Calculator: Option to save the current size of the calculator as "user preferred" size and have a way for the user to instantly resize the calculator to their "user preferred" size.

[drizo72]

Problem Statement
If a user intentionally or unintentionally resizes the calculator and then closes it, there is no way for them to automatically resize the calculator to the size their were using before.

Evidence or User Insights
"I accidentally resized my calculator. Now I can't undo this back to the optimal size I like it to be."

Proposal
Please add an option for the user to be able to save their preferred calculator size. The size could be limited to several options e.g. Half the screen, a quarter of the screen or just save the current size as default. In order for the user to select their preferred default size, they could click on max button or hit a shortcut key.

Goals
The goal is for the user to be able to use the calculator in the same fashion it uses it on their desktop: The calculator is always ready to be used, lying around on the desktop, never taking the entire working area and never surprising the user by starting in a size that is not comfortable to use.

Requested Assignment
I'm just suggesting this idea. I don't want to implement it.

[grochocki]

Thanks for the feature suggestion! We have a process in place for feature suggestions that impact the end-user experience, which includes a template that helps frame the feature pitch. Please update using that template.

[MicrosoftIssueBot]

This is your friendly Microsoft Issue Bot. I've seen this issue come in and have gone to tell a human about it.

[drizo72]

Thanks for the feature suggestion! We have a process in place for feature suggestions that impact the end-user experience, which includes a template that helps frame the feature pitch. Please update using that template.

Hi Dave,

I've updated my feature request as per the template. Hopefully, I am doing this the right way...

BR

Dimitris

[DragoCubed]

Would this be like PiP or aero snap? As far as I know, the solution to the problem would be either PiP, not maximising, or snapping the window.

[drizo72]

Users are accustomed to maximize their windows. So clicking "maximize" should mean to them: "Arrange my calculator to its default size".

So my answer is option b, not maximizing.

[msftbot[bot]]

This pitch looks like it has everything it needs for review. In the meantime, we'll keep this idea open for discussion so the community has the chance to provide feedback. Check out our New Feedback Process for more info on the user-centered process we follow for new feature development.

[mdtauk]

How would the Calculator work in Tablet Mode with a fixed maximum size?

Does this maximum size take into account the current DPI scaling? So the window size is in epx rather than pixels?

If there is no Maximise, it will need a new AppWindow type, one more like a dialog box with only Minimise and Close buttons. Not sure that UWP has that support yet.

Or if Maximise is to be supported, but then a maximum size for the keypad itself? Maybe the ability to drag/move the keypad around the bottom of the window could be added? Tablet mode could use this also.

[drizo72]

Clicking the maximize button should resize the calculator window to the max window size option chosen by the user.

Same applies for tablet mode. In tablet mode, the user should tap on maximize (or doubletap) to resize the calculator to the desired maximum size. Once maxed to desired size, the typical use case for the calculator in tablet mode would be to drag it around, eg on top of an another maximized app, in an "always on top" always visible mode and tap on the buttons, like a physical calculator lying around a desk.

[mdtauk]

Clicking the maximize button should resize the calculator window to the max window size option chosen by the user.

This would be different behaviour from every other Windows app

Same applies for tablet mode. In tablet mode, the user should tap on maximize (or doubletap) to resize the calculator to the desired maximum size. Once maxed to desired size, the typical use case for the calculator in tablet mode would be to drag it around, eg on top of an another maximized app, in an "always on top" always visible mode and tap on the buttons, like a physical calculator lying around a desk.

In Tablet Mode every app is Full Screen or Maximised by default.

The Pin an app on top you describe is a Picture in Picture window. UWP calls this a CompactOverlay window. You set a size ApplicationViewMode.CompactOverlay.CustomSize = new Windows.Foundation.Size(320, 200);

The documentation for this is lacking.

Min size is 150epx x 150epx.

Max size is min(500epx, half the width in pixels of the screen the window is on) x min(500epx, half the height in pixels of the screen the window is on)

What may be needed is customisable Min and Max sizes, to achieve what you want, but in Tablet Mode, you still have a problem with all apps being full screen. And changing the window from a standard one to a CompactOverlay one requires a user to perform an action to switch modes.

What you are asking for would break the app in a lot of situations, where there are mechanisms to almost achieve most of what you want right now. But this is a possible option for the new Windowing APIs and Models which will come to WinUI 3.0 and beyond, so you may want to post an issue there asking for the kind of window and behaviour you want, to be added.

[drizo72]

Will investigate further what you are proposing.

Yet, this could initially be available only in desktop mode (mouse or touch), leaving tablet mode operation work as is.

If max button is not an option, then predefined calculator fixed sizes option should be available in settings. If fixed sizes operation is selected, then no maximize button should be available on the calculator window, only minimize.

I believe this will significantly improve calculator's usability for the majority of the use cases.

[DragoCubed]

As a workaround, you could use Sizer 4 from brianapps. I use it somewhat often and it's a must have for me. I can hit win + ctrl + z and then choose the size and/or location.

[drizo72]

There are several workarounds one could try but I am mostly interested to see the open source calculator to be the calculator that people are happy with.

One of the most frequent complaints is its size. What I am proposing is fairly easy to implement. Windows calculator needs to have fixed size operation option, at least in desktop mode.

Here are some comments of users regarding the current Windows 10 calculator:
"_the [Windows 10] calculator clearly looks over simplified and very spacey imo_"
"_the new “look” of the calculator isn’t great, but all you need to do is resize it and it looks very much like the old calculator_"

[Poopooracoocoo]

Why don't you just not maximise it? I'm really confused.

Perhaps by default it should be minimum width. It looks like a physical calculator and is what I prefer. I don't know if we can set a default as I think Windows handles that. Or maybe it could show the navigationview while maximised?

Edit:

Users are accustomed to maximize their windows. So clicking "maximize" should mean to them: "Arrange my calculator to its default size".

but that's not what maximise means. Maximise means, well, maximise.

[drizo72]

Check this use scenario. Let's say you start the calculator and then resize it (intentionally or unintentionally) to a custom size.

Then, you close the calculator window.

When you reopen it, it will return to the last size it was when you closed it. There is no way to reopen the calculator in the initial preferred baseline size because, well, such thing does not exist in the calculator.

The only way to do this is to try and resize the calculator back to (approximately) the size you initially wanted it to be. Which, of course, is a tedious manual and time-consuming process for the user trying to do this resize using the mouse every time.

For this purpose, I have proposed the option of having some sort of a predefined max size setting, so as in cases such as this one, the user can click on the max button and have the calculator revert to the standard, baseline, non-full screen size.

[drizo72]

By the way, I see that the calculator does have a minimum allowed standard size. Yet, you can only use that size by manually resizing the calculator window to the smallest allowed size. If you have previously resized it, you cannot revert to that minimum size automatically.

[Poopooracoocoo]

I don't know of any apps that do that. I don't find resizing a window a tedious task but on a touchscreen or touchpad, I can see your point of view.

Thank you for clarifying.

By the way, you haven't specified whether you want to implement this.

While I love options, I think this is too much. As @DragoCubed said, Sizer would be a good solution

[drizo72]

I am really sorry that I confuse you. It was not my intention.

Yes, it is very tedious and annoying especially if you have to do it everytime you open the calculator. Moreover, if you have multiple displays with different DPIs, calculator starts maximized on the lower DPI screen for some reason so you have to do the manual resizing every single time you open it.

How about adding an option to not allow resizing at all? Ie force calculator to its minimum, standard size? Would that be something that could be implemented?

[I-Campbell]

You need a "save perfect size" menu option and "restore perfect size" menu option. If there are other such view preferences, then perhaps "Save perfect view" and "Restore perfect view".
I agree the originally proposed "make the maximise button do something that is different to almost all other windows app" is not a good direction to go.

[drizo72]

That's sounds like a very good solution.

The "perfect view" you mention, is, in fact, the preferred users size. Unfortunately, windows min, max and close buttons are missing this "perfect" view resizing.

That's why I proposed the max button to work like "restore perfect view", which is the maximum allowed size under the specific "restricted/predefined" size mode of operation. Also this operation needs just one click instead of three. Remember that the calculator is supposed to be an instant use tool: You open, type the numbers, calculate and then close or leave open. You need to minimize unnecessary clicks and mouse operations at all costs, otherwise it loses its "instant utility properties" and the user will stop using it altogether. So you open it, and if you find its size a bit impractical, you click on max or hit a shortcut key and the calculator is resized to the preferred size. To extend this a bit, you could even have multiple predefined sizes and each time you hit the shortcut key, you cycle through these sizes.

Would you be willing to implement this if instead of the maximize button, a shortcut key is used in its place for this function?

By the way, what you are proposing could work for both desktop and tablet mode: ie PiP in "perfect view" if user has opted for and has saved a "perfect view" in tablet mode and "restore perfect view" in desktop mode.

[DragoCubed]

Could you please edit your issue to specify whether you want to implement this or not?

[drizo72]

Could you please edit your issue to specify whether you want to implement this or not?

I think I have already done that. Do you ask me if I want to implement this myself?

[DragoCubed]

Yes. The template gives you two options and asks you to remove one IIRC :)

[drizo72]

I do have updated this accordingly. But I guess somebody else could take the lead on this one. I do not know how contribution and development on this kind of project works.

[Poopooracoocoo]

@drizo72

I would like this to be implemented

By who? That's what @DragoCubed is saying.

Here's the template:

**Requested Assignment**
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Some people just want to suggest a feature and let someone else implement it.
Other people want to not only suggest a feature, but implement it as well.
Both scenarios are completely ok. We just want to know which one it is.
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If possible, I would like to implement this.
I'm just suggesting this idea.  I don't want to implement it.

[grochocki]

Thanks for all the great discussion on this idea! We recognize that some users might experience a pain point when trying to resize the Calculator window into an ideal layout, but we have not observed this problem ourselves in usability testing or when analyzing feedback from Feedback Hub. As others have mentioned, we follow the standard windowing behavior observed throughout the OS. We are concerned that changing this behavior in an attempt to fix one issue would introduce a much large usability problem due to inconsistency. Here are a couple notes that may help mitigate this issue further:

• The system automatically remembers the window size when you close an app and will attempt to restore it next time you launch.
• We are adding the ability to pin Calculator on top of other windows, which may help in some scenarios (#78).
• There are third party utilities, like Sizer, that are specialized for custom window resizing, which I encourage you to try out.
• Some of the referenced comments may be referring to an issue where the system was not respecting the default size of apps, resulting in a really big Calculator window. We were seeing feedback about this, but the bug was fixed a while back, and we have not seen any new feedback about Calculator being too big since.

Finally, even though we feel that there is not a clear user need today, that does not mean it is not something we cannot revisit in the future. I encourage you to submit your feature suggestion in Feedback Hub so other Windows users can upvote it. If this gains more traction there, we would be happy to explore this idea further.

[msftbot[bot]]

Thanks again for submitting your idea! However, after reviewing this pitch more closely, we do not believe it is a great fit for the product at this time. Thank you for your contribution to Calculator!

[DragoCubed]

@grochoki Another reason for that feedback may be because Windows upgrades sometimes reset the size,

[grochocki]

Windows upgrades sometimes reset the size

This certainly _shouldn't_ be the case. The issue I mentioned above about the OS not respecting the default size of apps is likely the culprit here. Good news is that this should be fixed in the Windows 10 May 2019 update.