Environment > Setting Preferences > Windows Graphics Preferences

# Windows Graphics Preferences

Preferences in this section control the default behavior of graphics produced by the Microsoft Windows window system.

## IDL_GR_WIN_HEIGHT

The IDL_GR_WIN_HEIGHT preference sets the default height of graphics windows on Windows platforms. Set IDL_GR_WIN_HEIGHT to a value greater than or equal to 1. Committed changes take effect immediately. The default value is 512. You can set this preference in the IDL Workbench Preferences dialog.

## IDL_GR_WIN_LAYOUT

The IDL_GR_WIN_LAYOUT preference specifies the default placement of graphics windows created by the Microsoft Windows direct graphics device (`'WIN'`). A value of Tile (0) causes windows to be created side-by-side with no overlap. A value of Cascade (1) causes them to be created overlapping.

Value | Alias
0 | Tile
1 | Cascade

Committed changes take effect immediately. The default value is Tile (0).

This preference can be set in the IDL Workbench Preferences dialog. See “Direct graphics layout” in Graphics.

## IDL_GR_WIN_QSCREEN

If the IDL_GR_WIN_QSCREEN preference is set to True (1), the IDL_GR_WIN_HEIGHT and IDL_GR_WIN_WIDTH preferences are ignored. Instead, the default size of a graphics window created by the Microsoft Windows direct graphics device (`'WIN'`) is one-fourth the size of the screen.

Value | Aliases
0 | False, No, Off
1 | True, Yes, On

Committed changes take effect immediately. The default value is True (1).

This preference can be set in the IDL Workbench Preferences dialog. See “Default size” in Graphics.

## IDL_GR_WIN_RENDERER

IDL supports two methods of rendering object graphics: with a hardware graphics accelerator or with a software rendering package. The IDL_GR_WIN_RENDERER preference determines the default method used for volume rendering.

Value | Alias
0 | Hardware
1 | Software

Committed changes take effect immediately. The default value is Hardware (0).

This preference can be set in the IDL Workbench Preferences dialog. See “Rendering method for object graphics” in Graphics.

## IDL_GR_WIN_RETAIN

The IDL_GR_WIN_RETAIN preference sets the default method used to provide backing store for windows. When backing store is enabled, a copy of each graphics window is kept in memory; the copy is used to refresh the window when it has been covered and uncovered. IDL's performance might increase when no backing store is used because the amount of memory required to provide backing store can affect the speed at which IDL will run. Settings of this preference correspond to settings of the RETAIN keyword to the DEVICE procedure. See Keywords Accepted by the IDL Devices for more information

Value | Aliases
0 | None
1 | Server, System
2 | IDLPixmap

Committed changes take effect immediately. The default value is Server (1).

This preference can be set in the IDL Workbench Preferences dialog. See “Backing store method for window contents” in Graphics.

## IDL_GR_WIN_WIDTH

The IDL_GR_WIN_WIDTH preference sets the default width of graphics windows on Windows platforms. Set IDL_GR_WIN_WIDTH to a value greater than or equal to 1. Committed changes take effect immediately. The default value is 640. You can set this preference in the IDL Workbench Preferences dialog.