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I have an issue with an older vb.net winforms app using Dymo Connect SDK. I currently am using Dymo connect SDKversion 1.2.9777.106 although I tried the newest version as well with the same issue.

When a computer with a high DPI monitor prints a label to the Dymo printer, the winforms app flickers for a second, then shrinks down to a different resolution. Then after the printing is complete the fonts all try to re-adjust but from that point forward the fonts are all messed up. For example the text inside a button is partially hidden because it is too big.

If I update the scaling in the Windows display settings to 100% instead of the recommended 125%, it works fine. I don't know if this is a Winforms setting issue, a Dymo connect SDK issue, or something else?

I have tried playing with the AutoScalemode on the form by setting it to DPI, Font, and None, but none of those seem to make a difference.

The only other place on the web I can find any reference to this issue is this random post with no answer: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/answers/idea/379404/dymo-label-printing-causes-forms-resolution-change.html

Any ideas?

lucky.expert
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  • I have a horrible feeling that the Dymo SDK is reusing a Win32 hWnd's GDI context for painting the graphics, and then sending that as a raster to the printer; instead of creating its own context - and because high-DPI would break that, the Dymo SDK decides to break the UX instead... if so, consider ditching their SDK entirely. As a workaround, you could host Dymo's SDK in another process. – Dai Dec 24 '21 at 20:22
  • @Dai What's weird is I downloaded Dymo's sample WPF app which seems to work fine, so it seems to have something to do with WinForms. Using another process is a good idea though, I will give that at try. – lucky.expert Dec 27 '21 at 15:11

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I had similar issues with the dymo connect SDK and winforms. you can tell the app that the system will handle DPI settings, rather than the application. Open properties of the executable -> Compatibility -> Change high DPI settings -> enable override high DPI scaling -> select system

Jacco Houter
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  • Thanks, I tested this solution and it worked. I wish there were a solution I could implement from the code side so customers didn't have to do it on their end but for now seems like this is the only answer. – lucky.expert Jan 31 '22 at 21:24