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General discussion

4/5/04 Maximize your window, it's springtime baby!

Apr 1, 2004 3:05AM PST
Question:

Is there an easy way for Windows to always maximize a window size when I launch an application? Windows has forgotten my settings.

--Submitted by member: Karen C. of Birmingham, AL


Answer:

Karen there are two ways for Windows to always maximize a window size when you launch an application. Note each application has its own settings so you will have to do this process for each application you would like to maximize the window in.

The simple way is to:
1. Open an application (such as Excel).
2. Maximize the window using the Maximize button in the top-right corner.
3. Hold either Shift or Ctrl on your keyboard and close the application window by pressing X or File > Close/Exit.

The other way is to:
1. Right-click the shortcut icon that you use to start the application (such as Excel). Note: this could be done on your desktop shortcut, quick launch, and program icons.
2. From the pop-up menu, select Properties.
3. There will be four tabs, click the Shortcut tab.
4. Look for Run:; next to it will be a drop-down menu.
5. Select Maximized from the menu.
6. After you are done with the above, click the OK button.

That should do it. From now on, every time you open that shortcut application, the window will be maximized. I hope this helps. Good Luck.

--Submitted by member: Kenneth P. of Ogden, UT

Thank you Kenneth for a great submission and thank you all who submitted a response this week! If you have other solutions other than what is listed, please lets hear about it, just reply to this discussion and we are all ears. We are all here to help one another so the spotlight is only you.

Here are some honorable mentions from last week?s question. What I have also included are few members who recommended some software that specifically maximizes windows, which might be helpful to some of you if one our listed answers do not help:


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Answer:

Software recommendation by our members: Rod A., Martin C., and Sol G.
http://www.southbaypc.com/AutoSizer/

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Answer:


There are a couple of options to automatically maximize windows. One is to
right click on the icon for the program you wish to open (Internet Explorer,
MS Outlook, AOL, etc...), select properties, and in the "run" box, make sure
"maximized" is selected. Another way, and one that I have found to work
100% of the time, is to download the freeware program "IE Windows Maximizer"
found at http://www.jiisoft.com. It's a small program that forces new
windows to open in their maximized position.

--Submitted by member: Joe B.

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Answer:

To maximize a window when launching an application:
1. Find the icon you use to launch the application. It may be located on your Desktop, on the Quick Launch Toolbar (next to the Start Button), or at Start, Programs, etc.
2. Right-click the shortcut icon (or entry under Start, Programs) and select Properties.
3. Select the Shortcut Tab and find Run:
4. Click the Drop-down list arrow, and select Maximized (the default setting is Normal window).
5. Click OK.
6. Repeat for each program you wish to launch in a Maximized window.
If the icon you use to launch the application is not a Shortcut, you must create one first. Examples of this are the Internet Explorer or Microsoft Outlook icons on your Desktop, or any .exe file. A shortcut has a picture of a little box with an arrow. To create a shortcut, right-click the icon and select Create Shortcut. Or, right-click the icon, select Copy, then right-click again and select Paste Shortcut. The shortcut is instantly created in the same folder as the original. You can then follow the procedure above to change the window size settings.

--Submitted by member: Ari G. of Redwood City, CA

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Answer:

there are a couple of ways to get Windows to maximize an application's window when you launch it. Windows SHOULD remember the application's window state (maximized, minimized, restored) when you exit the application, but as you mentioned, sometimes it forgets. The first way to try and get Windows to "remember" the window state next time you launch the application is to hold the shift key while clicking on the "X" button (upper right-hand corner of the application's window) while closing the application. However, windows can still forget.

The other way is to right-click on the shortcut that you use to start the application. from the pop-up menu choose "properties". This should bring up a dialog-box window with the title of the application and "Properties" (ie. Microsft Word Properties). There should be 4 page tabs across the top. Make sure you are on the page tab titled "Shortcut" (it should start you there by default). In the lower half of the dialog box, look for a section titled "Run:" Next to it should be a drop down list and most likely will say "Normal Window". Click on the down-pointing arrow button to be able to access the other choices. Choose "Maximized", and then click on the "OK" button for the dialog box. From now on, when you launch the application with that shortcut, it should always start out in a fully maximized window. Happy

--Submitted by member: Paul G. of Columbia, MO

Discussion is locked

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Re:Mar. 29, 2004 Membership Q&A newsletter
Apr 4, 2004 10:58PM PDT

There is a fourth way to maximize or minimize a window.
Left click the icon in the upper left corner.
Left click size.
With the mouse left click the window boarder and drag to your desired size.
Windows usually remembers the new size.

Make it a great day!

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Re:Mar. 29, 2004 Membership Q&A newsletter
Apr 5, 2004 1:49AM PDT

Your solution to automatically maximize an application window upon opening fails in the following scenario:

Opening up Windows Explorer by right clicking on the "Start" menu, then selecting "Explorer".


How to get this window maximized automatically when using XP Pro ???


Thanks,
Jack Dixon