Program Manager Does Not Maximize

When a program is started using the run= line in the WIN.INI file, or by placing its name on the command line that starts Windows, Program Manager starts minimized. When Program Manager is restored, Program Manager does not come up maximized, even if it was maximized when you last exited Windows and saved changes.

The only workaround at this time is to save the changes with Program Manager in a non-maximized state, but with the borders pulled out as far as possible.

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Windows version 3.0. This problem was corrected and does not occur in later versions of Windows.

The WIN.INI file has a run= line, on which program executable filenames can be placed. For example: The programs listed on this line are then started automatically as if they had been started by double-clicking their icons or starting them by choosing Run from the File menu. The same thing occurs if the program is started by including its name on the command line that starts Windows. For example: This is as opposed to using the load= line in the WIN.INI file where the programs start minimized as icons on the desktop. One consequence of starting programs on the run= line or the command line is that Program Manager is minimized regardless of whether or not Minimize On Use is selected in the Options menu of Program Manager.

If the Program Manager is then restored by double-clicking its icon, it returns in a non-maximized state. This occurs even if, when the you last exited Windows, Program Manager was maximized and the changes were saved.

The state of Program Manager, minimized, maximized, or restored (open as a Window but not maximized) is recorded in the PROGMAN.INI file in the [Settings] section. The line appears as follows where z can be either 1, 2, or 3. This number determines the state Program Manager is in when Windows starts. Restored is represented by 1, minimized by 2, and maximized by 3. If the number is 3, Program Manager starts maximized unless a program is started on the run= line in the WIN.INI file or by putting its executable filename on the command line that starts Windows.

When the program starts, Program Manager is minimized. When you double- click on its icon, Program Manager displays in a window but is not maximized. The value in the PROGMAN.INI file, however, is not changed. It is still 3.