iRotate Online Documentation

iRotate

2006.11.16

Program and documentation Copyright (c) 1995-2006, EnTech Taiwan. All Rights Reserved.

## Contents

· About iRotate

· Using iRotate to change display orientation

· Using a single copy of iRotate to support multiple users

· Using iRotate hotkeys

· Using iRotate command-line parameters

· Hardware and operating system compatibility

· Support and troubleshooting

## About iRotate

iRotate provides control over screen orientation via an easy-to-use menu on the Windows taskbar system tray and system-wide hotkeys.

## Using iRotate to change screen orientation

iRotate works very much like other applets that reside on the Windows system tray, providing quick and easy control over screen orientation to multiple monitors from a simple menu that pops up from the system tray; screen rotation is also available via system-wide hotkeys.

## Using a single copy of iRotate to support multiple users

iRotate stores its configuration information in a discrete iRotate.ini file in the current directory, rather than the directory where the iRotate program itself resides. This allows a single copy of the program to support multiple users, since each user can have their own configuration file. If iRotate is launched from a standard Windows shortcut, the location of the configuration file can be specified in the “Start in” field. However, when calling iRotate from batch files and scripts, care much be taken to switch the active directory to the user’s directory before calling iRotate. Note the difference between the two examples below.

Example 1 – correct use:

In the example below, the iRotate.exe program is in N:\shared and the iRotate.ini configuration file is in C:\user:

c:\

cd\user

n:\shared\iRotate.exe

Example 2 – incorrect use:

In the example below, the iRotate.exe program is in N:\shared and the iRotate.ini configuration file is stored wherever the current directory happens to be:

n:\shared\iRotate.exe

Example 3 – correct use specifying a configuration file:

In the example below, the iRotate.exe program is in N:\shared and iRotate uses h:\users\ john_doe.ini as its configuration file:

n:\shared\iRotate.exe /ini= h:\users\john_doe.ini

## Using iRotate hotkeys

In addition to selecting iRotate commands from the menu, the program recognizes a set of system-wide hotkeys that allow you to rotate the display. By default, the program recognizes the following base keys:

# Ctrl+Alt+Up ; normal landscape screen orientation

# Ctrl+Alt+Left ; 90 degree screen orientation

# Ctrl+Alt+Down ; 180 degree screen orientation

# Ctrl+Alt+Right ; 270 degree screen orientation

A separate set of hotkeys, using the common base, are recognized for each monitor in a multimonitor array:

# Ctrl+Alt+key ; monitor #1

# Ctrl+Shift+key ; monitor #2

# Alt+Shift+key ; monitor #3

# CapLock+Ctrl+Alt+key ; monitor #4

# CapLock+Ctrl+Shift+key ; monitor #5

# CapLock+Alt+Shift+key ; monitor #6

# ScrollLock+Ctrl+Alt+key ; monitor #7

# ScrollLock+Ctrl+Shift+key ; monitor #8

# ScrollLock+Alt+Shift+key ; monitor #9

See the sections below on ini switches for information on how to redefine the base keys.

## Using iRotate command-line parameters

In addition to selecting iRotate commands from the menu, the program supports command-line parameters that allow you to call iRotate functions on start-up and from elsewhere in Windows at any time.

In the absence of special command-line parameters, when iRotate is started it normally checks your current display settings and then simply resides in the Windows system tray awaiting user interaction. However, the program will also process certain command-line parameters you may choose to pass it, either when iRotate is first started or while the program is already running. This feature allows parents and administrators to change screen orientation for specific users on startup, and allows you to create shortcuts anywhere (on the Windows desktop or in the Start menu, for example) that call specific iRotate functions.

iRotate is normally started with the command iRotate.exe. To pass command-line parameters to the program, you might add, for example, "/rotate=90" to the command-line, as follows:

Rotating the display:

iRotate.exe /rotate=90

where 90 is new screen orientation; other values are 0, 180 and 270.

Manipulating a specific monitor (multi-monitor):

iRotate.exe /3:rotate=90

where “rotate=90” indicates the screen should be rotated 90 degress. 3, the very first number followed by a colon, tells iRotate to apply these settings to the third monitor in a multi-monitor environment. Again: if a monitor is not specified, the display settings are applied to the primary monitor.

Non-resident changes:

iRotate.exe /rotate=270 /exit

Normally when iRotate is run, it resides in the Windows system tray. However, it can also be passed a desired screen orientation and instructed to exit immediately after applying changes. If you never want iRotate to appear and stay resident on the system tray, append an /exit parameter.

iRotate.ini switches

# Aside from installation data, iRotate stores all its settings in a private ini file. Global options are stored under the [Options] section name:

[Options] ; global options

# Language=0 ; always use English strings – default is the Windows Language ID

# DisableOptions=0 ; disable options to prevent changes by users – off (0) by default

# Quiet=0 ; disable warning and status message boxes – off (0) by default

# Hotkeys=1 ; enable rotation and gamma hotkeys – on (1) by default

# Rotation=1 ; enable rotation options – on (1) by default

Hotkeys can be redefined to suit user preferences and eliminate conflicts with other programs. Hotkeys are specified using a decimal value that represents the Windows scan code, e.g., F1 is VK_F1 or 112 decimal. The default assignments are listed below:

[Hotkeys] ; base hotkey section

# Rotate_0=38 ; standard landscape mode – Up by default

# Rotate_90=37 ; rotate 90 degrees – Left by default

# Rotate_180=40 ; rotate 180 degrees – Down by default

# Rotate_270=39 ; rotate 270 degrees – Right by default

# Rotate_180=0 ; disable hotkeys for 180 degrees

##
Hardware and operating system compatibility

Not all display drivers and operating systems support the features in iRotate. Screen rotation requires a multi-monitor enabled operating system like Windows 98/Me, Windows 2000 or XP. Moreover, not all graphics adapters and drivers provide native support for rotation yet. Usually, the latest available display driver will need to be obtained directly from the manufacturer in order to use this feature. Drivers included "in the box" with Windows do not support rotation, so it is absolutely essential to obtain updated drivers. A list of confirmed drivers and links to them is available in the iRotate technical support forum.

## Support and troubleshooting

If you are having problems using iRotate:

· Confirm that your monitor, graphics adapter and display driver support the feature

· Confirm that you have installed the latest display drivers for your graphics adapter

· Confirm that you are using the latest version of iRotate

Additional help and information on the latest available release is available in the iRotate technical support forum.