Mail Archives: djgpp/2000/07/23/01:16:15
On Sun, 23 Jul 2000 00:46:36 +0100, Jason Green
<news AT jgreen4 DOT fsnet DOT co DOT uk> wrote:
>Damian Yerrick <Bullcr_pd_yerrick AT hotmail DOT comRemoveBullcr_p> wrote:
>
>> >If you cycle through possible values of mode and use conio functions
>> >to get the screen dimensions you will probably find all sorts of weird
>> >text modes that your card is capable of. Some modes will cause
>> >lock-ups, so it's best to log the results to a file and open/close it
>> >between each mode switch, and be prepared for reboots.
>>
>> I don't think users will be prepared for reboots.
>
>I wasn't suggesting you could do this in production code.
So how do I locate high-resolution text modes in production code, e.g.
for a 132 column capable terminal emulator or a Turbo Vision on
steroids?
>> >However, there is one mode that would be a useful addition to DJGPP,
>> >if someone could work out how to implement it. 80x60 chars is listed
>> >in the Linux LILO docs as one of the standard VGA text modes and is
>> >achieved using a 640x480 pixel variation of the 80x50 char text mode
>> >(normally 640x400 pixels).
>>
>> Try 80x50 mode with the 640x480 mode's vertical timing values.
>
>Yes, but how?
Set to mode 0x12 and read the vertical timing values (see a VGA
reference for location). Then poke those vertical timing values into
the same registers in an 80x50 text mode.
>> >> I know 80x117 can be done with EGA and standard VGA (go to 350
>> >> scanline text mode and knock the character height down to 3
>> >> scanlines).
>
>> >Does the DOS command line behave itself if you switch to this mode?
>>
>> I switch back to 80x25 or 80x50 on close; it doesn't matter.
>
>Ahem, it matters very much if you want to work in DOS with more than
>50 lines. I'm not suggesting that 3-pixel chars would be of any use;
>just curious as to how the command line behaves.
I haven't tried. I put a "reset text mode" call into the atexit()
queue, similar to what Allegro does. After all, I treat it as a
graphics mode.
>The Linux console can be switched to 80x60 with standard VGA. So I am
>suggesting that we could do this too, assuming command.com doesn't get
>upset by more than 50 lines.
I assume it doesn't, as long as BIOS doesn't.
--
Damian Yerrick
"I refuse to listen to those who refuse to listen to reason."
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