[comp.sys.ibm.pc] ANSI device driver

aip@j.cc.purdue.edu (Bret Johnson) (08/12/87)

     Does anyone know if the ANSI driver that is included with MS-DOS is a 
full implementation of the ANSI standard.  I have a copy of the standard and
it lists about three times as many command sequences as does my DOS manual.

boykin@custom.UUCP (Joseph Boykin) (08/13/87)

In article <5138@j.cc.purdue.edu>, aip@j.cc.purdue.edu (Bret Johnson) writes:
> 
>      Does anyone know if the ANSI driver that is included with MS-DOS is a 
> full implementation of the ANSI standard.  I have a copy of the standard and
> it lists about three times as many command sequences as does my DOS manual.

ANSI.SYS contains a *very* minimal subset of the ANSI standard
set of escape sequences (X3.64).  It is also relatively slow.

If you're looking for ANSI compatability there are two alternatives;
NANSI.SYS, which is public domain or sharewhare (I'm not sure which).
NANSI replaces ANSI.SYS and provides a) more ANSI compatabile escape
sequences (the most useful ones being insert/delete line/character)
as well as being a better/faster implementation.

The second alternative is FANSI-CONSOLE which is a commercial 
product ($75 + $4 S&H with manual).  FANSI replaces both ANSI.SYS
and the screen and keyboard portions of the ROM BIOS.  FANSI
is a full X3.64 implementation, has VT100 emulation and gives you
such things as a larger type-ahead buffer (255 characters),
auto-screen dim, the ability to change the keyboard repeat rate,
length of the bell, give you key click, etc.  By merely installing
FANSI you'll see your 'TYPE' command come out about twice as fast.
FANSI is faster than NANSI and provides alot more features, of course
it's also more expensive.  Note that, like with most products,
its not too hard to get it cheaper.  Programmers connection
sells it for $62, we sell it to our PC/VI customers for $60, etc.

Joe Boykin
Custom Software Systems
...necntc!custom!boykin

johnl@ima.ISC.COM (John R. Levine) (08/13/87)

In article <5138@j.cc.purdue.edu> usenet: !pur-ee!edward (edward@ga.ecn.purdue.edu) writes:
>     Does anyone know if the ANSI driver that is included with MS-DOS is a 
>full implementation of the ANSI standard.  I have a copy of the standard and
>it lists about three times as many command sequences as does my DOS manual.

I have never seen a full implementation of the ANSI standard for escape
sequences.  The standard suffers from a severe case of union-itis, that is,
it contains the union of all features that anybody ever asked for.  Common
ANSI terminals such as the VT-100, IBM 3101, and their descendants, implement
a larger set of functions than does the DOS ANSI driver, but still far from the
whole thing.
-- 
John R. Levine, Cambridge MA, +1 617 492 3869
{ ihnp4 | decvax | cbosgd | harvard | yale }!ima!johnl, Levine@YALE.something
The Iran-Contra affair:  None of this would have happened if Ronald Reagan
were still alive.

feg@clyde.UUCP (08/14/87)

In article <773@custom.UUCP>, boykin@custom.UUCP (Joseph Boykin) writes:
> In article <5138@j.cc.purdue.edu>, aip@j.cc.purdue.edu (Bret Johnson) writes:
> >      Does anyone know if the ANSI driver that is included with MS-DOS is a 
> > full implementation of the ANSI standard.  I have a copy of the standard and
> > it lists about three times as many command sequences as does my DOS manual.
> 
> ANSI.SYS contains a *very* minimal subset of the ANSI standard
> set of escape sequences (X3.64).  It is also relatively slow.
> If you're looking for ANSI compatability there are two alternatives;
> NANSI.SYS, which is public domain or sharewhare (I'm not sure which).
> 
> The second alternative is FANSI-CONSOLE which is a commercial 
> FANSI is faster than NANSI and provides alot more features, of course


The Leading Edge Model M running 7.2Mhz and CGA shows NANSI runs faster
than Fansi if less flutter and no colored snow are criteria. When Fansi
set for no colored snow, flutter is very objectionable with CGA and
writing speed definitely slower. This may be a characteristic of CGA
(a lousy implementation, anyway), but if you have a color crt and are
using CGA, flutter can get to you fairly quickly.

Forrest Gehrke

clark@killer.UUCP (Clark Brown) (08/14/87)

In article <5138@j.cc.purdue.edu>, aip@j.cc.purdue.edu (Bret Johnson) writes:
>      Does anyone know if the ANSI driver that is included with MS-DOS is a 
> full implementation of the ANSI standard.  I have a copy of the standard and
> it lists about three times as many command sequences as does my DOS manual.
The ansi.sys driver is a severe subset of the total standard.  There is a
replacement for it that is pseudo-freeware and is Excellent.  It implements
the full standard, speeds up screen access, has many optional features.

henderso@utcsri.UUCP (08/17/87)

In article <1337@killer.UUCP> clark@killer.UUCP (Clark Brown) writes:
>In article <5138@j.cc.purdue.edu>, aip@j.cc.purdue.edu (Bret Johnson) writes:
>>      Does anyone know if the ANSI driver that is included with MS-DOS is a 
>> full implementation of the ANSI standard.  I have a copy of the standard and
>> it lists about three times as many command sequences as does my DOS manual.
>The ansi.sys driver is a severe subset of the total standard.  There is a
>replacement for it that is pseudo-freeware and is Excellent.  It implements
>the full standard, speeds up screen access, has many optional features.

Fansiconsole also has some problems. First, it is incompatible with a lot
of software. Second it takes about 40K of memory away from the space
usable under DOS. In summary, its a mixed blessing.
-- 

Mark C. Henderson
Department of Mathematics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5S 1A1

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From Sept 1/87,
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