Window's have a Width Limit!

[TigerPRO]

This is very interesting. I was playing around and for some reason I decided to see how large of a Finder window I could make by resizing it over and over again. I accomplished this by continually dragging a window offscreen to the left and dragging the resize handle to the right. To my astonishment, I reached a point where I could not do it any longer! I had reached the window width limit! I measured the overall width of the window down to the exact pixel, it was 17,461 pixels wide (not including the drop shadow).

I measured this by aligning the far left corner of the window on the far left corner of the screen. Then I dragged the window with my mouse from the far right of the screen until it hit the left side again. I repeated this process 12 times! I was then able to multiply 12 by the horizontal resolution of my screen (1440), and measured the extra (181 pixels) with an application called "FreeRuler".

I'd be highly intrigued to know if this limit is universal on all macs. Maybe some of you with some time on your hands could preform similar tests. We could compare results. Just post the maximum width you achieved, your system specifications, and your OS version.

P.S. While you have this large window on the screen, try playing with the minimize effect to test the power of your system. Be sure to use the shift key to put it in slow motion! This is very cool.

[TigerPRO]

More unusual results: I just test a safari window. It let me go even farther, I maxed out at 33,278 pixels. But thats not all, when I reached the limit, I did something I've never seem on Mac OS X: a window rendering flaw. See the screenshot below.

[TigerPRO]

ScreenShot:

[neut]

i totally forgot about the shift key...that will impress your friends.

just don't tell them about the window size limit...anyone out there with a few cinema displays running together?

[Vector]

to find the window size you could also take a screenshot of the window with grab and then open the file with photoshop and look at the image size.

[Powerbook G5]

With all of that free time on your hands, why not give me a hand by writing one of my papers for me. :p

[MoparShaha]

Maybe the size difference in Finder and Safari have to do with them being written in Carbon and Cocoa, respectively. I have no clue, just an idea. Interesting stuff though.

[etoiles]

Originally posted by TigerPRO
I decided to see how large of a Finder window I could make


oh my god, you have seen the edge of the desktop. A lot of icons ventured to that forsaken place, few returned. What did you see ? Any interesting creatures lurking there ? Apparently they are feeding off lost windows...

:D

[TigerPRO]

Originally posted by Vector
to find the window size you could also take a screenshot of the window with grab and then open the file with photoshop and look at the image size.

Brilliant!

[TigerPRO]

Originally posted by MoparShaha
Maybe the size difference in Finder and Safari have to do with them being written in Carbon and Cocoa, respectively. I have no clue, just an idea. Interesting stuff though.

I'll check a few more apps later and see.

[TigerPRO]

Originally posted by Powerbook G5
With all of that free time on your hands, why not give me a hand by writing one of my papers for me. :p

Sure, what do you want me to write it about?

P.S. I like your new icon.

[TigerPRO]

Originally posted by neut
i totally forgot about the shift key...that will impress your friends.

just don't tell them about the window size limit...anyone out there with a few cinema displays running together?

You'll need 17.33229 HD Cinema's to test that theory. Got $34,647.25 to spare?

P.S. Not to mention a really powerful graphics card that hasn't been invented.

[Island Roots]

No kidding, I doubt many users will be using a 33,000-pixel wide display anytime soon ;)

[Powerbook G5]

Originally posted by TigerPRO
Sure, what do you want me to write it about?

P.S. I like your new icon.

I need to find an apocalyptic theme in the book The Name of The Rose and write a 5-7 page paper on it...feel free to dive right in after Finder finishes minimizing those massive windows of yours.

[Mxyzptlk]

Here's something cool: make a long, long window (or 2), then activate Expose'!

[TigerPRO]

Originally posted by Mxyzptlk
Here's something cool: make a long, long window (or 2), then activate Expose'!

I did. ;)

Everything was very small. My iChat window was about five pixels high.

[slowtreme]

Originally posted by TigerPRO
I did. ;)

Everything was very small. My iChat window was about five pixels high.
That doesn't make any sence. When I use Expose, windows only shrink enough so that they fit on the available screen space. They don't all shrink the same ratio.

[Mxyzptlk]

Try it.

[TigerPRO]

Originally posted by slowtreme
That doesn't make any sence. When I use Expose, windows only shrink enough so that they fit on the available screen space. They don't all shrink the same ratio.

I know they shouldn't, be it happened. All things considered though, the algorithm for exposé is usually quite intelligent.

[shieladixon]

I see that this thread has been here for some time, but in case anyone's still interested, the developer of an application can set a max and min for a window they create, so windows in different applications may have different max sizes, if the developer has bothered to consider it, that is. According to Apple's current documentation (May-06) there are limits - the max size of a float variable on your system (which is the default max size for a window), and the window server's own limit of 10,000.

Sorry if that's a bit geeky for this forum! ;)