Changing Screen Resolution of Computer using python

Question

I'm creating a python program that is supposed to streamline the process of setting up a computer. I want this python program to change the screen resolution of the computer and scaling of it. I'm not sure what the best approach is however, or how to approach it.

I've tried using an example pywin32 program, but it only outputted an array of resolution sizes

learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/desktop/api/winuser/…

user2357112
– user2357112

2019-01-18 21:45:04 +00:00
Commented Jan 18, 2019 at 21:45 — user2357112
– user2357112, Commented Jan 18, 2019 at 21:45

Open AI - Opting Out · Accepted Answer · 2019-01-18 22:42:59Z

4

I had a look how to change screen resolution using C++ and then translated it to Python:

import win32api
import win32con
import pywintypes

devmode = pywintypes.DEVMODEType()

devmode.PelsWidth = 1366
devmode.PelsHeight = 768

devmode.Fields = win32con.DM_PELSWIDTH | win32con.DM_PELSHEIGHT

win32api.ChangeDisplaySettings(devmode, 0)

We needed a DEVMODE object to pass to the ChangeDisplaySettings function. The pywintypes module which is also part of pywin32 has a function to create objects of type DEVMODE.

We then set the PelsWidth and PelsHeight fields and also the Fields field to tell the API which field's values we want to use.

To change back to the previous resolution, simply call:

win32api.ChangeDisplaySettings(None, 0)

Thanks for asking the question. I've learned something.

answered Jan 18, 2019 at 22:42

Open AI - Opting Out

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4 Comments

BChiu Over a year ago

what is the purpose of 0 in the line "win32api.ChangeDisplaySettings(None, 0)"

Open AI - Opting Out Over a year ago

@BrandonChiu the linked documentation explains the flag means: "The graphics mode for the current screen will be changed dynamically". However, I don't know what that means. Looking at the other possible values for the flag, it seems the other options are to store the value in the registry, test whether settings are valid, only apply on restart, and change which is the primary screen, etc. So I imagine 0 really means "don't change anything else and make it temporary".

BChiu Over a year ago

In the documentation it notes , that "CDS_GLOBAL" can be set as one of the flags.I tried replacing 0 with that flag, and pycharm throws me an unresolved reference. Is there an additional import I should be doing and/or process? Thanks

Open AI - Opting Out Over a year ago

@BrandonChiu CDS_GLOBAL is defined in the same place as DM_PELSWIDTH and DM_PELSHEIGHT in win32con. Its value is 8.

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