having a small size window for FM

When I go to preferences > Display > untick 'full screen' I get a message saying 'changing screen settings failed. Please check your system supports the requirements' (or something similar). I'm using Vista, and have changed the screen resolution etc but still the same message. How do I set it up for a smaller screen?

Cheers.

When I go to preferences > Display > untick 'full screen' I get a message saying 'changing screen settings failed. Please check your system supports the requirements' (or something similar). I'm using Vista, and have changed the screen resolution etc but still the same message. How do I set it up for a smaller screen?

Cheers.

From The Dugout:

1. Make sure your screen resolution is at a minimum 1024*768.

2. Right click then on the FM shortcut on your desktop and choose "properties" from the menu that appears.

3. In the field marked "target" write this "C:\Program Files\Sports Interactive\Football Manager 2008\fm.exe" -windowed -small_screen

4. Click apply then ok.

5. Start the game via that shortcut.

6. Go the game preferences screen and under display and sound, un-check the option to play in 'full screen' mode.

Any particular reason you didn't do a search before posting? A search for 'Vista windowed mode' returns 5 threads. Not too hard to find the answer in one of those to be honest.

isuckatfm -

Perhaps because AlbanianVictimAgain is a relatively new user? Not everybody will be aware of the general etiquette around here so you have to afford them some time to settle in and gently point them in the right direction without being too hard on them.

Any particular reason you didn't do a search before posting? A search for 'Vista windowed mode' returns 5 threads. Not too hard to find the answer in one of those to be honest.

I don't know to be honest! Was on here, thought I'd ask, but usually do search such things..

Ta for the help tho

Edit: Ahh you meant search on this site.. of course! I'll bear it in mind in future!

originally posted by Neil Dejoythin:-

isuckatfm -

Perhaps because AlbanianVictimAgain is a relatively new user? Not everybody will be aware of the general etiquette around here so you have to afford them some time to settle in and gently point them in the right direction without being too hard on them.

Fair enough.

@ AlbanianVictimAgain

In case you haven't found the solution yet this seems to work for most Vista users (don't have Vista so can't really help with the path names etc. if they don't make sense to you)

Using Vista:

1. Go to to the Games Explorer (Games on the start menu or All Programs > Games > Game Explorer).

2. Find the Football Manager 2008 icon, right click it and choose Customize.

3. Click Play (Football Manager 2008) to select it, and then click the Edit button.

4. In the field marked "target" write this "C:\Program Files\Sports Interactive\Football Manager 2008\fm.exe" -windowed -small_screen

5. Click Apply then OK.

6. Start the game via that shortcut.

Cheers, it works, but I can't load my current game from my shortcut! The menu screen is nice and small tho.. Does it only work with games you save in this size?

Don't really understand what you mean by you can't load your current game.

When you click on the shortcut it should open FM to the main menu (via the splash screens) and from there select 'Load Game' which should open your user folder from which you can select whichever game you want to load.

Making it run in windowed mode should have no impact on this as far as I know :confused:.

Don't really understand what you mean by you can't load your current game.

When you click on the shortcut it should open FM to the main menu (via the splash screens) and from there select 'Load Game' which should open your user folder from which you can select whichever game you want to load.

Making it run in windowed mode should have no impact on this as far as I know :confused:.

Yes, that's what I'm doing. Comes up in the smaller size, click either 'load last game' or select the same file from the load menu and I get an error saying 'Game could not be loaded'. Am loading it off an external HDD, and yes, the shortcut is to that. I've even tried putting the shortcut on the HDD but to no avail.

Sorry mate but the language you are using is confusing.

In the previous post I posted the shortcut is to the actual FM 2008 program application file and not to a specific save game file (as far as I know). The save game not loading is most likely unrelated.

Does the game you are loading from your external drive work when you remove the windowed mode changes you made? If so I have no explanation for why that is but since I don't have Vista it's difficult for me to comment as I know the way it manages games/shortcuts is different to XP.

Maybe someone with Vista will chime in on this.

Yes the shortcut is to the application, and yes it works fine without the changes.. Sorry for the language, it is a bit confusing when I read it back. Thanks a lot for your help tho, much appreciated.. I'll sit and tinker with it for a bit..

originally posted by AlbanianVictimAgain:-

Yes the shortcut is to the application, and yes it works fine without the changes.. Sorry for the language, it is a bit confusing when I read it back. Thanks a lot for your help tho, much appreciated.. I'll sit and tinker with it for a bit..[/b]

That is very strange. As I said I didn't think this could have any effect on windowed mode but I would guess it has something to do with how Vista works as I am 99.99% certain that the actual save game file does not save any reference to settings so changing to windowed mode shouldn't affect this.

Post back if you figure it out

Cracked it.. Like a dumbass, I was just copying the text line that dontcallitsoccer and isuckatfm posted into the shortcut target.. but my FM aint in C:! It's in F:! always something so simple. Working a treat now, thanks for your help guys.

Good stuff