@begin(header)
author: ack@amt.media.mit.edu
show_author: ShowNone
author_organization: MIT
expiration_date: 09/02/93
last_modifier: ack@amt.media.mit.edu
last_mod_date: 09/02/91
mod_num: 1
@end(header)
@begin(Q)
I've got a couple labels in a form. The labels don't resize
whenever the label string resource is changed. As a result, the
operator has to resize the window the see the new label contents. I
am using Motif 1.1.
@end(Q)

@begin(A)
This problem may happen to any widget inside a Form widget. The
problem was reported as PIR 2389. The problem was that the Form
will try to resize itself when it gets geometry requests from its
children. If its preferred size is not allowed, the Form will
disallow all geometry requests from its children.  The workaround
is that you should set any ancestor of the Form to be resizable. 
For the shell which contains the Form, you should set the shell
resource XmNallowShellResize to be True. (By default, it is set to
FALSE).
@end(A)

@begin(Q)
I know that I should set allowShellResize to true in order to get
the form to resize accordingly. My problem is if I have a form big
enough, with a small label. When the label changes its string, the
form changes size too, although the form has enough space for the
label to grow.
@end(Q)

@begin(A)
This is because by default, the resizePolicy for a form is
XmRESIZE_ANY, it will grow or shrink as needed. Since its child
changes size, it will try to match that size, that is why you see
the form changes its size. To make the form stay with its initial
size, set the resizePolicy for the form to XmRESIZE_NONE.  You may
even want to set it to XmRESIZE_GROW, so that whenthe child grows
beyond the form size, the form will grow too.  
@end(A)
