Message-Id:	<335E14D1.19CF@canvaslink.com>
Date:	Wed, 23 Apr 1997 09:55:29 -0400
From:	Tom Grandgent <tgrand AT canvaslink DOT com>
Reply-To:	tgrand AT canvaslink DOT com
Organization:	Canvas Link, Inc.
Mime-Version:	1.0
To:	convidat AT upvnet DOT upv DOT es
Cc:	djgpp AT delorie DOT com
Subject:	Re: Clear key buffer

>>I suggest to do it the usual way:
>>
>>       #include <conio.h>
>>       while (kbhit ())
>>         getch ();
>>
>>This clears the keyboard buffer, no matter what TSR has taken over
>>Int 16h.  It might be slower, but how many times per second do you
>>need to clear the keyboard buffer, anyway?

>The code can't be slow... I'm developing a game, and I need to clear the 
>buffer every 6/7 times, to avoid those noising beeps...

If you're developing a game, it sounds like you're taking the wrong
approach if you need to clear the buffer at all.  You need to take
over the keyboard interrupt!  I suggest using Allegro, or at least
looking at how it was done there.  Basically, you need to stop the
BIOS from handling the keyboard and put in your own code.

So when you have installed your own keyboard interrupt handler, the
buffer is emptied as soon as stuff goes into it.  For example, the
normal method seems to be to have an array containing the states for
the keys on the keyboard.  When you detect a state change (key up
or key down) in your interrupt handler, you modify the array
accordingly so that your program can just access that array.

See what I'm saying?  Or maybe you've already taken this approach. :)

	Tom Grandgent
	tgrand AT canvaslink DOT com
	Canvas Link, Inc.

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