RE: XF86SUP.SYS

[Mike MacDonald <mmacdona at tsi dot gte dot com>]

Well, its been a while, but if I remember right, DX will set up a linear, or
pseudolinear, framebuffer for you, and return a pointer to it.  This is how
most games are written - they use DX to get a framebuffer, and video card
access, then they use ASM to do their blts, etc, because it is usually
quicker.

I'm assuming I can do the same thing here for video memory, and just use DX
to pass me back a pointer.  What I'm not sure about is accessing the ports
on the video card, and how quickly.  I'm assuming that there is a method for
quickly addressing a video port built into DX, or if you have a full screen
mode you might have access to the video card at that point.  This is what I
don't know.   I need to do some experimentation to find out.

So basically it would be taking advantage of DX for everything that might
require a driver to accomplish.  If DX doesn't do this stuff, things start
to get sticky.. Should be able to find solutions for it though..

-----Original Message-----
From: Jan Rouvillain [mailto:jro@cotas.dk]
Sent: Tuesday, November 09, 1999 1:54 AM
To: 'Mike MacDonald'
Subject: RE: XF86SUP.SYS


Hi Mike,


Interesting point you have. How will you get access to the video card
memory?

Please answer this e-mail to vesthus@post3.tele.dk


Regards 

Jan Rouvillain


> 
> I don't see why this can't just be implemented as a service 
> and a library..
> The service would mainly be for pty, and I'm not sure that 
> its necessary for
> that..  Windows doesn't have the Ring 0 requirement that OS/2 
> has I don't
> think.  Plus Direct X eliminates the need for some of it..  
> I'll learn more
> as I go, but I don't think this needs to be, or should be a 
> driver on the
> Windows platform.
> 
> Honestly, I can't think of anything that couldn't just be 
> included in a
> library..  Tell me if you've heard otherwise, and I have ALOT 
> more research
> to do before I have a solid grasp of what needs to be done, 
> but I think a
> straight port of XF86SUP.SYS as a .a archive will work (My 
> opinion here is
> VERY subject to change :))  I think the only reason he has it 
> loading in the
> config.sys is for the ring 0 requirements that are enforced by OS/2..
>