[comp.sys.atari.st.tech] Can VDI draw on a virtual screen?

micro@imada.dk (Klaus Pedersen) (03/04/91)

Hi, 

Is it possible to use VDI operations to draw on a virtual screen? Possibly
on a screen which is bigger than the real screen.

Now, I am drawing in a window, copying the inner to a buffer, and copying
it back into the window when I get a redraw, or determining which part
of the buffer is valid when I get a scroll or size, and then copy the 
valid part into the window, drawing the other area(s), and then copying 
the new contents to the buffer... 
 - It would be easier to draw in a big buffer, and only copy the portion 
which is visible to the window. 

I think that AIM is using a virtual buffer to it's images, but I guess
that it is using custom drawing functions...

-Klaus

micro@imada.dk (Klaus Pedersen) (03/06/91)

micro@imada.dk (Klaus Pedersen) writes:

>Is it possible to use VDI operations to draw on a virtual screen? Possibly
>on a screen which is bigger than the real screen.

Yes, writing on a virtual screen is easy (by setting the logical screen to
your buffer - with 'Setscreen').
But is it possible to change the size of the logical screen? 
  - Is it possible to tell the VDI about a new size (x,y,planes) ?

I have a nightmare about a user with a video controller with true color at
1024x1024 (thats 3 Mbytes)!!! You need to allocate all 3 Mb before
setting the logical screen!! - can this be true??

-Klaus