[comp.os.msdos.programmer] Non-standard text modes on VGA and SVGA?

toma@sail.LABS.TEK.COM (Tom Almy) (06/26/91)

In article <20954@sdcc6.ucsd.edu> hartung@crl.ucsd.edu (Jeff Hartung) writes:
>In article <1991Jun19.014827.9855@panix.uucp> yanek@panix.uucp (Yanek Martinson) writes:
>>How do I set and program the non-standard text modes on VGA and SVGA?

>The majority of these text modes are set in defferent ways depending on the
>chipset your VGA card has. [table for his display card deleted]

>On the other hand, 80x43 and 80x50 modes can usually be set by escape codes if
>you have an ANSI.SYS-type driver that supports these modes (e.g., nansi.sys,
>nnansi.sys, vansi.sys).  See the doc for that driver for details.  

I can speak for NANSI.SYS and NNANSI.SYS - for most cards you can set any 
mode via escape sequences. In particular, any card that can change modes
using the dos standard INT 10H call with AH=0 and AL=mode can be changed
with the sequence <escape>[=mh  where "m" is the ASCII decimal value for the 
mode.

>If you have
>MSDOS 5.0, it's even easier.  All you do is type MODE CON: 80 50. :-)

The syntax is "MODE CON: cols=80 lines=50", and you can do this with
MSDOS 4.0 as well. But you need to use either the DOS supplied ANSI.SYS
or an ANSI.SYS clone that is "DOS 4.0 or greater aware". I know that my
latest NNANSI.SYS release (5/91, appearing in comp.sources.ibm.pc real soon)
works.




















-- 
Tom Almy
toma@sail.labs.tek.com
Standard Disclaimers Apply