----------------------------------------------------------------------- This is the documentation for the runtime-only distribution. If you got the full package, please read the file "readme" instead! ----------------------------------------------------------------------- VESA package for emx, Version 1.9 (runtime-only distribution) --------------------------------- This is a package that enables emx programs to call the VESA Bios extensions under DOS. It also supplies some drivers for doing fullscreen and windowed graphics under OS/2. The svgakit for emx uses this package and implements some higher level graphics routines. It should be available from the same sites as this package. 1. Installation: ----------------- With the root directory as your current directory, unzip the package by typing "unzip vesa19bn.zip". All files should be extracted to either the \emx\jm\vesa.1_9 directory, the \emx\dll directory, or the \emx\bin directory. 2. Preparation before running programs using the VESA package for emx: ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 2.1. DOS: ---------- If your graphics card has native VESA support (i.e. VESA Bios extension in ROM), no preparation is necessary. If not, just load your VESA Bios extension TSR. A VESA Bios extension TSR should be on the driver disk of your graphic card, see below, section 3. If you don't have a VESA Bios extension TSR, only some low resolution vga modes (i.e. 320x200x256, 640x480x16 and 800x600x16) will be supported. 2.2. OS/2: ----------- Some dynamik link libraries (DLLs) have been installed in your \emx\dll directory in the installation step. The program "pmscreen.exe" has been installed in your \emx\bin directory. Edit you "config.sys" file so the \emx\dll directory is mentionend in the LIBPATH statement and \emx\bin is mentionend in the PATH statement. When a program using the VESA package first calls a VESA function, it loads one of the following DLLs: - VESA_PM.DLL --- for all graphics adapters supported by OS/2 Resolutions: up to 32767x32767x256 and 32767x32767x16M requires PMSCREEN.EXE to be in a directory contained in the PATH environment variable or the environment variable PMSCREEN to point to PMSCREEN.EXE. (example: "C:> set PMSCREEN=c:\emx\bin\pmscreen.exe") See Section 7. - VESA_IBM.DLL --- for Standard VGA and all unsupported SVGA adapters Resolutions: 640x480x16 800x600x16 320x200x256 320x240x256 320x400x256 360x480x256 800x600x16 is only supported on SVGA adapters recognized by OS/2's SVGA.EXE (see OS/2 docs). - VESA_ALL.DLL --- should work on all SVGA adapters recognized by by OS/2's SVGA.EXE. Resolutions: up to 1280x1024x16 1280x1024x256 1024x768x32k 1024x768x64k 800x600x16M (depends on modes mentioned in your SVGADATA.PMI). - VESA_ET4.DLL --- for ET4000 based SVGA adapters Resolutions: up to 1024x768x16 1024x768x256 - VESA_ET5.DLL --- for ET4000 based Hi-/True-Color SVGA adapters Resolutions: up to 1024x768x16 1024x768x256 512x768x32k 512x768x64k 341x768x16m - VESA_ET6.DLL --- see file "readme" for more information! - VESA_TR8.DLL --- for Trident 8900 based SVGA adapters Resolutions: up to 1024x768x16 1024x768x256 - VESA_WD.DLL --- for Western Digital C?? based SVGA adapters (tested for WD C00, may work with other chipsets) Resolutions: up to 1024x768x16 1024x768x256 - VESA_CL.DLL --- for Cirrus Logics GD 5422 based SVGA adapters Resolutions: up to 1024x768x16 1024x768x256 - VESA_CLH.DLL --- for Cirrus Logics GD 5422 based SVGA adapters Resolutions: up to 1024x768x16 1024x768x256 800x600x32k 800x600x64k 640x480x16m Note: This DLL activates hi- and true color modes by direct manipulation of svga registers. This may not work on all graphics adapters and damage your monitor and/or graphics adapter! Use of this DLL is at your OWN RISK! - VESA_S3.DLL --- for S3 based SVGA adapters Resolutions: up to 1024x768x16 1024x768x256 800x600x64k 640x480x16m (higher resolutions may work) VESA_PM.DLL opens two Presentation Manager windows (one for text and one for graphics) to display the output of your programs. All other DLLs run in an OS/2 fullscreen session. By default, the VESA package loads "VESA_PM.DLL". If you want the VESA package to load another DLL specify the name of that DLL in the environment variable "VESADLL". For example, type "set VESADLL=VESA_ET4" to make the VESA package load "VESA_ET4.DLL". Note that you MUST NOT specify the path or the extension of the DLL. 3. How to get a DOS VESA Bios extension: ----------------------------------------- If you don't have a VESA Bios extension for your graphic adapter, get the files kjb/MGL/univbe??.zip and kjb/MGL/vesatsrs.zip from godzilla.cgl.rmit.oz.au. They contain a large variety of Bios extensions for most graphic adapters. These files are also available from garbo.uwasa.fi and oak.oakland.edu. If you've got a standard VGA (or if you don't find a VESA Bios extension) you may want to use the VESA Bios extension "VESA_IBM.COM" which is included in this package. It supports the standard VGA modes and some non-standard modes all VGA cards are able to do. 4. More Information: -------------------- Please read the file "readme" for more information.