larned@uhccux.uhcc.Hawaii.Edu (Paul Larned) (08/25/90)
Lars Nilsson writes: >I am seeking display driver to use with ms-windows v3.0 to get 256 colours. >I have a VGA-card and haven't been able to identify the brand of >the card 100% (Docs is without any name at all). >But, I have this info about my card: > -Paradise chips > -BIOS 003056-002 Copyright Paradise System Inc. 1987,1988 > -Memory 256k ^^^^^^^^^^^ > -Markings 61-60311-008845,OEM8 F000 X6,Made in Ireland,WE 70221 4621. Unless I misunderstand your description, I believe it is not possible to see 256 simultaneous colors with a VGA board having only 256K of video RAM. You will need to upgrade to 512K. Furthermore, I called Microsoft support to ask about seeing 256 colors using Windows 3.0. I had just installed Windows for my Video-7 VRAM card with 512K using the driver supplied with the program. However, I didn't notice any difference from when I was running 3.0 with 16 colors. Microsoft said that this version of Windows (3.0) does not load the 256 color palette, but that they were hoping at add this feature to newer versions in the near (unspecified) future. I asked, well, then, why supply drivers for 512K VGA boards. They answered because perhaps some non-windows applications may be able to load the 256 color palette. Didn't make sense to me. They also suggested that I try loading a program through Windows which does load the 256K palette, then switching back to Windows, and that maybe the palette would stay loaded (!) This didn't work. A friend told me that the only way now to see 256 colors with Windows 3.0 is to watch carefully during a full installation--when Windows changes to graphic mode, there is a 256 color display. If I am in error about this, I would appreciate corrections, since I, too, am interested in how to get 256 colors from Windows 3.0. Paul Larned larned@uhccux.uhcc.hawaii.edu
troy@mr_plod.cbme.unsw.oz.au (Troy Rollo) (08/25/90)
From article <9115@uhccux.uhcc.Hawaii.Edu>, by larned@uhccux.uhcc.Hawaii.Edu (Paul Larned): larned> Unless I misunderstand your description, I believe it is not possible to larned> see 256 simultaneous colors with a VGA board having only 256K of video RAM. larned> You will need to upgrade to 512K. A VGA board which couldn't display 256 colours would be somewhat disturbing! All VGA boards have a minimum of 256K (otherwise it's only an expensive enhanced EGA), and can operate in 320x200x256 (which is supported by the BIOS), as well as 320x400x256 and 360x480x256 (neither of which are supported in BIOS. While I'm here, I will make additional comments since my last comments on Windows 3.0. I have had a chance to look at it since then, and there are a couple of comments I could make, however, my primary complaint is what can only be described as inadequate support for expanded memory. There are countless expanded memory cards in use around the world, and Microsoft has no excuse for not exploiting the 286 and beyond virtual memory facilities to make these boards available as blocks of ordinary memory in 286 and 386 mode. Marking segments contained in those blocks as not being in memory would allow them to be switched in as needed. Additionally, marking of any segments not on expansions cards, but conflicting with the cards, as not being in memory, would prevent conflicts with any cards not designed for the 286. In my view, the lack of this facility is inexcusable. Additionally, I would have expected a full virtual memory implementation for the 286 in windows 3.0. It may slow things down a little, but if the end user specifies 0K virtual memory, it becomes optional, and it could have been implemented with a relatively small effort. My assessment on Windows is: let's see 3.1 before deciding. ___________________________________________________________ troy@mr_plod.cbme.unsw.oz.au Make our greenies useful! The Resident Fascist Put them in the army!
morris@dms.UUCP (Jim Morris) (08/28/90)
From article <9115@uhccux.uhcc.Hawaii.Edu>, by larned@uhccux.uhcc.Hawaii.Edu (Paul Larned): > ... > make sense to me. They also suggested that I try loading a program through > Windows which does load the 256K palette, then switching back to Windows, > and that maybe the palette would stay loaded (!) This didn't work. A > friend told me that the only way now to see 256 colors with Windows 3.0 is > to watch carefully during a full installation--when Windows changes to > graphic mode, there is a 256 color display. > > If I am in error about this, I would appreciate corrections, since I, too, > am interested in how to get 256 colors from Windows 3.0. > You can load a 256-color .BMP file as wall paper, that works!! Also you can load a 256-color .PCX file in paintbrush, that works as well!! There are no utilities in Windows that will allow you to edit the 256 color palette that I can find, However I did write a program that tested out the Logical Palette scheme that win3 introduced. It seems to work quite well. However if you have a 256-color wallpaper loaded, and then load another app that uses 256 colors, it "steals" the palette and the wallpaper loses its colors. Other Apps can detect this and adjust, but the wallpaper is not an App so it loses its palette for good, of course this is not a bug or a problem just an interesting side effect of the Logical Palette scheme... I am working on a 256 color palette App, but as far as I can see the windows desktop will not use it. The Windows system seems to use 20 colors out of the palette and will not even look at the rest. (Of course this is conjecture, it would require some research to discover the facts!!) Still I've had fun playing with the 256 colors, and deciphering how Logical Palettes work!! -- Jim Morris. {motcsd|weitek}!dms!morris or morris@dms.UUCP Voice (408) 434-3798 Atari Games Corporation, 675 Sycamore Drive, Milpitas CA 95035 USA (Arcade Video Game Manufacturer, NOT Atari Corp. ST manufacturer).