Command-C to copy:
    killall Finder
  5. Click on the Terminal window and press Command-V to paste
  6. Press Enter
Fix your windows
  1. Wait until Finder closes and comes back (you'll see the light under the Finder icon on the Dock)
  2. Move and grab the lower right corner of the windows and drag them toward the upper left to make the windows fit in the upper left quarter of the screen.
Make everything on your screen normal again
  1. Highlight the red text that follows and press Command-C to copy:
    defaults write NSGlobalDomain AppleDisplayScaleFactor 1
  2. Click on the Terminal window and press Command-V to paste
  3. Press Enter
  4. Highlight the red text that follows and press Command-C to copy:
    killall Finder
  5. Click on the Terminal window and press Command-V to paste
  6. Press Enter
  7. After Finder closes and comes back (you'll see the light under the Finder icon on the Dock), everything should be fine.
 
Last edited:
Intell

Intell

macrumors P6
Jan 24, 2010
18,955
509
Inside
But my thing is only for Finder. To change everything, use this command "defaults write NSGlobalDomain AppleDisplayScaleFactor 0.8" You can change the numbers at the end to change the sizes. 1 is the default at 100%. I suggest nothing smaller then 0.5 though. If you do use the "defaults write NSGlobalDomain AppleDisplayScaleFactor 0.8" command, you might have to restart your computer. Note: Some applications do not like this setting and it can cause graphical glitches.
 
P

Piarpreet

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Dec 14, 2011
4
0
GGJstudios said:
What Intell is suggesting will make the items on your screen half their normal size, so you can grab the lower right corner of the oversized window and make it smaller. Then you make your screen normal again. If you copy and paste the commands Intell gave you, there won't be a problem.

Launch Terminal
  1. Press Command-spacebar on your keyboard
  2. In the Spotlight search window that pops up in the upper right of your screen, type "Terminal.app"
  3. Press Enter
Make everything on the screen smaller
  1. Highlight the red text that follows and press Command-C to copy:
    defaults write NSGlobalDomain AppleDisplayScaleFactor 0.8
  2. Click on the Terminal window and press Command-V to paste
  3. Press Enter
  4. Highlight the red text that follows and press Command-C to copy:
    killall Finder
  5. Click on the Terminal window and press Command-V to paste
  6. Press Enter



I did this part and nothing happened. Is the program supposed to be open? what you mean by window finder. I'm sorry but you guys assume everybody understands commands and terms and stuff :( don't want to sound like a blonde but now I dont even know how to reverse what I did (nothing looks different but Im worried I messed up the system)

----------
GGJstudios said:
What Intell is suggesting will make the items on your screen half their normal size, so you can grab the lower right corner of the oversized window and make it smaller. Then you make your screen normal again. If you copy and paste the commands Intell gave you, there won't be a problem.

Launch Terminal
  1. Press Command-spacebar on your keyboard
  2. In the Spotlight search window that pops up in the upper right of your screen, type "Terminal.app"
  3. Press Enter
Make everything on the screen smaller
  1. Highlight the red text that follows and press Command-C to copy:
    defaults write NSGlobalDomain AppleDisplayScaleFactor 0.8
  2. Click on the Terminal window and press Command-V to paste
  3. Press Enter
  4. Highlight the red text that follows and press Command-C to copy:
    killall Finder
  5. Click on the Terminal window and press Command-V to paste
  6. Press Enter
Fix your windows
  1. Wait until Finder closes and comes back (you'll see the light under the Finder icon on the Dock)
  2. Move and grab the lower right corner of the windows and drag them toward the upper left to make the windows fit in the upper left quarter of the screen.
Make everything on your screen normal again
  1. Highlight the red text that follows and press Command-C to copy:
    defaults write NSGlobalDomain AppleDisplayScaleFactor 1
  2. Click on the Terminal window and press Command-V to paste
  3. Press Enter
  4. Highlight the red text that follows and press Command-C to copy:
    killall Finder
  5. Click on the Terminal window and press Command-V to paste
  6. Press Enter
  7. After Finder closes and comes back (you'll see the light under the Finder icon on the Dock), everything should be fine.
Click to expand...



Are these changes going to become permanent for the program I closed? or do I have to do this every time I want to use them?
Click to expand...
 
GGJstudios

GGJstudios

macrumors Westmere
May 16, 2008
44,545
943
Piarpreet said:
Is the program supposed to be open?
Click to expand...
Yes, the app with the oversized window should be open when you're doing this process. That way, you can resize that app's window.
Piarpreet said:
I dont even know how to reverse what I did (nothing looks different but Im worried I messed up the system)
Click to expand...
If nothing happened, the process wasn't completed correctly and your system hasn't been "messed up".
Piarpreet said:
Are these changes going to become permanent for the program I closed? or do I have to do this every time I want to use them?
Click to expand...
No, the idea is that once you go through this process and resize the window so it fits on your screen, you won't have to to it again. When you quit and restart the app, it should remember the window size it had when you closed it. The changes aren't permanent.
 
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