6600joef@ucsbuxa.ucsb.edu (Joe Foster) (05/27/91)
Hello, all. I posted before about whether or not device drivers for the ATI VGAWonder video card existed. They don't seem to, so I decided to write my own for Xenix 2.3.4., when I can get my hands on 2.3.4. The trouble is, I don't have the foggiest idea about where to begin. The Development System manuals describe a pretty sophisticated interface to the multi-screen system, but there's no example code to get me started in the manuals or on SCO's (otherwise wonderful) new tech-support BBS. The ATI card can emulate VGA, EGA, CGA, and Hercules modes, as well as adding its own 640x480x256 as well as 800x600 and 1024x768 modes in a variety of bits/pixel. I want to be able to access all of the 'standard' modes as well as the super-VGA modes through the console. I did buy ATI's technical reference manual, which describes how to initialize the adapter for the high-rez modes without going through the BIOS. I would like to avoid reimplementing the 'standard' modes in my driver and instead pawn support for those modes onto the CGA, EGA, and VGA drivers already in the kernel. I'm also thinking of adding some new IOCTLs that would describe to programs how to use the super-VGA modes, much like the VESA standard does in the DOS world. Yes, it will be a lot of work, but seeing how I can't find a job for this summer (!%$$#%$ recession!!), I need ways to keep from going insane from boredom! I should still have access to this account through the summer. Thanks for any help! Joe Foster Unemployed, un-Inc. 6600joef@ucsbuxa.ucsb.edu The opinions expressed herein are my own, and not my employer's, assuming I had an employer, which I don't.