Netbook screen too small, Software fix?

Question

I have a code in which should open an existing text file into my server, save the text into a variable, then filter the text contained within this variable and save again, as you can see below:

Text File:

Descrição: lorem impsum is a dollar do dolla do dolla style user humam

Source Code:

$filename = "prods/".$value;
$handle = fopen($filename, "w+");
$contents = fread($handle, filesize($filename));
$newcontent .= str_replace("Descrição:", "Descricao:", $contents);
fwrite($handle,$newcontent);
fclose($handle);

The problem is the command write is saving the file again with null text inside him, how can I solve this?

Solution 1

Virtual Screen

Use a virtual screen larger than the physical screen size.

Often this can be done by:

1. Adding something like "Virtual 1024x800" to /etc/X11/xorg.conf then
2. Restarting X11 (using Ctrl+Alt+Backspace on those distributions/configurations that support this).

What if I have Ubuntu?

On Ubuntu Ctrl+Alt+Backspace does not restart X11. If using Ubuntu, your options are one of:

• sudo /etc/init.d/gdm restart
• System -> Preferences -> Keyboard -> Layout -> Key to kill X -> [/] Ctrl+Alt+BS
• Reboot if you can't figure out a better way to restart X11.

Moving windows that are larger than screen

As JamesGecko's Answer suggests ...

The KDE window manager, Kwin "lets you easily move windows by pressing the ALT button. You can then just click on a window's content. While you hold the left mouse button pressed, windows will move". - KDE.org

You can therfore grab a window somewhere in it's lowest visible region and drag it up to reveal any [OK], [Cancel] or other buttons at the bottom that were formerly offscreen and inaccessible.

Solution 2

Unlike with Windows 7, you don't have to settle with the default way of managing windows. There are several different windowmanagers to choose from. Some of these are "tiling" window managers, which should solve problems conserning window placement.

When it comes to window size, you can change the DPI and font sizes in X to make windows smaller. For some applications, you can turn off toolbars and run them in fullscreen mode.

Solution 3

In Gnome when I hold down the alt key, allows me to click and drag anywhere in the window to move it. KDE has something similar, although I'm not sure if the key is alt. You can use this as a workaround to use windows that are larger than the screen.

Comments

[JamesGecko]

Just a note that in Gnome, many configuration dialogs were redesigned a while ago so that they would fit on a netbook screen.

[LantisGaius]

my current workaround: hold alt, grab the center of the window and drag it up offscreen until the buttons below the screen show up :(

[Vass]

@LantisGaius, that is a decent work around, better than a lot of frustration. Nice short term solution.

[zod]

did you try to echo the output of str_replace? conform $contents have Descrico! then file permissions

[dmckee --- ex-moderator kitten]

@alexander: The "solution" part will work, but the restarting X part will not. I don't know Ubunta so I don't know if "switch users" to the same user will be enough, but it would be on many distributions.

[user5249203]

I integrated alexander256's edits into the main matter of my answer. original addition was "This solution will not work as Ctrl-Alt-Backspace does not work in Ubuntu by default."

[Vass]

@RedGrittyBrick, I tried this on Ubuntu 10.04 LTS, where I had to create an xorg.conf file and just had a file with this line on it, and it did not work. What could have gone wrong?

[user5249203]

@Vass: Since you'll need to provide details of your config file, your screen resolutions, what exactly is meant by "did not work" etc - it would probably be best to ask this as a separate question.

[Vass]

@RedGrittyBrick, I have asked the question in this link, askubuntu.com/q/112937/1935 any assistance would be appreciated. Do you think that the question needs improvement?

[user5249203]

@Vass: see my answer there

[Admin]

Thank You!!! My problems regarding not seeing the bottom of the screen on my wee Asus netbook with Ububtu 10.4 installed are sorted by holding down the ALT key and left mouse simultaneously and then moving the awkward window using the mouse pad. It's wonderfully life affirming to receive and share advice! Thanks again.

[user3781174]

And the file continue to show Descrição instead of Descricao.

[SirDarius]

that's another problem then. What's the encoding of your text file, and the encoding of your PHP file ?

[user3781174]

Well I use notepad++, and I create my php file with charset ISO-8859-1, and the text file is created in windows 7, I can see the encoding the text file, but If I try to save this text in another location the encoding showing is ANSI

[SirDarius]

Also, I suppose the $newcontent variable has been initialized before. Because it is an error to concatenate to a non-existing variable.