Mail Archives: djgpp/1998/09/28/10:18:26
Leif <LeifDude AT hotmail DOT com> wrote:
> Ignacio García Pérez wrote:
> >
> > Hi,
> >
> > I'm experiencing some screen problems that I'll describe, just in case
> > someone can provide useful tips:
> >
> > I program using RHIDE, DJGPP and Allegro, in a DOS box under Windows
> > 95. At this point I can't help saying that these three are some of the
> > best pieces of software I've ever dealed with.
> >
> > - Problem 1 (minor): when I debug a program which has switched to
> > graphics mode (currently 640x480x256), each time I display the program
> > output after having been in the RHIDE text mode, I can see some
> > undesired points and lines. I know these are caused by the text
> > written while in text mode, which overwrites video memory which is
> > also used in graphics mode.
> >
> > I can live with this minor interference, but wouldn't it be enough
> > saving the whole text mode video memory when going back to RHIDE and
> > restoring it before continuing the program execution ?... (I know
> > actually RHIDE saves and restores the video status, but doesn't do the
> > same with video memory probably because it would take too much
> > storage, and is dependant on video mode, but text mode is much
> > simpler).
> >
> > - Problem 2 (catastrophic): if I run a program that used 640x480x256,
> > after exit, everything works fine, I mean Windows 95. But when, while
> > in RHIDE, I stop execution, or step a program in graphics mode, this
> > is, going from the program screen to RHIDE intergated debugger back
> > and forth, Windows blows away the next time I go back to the Windows
> > GUI.
> >
> > This happens even if I finalize RHIDE, and being back in the DOS
> > prompt, close it with EXIT of simply switch to another application.
> >
> > The latest is very annoying, because though I hate it, I must work
> > with W95, and don't want to restart the computer in plain DOS each
> > time I want to program/debug a RHIDE/DJGPP/Allegro program.
> >
> > And yes, I've tried -G 2 with RHIDE.
> >
> > As I said before, ANY useful tips will be very welcome.
> >
> > Regards. Nacho.
I saw 2 postings last week about it and I forgot the origin of each one. The
conclution was:
S3 Virge Win95 drivers are broken, seems that DirectX6 drivers for S3 Virge
works.
Is interesting the following: XFree86 drivers are broken too, so I guess
that's a silicon bug and DirectX6 just uses a workaround.
> Hey, I know what yer talking about. I dont know how to fix those
> problems but, I can tell you how I get around em....
> When running/debugging a program under RHide make sure U window RHide
> before selecting RUN within RHIDE. What I mean is, Hit ALT+ENTER to make
> it so U see yer RHide window AND Win95 in the background, THEN select
> RUN in RHide.
VERY IMPORTANT:
You can't, I repeat *you can not* debug programs when RHIDE is windowed it
doesn't work at all because Windows changes the video mode in the middle of
the RHIDE screen swapping making impossible to restore the original graphics
mode, in fact RHIDE will restore something between the video mode used by
your program and the current video mode used by Windows.
To make it worst some W95 video drivers (S3 specially, I saw one S3 Trio64
example) becomes unstable when RHIDE calls to VESA services to restore the
640x480x256 and is windowed.
> Maybe someone can tell us how to FIX them problems instead of using
> sneaky ways to get around the problems?? Any takers? If so, heres
> another problem Im sure is related...
Call to Microsoft and ask for fixes, I think the W95 behavior must be:
1) You are in text mode windowed.
2) You enter in graphic mode so W95 switchs to fullscreen.
3) You go back to text mode and here W95 makes the wrong thing because W95
selects windowed, here W95 must be smarter and remain fullscreen because if
the program switched to graphic mode isn't suitable for a window. I think W95
must switch back again to windowed only when the program finishes (you exit
RHIDE).
Lamentably W95 doesn't provide a mechanism for:
1) Notify a program that is running inside a window.
2) Notify a switch between fullscreen and windowed.
We can't fix W95.
> When I am running RHide AND it is FULLSCREEN(ie. U cant see no Win95
> junk) and I select "DOS Shell" the screen remains Completly the
> same,(ie. U can still see the RHide environment) but I am in the DOS
> Shell, I can do commands and all that junk but the initial DOS Prompt
> "C:>" doesnt pop up and the background color is the same as RHide.
> BUT, none of this happens when I select "DOS Shell" while RHide is
> windowed(ie. RHide is in a window and U can see the Win95 junk in the
> background). In the latter case, everything works fine.
That's because your W95 video drivers have bugs.
> Also, to clarify the problem about running a graphics program while in
> RHide....
> I select "RUN" while RHide is fullscreened, it works fine and exits and
> im back in RHide. No biggie. But.. try to step through the program or
> EXIT RHide and CRASH!!! My display gets all screwed up and I must
> restart windows....
> Well thats my 2cents worth. Any ideas on how to FIX those problems would
> be great. :)
Yes:
1) get the lastest video drivers.
or
2) get a second video board (monochrome) to debug graphic programs.
or
3) Trash this video board.
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