Persistent taskbar in Windows 7 after using switches

[spiffus 2]

Okay, so first let me start off by saying, I'm sure that this problem is my fault.

A few weeks ago, I was having problems in SimCity 4 Deluxe. I had installed it on my new computer running Windows 7 x64 Ultimate with a 256 MB video card, and I was trying to migrate my old cities and plugins. Well, of course, it caused some problems, including the bug where education funding drops for all schools every month, as well as some crashes to desktop. I tried a variety of the suggestions here, including starting the game with various switches, and no dice. I finally decided to just build from scratch and forget about resurrecting my old cities (less headaches).

The game has been functioning just fine lately, as far as I can tell, except that now when I play, the Windows taskbar remains visible when I play SimCity4 Deluxe. I can set it to autohide as a workaround, but it would be nice if there was a way to get that off the screen again.

Unfortunately, I don't remember with 100% certainty all the switches I used, but here are the ones I do recall, to the best of my knowledge:

/c Start "high priority sc4" /high

-Intro:off

-CPUCount:1

-EH:off

I had created a new shortcut with the switches included, and modified one way or the other, but finally decided to go back to the original game shortcut (with no switches) and, in a move of utter brilliance, deleted the shortcut with the switches.

My current system configuration is:

Windows 7 x64 Ultimate

AMD Phenom 9550

5 GB RAM

GeForce 9300GE 256 MB

For SimCity4 Deluxe:

EP1 update installed

Compatibility for Windows XP SP3 and "Run as administrator"

Thanks for reading through this! If y'all have any suggestions, that would be most groovy! If not, no worries - I made my bed, so I can lie in it. At least I didn't hose the game!

Jeff

  Edited August 27, 2011 by spiffus  

[CaptCity 4,669]

Just as a possibility, you might be in windowed mode. Had you ever used the -w on your shortcut? You might try adding -f to it. Once the game has been set to Windowed mode, you must use the -f to turn it off, even if you removed the -w. Just a thought...

[spiffus 2]

Just as a possibility, you might be in windowed mode. Had you ever used the -w on your shortcut? You might try adding -f to it. Once the game has been set to Windowed mode, you must use the -f to turn it off, even if you removed the -w. Just a thought...

CaptCity,

That was the right thought! I added that switch and it fixed it - thank you!

One last question - is there a master list of switches to add to the game executable? No biggie, but I was curious and didn't find one on my searches (which were lacking, I'm sure).

Thanks again!

Jeff

[CaptCity 4,669]

Glad that worked for you...

One last question - is there a master list of switches to add to the game executable? No biggie, but I was curious and didn't find one on my searches (which were lacking, I'm sure).

This list is one I'm familiar with. I know there's another somewhere, but I don't have the link handy. I'll post if I find it...

[Yarahi 1,816]

Oh! That will be useful. Thanks for posting that list CaptCity.. have been looking for something like that recently.

A sort of related question: When running in windowed mode, is it possible to make the window bigger than 800x600?

[CaptCity 4,669]

Oh! That will be useful. Thanks for posting that list CaptCity.. have been looking for something like that recently.

A sort of related question: When running in windowed mode, is it possible to make the window bigger than 800x600?

I know I need to have the screen resolution set larger than the game resolution to see the window effect. Otherwise, I get the same screen as Spifuss's original issue with the task bar because the "window" fills the whole screen. Is that what you were asking about?

[Yarahi 1,816]

Oh! That will be useful. Thanks for posting that list CaptCity.. have been looking for something like that recently.

A sort of related question: When running in windowed mode, is it possible to make the window bigger than 800x600?

I know I need to have the screen resolution set larger than the game resolution to see the window effect. Otherwise, I get the same screen as Spifuss's original issue with the task bar because the "window" fills the whole screen. Is that what you were asking about?

Ok. I don't have that problem with the resolution.. When I add -w to my target I get the game to run in a normal window no problems..

WhaT I essentially want is to have that window fit my screen, and have the task bar avaliable. As of right now; the window only covers 1/3 of my screen

[CaptCity 4,669]

Ok. I don't have that problem with the resolution.. When I add -w to my target I get the game to run in a normal window no problems..

WhaT I essentially want is to have that window fit my screen, and have the task bar avaliable. As of right now; the window only covers 1/3 of my screen.

Oh, I was thinking you were asking the opposite... Well, I have an old-fashioned monitor, so if I want window mode to fill the screen except for the task bar, I run the game at the same resolution as my monitor resolution. I usually have both set at 1024x768. At these settings, the game fills the screen but leaves the task bar. Perhaps using the custom resolution command option with your screen's resolution will give the same result. For example:

-w -CustomResolution:enabled -r###x###x32 (where ### are your screen settings)

[Yarahi 1,816]

Ah, yes! That worked Thank you CaptCity!

Was my next thought to try that when I looked at the list you provided, but thought I might as well ask when I was here

  Edited August 28, 2011 by yarahi