ACT display issues on high DPI resolution devices - A workaround Fix

Act, among several other products including Quickbooks, has issues when running on very high resolution devices, including tablets and Surface units or computers with very large monitors.  Fields can overlay, or be too large to view.

There is now a fix, found by two gentlemen working together over the internet. Marco Gil and Francisco Ferreira worked together to come up with a fix and posted it to the Act product forum.  I "hope" this workaround will get put into a hotfix from Act. But if you cannot wait until then, here's what you do.

NOTE - this is not simple so you may want to get your IT person or an Act Consultant to help you.

WORKING SOLUTION

Note -  you'll need to do this every time you update Act with a hotfix or update:

Here are the steps to adjust the DPI settings built within the act!.exe file:

1. Download Resource Hacker (tool used to make edits and recompile .exe files). http://www.angusj.com/resourcehacker/ 2. Make a copy of the file c:\program files (x86)\Act\Act for windows\Act!.exe as a backup before making any edits 3. Launch Resource Hacker and open the file c:\program files (x86)\Act\Act For Windows\Act!.exe 4. Branch out the “Manifest” folder on the left-pane of resource hacker window 5. Click on the 1 : 0 manifest in the left-pane window 6. On the right-pane, replace all of the text there with the following:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" standalone="yes"?> <assembly xmlns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:asm.v1" manifestVersion="1.0" xmlns:asmv3="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:asm.v3"> <assemblyIdentity version="1.0.0.0" name="MyApplication.app"/> <!-- Indicate JDK is high-dpi aware. --> <asmv3:application> <asmv3:windowsSettings xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/SMI/2005/WindowsSettings"> <dpiAware>false</dpiAware> </asmv3:windowsSettings> </asmv3:application> <trustInfo xmlns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:asm.v2"> <security> <requestedPrivileges xmlns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:asm.v3"> <requestedExecutionLevel level="asInvoker" uiAccess="false"/> </requestedPrivileges> </security> </trustInfo> </assembly> 7. Once you’ve added those changes, click the green play arrow icon in the toolbar to compile, you should get a message saying compiling was successful 8. Save the file (ensure you have proper permissions to over-write or save the file) 9. Reboot computer to ensure any cached version is removed from memory. 10. Launch Act and you’re set.

A couple of points. Ensure Act! Is closed before doing the above steps. Also, ensure you remove any compatibility settings you changed in the properties of Act!, for example, some users have enabled the “Disable Display Scaling on high DPI Settings” in the file properties / compatibility tab of Act!.exe. You’ll want to reset those to the default setting before executing.