Mail Archives: djgpp/1996/09/19/06:47:56
On Tue, 10 Sep 1996, Mihai Moise wrote:
>> Well... I think it doesn't make sense to write such an interface. Allegro is a
>> self-contained library in every aspect and writing an interface to SVGAlib
>> would be just creating a new front-end. Allegro has completely different model
>> of driver structure. What you should do is to isolate the parts tightly M$-DOG
>> related and re-write them Linux-like.
>>
>
>Not really, Mark. Allegro relies on a VESA UniVBE host for mode
>switching, if I have read the sources correctly. And it does so using
>real-mode interrupts. Real-mode interrupts don't look too good in Linux,
Doesn't it use BIOS interrupts for the supported cards? And BIOS INTs are
quite well supported under Linux 2.0.0.
>notice I am not saying its impossible. Besides, to take advantage of
>linear framebuffers, a Linux user would have to buy $citech's DD.
Linear buffers, yes, this would require much work to implement on
Allegro/Linux...
>
>> >2) rewrite keyboard functions
>> An easy one - you might use libkb. Or even it might not be necessary to change
>> the keyboard handling routines of allegro. AFAIR, Allegro installs hw int
>> handler for keyboard? If so, then, as long as PC platform is concerned, you
>> are in home with what you have in Allegro. If, however, you want to use
>> Allegro also on other hardware platforms then you have to create an
>> independent interface to UNIX kernel's kb handler.
>
>Hardware interrupt handler? Ouuch!... Linux won't like that... ( and you
>know the fate of processes which Linux doesn't like! )
I withdraw what I said 'bout Allegro hw handler. It's really not good idea to
use it on Linux. But libkb is ok, isn't it?
**********************************************************************
So if you ask me how do I feel inside, I could honestly tell you we've
been taken on a very long ride. And if my owners let me have free time
some day, with all good intention I would probably run away!
Clutching the short straw...
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