Visual C++ and MFC Programming 2nd Edition

Chapter 12: Dialog-Based Windows Visual C++ and MFC Fundamentals

10. Click an empty area on the form to deselect the controls

13.4.5..Controls Resizing................................................................................

After you have added a control to a dialog box, it assumes either its default size or the

size you drew it with. To help with the sizes of controls on the form or dialog box, Visual

C++ provides a visual grid made of black points. To can display or hide the grid by

clicking the Toggle Grid button. The dimensions of grid points are in dialog box

units (DLUs) and are set at a default value of 5. To change this spacing, display the

Guide Settings dialog box from the Layout menu and set the desired values.

To change the size of a control, first select it. Then position the mouse on one of its

handles. The mouse would assume a sizing cursor that indicates the possible type of

resizing you can apply. The mouse cursors are:

Cursor Description

Moves the seized border in the North-West <-> South-East direction^

Shrinks or heightens the control

Moves the seized border in the North-East <-> South-West direction^

Narrows or enlarges the control^

To resize a control, that is, to give it a particular width or height, position the mouse on

one of the handles and drag in the desired direction.

If the Toggle Grid button is down, in which case the dialog or form would display the

grid indicators, a control can be moved or resized only on the dotted lines. If you do not

want to follow the grid indicators, you have two alternatives. You can hide the grid

indicators by Toggle Guides button. On the other hand, you can press and hold Alt, then

click the control or one its sizing handles and drag in the desired direction.

To resize more than one control at the same time. Firs select them. Then use the

following buttons from the Dialog toolbar:

Button Name Description