MXP122@psuvm.psu.edu (Malzor) (08/13/90)
Is there any way to use the neat high resolution 256 color modes with superVGA cards with Windows? Somewhere I was reading a passing reference to this as if it is possible. Is it? Later.
morris@dms.UUCP (Jim Morris) (08/15/90)
From article <90225.112821MXP122@psuvm.psu.edu>, by MXP122@psuvm.psu.edu (Malzor): > > Is there any way to use the neat high resolution 256 color modes with > superVGA cards with Windows? Somewhere I was reading a passing reference > to this as if it is possible. Is it? Windows itself does not seem to use the 256 color capability of a 256 color driver. However applications can be written that use a 256 color "Logical Palette". I knocked up a quick program to try it, and the logical palettes do work. In order for other windows that are in the backround to adjust to a palette change requires that they respond to a WM message, I don't think any of the windows Apps I have do that. So the answer to your question is the Win3 system has support for 256 colors, but none of the standard apps support it yet. (I think, if anyone knows better pease post) -- 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).
moran@drivax.UUCP (Mike Moran) (08/15/90)
MXP122@psuvm.psu.edu (Malzor) writes: >Is there any way to use the neat high resolution 256 color modes with >superVGA cards with Windows? Somewhere I was reading a passing reference >to this as if it is possible. Is it? >Later. Yes. If you have a driver that supports the 256 color super VGA mode and if you have applications that can make use of the larger color palette. There are drivers for most super VGA cards that support their 256 color modes (A 640x480x256 driver for Video 7 cards comes with windows). Applications are another story. Windows itself will only use the first 20 of those 256 color palette registers (all other colors are created by dithering). Applications have 236 color palettes available to them but only if they are written to use them. This should happen in the future as true Windows 3.0 versions of products come out, rather than the simple recompile and relink which many apps have done to get out the door quickly. -- Michael A. Moran Digital Research 70 Garden Court B15 Monterey, CA 93940
strobl@gmdzi.UUCP (Wolfgang Strobl) (08/16/90)
morris@dms.UUCP (Jim Morris) writes: >Windows itself does not seem to use the 256 color capability of >a 256 color driver. >However applications can be written that use a 256 color "Logical Palette". >I knocked up a quick program to try it, and the logical palettes do work. Unfortunately, I don't have the Windows 3 toolkit, yet. It seems to be a v e r y l o n g w a y over the ocean. So I can't comment on that ... >In order for other windows that are in the backround to adjust to a >palette change requires that they respond to a WM message, I don't >think any of the windows Apps I have do that. >So the answer to your question is the Win3 system has support >for 256 colors, but none of the standard apps support it yet. >(I think, if anyone knows better pease post) I have a IBM PS/2 model 70 with a 8514/A adapter and screen in my office. The 8514/A-adapter has a resolution of 1024*768 with 256 colors. Windows 3 comes with a driver for this combination. I loaded YODA.BMP (a 256 color bitmap from one of the Windows ftp servers) as a background picture, started two copies of Windows pbrush and loaded a few 256 color bitmaps (mostly converted with grwfwk31) into them. Then I switched between these two instances of pbrush and got the following behaviour: As long as I have the background picture only, this is shown using it's true colors. After the first pbrush is started and has a 256 color bitmap loaded, the pbrush picture comes up with correct colors, and the background picture is repainted with somewhat approximated colors. The same occurs after starting the second copy of pbrush: now the topmost picture looks correct, and the picture in the first instance of pbrush looks as if it was painted with the remaining free slots in the palette and/or the nearest colors of the topmost picture. Pbrush and the background displayer seem to be able to adjust the hardware palette to use the colors of the picture to be displayed, at least when using the 8514/A driver. I seems not to be possible to make any changes to the palette of a loaded picture or to define a new one, with pbrush. After copying a part of a 256 color picture to the clipboard, the clipboard offers two display formats: bitmap (which shows the clipped portion of the picture) and palette (which seems to display all the colors in the loaded .bmp picture, in their order). I haven't found this documented anywhere in the documentation. I have access to a a HP Vectra with a Video 7 VRAM VGA with 512K (for which there is a 256 color driver in the Windows 3 distribution, too), but haven't tried the above with it. I am not aware of any other Windows 3 drivers which support 256 colors, yet. Wolfgang Strobl #include <std.disclaimer.hpp>
joel@peora.ccur.com (Joel Upchurch) (08/16/90)
In article <90225.112821MXP122@psuvm.psu.edu>, MXP122@psuvm.psu.edu (Malzor) writes: > Is there any way to use the neat high resolution 256 color modes with > superVGA cards with Windows? Somewhere I was reading a passing reference > to this as if it is possible. Is it? Paintbrush will use the 256 color modes when they are available. I have loaded 256 color pictures into it. The pictures are a little off, since Windows reserves some of the colors for itself, so the application doesn't have all the colors available. I called ZSoft to find out if they had a 3.0 version of Paintbrush + available. They said it is under development, but they don't have a ship date yet. I want a more powerful version with things like the eyedropper tool and gradient fills and stuff like that. -- Joel Upchurch/Upchurch Computer Consulting/718 Galsworthy/Orlando, FL 32809 joel@peora.ccur.com {uiucuxc,hoptoad,petsd,ucf-cs}!peora!joel (407) 859-0982
morris@dms.UUCP (Jim Morris) (08/17/90)
> morris@dms.UUCP (Jim Morris) writes: > >>Windows itself does not seem to use the 256 color capability of >>a 256 color driver. > I must correct my previous posting. Windows 3 does indeed allow 256 color .bmp or .pcx files. I also have loaded a 265 color .bmp into the background. Also Windows Paint will import a 256 color .pcx file. It will change the system palette to accomodate the new colors, however you can not edit any of the new colors from within paint. -- 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).
pnl@hpfinote.HP.COM (Peter Lim) (08/17/90)
> Yes. If you have a driver that supports the 256 color super VGA mode and > if you have applications that can make use of the larger color palette. > The PaintBrush that comes with Windows 3.0 is one of those. I have seen a Windows 3.0 system with Paradise 640x480x256 color driver using PaintBrush to open and display a 256 color PCX file. So such beast exist right now. Regards, ## Life is fast enough as it is ........ Peter Lim. ## .... DON'T PUSH IT !! >>>-------, ########################################### : E-mail: plim@hpsgwg.HP.COM Snail-mail: Hewlett Packard Singapore, : Tel: (065)-279-2289 (ICDS, ICS) | Telnet: 520-2289 1150 Depot Road, __\@/__ ... also at: pnl@hpfipnl.HP.COM Singapore 0410. SPLAT !