Method of resetting a computer video display mode

Claim 3

A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising the step of repainting the screen after the desired DPI setting has been stored.

Claim 4

A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising the steps of: storing the desired DPI setting in a settings file stored in non-volatile memory; and at a system startup time, checking the settings file to determine whether a desired DPI setting has been stored and if so, storing the desired DPI setting in the location of the current DPI setting.

Claim 5

A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising the step of: receiving an adjust DPI characteristic command from a user; displaying a dialog box that displays the current DPI setting in response to the adjust DPI characteristics command; and displaying the desired DPI settings input by the user.

Claim 6

A method as recited in claim 4 wherein the desired DPI settings are displayed in both textual and graphic form.

Claim 7

A method as recited in claim 5 wherein the displayed graphic desired DPI settings include a vertically oriented ruler and a horizontally oriented ruler.

Claim 8

A method as recited in claim 6 wherein the displayed graphic desired DPI settings further include a pair of slider bars each having an associated slider for adjusting the DPI settings.

Claim 9

A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the computer system is arranged to support a plurality of resolutions and each supported resolution has a default DPI setting associated therewith, wherein the desired DPI settings are specific to a particular resolution.

Claim 10

A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the designated data structure is an operating system based data structure and the default DPI setting is stored when the operating system is initiated.

Claim 11

A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the operating system is Microsoft Windows and the designated data structure is a graphic device interface (GDI) information structure.

Claim 14

A method as recited in claim 11 further comprising the step of repainting the screen after the desired DPI setting has been stored.

Claim 15

A user interface for permitting a user to adjust the number of display pixels that correspond to a designated length of printed output having dot per inch settings (DPI settings), in a computer system having a display screen for displaying images and an operating system for controlling the execution of programs by the computer system, the operating system being arranged to access a designated data structure that includes a current DPI setting location that is used to store information indicative of the number of display pixels that correspond to a designated length of printed output for a designated resolution, the user interface comprising: means for determining the current DPI setting location; means for receiving an input indicative of a desired new DPI setting; and means for storing the desired new DPI setting in the current DPI settings location whereby the DPI settings for the operating system are changed without requiring currently open application programs to be exited.

Claim 16

A user interface for permitting a user to adjust the number of display pixels that correspond to a designated length of printed output having dot per inch settings (DPI settings), in a computer system having a display screen for displaying images and an operating system for controlling the execution of programs by the computer system, the operating system being arranged to access a designated data structure that includes a current DPI setting location that is used to store information indicative of the number of display pixels that correspond to a designated length of printed output for a designated resolution, the user interface comprising: means for determining the current DPI setting location; means for receiving an input indicative of a desired new DPI setting; and means for storing the desired new DPI setting in the current DPI settings location whereby the DPI settings for the operating system are changed without requiring currently open application programs to be exited.

Claim 17

A user interface as recited in claim 13 further comprising means for displaying the current DPI setting and the desired new DPI setting.

Claim 18

A user interface as recited in claim 14 wherein the display means includes a graphic display that displays the desired DPI setting in the form of a ruler.

Claim 19

A user interface as recited in claim 15 wherein the graphic display further comprising a slider bar having a slider thereon that the user may use to adjust the desired DPI setting.

Claim 20

A user interface as recited in claim 15 wherein the graphic display includes a pair of rulers including a horizontally oriented ruler and a vertically oriented ruler.

Claim 21

A user interface as recited in claim 14 further comprising a default button for permitting the user to automatically select a default DPI setting as the desired DPI setting.

Claim 22

A user interface as recited in claim 14 wherein the display means includes a plurality of display boxes for displaying the current and desired DPI settings.

Claim 23

A user interface for permitting a user to adjust the number of display pixels that correspond to a designated length of printed output having dot per inch settings (DPI settings), in a computer system having a display screen for displaying images and an operating system for controlling the execution of programs by the computer system, the operating system including a designated data structure that includes a current DPI setting location that is used to store an indication of the number of display pixels that correspond to a designated length of printed output for a designated resolution, the user interface comprising: means for determining the current DPI setting location; means for receiving an input indicative of a desired new DPI setting; a pair of graphic rulers that display respective horizontal and vertical desired DPI settings in the form of rulers, each ruler having an associated slider bar having a slider thereon that the user may use to adjust the desired DPI setting a plurality of display boxes for displaying the current and desired DPI settings in alphanumeric form; a button for permitting the user to automatically select the default DPI settings as the desired DPI settings; and means for storing the desired new DPI setting in the current DPI settings location, whereby the DPI settings for the entire operating system are changed without requiring currently open application programs to be exited.

Claim 24

A user interface for permitting a user to adjust the number of display pixels that correspond to a designated length of printed output having dot per inch settings (DPI settings), in a computer system having a display screen for displaying images and an operating system for controlling the execution of programs by the computer system, the operating system including a designated data structure that includes a current DPI setting location that is used to store an indication of the number of display pixels that correspond to a designated length of printed output for a designated resolution, the user interface comprising: means for determining the current DPI setting location; means for receiving an input indicative of a desired new DPI setting; a pair of graphic rulers that display respective horizontal and vertical desired DPI settings in the form of rulers, each ruler having an associated slider bar having a slider thereon that the user may use to adjust the desired DPI setting a plurality of display boxes for displaying the current and desired DPI settings in alphanumeric form; a button for permitting the user to automatically select the default DPI settings as the desired DPI settings; and means for storing the desired new DPI setting in the current DPI settings location, whereby the DPI settings for the entire operating system are changed without requiring currently open application programs to be exited.