Maximizer

WoW Maximizer 1.4.1
© 2005 Daniel Wesslén, free for any use. 
About

This is a simple program that launches World of Warcraft in windowed mode, removes the window borders and maximizes the game window. It also optionally changes the display resolution.

This servers three purposes:
It makes it possible to run the game in "pseudo-fullscreen" mode on one display and use other programs in another. No need to see that window border all the time.
It makes the game handle popup windows gracefully - instead of switching resolution and minimizing the game the new window will simply show on top of the game window.
It makes it possible to run the game in high resolutions, even when the game itself fails to detect them.
Installation

Put Maximizer.exe and Maximizer.ini in the WoW game directory (same as WoW.exe).

Done. Run Maximizer.exe to launch the game.
Customizing
Open Maximizer.ini, this file controls the behaviour of the program. 
Display mode

To select a custom display mode, set the resolution option.

You may also optionally select a refresh rate and bitdepth, only do this if you know which values to use.

Example 1:
  # use 1600x1200, 32 bits per pixel, any refresh rate
  resolution = 1600x1200

Example 2:
  # use 800x600, 60Hz, 16 bits per pixel
  resolution = 800x600
  frequency = 60
  bpp = 16

Frequency defaults to "anything that works". Bpp defaults to 32bit. Resolution has no default value, the current display mode will be retained if no value is given.
Gamma

If the in-game gamma controls do not work you may try to have Maximizer adjust the gamma of the monitor while the game is running. This may or may not work, but is at least something to try if the game is too dark for you.

The option gamma sets the gamma level of the monitor. It has no default value (if it is not specified the gamma will not be changed) but 1.0 is the "normal" value.
Taskbar

The windows taskbar may be kept visible by setting the taskbar option to 1.

If the taskbar is set to autohide this will not work, you may instead use the option margin to make room around the screen edges. Setting margin to 0,1,0,0 will keep one pixel free under the game window, enough for the autohide taskbar to work. The numbers correspond to the distance from the screen edge at the top, bottom, left, and right edge of the screen, in that order.
Multi-monitor

You can select which monitor the game will use with the device option. It accepts a number corresponding to the numbers shown in Windows Display Properties. The default is to use the primary display, this also corresponds to the value 0.

Example 3:
  # use display 2, do not change display mode
  device = 2

Example 4:
  # use display 1, change display mode to 1024x768
  device = 1
  resolution = 1024x768
Advanced

There are more options than those listed here, run Maximizer.exe -? to see them all.

Options may be specified on the command line or in Maximizer.ini (long form only). Command line options override the config file.
Building

The source code of the program is included for those who do not trust downloaded executables. To build it out of the box you will need Microsoft Visual C++ 7.1 and Boost 1.32 installed.

Any windows compiler should work with manual config.

History

Version 1.4.1
Will now terminate immediately after launching the game if no cleanup is needed (i.e. gamma or resolution was not changed).

Version 1.4
Can now recognize the game window even if it is not the first window to be opened by the game.

Version 1.3.1
Look for Maximizer.ini in the application directory rather than the current directory.

Version 1.3
Added gamma option.

Version 1.2
Added taskbar option to keep the windows task bar visible.
Added margin option to to make room around the window.

Version 1.1
Multi-monitor support. You may now select which monitor the game will display in.
Helpful error messages.
Renamed the config file.
Better documentation and example config.

Version 1.0
First released version.

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