[comp.sys.ibm.pc] Cursor on/off on a VGA

apuder@lion.waterloo.edu (Arno Puder) (01/19/90)

Recently I tried to switch off the cursor on a VGA. The usual way
of redefining the cursor size did not work. Someone suggested to
position the cursor outside the physical window.
Although this works, is there a different more reasonable method
to get rid of the cursor?

Any comments would be greatly appreciated.

Arno Puder
University of Waterloo, Canada

tcm@srhqla.SR.COM (Tim Meighan) (01/20/90)

In article <19961@watdragon.waterloo.edu> apuder@lion.waterloo.edu
(Arno Puder) writes:

>Recently I tried to switch off the cursor on a VGA. The usual way
>of redefining the cursor size did not work.

The method is hardware-dependent.  On some cards, making the cursor line-start
value larger than the line-end value will make it disappear.  On other cards,
making the line-start value equal to 32 (hex $20) will turn off the cursor 
regardless of the line-end value.  Therefore, setting the cursor line-start
value to 32 and the line-end value to 0 should cover both bases.

I've never seen this method fail to work, but then there's a lot I don't see.
If you try this and it doesn't work, I'd be interested to know who makes your
VGA card.

Tim Meighan
Silent Radio

"I asked for a beer, and you brought me TANG!"    -Lynda Barry