Aim_876 display problem...

[vk7jb]

Hi Bob & group,

I've just installed AIM_876 on my PC running windows 8.1 and I have a problem with the display:

The buttons along the bottom of the screen ( Scan/Rescan......Quit) are not visible - well, just a tiny wafer of the top of each is visible, but no enough to read the text.

I can re-size the window using the mouse and the buttons appear initially, but as soon as I move the mouse or click anywhere the display within the window auto-adjusts  the buttons disappear again. The actual window remains at the size I've changed it to. 

If I use the Graph Size menu item in Setup to change the window size, the buttons remain cut off regardless of the window size I select.

I've been running AIM_865A on the same machine, with no problems and I've checked and that version is still running fine.  The buttons are all there.

Any ideas how I can fix this?  I cant use 876 because I can't access the buttons.

Thanks and 73,

John
VK7JB

[vk7jb]

Hello again,

Solution found: if I run AIM-876 in Windows 8 compatibility mode, the display issue is resolved. Seems to relate to Windows 8.1 compatibility issue.

But, I've also just discovered that my saved scan files/graphs made with AIM_865A don't display correctly in AIM_876. The values on the graphs displayed using the new software version are incorrect.

I understand that the CAL files are not compatible between versions, but is there any way of making the saved Scan files compatible across versions?

So this means we'll need to keep AIM_865A running if we ever want to view and used data from saved graphs?

Cheers,

John
VK7JB

[Bob]

Hi John,
Thanks for the feedback.

I'll try to determine why the display is different for Win 8.1 compared to Win 7 and Win 8.
It is really strange that the earlier AIM programs work and the new one doesn't since the method of drawing the windows and buttons is "essentially" the same.
The compatibility mode is a good work-around for now. Thanks for the tip.

I definitely want the scan files to be compatible since those are not easy to re-do. Right now I'm working on an update that will have some new features and I'll double check the scan file issue. That will be ready in a few days.

73/Bob

[vk7jb]

Thanks Bob. I'll keep an eye out for the update. Yes, the scan files issue is odd. That issue isn't fixed by running in windows 8.1 compatibility. I'll continue to use AIM_865a till a fix is available.

Cheers and thanks again,

John.VK7JB

[Burt]

I'm seeing the exact same problem as John reports regarding the display. I see this on both my new computer running Windows 7 32 bit and my older laptop running XP pro SP3. For the last several version the same buttons at the bottom of the display were cut off on my XP laptop but not on my older XP pro SP3 desktop. I tried different settings on the laptop's display, but could never get it to work like some of the early versions. I finally attributed it to some strange in my laptop, and worked around it by selecting full screen, although that was a bit of an annoyance.

I'll try the beta version of 880 and see if that solves the problem.

And, Bob, all your work is sincerely and deeply appreciated.

Burt, K6OQK



Hi Bob & group,

I've just installed AIM_876 on my PC running windows 8.1 and I have a problem with the display:

The buttons along the bottom of the screen ( Scan/Rescan......Quit) are not visible - well, just a tiny wafer of the top of each is visible, but no enough to read the text.

I can re-size the window using the mouse and the buttons appear initially, but as soon as I move the mouse or click anywhere the display within the window auto-adjusts the buttons disappear again. The actual window remains at the size I've changed it to.

If I use the Graph Size menu item in Setup to change the window size, the buttons remain cut off regardless of the window size I select.
I've observed the same problem


I've been running AIM_865A on the same machine, with no problems and I've checked and that version is still running fine. The buttons are all there.

Any ideas how I can fix this? I cant use 876 because I can't access the buttons.

Thanks and 73,

John
VK7JB

[vk7jb]

Hi Burt,
The workaround, which fixes the issue for me, is to run the AIM exe file in windows 8 compatibility mode. I did NOT have the issue running AIM 865 on the same laptop running Windows 8.1. The same issue persists for me in AIM 880, but Bob is aware of it. I doesn't look like it's affecting many others though. Mystery to me.

73,
John
VK7JB

[w4dl]

I have the same issue as Bert and John with 8.1: the hidden buttons at the bottom of the display. As they have done, I tried the usual methods to correct the screen and finally went back to version 865.  Bob said he would look into it again for a fix on the 880 version.  In addition,  I found an FTDI chipset USB adapter on e-bay for 12 bucks, free shipping and it works fine with the new laptop on OS 8.1.

Thanks for the assistance Bob.

Mike  W4DL

[Bob]

I've uploaded a new version 880A that hopefully will take care of the missing button problem:
www.w5big.com/prog_update.htm. This also fixes some other small problems in version 876.

-73/Bob

[loepfe]

Hallo everybody
I am in possession of the AIM4170C, Laptop is Window Vista. I have problems with the screen. First the buttoms are not visible (80 percent) . When I click enlarge the sreen (up on the right side) all buttoms appear, but when I move the mouse to a buttom (scan....) all disappears.
Has anyone a solution for that problem and I thank very much. Thadde HB9DNB    vy 73

[vk7jb]

Sept 6, 2014 8:22:56 GMT -5 Bob said:

I've uploaded a new version 880A that hopefully will take care of the missing button problem:
www.w5big.com/prog_update.htm. This also fixes some other small problems in version 876.

-73/Bob

Hi Bob,

880A does not fix the missing button issue on my machine running Windows 8.1 UNLESS I configure 880A to run in Windows 8 compatibility mode. The same applied to 876 but 865A runs perfectly under W8.1

73 - John VK7JB

[Burt]

All,

As I mentioned earlier in this thread, I have been having a problem with the "buttons" at the bottom of the display being hidden. Again, this is my laptop running Windows XP SP3. Even with The Power AIM-120 v880 I still had the problem - I could change the size of the screen and after a few seconds the buttons would once again be mostly out of view.

Well, I was poking around with this computer and made a change which seems to have corrected the problem and now I can see the buttons no matter the AIM-120 screen size. What I had to do was change the computer's display from XP view to "Windows Classic" view. This is done by right mouse clicking in a blank area of the desktop, then settings, then advanced, and then appearance, where this option resides. Doing this did change the size of the font on my desktop to a smaller font, but I was able to correct this by going to the same place and clicking on the next size up ICONs. The ICON layout is the same but the font size is back to where it was.

I hope this is of help to others having the "Hidden Button" issue with XP.

Now my wish is that the when I open the AIM program it would remember the last displayed trace and come up with that one. I also wish that it would remember the last vertical data marker frequency/location after a re-scan. I can't think of a reason to not have this happen. Is this an optional setting somewhere?

Burt, K6OQK

[Bob]

Hi Burt,
Thanks very much for the information.
I was able to reproduce the problem by changing my Win 7 setup from "Classic" to "Aero Win 7".
I'm working on a program update that will take care of this.

--73/Bob

[Burt]

Bob,

I'm glad my discovery was able to add some insight to the problem.

I notice that on my XP pro SP3 laptop, v880 program now remembers the previous data marker position after a new scan. It also brings up the last trace I looked at when I first bring up the program, but does not remember the data marker position under that situation. On my desktop W7 computer it does not remember the last trace observed. However, on my laptop I have the instrument plugged in and calibrated, although the instrument is presently turned off. On the w7 desktop, there has never been an AIM connected to it.

Just to be clear, when I refer to the "Data Marker", I'm referring to the vertical line that you drag back and forth on a trace to read parameters on the right side.

I've probably explained that as clear as mud.

Burt, K6OQK

[mac]

I too have buttons almost cut-off with ugh W8.1 I assumed it was W8.1's fault or my fault.
Change size and the moment the cursor moves the buttons are again cut-off.
Using 880 with C model. W8.1 will be replaced with W7. 73 mac N8TT