ZOOM setting reminder ?

[crabby3]

Occasionally I have to set my zoom to higher than normal.  Usually because, for some reason, the site or author has chosen to use a microscopic serif font and the letters look all globbed together at only 100%.      You've probably seen this?    Talk about asthenopia eyestrain.   

Because of this seldom use... I don't always remember to reset back to 100%.      Mainly because there's no obvious indication on IE that I've changed the zoom.   

I'm looking for a very easy to use and understand program(?)    I'm not sure if this needs to be a program.     Something as easy as mousers SC maybe? 

I'm not always plugged into my modem so if it started when I launch IE, and stopped when I close it, would be great.   

And, of cource, there needs to be an indicator that automatically appears somewhere noticable when I first change the zoom.  One that's always on top and stays pinned.   

Freeware is preferred but not necessary.        Sound familiar to anyone?   

[IainB]

I am not all that familiar with Internet Explorer, but I just now verified that this works in my verison of Internet Explorer (IE9). At a guess, it would probably be a standard for most browsers/versions.

To get full control as you seem to need here, all you have to do is use these keys as described:

• Set Zoom to 100%: To set/restore the zoom level to 100% - either use menu items View | Zoom | 100%, or (much quicker) - press and hold the Ctrl key and then press the "0" (Zero) key once.
• Zoom Up: When you want to enlarge a particular page, press and hold the Ctrl key and then press the "+" (Plus) key once. That will zoom your page view up a step each time you press the "+" key. If you keep the "+" key held down it will step up through each zoom from where you were up to the highest zoom level.
• Zoom Down: When you want to diminish a particular page, press and hold the Ctrl key and then press the "-" (Minus) key once. That will zoom your page view down a step each time you press the "-" key. If you keep the "-" key held down it will step down through each zoom from where you were down to the lowest zoom level.
• Restore 100% Zoom: To restore any page view (whether enlarged or diminished) to 100% zoom level, press and hold the Ctrl key and then press the "0" (Zero) key once.

If you have zoomed a web page view up or down in a tabbed view, then each time you load another URL (address) into the same tab, the view will be maintained at that zoom level until you press "Ctrl and 0" together (as above).
If you have zoomed a web page view up or down in a tabbed view, and you open another tabbed view of another web page, then the default (100%) zoom level should automatically be applied. (I say "should", because I seem to recall having read somewhere that there might be a way to change this default behaviour.)

You can also zoom in and out by pressing the Ctrl key down whilst mouse-scrolling Up or Down, but this can be a bit laggy/jerky and imprecise (you don't necessarily know what % zoom level it is at), and it can sometimes induce motion sickness in some people.

[kunkel321]

press and hold the Ctrl key and then press the "0" (Zero) key once.

-IainB (January 27, 2012, 07:09 PM)

This is my new favorite thing!!!

[IainB]

Yes, one of my favourites too - it's much-used by me.
A real timesaver.     

[Stoic Joker]

I am not all that familiar with Internet Explorer, but I just now verified that this works in my verison of Internet Explorer (IE9). At a guess, it would probably be a standard for most browsers/versions.

-IainB (January 27, 2012, 07:09 PM)

Yes, I've been using many of these since IE7. I actually like the Ctrl + Mouse wheel to zoom quickly, and then Ctrl + 0 (not the Num Pad one - It don't work) to get back to "normal".

They also mentioned wanting a "Zoom Indicator". Enable view statusbar and it will be in the bottom right-hand corner.

[IainB]

@Stoic Joker: I hadn't noticed the zoom level display in the bottom right-hand corner of the statusbar in IE9.
That looks kinda nice-to-have (not "highly desirable", to me), but there's nothing similar for "zoom" that I can find in the Firefox about:config page.
So I hunted about and found the add-on: NoSquint
After installing, it gives the zoom readout in the bottom RHS (in the stausbar). It has an added bonus - for me - in that it gives you the ability to set the rules for background colour and text colour and zoom defaults, by site or globally for all sites, and set exceptions to those rules.

It works great. I've been looking for something like this for a while now!    
I often prefer to have a black background and green glowing text - like the old IBM 3270 "green screen" terminals. I had only been able to get it on Chromium so far.
If Firefox were being used, then this could be just the ticket for @crabby3, as the opening post says:

...I don't always remember to reset back to 100%.

If Firefox were being used with NoSquint, then you could set the zoom level for specific web pages, and never need to bother resetting zoom to 100%. Set and forget.

Something new learned again today.

[crabby3]

I am not all that familiar with Internet Explorer, but I just now verified that this works in my verison of Internet Explorer (IE9). At a guess, it would probably be a standard for most browsers/versions.

To get full control as you seem to need here, all you have to do is use these keys as described:

• Set Zoom to 100%: To set/restore the zoom level to 100% - either use menu items View | Zoom | 100%, or (much quicker) - press and hold the Ctrl key and then press the "0" (Zero) key once.
• Zoom Up: When you want to enlarge a particular page, press and hold the Ctrl key and then press the "+" (Plus) key once. That will zoom your page view up a step each time you press the "+" key. If you keep the "+" key held down it will step up through each zoom from where you were up to the highest zoom level.
• Zoom Down: When you want to diminish a particular page, press and hold the Ctrl key and then press the "-" (Minus) key once. That will zoom your page view down a step each time you press the "-" key. If you keep the "-" key held down it will step down through each zoom from where you were down to the lowest zoom level.
• Restore 100% Zoom: To restore any page view (whether enlarged or diminished) to 100% zoom level, press and hold the Ctrl key and then press the "0" (Zero) key once.

If you have zoomed a web page view up or down in a tabbed view, then each time you load another URL (address) into the same tab, the view will be maintained at that zoom level until you press "Ctrl and 0" together (as above).
If you have zoomed a web page view up or down in a tabbed view, and you open another tabbed view of another web page, then the default (100%) zoom level should automatically be applied. (I say "should", because I seem to recall having read somewhere that there might be a way to change this default behaviour.)

You can also zoom in and out by pressing the Ctrl key down whilst mouse-scrolling Up or Down, but this can be a bit laggy/jerky and imprecise (you don't necessarily know what % zoom level it is at), and it can sometimes induce motion sickness in some people.

-IainB (January 27, 2012, 07:09 PM)

Thank you, IainB, for your Richly Detailed explanation. I grabbed it with SC and sent to my desktop for future (probably today)reference.    If this seems weird... please see bio (paragraph 4) Some things sink-in instantly... others bounce off a few times. I blame my gene pool  

I found the Ctrl + Mouse-wheel, in your last paragragh, at another forum. I didn't join or post... just read other posts. Boy... what a site that was.      Very unfriendly looking... compared to DC. Maybe it was the color scheme. Like a bathroom with orange and green tiles. (My apologies if anyone has this)  The URL was something like 'WinHelpMePleasePleasePlease...'  

P.S.  I'm still learning the proper way to post, so please excuse my lack of complete information. I use IE9.

BTW  It's not obvious, to me anyway, why would someone choose to continue using an older version of IE?  

[crabby3]

They also mentioned wanting a "Zoom Indicator". Enable view statusbar and it will be in the bottom right-hand corner.
[/quote]

Hi, Stoic Joker, I have IE9 but I can't seem to locate your suggested setting.     Is it in Internet Options/Advanced?  

Sometimes... Windows and I don't see eye-to-eye about how to word stuff... so I may be staring right at it. Is it listed as 'Enable view statusbar?  



What happened to my 'Quote'?  What did I do wrong? 

[Ath]

why would someone choose to continue using an older version of IE?

-crabby3 (January 28, 2012, 05:06 AM)

Because of the silly/stupid behavior of the 'security system' warning me about every download I want to do "This might be unsafe". Usually I just say/cry F.I., I know what I'm doing, don't bother me with that. That's the main reason I use Firefox. It just works.
Older versions (currently IE8) also don't have so much trouble handling the OCX-ridden page I have to use at work for hours-spent registration. Though it seems to work with IE9, as others are forced on IE9 with their new laptops.

IE9 treats me like a child/no-brainer, and that's what I don't accept, with 27+ years in the IT business

[IainB]

BTW  It's not obvious, to me anyway, why would someone choose to continue using an older version of IE?   

-crabby3 (January 28, 2012, 05:06 AM)

As @Ath indicates, it's not always by choice that people continue using an older version of IE.
In any event, it's generally not a safe assumption that people have the latest (or for that matter any particular) version of software.

By the way, I omitted to mention in my post that, in Firefox, pressing Ctrl+Shift+"+"keys together zooms the text only, whereas Ctrl+"+" keys zoom text and images.

[Stoic Joker]

Hi, Stoic Joker, I have IE9 but I can't seem to locate your suggested setting.      Is it in Internet Options/Advanced?   

Sometimes... Windows and I don't see eye-to-eye about how to word stuff... so I may be staring right at it. Is it listed as 'Enable view statusbar?

-crabby3 (January 28, 2012, 05:58 AM)

Yes, kinda

In the IE9 menu it is: View->Toolbars->Statusbar

Note: I only brought up the older versions of IE earlier because IainB seemed to be pondering (aloud) how long the hotkeyed zoom feature had been available.

[Stoic Joker]

By the way, I omitted to mention in my post that, in Firefox, pressing Ctrl+Shift+"+"keys together zooms the text only, whereas Ctrl+"+" keys zoom text and images.

-IainB (January 28, 2012, 06:20 AM)

That could be quite handy for sites with many/large pictures for reading small fonted comments.

[IainB]

That could be quite handy for sites with many/large pictures for reading small fonted comments.

-Stoic Joker (January 28, 2012, 10:23 AM)

It's certainly handy. I like it because I am generally likely to be more interested in the text than the pictures. If a web page is too "noisy" with pix or ads., then I usually resort to reading it via the FF add-on Firefox Reader.   

@crabby3: This could be useful info. if you spend much time in the IE9 browser - Internet Explorer 9 keyboard shortcuts
It includes the Zoom controls (i.e., Ctrl+Plus, etc.).

[crabby3]

Hi, Stoic Joker, I have IE9 but I can't seem to locate your suggested setting.     Is it in Internet Options/Advanced?  

Sometimes... Windows and I don't see eye-to-eye about how to word stuff... so I may be staring right at it. Is it listed as 'Enable view statusbar?

-crabby3 (January 28, 2012, 05:58 AM)

Yes, kinda

In the IE9 menu it is: View->Toolbars->Statusbar

Note: I only brought up the older versions of IE earlier because IainB seemed to be pondering (aloud) how long the hotkeyed zoom feature had been available.

-Stoic Joker (January 28, 2012, 10:17 AM)

I found it, Stoic Joker, although I think it was another way?      I right clicked the top of the window and a context menu appeared; and there it was, Status bar, the 4th whatever bar down.     I clicked it and Bam!, thanks Emeril , there it was in the bottom right-hand corner... just like you said it would be.  

The only reason I included the IE9... was to save you the time/trouble of having to scroll around looking for what version I had.     I didn't mean anything by it.  

[crabby3]

That could be quite handy for sites with many/large pictures for reading small fonted comments.

-Stoic Joker (January 28, 2012, 10:23 AM)

It's certainly handy. I like it because I am generally likely to be more interested in the text than the pictures. If a web page is too "noisy" with pix or ads., then I usually resort to reading it via the FF add-on Firefox Reader.   

@crabby3: This could be useful info. if you spend much time in the IE9 browser - Internet Explorer 9 keyboard shortcuts
It includes the Zoom controls (i.e., Ctrl+Plus, etc.).

-IainB (January 28, 2012, 07:54 PM)

Thanks for the link, IainB, it now resides on my desktop.      I thought I had found all of Windows' Help pages but I don't recall seeing this one.      Thanks again!   

[johngalt]

Sorry to resurrect this, but if you go into IE 9's Settings --> Advanced tab --> Under the Accessibility section, you have 2 options:

• Reset test size to medium for new windows and tabs
• Reset zoom level for new windows and tabs

Enable both and you should be good, other than having to manually increase zoom level every time.  I suppose this would be most beneficial if you rarely increase the zoom level and least beneficial if you always increase the zoo level.

HTH

[IainB]

...if you go into IE 9's Settings --> Advanced tab --> Under the Accessibility section, you have 2 options:

• Reset test size to medium for new windows and tabs
• Reset zoom level for new windows and tabs

Enable both and you should be good, other than having to manually increase zoom level every time.  I suppose this would be most beneficial if you rarely increase the zoom level and least beneficial if you always increase the zoo level.

-johngalt (February 17, 2012, 12:36 AM)

Ah! Thanks for the tip @johngalt! That was what had been nagging me in the back of my mind when I wrote:

(... I seem to recall having read somewhere that there might be a way to change this default behaviour.)

-IainB (January 27, 2012, 07:09 PM)

@crabby3 might be able to make use of that tip.

(I rarely use IE9 and am relatively ignorant about such tips.)

[crabby3]

Sorry to resurrect this, but if you go into IE 9's Settings --> Advanced tab --> Under the Accessibility section, you have 2 options:

• Reset test size to medium for new windows and tabs
• Reset zoom level for new windows and tabs

Enable both and you should be good, other than having to manually increase zoom level every time.  I suppose this would be most beneficial if you rarely increase the zoom level and least beneficial if you always increase the zoo level.

HTH

-johngalt (February 17, 2012, 12:36 AM)

No need to be sorry for reviving a post, johngalt, no matter how old it is.  Future viewers may find your additional info more useful than the other replies.      Besides... what's the point in starting a New Topic about an older one that's already here?   

Thanks for your new info... but I'm currently using IainB's solution.  Please see Reply #1... bullets 1 & 2.   

[ppass]

Although your question was for IE, FF+NoSquint is an obvious choice.

You may also consider automatically removing a page's useless stuff like ads / banners and displaying the text in the font of your choice. Use www.readability.com for that.