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This is file: FCONSOLE.DOC. It is readable on-line using TYPE. It is also printable on most printers, if they are first set to print 66 lines per page (no perforation skip). It contains overprinted and underlined lines. FANSI-CONSOLE (tm) User Manual _____________ ____ FANSI-CONSOLE (tm) User Manual Version 1.13 - October 8th, 1985 Version 1.13 - October 8th, 1985 No Smoking Software (tm) __ _______ ________ ____ No Smoking Software (tm) (C) Copyright 1984-1985 (C) Copyright 1984-1985 Hersey Micro Consulting, Inc. Hersey Micro Consulting, Inc. P.O. Box 8276 P.O. Box 8276 Ann Arbor, Michigan USA 48107 Ann Arbor, Michigan USA 48107 (313) 994-3259 Voice (313) 994-3259 Voice (313) 994-3946 BBS (11PM-8AM ET) (313) 994-3946 BBS (11PM-8AM ET) ISBN 0-933737-01-7 ISBN 0-933737-01-7 FANSI-CONSOLE NOT FANSI- _____________ ______ FANSI-CONSOLE is NOT a free program. Usage and copying of FANSI- CONSOLE _______ CONSOLE and its abbreviated user manual are subject to extremely friendly licensing terms found within this manual. Dedicated in memory of Ralph Emerson Hersey, inventor, pioneer in the communications industry, and proud grandfather. In his day, he solved some of the world's problems. We hope we may all do the same in ours. We can still hear him say, "That's the system". FANSI-CONSOLE (tm) FANSI (tm) MODEM86 (tm) Hersey Micro _____________ ____ _____ ____ _______ ____ ______ _____ FANSI-CONSOLE (tm), FANSI (tm), MODEM86 (tm), and Hersey Micro Consulting IBM __________ Consulting are trademarks of Hersey Micro Consulting, Inc. IBM is a registered trademark of International Business Machines Corporation. Microsoft MS-DOS VT100 Microsoft and MS-DOS are trademarks of Microsoft Corporation. VT100 VT52 ANSI and VT52 are trademarks of Digital Equipment Corporation. ANSI is a trademark of American National Standards Institute. Most other names of products mentioned in this manual are also trademarks of various other companies, as noted. FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ FANSI-CONSOLE Table of Contents Chapter 1 Introduction 1 FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ 1.1 What is FANSI-CONSOLE? 1 FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ 1.2 What does FANSI-CONSOLE do? 2 1.2.1 Compatibly replaces standard IBM-PC console software 2 1.2.2 Speeds up screen writing 3 1.2.3 Processes more ANSI X3.64 escape sequences 4 1.2.4 Emulates DEC VT100 5 1.2.5 Allows one finger pausing 5 1.2.6 Allows recall of lines scrolled off the screen 6 1.2.7 Allows much more typeahead 6 1.2.8 Allows keyboard macro assignment during running programs 7 1.2.9 Allows more memory for keyboard macros 7 1.2.10 Turns displays off when not in use 7 1.2.11 Allows one finger typing 7 1.2.12 Allows keyboard generated breakpoints 8 1.2.13 Eliminates screen flicker 8 1.2.14 Provides support for 50 line displays 8 1.2.15 Extends the IBM-PC ROM BIOS 9 1.2.16 Provides some control over use of color 9 1.2.17 Provides control over key repeat rate 9 1.2.18 Other features 9 1.3 What about multitasking windowing programs and FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ FANSI-CONSOLE? 10 Chapter 2 Starting Quickly 12 FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ 2.1 Do I have to read the whole FANSI-CONSOLE user manual? 12 2.1.1 NO! 12 FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ 2.2 How do I quickly install FANSI-CONSOLE? 13 2.2.1 Verify distribution diskette 13 2.2.2 Backup distribution diskette 16 2.2.3 Backup system disks 16 2.2.4 Copy FCONSOLE.DEV to system disk 16 2.2.5 Add DEVICE=FCONSOLE.DEV to CONFIG.SYS 17 2.2.6 Remove DEVICE=ANSI.SYS from CONFIG.SYS 18 2.2.7 Restart MS(PC)-DOS 19 2.2.8 Add BUFFERS=20 to CONFIG.SYS 20 (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ FANSI-CONSOLE 2.2.9 Modify Prompt 21 2.2.10 Leave enough memory for applications programs 23 FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ 2.3 How do I use FANSI-CONSOLE? 24 2.3.1 Using the Ctrl-F key 24 2.3.2 Using the Ctrl-S key 24 2.3.3 Using the Ctrl-Num-Lock key 25 2.3.4 Using the Ctrl-C or Ctrl-Break keys 25 FANSI-CONSOLE __ _____________ 2.4 How do I uninstall FANSI-CONSOLE? 26 Chapter 3 Detailed Installation 27 3.1 So what is an MS(PC)-DOS device driver, anyway? 27 3.2 What if my needs are ... different? 29 FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ 3.3 "How much memory does FANSI-CONSOLE require?" 46 Chapter 4 Programming Background 47 4.1 Which screen writing method is best? 47 Chapter 5 ANSI X3.64 escape sequences 50 5.1 Why use ANSI X3.64? 50 5.2 What is an ANSI X3.64 escape sequence? 51 5.3 How can my program write the ANSI X3.64 escape sequences? 53 5.3.1 BASIC 54 5.3.2 C 55 5.3.3 PASCAL 56 5.3.4 Assembly Language 57 5.4 What can the ANSI X3.64 escape sequences do? 59 5.5 How do I find out the mnemonic for an ANSI X3.64 escape sequence? 106 5.6 How do I find out the name of an ANSI X3.64 escape sequence? 111 5.6.1 Control Functions 111 5.6.2 Parameter Values 112 Chapter 6 Changing Options at Run-time 114 6.1 Why do I want to change the options at run-time? 114 6.2 What options can I change? 115 6.2.1 FANSI-RM and FANSI-SM parameters 115 6.2.2 FANSI-SOV parameters 130 Chapter 7 ROM BIOS Calls 135 (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ FANSI-CONSOLE 7.1 Do I have to change my ROM BIOS calls? 135 7.2 How do I make keyboard BIOS calls? 137 7.3 How do I make display BIOS calls? 144 Chapter 8 Advanced Features 156 8.1 How do I use the scroll recall feature? 156 8.2 How do I keep the recall buffer from filling? 160 8.3 How do I reenter lines from the recall buffer? 162 8.4 How do I write recall buffer to a file? 163 8.5 How do I rearrange my keyboard keys? 164 FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ 8.6 How do I assign macros to FANSI-CONSOLE keys? 167 8.7 How do I induce breakpoints with the keyboard? 170 8.7.1 Using the Alt-Ctrl-Ins key 170 FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ 8.8 How do I get FANSI-CONSOLE to emulate a VT100? 171 8.8.1 Using the Alt-Ctrl-Num-Lock key 171 FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ 8.9 How do I get FANSI-CONSOLE to be more compatible? 174 8.9.1 Using the Alt-Ctrl-DownArrow key 174 FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ 8.10 How do I get FANSI-CONSOLE to be faster? 174 8.10.1 Using the Alt-Ctrl-UpArrow key 174 8.11 How do I get the console into local mode? 175 8.11.1 Using the Alt-Ctrl-Scroll-Lock key 175 8.12 How do I use the original definition of a key? 176 8.12.1 Using the Alt-Ctrl-Caps key 176 8.13 How do I get a Dvorak keyboard arrangement? 177 8.13.1 Using the Alt-Ctrl-Tab key 177 8.14 How do I get back the normal keyboard arrangement? 177 8.14.1 Using the Alt-Ctrl-Esc key 177 Chapter 9 Compatibility and Limitations 178 FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ 9.1 What do I do if FANSI-CONSOLE gives me problems? 178 9.1.1 Check for the problem in the index under "problem" 178 9.1.2 Check the compatibility lists 178 FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ 9.1.3 Check for problems without FANSI-CONSOLE 179 9.1.4 Check for lack of memory problems 179 (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ FANSI-CONSOLE 9.1.5 Check for interaction problems 179 9.1.6 When all else fails....give us a call 180 FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ 9.2 What limitations does FANSI-CONSOLE have? 181 FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ 9.3 Are there several versions of FANSI-CONSOLE? 182 FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ 9.4 What programs are compatible with FANSI-CONSOLE? 183 FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ 9.5 What computers are compatible with FANSI-CONSOLE? 186 FANSI-CONSOLE __ _____________ 9.6 What programs are incompatible with FANSI-CONSOLE? 188 FANSI-CONSOLE __ _____________ 9.7 What computers are incompatible with FANSI-CONSOLE? 192 Chapter 10 Credits 195 10.1 How did you do that? 195 Chapter 11 Distribution and Licensing 197 FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ 11.1 You mean FANSI-CONSOLE is not freeware? 197 FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ 11.2 How are you limiting my use of FANSI-CONSOLE? 199 11.2.1 Limitations 199 11.2.2 Rights 202 FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ 11.3 How do I know if FANSI-CONSOLE is right for me? 203 11.3.1 DISCLAIMER 203 FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ 11.4 How do I get updated versions of FANSI-CONSOLE? 204 11.5 What do we pay if we have more than one computer? 205 FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ 11.6 Can I get a printed complete FANSI-CONSOLE user manual? 206 FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ 11.7 Can I publish the FANSI-CONSOLE complete user manual? 207 FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ 11.8 Can I buy the FANSI-CONSOLE program source? 207 (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting FANSI-CONSOLE Introduction _____________ FANSI-CONSOLE Introduction Chapter 1 Chapter 1 Introduction Introduction FANSI-CONSOLE __________________________ 1.1 What is FANSI-CONSOLE? FANSI-CONSOLE (tm) _____________ ____ Briefly, FANSI-CONSOLE (tm) is a fast ANSI X3.64 standard console driver for the IBM-PC, running under MS(PC)-DOS. The name "FANSI" comes from "fast ANSI". It is pronounced the same as "fancy". The "console" is what we call the screen and keyboard together. "MS(PC)- DOS" is the name we use for Microsoft's MS-DOS, of which IBM-PC DOS FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ is a variant. We also call FANSI-CONSOLE "The Integrated Console (tm) ____ Utility (tm)", because it integrates many little console control features into one program. FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ This chapter gives an overview of what FANSI-CONSOLE can do for you, FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ and explains why you will want to use FANSI-CONSOLE. The next FANSI- ______ chapter tells you how to get started, so that you can try FANSI- CONSOLE _______ CONSOLE right away. (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting 1 (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting 1 FANSI-CONSOLE Introduction _____________ FANSI-CONSOLE Introduction FANSI-CONSOLE _______________________________ 1.2 What does FANSI-CONSOLE do? 1.2.1 Compatibly replaces standard IBM-PC console software _____ __________ ________ ________ ______ _______ ________ 1.2.1 Compatibly replaces standard IBM-PC console software FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ FANSI-CONSOLE is both an MS(PC)-DOS console driver and a BIOS console driver. These are two somewhat similar but still different things. Somewhat like an actor playing the parts of both twins in a movie, FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ FANSI-CONSOLE plays the part of the standard IBM-PC ROM BIOS console software, as well as the part of the standard IBM-PC MS(PC)-DOS console device driver (or the standard IBM-PC ANSI.SYS device FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ driver). FANSI-CONSOLE replaces the screen and keyboard handling parts of both the IBM-PC ROM BIOS and the MS(PC)-DOS 2.00 (and later versions) operating system. It is a complete and mostly compatible replacement for the standard IBM-PC console software, but offers many significant improvements. It also replaces many other small single feature console utilities which may be found in the public domain and on the retail market. FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ Although we try to make FANSI-CONSOLE as compatible as possible to the standard IBM-PC console software, please note that because of the FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ improvements offered, it is impossible for FANSI-CONSOLE to be 100% compatible. For program compatibility information, refer to the chapter entitled "Compatibility and Limitations". We hope to extend the compatibility list, as more people report how well it works with other software. FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ Just like the operating system, FANSI-CONSOLE is always in memory FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ once it is placed there during the startup process. FANSI-CONSOLE ________ _____ __ __ __ __________ ______ requires about 24 KB of read/write memory for itself. In comparison, the standard IBM-PC ANSI.SYS device driver requires about 1.6 KB of FANSI-CONSOLE not _____________ ___ read/write memory for itself. FANSI-CONSOLE does not require any special hardware like a second diskette drive or a fixed disk. It performs just as well without them as with them. (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting 2 (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting 2 FANSI-CONSOLE Introduction _____________ FANSI-CONSOLE Introduction FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ FANSI-CONSOLE works on most computers and display adapters which are hardware equivalent to the IBM-PC and the IBM monochrome or color graphics adapter. These computers and adapters are sometimes called "compatibles" or "clones". We prefer the term clone. Note that FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ ___ because of the nature of the program, FANSI-CONSOLE does not work on ___ machines which are not hardware equivalent to the IBM-PC. For hardware compatibility information, refer to the chapter entitled "Compatibility and Limitations". We hope to extend the compatibility list, as more people report how well it works on other machines. FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ With any luck, FANSI-CONSOLE will become a standard by which IBM-PC FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ compatibility is measured. Of particular note is that FANSI-CONSOLE now fully supports all the modes of the IBM Enhanced Graphics Adaptor. 1.2.2 Speeds up screen writing _____ ______ __ ______ _______ 1.2.2 Speeds up screen writing FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ The most basic feature of FANSI-CONSOLE is that it speeds up the screen writing of many programs. This includes all MS(PC)-DOS internal commands. "Screen writing" is what we call the process of filling the screen with information by "writing" to it. Any program which uses standard MS(PC)-DOS or IBM-PC ROM BIOS calls to write to the PC screen, instead of direct hardware manipulation, writes to the FANSI- __ ____ __ _____ _____ __ ____ ______ screen as much as three times as fast as it does without FANSI- CONSOLE _______ CONSOLE. Most of the speed ups that we have tested in our file TYPEing benchmarks range between 1.2 and 2.0 times as fast. The speedup of application programs is not always as much as that because of additional overhead in the application program itself. Other programs, those which write directly to the IBM-PC screen memory, are _______ usually unaffected, but see the discussion below about screen FANSI- ______ flicker. A program's screen writing is never slowed down by FANSI- CONSOLE _______ CONSOLE. This means much less waiting for menus and so on to be written onto your screen. Generally, programs that write to the screen slowly are the ones that are speeded up. Programs written to run on any MS(PC)-DOS machine are speeded up. Programs that are quick to begin with are nearly always the programs that write directly to the screen memory, and FANSI-CONSOLE ___ _____________ therefore are not affected by FANSI-CONSOLE. Also, any program that causes hashing (snow) on a standard IBM-PC color graphics display FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ adapter is not affected by FANSI-CONSOLE, because it writes directly to screen memory. For information about which programs are speeded up refer to the compatibility list contained within the chapter entitled "Compatibility and Limitations". (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting 3 (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting 3 FANSI-CONSOLE Introduction _____________ FANSI-CONSOLE Introduction The amount of the speed up depends upon: - how much overhead the application program itself is adding to the screen writing, - the type of display adapter used, - the screen mode, - what type of screen writing calls are used, - whether scrolling is necessary, - what brand of IBM-PC equivalent machine you have, FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ - and whether FANSI-CONSOLE is replacing other single feature console utilities as well as the standard IBM-PC console software. Monochrome adapters, and those color graphics adapters which do not require screen memory writing to be delayed until a horizontal retrace, are generally speeded up more than the standard IBM-PC color graphics adapter. The alphanumeric screen modes generally are speeded up more than the graphics screen modes. DOS calls are generally speeded up more than BIOS calls. Programs that require no screen scrolling are speeded up more than those requiring scrolling. The best part is that the screen modes used the most, the alphanumeric modes with no scrolling, are speeded up the most. Some IBM-PC equivalent computer BIOSes are slower than others, and these are speeded up more than the fast ones. Most single feature console utilities have the bad side effect that they slow down the screen writing a bit. The more single feature console utilities you replace FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ with FANSI-CONSOLE, the more your screen writing is speeded up. 1.2.3 Processes more ANSI X3.64 escape sequences _____ _________ ____ ____ _____ ______ _________ 1.2.3 Processes more ANSI X3.64 escape sequences FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ Another important feature is that FANSI-CONSOLE processes American National Standards Institute (ANSI) X3.64 standard escape sequences like the standard IBM-PC DOS 2.00 (and later versions) ANSI.SYS device driver. This standard is a subset of the International FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ ______ _ Standards Organization's standard ISO 6429. FANSI-CONSOLE allows a ____ ______ ______ __ ___ _____ ________ much larger subset of the X3.64 standard to be used than the standard IBM-PC ANSI.SYS device driver does. All escape sequences work in the graphics screen modes as well as in the alphanumeric screen modes. This means programs can do more versatile things with the screen in a simpler and computer independent way. This is directly important to you because such programs can have their screen writing sent to remote terminals, or be redirected to data files. Indirectly, it is important to you, because it has the effect of reducing program development costs. It does this by making it easier to write things to the screen. It also allows the same program to run without change on many different types of computers. Presumably, the program developers will pass the savings on to you. For more information about escape sequences, see the chapter entitled "ANSI X3.64 escape sequences". Note that the chapter describing these escape sequences abbreviated ___________ is not in the abbreviated user manual found on the diskette, but is contained in the complete printed user manual. A few demonstration (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting 4 (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting 4 FANSI-CONSOLE Introduction _____________ FANSI-CONSOLE Introduction files are included on the diskette, though. Using these escape sequences, it is possible to limit the screen writing of some programs to a portion of the screen called a "window" or a "scrolling region". These windows can be scrolled in any direction or otherwise modified without affecting text on the rest of the screen. A program which knows about scrolling regions may use more than one scrolling region to effectively divide the screen display. For more information about scrolling regions, see the description of the ANSI SSR command in the chapter entitled "ANSI X3.64 escape sequences". Note that the chapter describing these abbreviated ___________ escape sequences is not in the abbreviated user manual found on the diskette, but is contained in the complete printed user manual. A few files are included on the diskette which give demos, though. 1.2.4 Emulates DEC VT100 _____ ________ ___ _____ 1.2.4 Emulates DEC VT100 FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ FANSI-CONSOLE can make the numeric keypad and function keys emulate a DEC VT100 auxiliary keypad. With the processing of ANSI X3.64 escape sequences, this can make the IBM-PC console look like a DEC VT100 to any application program. This is useful because there are already many good programs written for machines that use the VT100 for a console. The console handling of such programs do not have to be rewritten to allow them to run on an IBM-PC. It also means that simple terminal emulation (communications) programs which use MS(PC)- MODEM86 (tm) _______ ____ DOS console calls, such as our MODEM86 (tm) program, turns your IBM-PC or clone into an ANSI X3.64 standard terminal. For more information about VT100 emulation, see the section entitled "How do I FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ get FANSI-CONSOLE to emulate a VT100?" in the chapter entitled "Advanced Features". FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ FANSI-CONSOLE can also emulate a DEC VT52/Heath H19/Zenith Z100 console as part of its VT100 emulation. For more information about getting into this mode, see the subsection describing the ANSI DEC-SM command in the chapter entitled "ANSI X3.64 escape sequences". 1.2.5 Allows one finger pausing _____ ______ ___ ______ _______ 1.2.5 Allows one finger pausing FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ ______ ___ __ ___ __ ___ ___________ ___ ___ ________ FANSI-CONSOLE allows you to set up the Scroll-Lock key for optional ___ ______ _______ one finger pausing. The Scroll-Lock key may be set up to act as a scroll lock toggle. This is somewhat similar to the Ctrl-Num-Lock key combination you are already familiar with. However, it allows you to typeahead before turning off the scroll lock. With both the FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ Ctrl-Num-Lock and Scroll-Lock pausing, FANSI-CONSOLE prevents the duplicate lines which may appear when using the standard IBM-PC console software. For more information about one finger pausing, see the chapter entitled "Detailed Installation". (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting 5 (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting 5 FANSI-CONSOLE Introduction _____________ FANSI-CONSOLE Introduction 1.2.6 Allows recall of lines scrolled off the screen _____ ______ ______ __ _____ ________ ___ ___ ______ 1.2.6 Allows recall of lines scrolled off the screen FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ Another important optional feature of FANSI-CONSOLE is that when you pause with Scroll-Lock, it allows you to see lines which have already left the top of the screen. Such lines would otherwise be gone for good. Now you can even print them. We call this the scroll recall FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ feature. Unlike some scroll recall programs, FANSI-CONSOLE saves the lines in full color, and they may be saved regardless of the current screen display mode. For more information about the scroll recall feature, see the chapter entitled "Detailed Installation" and the section entitled "How do I use the scroll recall feature?" in the chapter entitled "Advanced Features". Note the latter section is not abbreviated ___________ in the abbreviated user manual found on the diskette, but is contained in the complete printed user manual. 1.2.7 Allows much more typeahead _____ ______ ____ ____ _________ 1.2.7 Allows much more typeahead FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ FANSI-CONSOLE has a much larger typeahead buffer than the standard IBM-PC console software. Typeahead is what your keystrokes are called when the currently running program is not reading them at the moment. Sometimes the program is busy with a previous command. FANSI- ______ Other times the program just does not require keyboard input. FANSI- CONSOLE _______ CONSOLE allows 255 characters of typeahead. The standard IBM-PC console software allows only 15 characters. This means you are much less likely to get that horrible beep that means your keystrokes are being ignored because the currently running program is busy. The convenience of so much typeahead also brings problems of discovering FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ that you mistyped something early on. So FANSI-CONSOLE also allows _____ ___ _________ ______ you to flush the typeahead buffer with a Ctrl-F without stopping what is currently running. Also Ctrl-C, Ctrl-Break, and Ctrl-S, all flush the typeahead buffer before their normal action. This means you are not ignored when you type these keys just because you happened to have typed ahead something else earlier. For more information about FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ key usage, see the section entitled "How do I use the FANSI-CONSOLE keyboard?". (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting 6 (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting 6 FANSI-CONSOLE Introduction _____________ FANSI-CONSOLE Introduction 1.2.8 Allows keyboard macro assignment during running programs _____ ______ ________ _____ __________ ______ _______ ________ 1.2.8 Allows keyboard macro assignment during running programs FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ Like the standard IBM-PC ANSI.SYS device driver, FANSI-CONSOLE allows you to assign keyboard macros to keys. Unlike the standard IBM-PC FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ ANSI.SYS device driver, FANSI-CONSOLE allows you to do this even during a running program. A keyboard macro is a string of characters you assign to a particular key. By pressing that key, you can automatically input a whole string of characters. Using keyboard macros avoids the tedium of typing the same long string of characters more than once. For more information about keyboard macros, see FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ section entitled "How do I assign macros to FANSI-CONSOLE keys?" in the chapter entitled "Advanced Features". Note this chapter is not abbreviated ___________ in the abbreviated user manual found on the diskette, but is contained in the complete printed user manual. 1.2.9 Allows more memory for keyboard macros _____ ______ ____ ______ ___ ________ ______ 1.2.9 Allows more memory for keyboard macros More memory is allowed for keyboard macros than the standard IBM-PC FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ ANSI.SYS device driver. FANSI-CONSOLE also allows you to specify how much memory is used for keyboard macros. For more information about memory usage, see the chapter entitled "Detailed Installation". 1.2.10 Turns displays off when not in use ______ _____ ________ ___ ____ ___ __ ___ 1.2.10 Turns displays off when not in use FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ For most display adapters, FANSI-CONSOLE can be configured to automatically turn off your console screen displays when not in use for a specified time. This prevents you from permanently burning a particular display pattern into the phosphors on your screen by FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ leaving it on the display too long. FANSI-CONSOLE turns off both displays, if you have two display adapters. Note that to avoid surprising people, this is not the default action. For more information about the screen save feature, see the chapter entitled "Detailed Installation". 1.2.11 Allows one finger typing ______ ______ ___ ______ ______ 1.2.11 Allows one finger typing FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ ______ ___ __ ___ __ ___ ________ ___ ________ FANSI-CONSOLE allows you to set up the keyboard for optional __________ ______ one-finger typing for the physically handicapped. When combined with the one-finger pausing and scroll recall, the console becomes a much more convenient tool for the physically handicapped. For more information about one finger typing, see the chapter entitled "Detailed Installation". (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting 7 (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting 7 FANSI-CONSOLE Introduction _____________ FANSI-CONSOLE Introduction 1.2.12 Allows keyboard generated breakpoints ______ ______ ________ _________ ___________ 1.2.12 Allows keyboard generated breakpoints FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ FANSI-CONSOLE has Alt-Ctrl-Ins set up to generate the equivalent of a breakpoint. This is handy for assembly language programmers, when debugging programs with infinite loops. For more information about keyboard generated breakpoints, see the subsection entitled "Using the Alt-Ctrl-Ins key" in the chapter entitled "Advanced Features". abbreviated ___________ Note this chapter is not in the abbreviated user manual found on the diskette, but is contained in the complete printed user manual. 1.2.13 Eliminates screen flicker ______ __________ ______ _______ 1.2.13 Eliminates screen flicker A feature that owners of some IBM-PC color graphics adapter FANSI- ______ equivalents, like Tecmar's Graphics Master, will love is that FANSI- CONSOLE _______ _________ ______ _______ _______ CONSOLE can be used to eliminate screen flicker (blink) as it is scrolled. On these same adaptors, some TopView compatible programs ___ (when not running under Topview) can be made write the screen faster and not blink the screen even if they write the screen memory directly. Unfortunately, this is not so on the standard IBM-PC color __ graphics adapter because of a hardware design deficiency (well, we call it that). To identify these adapters more easily when making purchasing decisions, we have included a program called SNOW which may be used to determine whether an adapter requires that annoying blinking. For more information about eliminating screen flicker, see the chapter entitled "Detailed Installation". 1.2.14 Provides support for 50 line displays ______ ________ _______ ___ __ ____ ________ 1.2.14 Provides support for 50 line displays For display adapters with enough memory and displays with a long persistence phosphor, there is support for several 50 line interlace display modes. For more information about 50 line display modes, see the subsection describing the IBM-SM command in the chapter entitled "ANSI X3.64 Escape Sequences". Note this chapter is not in the abbreviated ___________ abbreviated user manual found on the diskette, but is contained in the complete printed user manual. (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting 8 (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting 8 FANSI-CONSOLE Introduction _____________ FANSI-CONSOLE Introduction 1.2.15 Extends the IBM-PC ROM BIOS ______ _______ ___ ______ ___ ____ 1.2.15 Extends the IBM-PC ROM BIOS FANSI- ______ Several additional capabilities have been added to the part of FANSI- CONSOLE _______ CONSOLE which replaces the ROM BIOS. Among other things, it provides additional BIOS capabilities which make your IBM-PC more like an IBM-PC AT (in versatility, if not in speed). For more information about ROM BIOS extensions, see the chapter entitled "ROM BIOS abbreviated ___________ calls". Note this chapter is not in the abbreviated user manual found on the diskette, but is contained in the complete printed user manual. 1.2.16 Provides some control over use of color ______ ________ ____ _______ ____ ___ __ _____ 1.2.16 Provides some control over use of color FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ FANSI-CONSOLE provides some control over the use of color by some programs. Many programs use white characters on a black background. FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ For some of these programs, FANSI-CONSOLE allows you to force a different color combination to be used instead. Also, if you have a monochrome display attached to your color graphics adapter, some programs which use colors have displays which are hard to read. FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ FANSI-CONSOLE allows you to force some of these programs to use only black and white characters. For more information about color control, see the chapter entitled "Detailed Installation". 1.2.17 Provides control over key repeat rate ______ ________ _______ ____ ___ ______ ____ 1.2.17 Provides control over key repeat rate FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ FANSI-CONSOLE provides control over the keyboard key repeat rate. The repeat rate may be set faster for more zippy response to your arrow or paging keys, for example. It may also be set slower, if that is required. The delay before the repeating starts may be shortened or lengthened. For more information about the keyboard repeat rate, see the chapter entitled "Changing Options at abbreviated ___________ Run-time". Note this chapter is not in the abbreviated user manual found on the diskette, but is contained in the complete printed user manual. 1.2.18 Other features ______ _____ ________ 1.2.18 Other features FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ FANSI-CONSOLE will have other features which will become documented as they become ready for use. Your distribution diskette has files on it which briefly describe any new features which may have been abbreviated ___________ added since this manual was printed. This includes an abbreviated user manual which is slightly more up to date than the printed user manual, and a history file briefly indicating recent changes. (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting 9 (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting 9 FANSI-CONSOLE Introduction _____________ FANSI-CONSOLE Introduction FANSI-CONSOLE _________________________________________________________________ 1.3 What about multitasking windowing programs and FANSI-CONSOLE? FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ You may wonder how FANSI-CONSOLE compares with some of the new multitasking windowing programs such as IBM's TopView, Quarterdeck's FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ DESQ, or Microsoft's Windows. FANSI-CONSOLE is not meant to compete directly with these programs. Such programs are called "multitasking" because they allow several programs to be in the middle of doing their respective "tasks" at the same time. A multitasking windowing program manages the screen for such tasks, and allows you to switch between tasks. We want to make it clear that FANSI-CONSOLE FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ _____________ FANSI-CONSOLE does not handle multitasking. FANSI-CONSOLE may be FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ used with most multitasking windowing programs. FANSI-CONSOLE may not affect them or the programs running under them, since most of these multitasking windowing programs write directly to the screen hardware. There are times, though, when you want to run without the multitasking windowing program, to do things like run batch files or FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ programs with command line parameters. At these times, FANSI-CONSOLE is there to speed up screen writing. FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ We believe that FANSI-CONSOLE is generally a more helpful product for the budget minded customer than multitasking windowing programs. FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ FANSI-CONSOLE offers much less in the way of features than most FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ multitasking windowing programs, but FANSI-CONSOLE uses much less read/write memory and no secondary memory like additional disks, and costs less than most multitasking windowing programs. Multitasking windowing programs usually need much more than 256 KB of read/write memory and a fixed disk for quick execution or sometimes any execution! All this memory is generally used to keep several programs in memory at once as well as copies of their screen displays. Requiring that much memory or fixed disks means that those of you who cannot afford to lay out so much money per workstation are unable to use multitasking windowing programs. Even if you can afford a multitasking windowing program and its FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ required extra hardware, you may find FANSI-CONSOLE more to your FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ liking. FANSI-CONSOLE speeds up the screen writing of many programs to make them quick enough for your tastes. When your favorite FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ application program still takes awhile to do something, FANSI-CONSOLE allows you to keep typing by having a generous typeahead buffer. Most multitasking windowing products do nothing to speed up the screen writing of other programs. They also do not allow you to typeahead much. Many slow things down, even though they claim to be "user-friendly". However, it is generally recognized that being speedy is the most user-friendly quality of a product. (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting 10 (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting 10 FANSI-CONSOLE Introduction _____________ FANSI-CONSOLE Introduction FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ Another reason to like FANSI-CONSOLE is that once you install it, it ___ does not require separate installation of the programs you run with FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ FANSI-CONSOLE. Most multitasking windowing programs require a sometimes laborious installation process for each program you intend to run with the multitasking windowing program. (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting 11 (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting 11 FANSI-CONSOLE Starting Quickly _____________ FANSI-CONSOLE Starting Quickly Chapter 2 Chapter 2 Starting Quickly Starting Quickly FANSI-CONSOLE __________________________________________________________ 2.1 Do I have to read the whole FANSI-CONSOLE user manual? 2.1.1 NO! ___ You do not have to read this whole manual from cover to cover to take FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ advantage of FANSI-CONSOLE. You only have to know what is in this ______ chapter to get started. If you want really brief instructions, just ____ read the description of this chapter in the table of contents! We know how much you hate to have to read the manual before trying out a program. Unfortunately, this program can not be menu driven because of its nature. There is an extensive index at the end of this manual. It is there to help you if you have problems finding what you want to know. Please use it, especially if you do not read the manual from cover to cover. For example, solutions to many common problems can be found by looking up the keyword "problem" in the index. If you can not find something where you looked first in the index, let us know! We think the index should be comprehensive. That minimizes the number of calls we get asking about things which are fully explained in the manual but hard to find. There is a section in the chapter entitled "Compatibilities and Limitations" which is devoted to solving compatibility problems with FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ FANSI-CONSOLE. You should read that if you experience problems. If you can not find what you want to know in the abbreviated user manual found on the diskette, then it is probably time to order a complete printed user manual. You can tell this is the case when you find yourself looking for a page number mentioned in the index or table of contents which is not in your abbreviated user manual. The index and the table of contents are complete, but the rest of the ___ abbreviated user manual found on the diskette is not! FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ Lastly, even though it is possible to use FANSI-CONSOLE without reading the chapter on its distribution, please read it, too. It has information which is important to us about what we expect in return FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ from you for your being able to use FANSI-CONSOLE. (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting 12 (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting 12 FANSI-CONSOLE Starting Quickly _____________ FANSI-CONSOLE Starting Quickly FANSI-CONSOLE ___________________________________________ 2.2 How do I quickly install FANSI-CONSOLE? FANSI- ______ The following is the simplest possible setup procedure for FANSI- CONSOLE FANSI-CONSOLE _______ _____________ CONSOLE. Use it if you are in a hurry to try FANSI-CONSOLE. Keep in FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ ___ mind that FANSI-CONSOLE has many features which can not be taken advantage of without more detailed installation. Further reading will allow you to take advantage of those features at a later time. 2.2.1 Verify distribution diskette _____ ______ ____________ ________ 2.2.1 Verify distribution diskette The first step is to verify that the following files are on the distribution diskette: ANSI40.TXT ANSI40.TXT Test data for 40 column screen displays. Chock full of examples of ANSI X3.64 escape sequences. TYPE this file for a demo! ANSI80.TXT ANSI80.TXT Test data for 80 column screen displays. Chock full of examples of ANSI X3.64 escape sequences. TYPE this file for a demo! DEJAVU.EXE DEJAVU.EXE Program which writes the lines from the scroll recall buffer to a file. DIZZY.C DIZZY.C Source for C program which generated part of ANSI80.TXT. DVORAK.TXT DVORAK.TXT Test data to set up a quasi-Dvorak keyboard layout. Unless you know what a Dvorak keyboard layout is, we NOT ___ strongly suggest that you NOT TYPE this file. This is not a real Dvorak layout, but only an example of key redefinition. FCONBETA.DEV FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ FCONBETA.DEV beta test version of FANSI-CONSOLE. This version is less tested than the commercial version and may have more bugs, but it also has never features which you may want to try. FCONSOLE.DEV FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ FCONSOLE.DEV FANSI-CONSOLE itself. This is the commercial version. It is more stable and bugfree than FCONBETA.DEV. The current printed manual describes this version. (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting 13 (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting 13 FANSI-CONSOLE Starting Quickly _____________ FANSI-CONSOLE Starting Quickly FCONSOLE.DQC FANSI-CONSOLE abbreviated _____________ ___________ FCONSOLE.DQC FANSI-CONSOLE abbreviated user manual for beta test version in squeezed form. This file includes FANSI- ______ information about the beta test version of FANSI- CONSOLE _______ CONSOLE which is not yet in the printed user manual. After using UNSQZ to unsqueeze it, PRINT or TYPE the resulting FCONSOLE.DOC file. You are reading a copy of it now! FCONSOLE.HST FCONSOLE.HST Revision history information. This file includes FANSI- ______ information about the latest version of FANSI- CONSOLE _______ CONSOLE which is not yet in the printed user manual. PRINT or TYPE this file. FLAYOUT.EXE FLAYOUT.EXE Program to rearrange your keyboard keys to your liking. RAWMODE.MAC RAWMODE.MAC Source for subroutines which are useful for programmers wishing to speed up their program's screen writing. See the comments in the file for information about on usage. README.NOW abbreviated ___________ README.NOW Short directions for printing the abbreviated user manual. SK111.PCH SK111.PCH Patch for Sidekick to keep it from waking up when Alt-Ctrl is pressed. Use Left-Shift-Right-Shift instead. See the comments in the file for information about usage. SNOW.COM SNOW.COM Test program to help you decide how to set some of FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ the FANSI-CONSOLE hardware options. Simply run the program. See the chapter entitled "Detailed Installation" for information about usage. SPIT.EXE SPIT.EXE Test program for slowly trying test data. Use it to display a file on the console, like the MS(PC)-DOS TYPE command. It waits, with no prompts, for you to press a key between every line displayed. STANDARD.LAY STANDARD.LAY Standard keyboard layout file. For use with FLAYOUT. UNSQZ.COM UNSQZ.COM Program to unsqueeze FCONSOLE.DQC. UNSQZ FCONSOLE.DQC produces FCONSOLE.DOC. WATZITDO.COM WATZITDO.COM Displays the effects of pressing keys. Useful for reporting information to us about nonstandard keyboards. (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting 14 (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting 14 FANSI-CONSOLE Starting Quickly _____________ FANSI-CONSOLE Starting Quickly WORDSTAR.PCH WORDSTAR.PCH Patch for WordStar to make it write to the screen faster. See the comments in the file for information about usage. If the listed files are not all there, ask whomever you got the program from to give you the missing files. They are supposed to give you all the files listed here. There may be additional optional files on the diskette which are not listed here. Please note that the user manual which appears on this diskette is abbreviated ___________ abbreviated. Chapters describing advanced features in detail are abbreviated ___________ omitted from the abbreviated user manual on the diskette. See the chapter entitled Distribution and Licensing. (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting 15 (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting 15 FANSI-CONSOLE Starting Quickly _____________ FANSI-CONSOLE Starting Quickly 2.2.2 Backup distribution diskette _____ ______ ____________ ________ 2.2.2 Backup distribution diskette The second step is to make a backup copy of your distribution diskette using the MS(PC)-DOS DISKCOPY command, as outlined in the MS(PC)-DOS manual. Start out by making sure the distribution diskette is write protected, so you do not accidentally destroy what __ ____ is on the diskette by copying to it instead of copying from it. After all, the reason you should make the backup copy in the first place is to have extra copies if one copy gets accidentally destroyed. 2.2.3 Backup system disks _____ ______ ______ _____ 2.2.3 Backup system disks The third step is to make backup copies of your MS(PC)-DOS 2.00 (or later versions) system diskettes using the MS(PC)-DOS DISKCOPY command, as outlined in the MS(PC)-DOS manual. A system disk is any disk with the MS(PC)-DOS operating system on it. Many MS(PC)-DOS ___ diskettes are NOT system disks. The best way to tell if a diskette is a system disk is to put the diskette into drive A: and restart MS- (PC)-DOS by pressing Alt-Ctrl-Del. If MS(PC)-DOS starts without further changing diskettes, then the diskette is a system disk. If you have a fixed disk and you can start MS(PC)-DOS using Alt-Ctrl-Del without a diskette in drive A:, then your fixed disk is also a system disk. However, it is not necessary to make a backup copy of your FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ fixed disk just to try FANSI-CONSOLE. If your MS(PC)-DOS version is less than 2.00, then run out and buy FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ the latest version now! FANSI-CONSOLE requires at least version 2.00. Many other programs soon will as well. Do not get lost in the past! 2.2.4 Copy FCONSOLE.DEV to system disk _____ ____ ____________ __ ______ ____ 2.2.4 Copy FCONSOLE.DEV to system disk The fourth step is to copy the file FCONSOLE.DEV from our distribution diskette to your MS(PC)-DOS 2.00 (or later) system disks using the MS(PC)-DOS COPY command. Copy FCONSOLE.DEV to the root directory on the system disk. Do this to all your system disks, if you have more than one. However, we suggest that you do them one at a time. Test each one for a few days, or a time period comfortable for you, before installing it on other system disks. If you have a fixed disk, we suggest you try this on a diskette first before FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ installing FANSI-CONSOLE on the fixed disk. All this caution is FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ merely to allow you to start MS(PC)-DOS without FANSI-CONSOLE if there are some problems with it on your computer. (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting 16 (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting 16 FANSI-CONSOLE Starting Quickly _____________ FANSI-CONSOLE Starting Quickly If you are a bit adventureous, you might want to try FCONBETA.DEV instead of FCONSOLE.DEV. It is our latest beta test version of FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ FANSI-CONSOLE. It may have new features as documented in the FCONSOLE.HST file. However, it may not well debugged, so you are trying it at your own risk. We do not promise to fix bugs which may appear in the beta test version. 2.2.5 Add DEVICE=FCONSOLE.DEV to CONFIG.SYS _____ ___ ___________________ __ __________ 2.2.5 Add DEVICE=FCONSOLE.DEV to CONFIG.SYS The fifth step is to add the line: DEVICE=FCONSOLE.DEV DEVICE=FCONSOLE.DEV to the beginning of the CONFIG.SYS file on your system disk, in the root directory. If there is a CONFIG.SYS file in the root directory on your system disk when you start MS(PC)-DOS, MS(PC)-DOS reads it for special instructions. This is a special instruction to MS(PC)- FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ DOS to install FANSI-CONSOLE when MS(PC)-DOS starts. You must create the CONFIG.SYS file if there is not already one in the root directory on the system disk. Your favorite editor may be used to do this. It is important that the line be at the start of the CONFIG.SYS file instead of the middle or the end. This is mostly because the sooner FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ FANSI-CONSOLE gets loaded and its name banner is displayed, the sooner your larger typeahead buffer is ready to be used. It is also FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ important that FANSI-CONSOLE be loaded before any other device drivers that require keyboard or screen handling, such as mouse device drivers. Otherwise, the position of this line does not matter. The letters may be either upper or lower case. It is important that the "DEVICE=FCONSOLE.DEV" line is ended with a carriage return, and not just with the end of the CONFIG.SYS file. _______ There is a bug in MS(PC)-DOS 2.0 which causes such a line without the carriage return to yield the following strange looking message: Bad or missing FCONSOLE.DEVLE.DEV Bad or missing FCONSOLE.DEVLE.DEV The repeated part of the name is really in the message. This bug was fixed in MS(PC)-DOS 3.0. If you have an IBM-PC clone or if you have non-IBM video card, no matter how equivalent you may believe it to be, you may also need to FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ add some options to this line to tell FANSI-CONSOLE that your PC is FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ different, to get the full functionality of FANSI-CONSOLE. These options are described in the chapter entitled "Detailed Installation". (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting 17 (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting 17 FANSI-CONSOLE Starting Quickly _____________ FANSI-CONSOLE Starting Quickly 2.2.6 Remove DEVICE=ANSI.SYS from CONFIG.SYS _____ ______ _______________ ____ __________ 2.2.6 Remove DEVICE=ANSI.SYS from CONFIG.SYS The sixth step is to delete any lines like: DEVICE=ANSI.SYS DEVICE=ANSI.SYS from the CONFIG.SYS file. If you have a line like this referring to another console driver, such as the IBM-PC ANSI.SYS device driver, in the CONFIG.SYS file then you should remove it. This is because FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ FANSI-CONSOLE is a replacement for ANSI.SYS as well as the part of the standard IBM-PC ROM BIOS that deals with the console. They both have the name "CON:" when used later with other MS(PC)-DOS commands. FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ There is no point in trying to make them coexist. FANSI-CONSOLE has all the function of the ANSI.SYS device driver and more. Please note that it is only console drivers that do not work with FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ FANSI-CONSOLE. Device drivers for devices other than the console FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ (CON:) may be used with FANSI-CONSOLE. Such drivers include FANSI- ______ read/write memory-based diskette emulators (RAM-disk) like FANSI- RAMDISK (tm) _______ ____ RAMDISK (tm) and mouse device drivers. So most lines which start with: DEVICE= DEVICE= do not need to be deleted from CONFIG.SYS. If you happen to load both console drivers, the one which is loaded last is the one which is really used as the MS(PC)-DOS console driver. It has either of two bad effects, depending upon which driver is specified first in CONFIG.SYS. If ANSI.SYS is loaded FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ first, ANSI.SYS consumes memory to no effect, since FANSI-CONSOLE is FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ used instead of ANSI.SYS. If FANSI-CONSOLE is loaded first, the MS- FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ (PC)-DOS console driver part of FANSI-CONSOLE is not used. Instead ANSI.SYS is used as the MS(PC)-DOS console driver. However, the BIOS FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ calls are now calls to FANSI-CONSOLE. (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting 18 (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting 18 FANSI-CONSOLE Starting Quickly _____________ FANSI-CONSOLE Starting Quickly 2.2.7 Restart MS(PC)-DOS _____ _______ __________ 2.2.7 Restart MS(PC)-DOS _______ __________ The seventh and last step is to restart MS(PC)-DOS. Now that you have changed your CONFIG.SYS file, all you do is use that system disk when you turn on the computer or when you press the Alt-Ctrl-Del key combination. Of course, you could have several system disks with both FCONSOLE.DEV and CONFIG.SYS on it. Any one of them will do. ___ You do not need to have these files on a disk which is on line after FANSI- ______ the MS(PC)-DOS operating system is loaded at the start. FANSI- CONSOLE _______ CONSOLE remains loaded in memory as part of the MS(PC)-DOS operating system until the next time you restart MS(PC)-DOS. FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ You can tell that FANSI-CONSOLE is installed when you see the single line banner with the name of the program and our copyright message at the top of your screen when you start. If you do not see the banner FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ when you start, FANSI-CONSOLE is not installed. It is as simple as that! In either case, the old familiar MS(PC)-DOS prompt appears after your AUTOEXEC.BAT file is completed. Notice that we do not beat you over the head with a full screen request for payment of the usage royalty, like some programs do. We just do that in the user manual! (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting 19 (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting 19 FANSI-CONSOLE Starting Quickly _____________ FANSI-CONSOLE Starting Quickly 2.2.8 Add BUFFERS=20 to CONFIG.SYS _____ ___ __________ __ __________ 2.2.8 Add BUFFERS=20 to CONFIG.SYS Although it is not usually necessary, you may also want to add something like the following line to the CONFIG.SYS file on your system disk: BUFFERS=20 BUFFERS=20 The letters may be either upper or lower case. It is not important to place this line in any particular place in the CONFIG.SYS file. The purpose of this command is to allow more buffer space for MS(PC)- DOS to use for reading and writing files. Although this has nothing FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ to do with FANSI-CONSOLE, it also speeds up your computer by speeding up your file accesses. We mention it here because many people are unaware of it. The only negative aspect to using this line in your CONFIG.SYS file is that it consumes about 10 KB of read/write memory for extra buffer space which is no longer usable by your application programs. However, you may replace the number 20 with a smaller number, even one as small as 5. It still speeds up your disk access, although not as much. The space required is proportional to the number used. Using a larger number may help more if you have a large or full fixed disk. If the number is too large, it starts slowing the computer down again. Only you can find the best number for your computer, but almost any number is better than the 2 you get by default. FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ Sometimes, after installing FANSI-CONSOLE, the MS(PC)-DOS FORMAT command refuses to format disks. This problem is caused by a bug in the FORMAT command. The bug causes FORMAT to be sensitive to where it is loaded in memory. Particular FORMAT buffers must not not cross 64 KB byte boundaries. FORMAT is not insuring that they are so arranged. So you must do the arranging yourself. If this bug causes you a problem, the easiest solution is to slightly increase the number in the BUFFERS command and then restart MS(PC)-DOS. If you are already using the BUFFERS limit of 99, then slightly decrease the number. Keep changing the number in the same direction until FORMAT works correctly. (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting 20 (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting 20 FANSI-CONSOLE Starting Quickly _____________ FANSI-CONSOLE Starting Quickly 2.2.9 Modify Prompt _____ ______ ______ 2.2.9 Modify Prompt Although it is not necessary, you may want to add something like the following line to the AUTOEXEC.BAT file on your system disk: PROMPT $e\$e[2;37;40m$e[J$n$g PROMPT $e\$e[2;37;40m$e[J$n$g Note that upper and lower case letters must be used exactly as indicated in the prompt. Also, if you use any extra spaces here, you will get extra spaces in your MS(PC)-DOS prompt. This is a MS(PC)- DOS internal command that describes the prompt that MS(PC)-DOS should use when it is ready for a new command. In this example, we have it send out an ANSI X3.64 SGR escape sequence (indicated by the "$e[2;37;40m") to set the current screen colors and other attributes to the normal values (low intensity white foreground on a black background) before displaying the current drive letter ($n) and a greater than symbol ($g). We also send out an ANSI X3.64 erase in display escape sequence ($e[J) to erase the rest of the screen in the current colors (again low intensity white foreground on a black background). We recommend this because some programs leave the current screen color attributes in undesired states. If the screen erasing is not done, you may find that even though what you type is the right color, and the rest of the screen is black, the cursor is a different color. The "$e\" is a string terminator sequence. It terminates any escape sequence string which may be left unfinished by an aborted program. You may find a different set of colors or attributes desirable. You may also want the MS(PC)-DOS prompt to use different colors or have different attributes than what you type after it. So you may want to use different ANSI X3.64 SGR commands, like the following: PROMPT $e\$e[2;32;40m$e[J$e[1;36m$n$g$e[2;32m PROMPT $e\$e[2;32;40m$e[J$e[1;36m$n$g$e[2;32m This prompt erases the screen with a green foreground on a black background, displays the current drive and a greater than symbol in a cyan foreground on a black background, and insures that command characters you type appear with a green foreground on a black background. You can create a more elaborate prompt of your own choosing by using more complicated ANSI X3.64 escape sequences (described in the chapter entitled "ANSI X3.64 Escape Sequences" not ___ which is not in the abbreviated user manual) and other PROMPT command options. (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting 21 (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting 21 FANSI-CONSOLE Starting Quickly _____________ FANSI-CONSOLE Starting Quickly However, using a prompt like this does have some small side effects, which you should note. 1. The PROMPT only resets the foreground and background colors after every MS(PC)-DOS command, when the MS(PC)-DOS ECHO is ON. If ECHO is OFF, it has no effect. 2. The PROMPT resets the foreground and background colors after _____ every MS(PC)-DOS command, when the MS(PC)-DOS ECHO is on. This means that you are not be able to change the colors without changing the PROMPT, since it resets them again immediately afterwards. So you may want to experiment with different ______ colors before setting up this PROMPT. 3. MS(PC)-DOS apparently counts the prompt characters, except the escape. When you use this prompt and you type the line-delete character (ESC for PC-DOS and Ctrl-X for MS-DOS) to restart a line that you are typing at the MS(PC)-DOS prompt, MS(PC)-DOS spaces over too far for the new line. It does not realize that these prompt characters do not all really appear on the screen. 4. When you use this prompt and you type the echo-console-onto-printer character (Ctrl-PrtSc for PC-DOS and Ctrl-P for MS-DOS), prompts do not appear the same as they do on the screen. This is because your printer does not understand ANSI X3.64 escape sequences. 5. When you include an erase in display command as part of your prompt, there is a small delay when the erasing is done before the printed part of your prompt appears. The closer the prompt is to the top of the display, the longer the delay. This is more noticeable with some display adapters (those requiring the /H=1 option) than others. 6. You may run out of MS(PC)-DOS environment space if your prompt is long enough. If you are using MS(PC)-DOS 3.00 you can add /E:xx to the CONFIG.SYS SHELL command to enlarge your environment space. A sample SHELL command would be SHELL=\COMMAND.COM /E:20 /P "SHELL=\COMMAND.COM /E:20 /P". (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting 22 (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting 22 FANSI-CONSOLE Starting Quickly _____________ FANSI-CONSOLE Starting Quickly 2.2.10 Leave enough memory for applications programs ______ _____ ______ ______ ___ ____________ ________ 2.2.10 Leave enough memory for applications programs FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ Although, FANSI-CONSOLE does not require much memory for itself, it does require some. If you have made ram-disks or print spoolers consume all the extra memory you had before, then you need to adjust these programs to use a bit less. You need to have about the same amount of memory left over for applications programs as you did before. Otherwise programs run out of room because you have left too little for them. Sometimes a program does not complain directly about having less memory, instead it starts doing more file accesses than before. It may do this either to load and reload overlays or to spill large amounts of data into and out of a temporary file. This even happens on computers fully loaded with memory. Remember, what counts is not the total memory you have, but how much of it you have left for the applications programs. To find out how much memory is left over for applications programs, use the MS(PC)-DOS CHKDSK command. The last line printed is the amount of memory usable by applications programs. We can not tell you exactly how much you need, since it depends on what programs you run. However, nearly everyone should leave at least 128 KB. FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ For more information about the memory requirements of FANSI-CONSOLE, FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ see the section entitled "How much memory does FANSI-CONSOLE require?" in the chapter entitled "Detailed Installation". (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting 23 (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting 23 FANSI-CONSOLE Starting Quickly _____________ FANSI-CONSOLE Starting Quickly FANSI-CONSOLE _______________________________ 2.3 How do I use FANSI-CONSOLE? FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ Now that you have FANSI-CONSOLE installed, you just proceed as you FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ always do, and mostly ignore that FANSI-CONSOLE is loaded and FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ running. When the FANSI-CONSOLE banner appears at the top of your screen when you start MS(PC)-DOS, many programs magically write to the screen faster without your further intervention. All you must do now is appreciate our efforts! As noted before, you may want to use the typeahead buffer more than before. You may also want to take advantage of the new special keys described here. Some more useful features are described in the chapters entitled "Detailed Installation" and "Advanced Features", but you do not need to rush to those chapters yet. 2.3.1 Using the Ctrl-F key Press the Ctrl-F key to simply flush (empty) the typeahead buffer. The Ctrl-F is left in the buffer, but many programs ignore it or do something harmless. If you find an application that does something dangerous with the Ctrl-F key, you may want to try the Ctrl-S key instead. 2.3.2 Using the Ctrl-S key Press the Ctrl-S key to flush the typeahead buffer and, if the current program uses Ctrl-S as a pause key, cause the current program to pause. Most programs pay attention to this key and pause. Otherwise they probably ignore it. The standard IBM-PC console software processes the Ctrl-S slightly differently, by not flushing the typeahead buffer when a Ctrl-S is pressed. This means that the standard IBM-PC console software ignores the Ctrl-S character if you already have some characters in the typeahead buffer. For other ways to pause, see the description of the Ctrl-Num-Lock key in the next paragraph and of the /L=1 option in the chapter entitled "Detailed Installation". (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting 24 (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting 24 FANSI-CONSOLE Starting Quickly _____________ FANSI-CONSOLE Starting Quickly 2.3.3 Using the Ctrl-Num-Lock key Press the Ctrl-Num-Lock key to cause the display to pause without FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ flushing the typeahead buffer. With FANSI-CONSOLE this key combination works in a manner similar to the way it works with the standard IBM-PC console software. One advantage, however, is that FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ unlike the standard IBM-PC console software, FANSI-CONSOLE prevents the appearance of duplicate lines during a pause. Press any other key combination to unlock the pause. Unless the second key combination is a Ctrl-Break or a Ctrl-C, it is ignored other than for FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ clearing the pause. Any program that works with FANSI-CONSOLE pauses with Ctrl-Num-Lock. For other ways to pause, see the description of the Ctrl-S in the previous paragraph and of the /L=1 option in the chapter entitled "Detailed Installation". 2.3.4 Using the Ctrl-C or Ctrl-Break keys Press the Ctrl-C key to cancel most programs. It is treated by FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ FANSI-CONSOLE as equivalent to the Ctrl-Break key. Both keys are treated the same way as the standard IBM-PC console software treats the Ctrl-Break key, which is to flush the typeahead buffer before placing a Ctrl-C in it. The standard IBM-PC console software processes the Ctrl-C slightly differently, by not flushing the typeahead buffer when a Ctrl-C is pressed. This means that the standard IBM-PC console software ignores the standard MS(PC)-DOS Ctrl-C cancel character when you already have some characters in the typeahead buffer. Pressing Ctrl-C does not cancel any program that Ctrl-Break does not cancel when using the standard IBM-PC console software. (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting 25 (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting 25 FANSI-CONSOLE Starting Quickly _____________ FANSI-CONSOLE Starting Quickly FANSI-CONSOLE _____________________________________ 2.4 How do I uninstall FANSI-CONSOLE? If you ever find that you need to use another application program FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ without having FANSI-CONSOLE installed, because of incompatibility or other reasons, it is just as easy to uninstall as it is to install. The easiest way is to start MS(PC)-DOS using a system disk on which FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ FANSI-CONSOLE is not installed. Another way is to simply remove the "DEVICE=FCONSOLE.DEV" line from the CONFIG.SYS file on your normal system disk. If it is the only FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ line in CONFIG.SYS, then FANSI-CONSOLE may also be uninstalled by deleting or renaming CONFIG.SYS to another name like CONFIG.TMP. Once the line is removed from CONFIG.SYS, or CONFIG.SYS is removed or renamed, you must restart MS(PC)-DOS. This may be done by pressing Alt-Ctrl-Del or by turning your computer off and then on. Simply removing the FCONSOLE.DEV file from your system disk, or FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ renaming it, and restarting MS(PC)-DOS also uninstalls FANSI-CONSOLE, but it causes the following error message to be displayed by MS(PC)- DOS when it starts: Bad or missing FCONSOLE.DEV Bad or missing FCONSOLE.DEV FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ If you are uninstalling FANSI-CONSOLE, and you have set your MS(PC)- DOS prompt to use ANSI X3.64 escape sequences codes, you probably want to replace the "DEVICE=FCONSOLE.DEV" line in the CONFIG.SYS file with a line containing "DEVICE=ANSI.SYS", or at least change your prompt again. (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting 26 (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting 26 FANSI-CONSOLE Detailed Installation _____________ FANSI-CONSOLE Detailed Installation Chapter 3 Chapter 3 Detailed Installation Detailed Installation ___________________________________________________ 3.1 So what is an MS(PC)-DOS device driver, anyway? Now we describe some features of MS(PC)-DOS that the IBM-PC DOS manuals do not describe well. The IBM-PC DOS manuals describe some but not all these features. It is definitely hard to find those features which the manuals do describe. IBM has even moved most of this information to a separately purchased manual called the DOS Technical Reference Manual. We feel you will find it useful to know FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ these features to understand what FANSI-CONSOLE is and how it works. MS(PC)-DOS has provision for people other than IBM or Microsoft to write something called a "loadable device driver". A loadable device driver is Microsoft's excellent answer to the problems that many IBM-PC compatible add-on hardware manufactures had with MS(PC)-DOS 1.xx. The problem was that the add-on manufacturers wanted to make their new pieces of hardware work in your computer as though it was really an integral part of the original IBM-PC. To do this, the add-on manufacturers had to create software for their hardware and make it look like part of the original MS(PC)-DOS. However, they were not given the source program for MS(PC)-DOS, nor were they given a standard way to write their software and have MS(PC)-DOS include this software into itself as it started up. So everyone started disassembling the operating system and making some very ugly programs that patched themselves into the operating system in whatever ways they could figure out. Using two of these programs for two different pieces of add-on hardware would almost invariably cause conflicts and they would not work together. Furthermore, the programs would not work with newer versions of MS(PC)-DOS, if for no other reason than that the MS(PC)-DOS internal program variable addresses would change. (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting 27 (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting 27 FANSI-CONSOLE Detailed Installation _____________ FANSI-CONSOLE Detailed Installation Microsoft solved this by allowing add-on hardware manufacturers to write programs called loadable device drivers to control their hardware ("drive their devices") by following a standard form which Microsoft specified. MS(PC)-DOS loads these device drivers at start up time similarly to the original device drivers that come with MS- (PC)-DOS from your original manufacturer (IBM or your clone maker). This is a new feature of MS(PC)-DOS 2.00 and later versions. Now all the add-on hardware manufacturers must do is to give you a driver program in a regular MS(PC)-DOS file, and tell you how to include it in your operating system as you start up. IBM even gives two loadable device drivers themselves. One is a console driver called ANSI.SYS and was given in object form. The other was a read/write memory based diskette emulation (ram-disk) which was given as a listing (source form) in the MS(PC)-DOS manual for version 2.0. In version 3.0 they included a similar program in object form called VDISK.SYS. Besides allowing the add-on hardware manufacturers to create driver programs for their hardware, the loadable device drivers can also be used to change the behavior of devices which MS(PC)-DOS already FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ supports. That is exactly what FANSI-CONSOLE is all about! The best part is how you incorporate loadable device drivers into MS- (PC)-DOS. All you must do is create a file called CONFIG.SYS with a few commands in it. MS(PC)-DOS always reads this file, if your system disk has one, when it starts and it executes these commands before it does anything else. It does this even before doing the AUTOEXEC.BAT file. Because of the nature of these commands, they may only be done in the CONFIG.SYS file and nowhere else. The command to load a loadable device driver is: DEVICE=<driver file name> <options> DEVICE=<driver file name> <options> The <driver file name> part is the MS(PC)-DOS file name of the device driver. If the driver is in a directory other than the root directory, the complete path name must be used. What the <options> part looks like is entirely up to your device driver authors (that's us!). So it looks like whatever they decide. It may look different for different device drivers. Often <options> are unnecessary. The order of the DEVICE commands determines which is loaded first. If two drivers have the same name, like CON: which is the name of the MS(PC)-DOS console driver, the one which is loaded last is the one used. (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting 28 (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting 28 FANSI-CONSOLE Detailed Installation _____________ FANSI-CONSOLE Detailed Installation _______________________________________ 3.2 What if my needs are ... different? FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ FANSI-CONSOLE has many installation options. They all have default FANSI-CONSOLE FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ _____________ values which FANSI-CONSOLE sets so that FANSI-CONSOLE is as similar to the standard IBM-PC console software as possible. This means, for example, that the options which specify hardware dependent values, have defaults that match the needs of the standard IBM-PC display FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ adapters. So, by default, FANSI-CONSOLE should work on all "equivalent" computers and adapters. However, if you do not have a FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ ______ standard IBM-PC display adapter, FANSI-CONSOLE probably works better if you change the option values. Also, you may use many of the options to select behavior which you like more than the behavior of the standard IBM-PC console software. You do not need to be a technical genius to figure out how to set the options for your computer. It just takes some reading, some thought, and a few minutes time. It only needs to be figured out once, unless you change your needs by, for example, changing your display adapter. You will probably find that it is worth the effort. Do not worry. You can not hurt your computer by experimenting and trying out different option settings, even if they turn out to be wrong for your display adapter. The worst thing that could happen is that you may need to start the installation process over again. Sometimes the description for an option refers to other sections of this user manual. If you are unsure about how you want to set that option after reading the description, you may want to read the other sections before deciding. Again, do not worry. You can always change your choice later. The options are set by "parameter switches" which you add to the end of the MS(PC)-DOS configuration command in the CONFIG.SYS file. Each option takes the form of an arbitrary number of spaces followed by one slash (or a minus sign, if you prefer) a letter, an equal sign, FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ and a number. If the number starts with a zero, FANSI-CONSOLE FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ considers it a hexadecimal number. Otherwise FANSI-CONSOLE considers it a decimal number. The letter tells which option you are setting and the number specifies the value of the option. It does not matter which case (upper or lower) letters you use. An example is: DEVICE=FCONSOLE.DEV /G=400 /S=10000 DEVICE=FCONSOLE.DEV /G=400 /S=10000 (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting 29 (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting 29 FANSI-CONSOLE Detailed Installation _____________ FANSI-CONSOLE Detailed Installation We use many spaces between options in this manual, only for clarity. You may use as many spaces as you like, or even no spaces. The one exception is that there must be at least one space after the FCONSOLE.DEV file name, if you specify any options. MS(PC)-DOS requires this space. Otherwise it could not tell that the options FANSI-CONSOLE FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ _____________ are not part of the FANSI-CONSOLE file name. FANSI-CONSOLE processes the options in a left to right order, so if you specify an option FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ more than once, FANSI-CONSOLE uses only the rightmost instance. The option letters and their meanings are as follows: A - Attributes B - Blink C - Color What You Can D - Double Scan Characters F - Font Table Address G - Ctrl-G Bell Length H - Horizontal Retrace Delay I - Initialize with Internal Controller parameters J - Just DOS Keyboard Macros K - Keyboard Language L - Lock on Scroll-Lock M - Macro Memory Allocated N - No Color Display O - One Finger Typing P - Page Overlap R - Recall Line Maximum S - Screen Save Timeout T - TTY ROM BIOS Calls Use ANSI X3.64 V - Vertical Retrace Delay W - Word Wide Screen Move X - Extended Features Y - Yuck, You Should Be So Compatible The following subsections describe each option in detail. The chapter entitled "Compatibility and Limitations" indicates appropriate option selections for various hardware configurations, when they differ from the defaults. (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting 30 (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting 30 FANSI-CONSOLE Detailed Installation _____________ FANSI-CONSOLE Detailed Installation A - Attributes _ __________ A - Attributes FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ This option specifies the response that FANSI-CONSOLE should give to the ANSI X3.64 Device Attributes (DA) command. Setting this option is only important if you have a program expecting to write to a particular ANSI X3.64 terminal, and it wants the exact response for FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ the particular terminal from the DA command. FANSI-CONSOLE treats this option as a two byte number. The high byte specifies the first value returned. The low byte specifies the second value returned. This is easiest to understand when you specify a hexadecimal number, FANSI- ______ by using a leading zero. So for example, /A=00100 makes FANSI- CONSOLE _______ CONSOLE return ESC [ ? 01 ; 00 c, which is the response for a DEC VT101 terminal. The default is /A=00000. This may be changed if we get an official implementation number. For more information about the Device Attributes command, see the chapter entitled "ANSI X3.64 Escape Sequences". B - Blink _ _____ B - Blink FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ This option specifies whether FANSI-CONSOLE should blink the video display on and off when scrolling the color display in the 25x80 alphanumeric screen display mode. It has no effect on the scrolling FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ unless you also use /H=1. Using /B=1 means FANSI-CONSOLE should FANSI-CONSOLE FANSI- _____________ ______ blink. Using /B=0 means FANSI-CONSOLE should not blink. FANSI- CONSOLE _______ CONSOLE ignores other values. Blinking the screen during scrolling allows the use of a faster scrolling routine that would otherwise cause "snow" on adapters requiring /H=1. This snow is also known as hashing. If /H=1 must be used, we recommend using /B=1 (unless /W=1) because otherwise the scrolling is too slow. The drawback to blinking is that it is somewhat hard on the eyes. However, this is what the standard IBM-PC console software does, so it appears "normal". The default value is /B=1, because the IBM-PC color graphics adapter requires /H=1. Specifying a /X value may effect the default setting of /B. You must use /B=0 for color graphics adapters which do not blink when used with the normal IBM-PC software, unless you must also use a /X option with your computer. Otherwise the screen save feature (/S option) does not work properly. Related options are /H, /S, /V, /W, and /X. For the IBM-PC color graphics adapter, we recommend /B=1. (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting 31 (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting 31 FANSI-CONSOLE Detailed Installation _____________ FANSI-CONSOLE Detailed Installation C - Color What You Can _ _____ ____ ___ ___ C - Color What You Can This option gives the starting value for the FANSI-COLOR mode, which may later be changed with the ANSI X3.64 FANSI-SM and FANSI-RM FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ commands. Using /C=1 means FANSI-CONSOLE sets FANSI-COLOR at the FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ start. Using /C=0 means FANSI-CONSOLE resets FANSI-COLOR at the FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ start. FANSI-CONSOLE ignores other values. If you use /C=1, many programs which would display only white characters on a black background with /C=0, instead display characters in the current colors and attributes set by the last ANSI X3.64 SGR command. This would normally be the colors and attributes set by the MS(PC)-DOS PROMPT command. The default value is /C=0, because this is the IBM-PC compatible setting. We generally suggest /C=1, because it makes many programs use the colors you prefer instead of white on FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ black. However, if you insist that FANSI-CONSOLE colors things the ____ same way as the standard IBM-PC console software, then you must use /C=0. For more information about the FANSI-COLOR mode, see the description in the chapter entitled "Changing Options at Run-time". This option is related to the /N option, which has priority over this option. D - DouBLe SCAN characters _ ______ ____ __________ D - DouBLe SCAN characters This option gives the starting value for the FANSI-DBLSCAN mode, which may later be changed with the ANSI X3.64 FANSI-SM and FANSI-RM FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ commands. Using /D=1 means FANSI-CONSOLE sets FANSI-DBLSCAN at the FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ start. Using /D=0 means FANSI-CONSOLE resets FANSI-DBLSCAN at the FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ start. FANSI-CONSOLE ignores other values. If you use /D=1, interlace mode is used to double number of scan lines per character. If your monitor does not have a long persistence phospher the screen will flicker. This is a different interlace mode than the 50 line display mode. If you use /D=0, interlace mode is off, as it normally FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ is without FANSI-CONSOLE. The default value is /D=0, because this is the IBM-PC compatible setting. For more information about the FANSI-DBLSCAN mode, see the description in the chapter entitled "Changing Options at Run-time". (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting 32 (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting 32 FANSI-CONSOLE Detailed Installation _____________ FANSI-CONSOLE Detailed Installation F - Font Table Address _ ____ _____ _______ F - Font Table Address This option specifies the offset in the ROM BIOS segment (F000:) of the normal graphics character set. The default offset is /F=0FA6E (hexadecimal), since this is the address used in the standard IBM-PC console software. If you do not set this option appropriately, then ________ ______ _______ _____ the characters displayed in the graphics screen display modes appear not ___ as strange shapes instead of characters. This is not meant to allow a way to create alternate character sets, but only to specify where the regular graphics character set is in the ROM if you have a non-standard PC. Most people do not need to set this option. This only affects graphics screen display mode characters and not alphanumeric screen display mode characters. Alternate character sets for the graphics screen display modes may be specified in the usual manner. G - Ctrl-G Bell Length _ ______ ____ ______ G - Ctrl-G Bell Length This option specifies the duration of the Ctrl-G bell. You specify the duration as a delay count measured in approximately 1/4000 seconds. This option has been changed to be independent of how fast your IBM-PC or clone runs. The default is /G=4096 because it is the amount of time used by the standard IBM-PC console software (about one second). If you like your bell a bit shorter, we suggest the bell given by /G=400. Specifying /G=0 turns off the Ctrl-G bell entirely. This is the starting value for FANSI-BELL. It may be changed later using the FANSI-SOV escape sequence. (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting 33 (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting 33 FANSI-CONSOLE Detailed Installation _____________ FANSI-CONSOLE Detailed Installation H - Horizontal Retrace Delay _ __________ _______ _____ H - Horizontal Retrace Delay FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ This option specifies whether FANSI-CONSOLE must wait for the horizontal retrace signal on color graphics adapters before writing to screen memory in the 25x80 alphanumeric screen display modes. It has no effect for monochrome display adapters or on an EGA. Using FANSI-CONSOLE FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ _____________ /H=1 means FANSI-CONSOLE must delay. Using /H=0 means FANSI-CONSOLE FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ need not delay. FANSI-CONSOLE ignores other values. The default value is /H=1, because the IBM-PC color graphics adapter requires FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ this delay or else "snow" appears when FANSI-CONSOLE writes to the screen. This snow is also known as hashing. You may not mind this, but most people do. If your add-on manufacture's color graphics adapter does not require a delay, then using /H=0 gives a much nicer and faster screen display. The chapter entitled "Compatibility and Limitations" indicates those display adapters for which /H=0 is appropriate. In addition, we have a test program called SNOW. Just run SNOW, and you will see which way to set the /H option. If you can test a display adapter before making a buying decision, we strongly suggest that you not buy one on which SNOW generates snow! For the IBM-PC color graphics adapter, we recommend /H=1. For a Tecmar Graphics Master, use /H=0. For Compaq's or Zenith 150's, use /H=0. Specifying a /X value may effect the default setting of /H. Related options are /B, /V, /W, and /X. I - Initialize with Internal Controller Parameters _ __________ ____ ________ __________ __________ I - Initialize with Internal Controller Parameters The option is the letter I FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ This option specifies whether FANSI-CONSOLE should use its own internal parameter values for initializing the CRT controller. Using FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ /I=0 means FANSI-CONSOLE should use the table given by the standard FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ IBM-PC console software. Using /I=n means FANSI-CONSOLE should use FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ its internal table number n. Currently, FANSI-CONSOLE has three (3) internal tables. An internal table should be used if you want to give your own starting values which are different from those given by the standard IBM-PC console software. To find the internal tables in FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ a specific version of FANSI-CONSOLE, so that you may change the values, you must specify /I=1 and examine interrupt vector 01D hex. The other tables follow immediately afterwards, in address increments of 40 hex. Generally, we recommend that you do not use /I=n, unless you are an advanced user. So the default value is /I=0. (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting 34 (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting 34 FANSI-CONSOLE Detailed Installation _____________ FANSI-CONSOLE Detailed Installation J - Just DOS Keyboard Macros _ ____ ___ ________ ______ J - Just DOS Keyboard Macros This option gives the starting value for the FANSI-JUSTDOS mode, which may later be changed with the ANSI X3.64 FANSI-SM and FANSI-RM FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ commands. Using /J=1 means FANSI-CONSOLE sets FANSI-JUSTDOS at the FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ start. Using /J=0 means FANSI-CONSOLE resets FANSI-JUSTDOS at the FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ start. FANSI-CONSOLE ignores other values. If you use /J=1, keyboard macros are only enabled for MS(PC)-DOS calls and not for BIOS calls. If you use /J=0, keyboard macros are enabled for both MS(PC)-DOS calls and BIOS calls. The default value is /J=1, because this is the IBM-PC compatible setting. For more information about the FANSI-JUSTDOS mode, see the description in the chapter entitled "Changing Options at Run-time". K - Keyboard Language _ ________ ________ K - Keyboard Language This option specifies the keyboard language to be used, as follows: /K=0 means use the USA (US) keyboard. /K=1 means use the French (FR) keyboard. /K=2 means use the German (GR) keyboard. /K=3 means use the Italian (IT) keyboard. /K=4 means use the Spanish (SP) keyboard. /K=5 means use the United Kingdom (UK) keyboard. The default value is /K=0 because that the IBM-PC compatible option. This is the starting value for FANSI-LANGUAGE. It may be changed later using the FANSI-SOV escape sequence, or using the Alt-Ctrl-F1 and Alt-Ctrl-F2 keys. This option is not implemented at this time! (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting 35 (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting 35 FANSI-CONSOLE Detailed Installation _____________ FANSI-CONSOLE Detailed Installation L - Lock on Scroll Lock _ ____ __ ______ ____ L - Lock on Scroll Lock This option gives the starting value for the FANSI-LOCK mode, which may later be changed with the ANSI X3.64 FANSI-SM and FANSI-RM FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ commands. Using /L=1 means FANSI-CONSOLE sets FANSI-LOCK at the FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ start. Using /L=0 means FANSI-CONSOLE resets FANSI-LOCK at the FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ start. FANSI-CONSOLE ignores other values. This option specifies whether to have a one-finger pause key. If you use /L=1, Scroll-Lock (or Hold on the Tandy 1000) is the one finger pause key and it FANSI- ______ activates scroll recall feature if enabled. If you use /L=0, FANSI- CONSOLE _______ CONSOLE does not have a one-finger pause key and Alt-Scroll-Lock activates the scroll recall feature if enabled. The default value is /L=0, because this is the IBM-PC compatible setting. To use the one-finger pause key when /L=1 is used, press the Scroll- Lock key to cause the display to pause without flushing the typeahead buffer. This key stroke combination works slightly differently than the Ctrl-Num-Lock combination. Unlike Ctrl-Num-Lock, Scroll-Lock acts as a toggle. When the Scroll-Lock pause is on and the scroll recall feature is disabled, other keys may be used to type ahead without affecting the pause. If the scroll recall feature is enabled, then scroll recall may be done when the Scroll-Lock is on. Pressing Scroll-Lock a second time clears the pause. You will probably find Scroll-Lock more convenient than Ctrl-Num-Lock, mostly because it is a "one finger" pause key. Any program that works with FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ FANSI-CONSOLE pauses with Scroll-Lock. Pressing the Scroll-Lock key with the Alt key, when /L=1 is used, has the same effect as Scroll- Lock does when /L=0 is used. In other words, it sets the scroll lock bit for use by the application programs, such as Borland's Sidekick. For other ways to pause, see the descriptions of Ctrl-S and Ctrl-Num- Lock in the chapter entitled "Starting Quickly". If you use /L=0, this type of pausing may still be done using the Alt-Scroll-Lock key combination instead of Scroll-Lock. Of course, it is then a two finger pause! For more information about the FANSI-LOCK mode, see the description in the chapter entitled "Changing Options at Run-time". For more information about the scroll recall feature, see the description in the chapter entitled "Advanced Features". Related options are /P, and /R. (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting 36 (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting 36 FANSI-CONSOLE Detailed Installation _____________ FANSI-CONSOLE Detailed Installation M - Macro Memory Allocated _ _____ ______ _________ M - Macro Memory Allocated This option specifies how much read/write memory to reserve for FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ varying space requirements. FANSI-CONSOLE uses this memory for saving ANSI X3.64 command parameters and keyboard macro strings. To estimate your requirements, add your total keyboard macro string lengths to twice the length of your longest keyboard macro. The length of a keyboard macro string is the number of characters which get entered when you press the key. Then add 100 and multiply by 1.25. Remember that this is only an estimate. You may be able to do with less space. The value to specify is measured in bytes. The default and minimum value is /M=512. The maximum value is about FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ /M=40000. If the value is out of range, the FANSI-CONSOLE uses the appropriate limit instead. For more information about keyboard macros, see the section entitled FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ "How do I assign strings to FANSI-CONSOLE keys?" in the chapter entitled "Advanced Features". N - No Color Display _ __ _____ _______ N - No Color Display This option gives the starting value for the FANSI-NOCOLOR mode, which may later be changed with the ANSI X3.64 FANSI-SM and FANSI-RM FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ commands. Using /N=1 means FANSI-CONSOLE sets FANSI-NOCOLOR at the FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ start. Using /N=0 means FANSI-CONSOLE resets FANSI-NOCOLOR at the FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ start. FANSI-CONSOLE ignores other values. If you use /N=1, some programs which would use color with /N=0, instead display characters in black and white. Programs which write directly to the screen memory are not affected. The default value is /N=0, because this is the IBM-PC compatible setting. We generally suggest /N=0, unless you have a monochrome display connected to a color display adapter and you find that some colored characters are not readable on your display. For more information about the FANSI-NOCOLOR mode, see the description in the chapter entitled "Changing Options at Run-time". This option is related to the /C option, which this option has priority over. (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting 37 (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting 37 FANSI-CONSOLE Detailed Installation _____________ FANSI-CONSOLE Detailed Installation O - One Finger Typing _ ___ ______ ______ O - One Finger Typing The option is the letter O This option gives the starting value for the FANSI-HANDICAP shift mode, which may later be changed with the ANSI X3.64 FANSI-SM and FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ FANSI-RM commands. Using /O=1 means FANSI-CONSOLE sets FANSI- FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ HANDICAP at the start. Using /O=0 means FANSI-CONSOLE resets FANSI- FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ HANDICAP at the start. FANSI-CONSOLE ignores other values. This option specifies whether to allow one finger typing. Using /O=1 FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ means FANSI-CONSOLE toggles the Alt, Ctrl, or shift key states only when you press the appropriate keys, and not when you release them. This means that you remain Alt'ed, Ctrl'ed, or shifted until you press the same key again. Note that in this situation, each shift key is a separate shift lock and both must be off to get unshifted FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ characters. Using /O=0 means FANSI-CONSOLE toggles the Alt, Ctrl, or shift key state both when you press the appropriate key, and when you release it. The default value is /O=0, since this gives the normal behavior of keyboards. The /O option is for handicappers and others who find it impractical to press multiple keys at once, such as both the control key and an not alphabetic key. If you are not physically handicapped, you will probably want to use /O=0. This option has nothing to do with whether you are a touch typist versus whether you hunt and peck. P - Page Overlap _ ____ _______ P - Page Overlap This option specifies the starting value of the number of lines of overlap between pages used by the scroll recall feature. Using /P=0 also implies that no status line should be shown on the recall screen, so that the whole screen may be seen. Using /P with a value which is more than zero also implies that a status line should be shown at the top of the recall screen. The default value is /P=4. This determines the starting value for FANSI-OVERLAP. It may be changed later using the FANSI-SOV escape sequence, or the DarkPlus and DarkMinus keys in the scroll recall mode. For more information about the scroll recall feature, see the section entitled "How do I recall lines which have scrolled away?" in the chapter entitled "Advanced Features". Related options are /L, and /R. (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting 38 (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting 38 FANSI-CONSOLE Detailed Installation _____________ FANSI-CONSOLE Detailed Installation R - Recall Line Maximum _ ______ ____ _______ R - Recall Line Maximum This option specifies how many lines of space to reserve for the FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ scroll recall feature buffer. Using /R=0 means that FANSI-CONSOLE should reserve no space for the scroll recall feature, which means that scroll recall is completely unusable. Using a non-zero value FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ for /R implies that FANSI-CONSOLE initially turns the scroll recall feature on. Using a non-zero value for /R which is less than 50 FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ implies that FANSI-CONSOLE reserves 50 for scroll recall, since there must be enough room in the buffer for at least one screenful, and screens may be as much as 50 lines high. A value for /R which is at FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ least 50 lines indicates that FANSI-CONSOLE reserves exactly that many lines of memory for scroll recall. Each line requires 160 bytes of memory. For example, /R=100 requires about 16 KB more read/write memory than /R=0. The default value is /R=0, since this gives the minimum space usage. For more information about the scroll recall feature, see the section entitled "How do I recall lines which have scrolled away?" in the chapter entitled "Advanced Features". Related options are /L, and /P. S - Screen Save Timeout _ ______ ____ _______ S - Screen Save Timeout FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ This option specifies whether FANSI-CONSOLE should use its screen saver feature and how long the timeout should be. The value used is the number of 1/18.2 second intervals counted before turning off the display. If you do not press any keys and the current program does no screen writing using ROM BIOS calls or MS(PC)-DOS before the FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ timeout, FANSI-CONSOLE automatically turns off the console screen display. This prevents you from accidentally permanently burning a pattern into your display screen by displaying the same thing on the FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ screen too long. When FANSI-CONSOLE turns off the display, any key including a shifting key may be pressed to turn the display back on. FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ When FANSI-CONSOLE turns the display back on, the data displayed FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ appears the same as it did just before FANSI-CONSOLE turned off the display. The default count of /S=0 may be used to specify always keeping the screen display on, which is the behavior of the standard IBM-PC console software. We do not recommend this setting, but we make the defaults as compatible as possible with the standard, to avoid surprising people. Otherwise the timeout can be as much as about one hour if you use /S=0FFFF. We suggest /S=10000, for a timeout of about ten minutes. 18.2 units/sec * 60 secs/min * 10 min = 10920 units, actually. This is the starting value for FANSI-SCRN. It may be changed later using the FANSI-SOV escape sequence. (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting 39 (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting 39 FANSI-CONSOLE Detailed Installation _____________ FANSI-CONSOLE Detailed Installation Note that some programs set the border, color palette, or screen display mode directly instead of through the BIOS calls. Such programs include some painting programs, like PC Paint, and some programs which use more than one screen display mode to option between graphics and text, like Lotus 123. When you use these FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ programs and FANSI-CONSOLE turns off the screen and then turns it on again, the border or palette may be a different color than before FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ FANSI-CONSOLE turned off the screen, or the screen may appear totally distorted. This is because hardware state of these values cannot be read and then restored, but they must be changed to turn off the FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ screen. So to do the restore, FANSI-CONSOLE must assume the values FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ were as they were last set by FANSI-CONSOLE. You must use /B=0 for color graphics adapters which do not blink when used with the normal IBM-PC software, unless you must also use a /X option with your computer. Otherwise the screen save feature does not work properly. If you specify the /S option and /B=0, but the screen does not turn off after the specified period, then possibly your display adapter has no way to turn off the video signal. There is no way to have the /S option work with such adapters. It may also be that the way the video signal enable is turned off is different FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ from that required by IBM standard adapters. FANSI-CONSOLE may have an extended features option which must be used with such an adapter. See the description of the /X options below. If you specify the /S option and it works, but only sometimes, then you are probably running a program which replaces the timer interrupt vector instead of chaining to it. If a program does this, then FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ ____ ____ _______ FANSI-CONSOLE is only able to turn off your display when that program __ ___ _______ is not running. If the same program also does not restore the timer FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ interrupt vector, then FANSI-CONSOLE is also not able to turn off _____ ____ _______ __ ____ your display after that program is done. If a program does this, it FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ is a problem with that program, and not with FANSI-CONSOLE, but please tell us about the program. _____ If the screen save feature never works when you are running a particular application program, something on a status line is probably constantly being refreshed. This never allows the screen save time to timeout. It would be more appropriate for the program to refresh the status line only when a change would be made. Related options are /B, and /X. (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting 40 (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting 40 FANSI-CONSOLE Detailed Installation _____________ FANSI-CONSOLE Detailed Installation T - TTY ROM BIOS Calls Use ANSI X3.64 _ ___ ___ ____ _____ ___ ____ _____ T - TTY ROM BIOS Calls Use ANSI X3.64 This option specifies whether the ROM BIOS video call for TTY output (INT 10 hex with AH = 15 decimal) should process ANSI X3.64 standard FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ escape sequences. Using /T=1 means FANSI-CONSOLE processes the ANSI X3.64 standard escape sequences found in the TTY output calls. Using FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ /T=0 means FANSI-CONSOLE processes the TTY output calls in a way compatible with the standard IBM-PC console software. The default value is /T=0. We generally recommend /T=0, for compatibility. With /T=1, some communications programs may be made to process ANSI X3.64 escape sequences properly, and emulate an ANSI X3.64 standard terminal, even when those programs do not normally have that as a feature. Specifying /T=1 is only incompatible with a few programs which use the TTY call to display IBM-PC characters with values less than the value of a space. For more information about the FANSI-TTY mode, see the description in the chapter entitled "Changing Options at Run-time". V - Vertical Retrace Delay _ ________ _______ _____ V - Vertical Retrace Delay FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ This option specifies whether FANSI-CONSOLE should wait for the vertical retrace signal to go on before blinking the video display when scrolling the color display in the 25x80 alphanumeric screen display mode. It has no effect for monochrome display adapters. It FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ has no effect if /B=0. Using /V=1 means FANSI-CONSOLE should wait. FANSI-CONSOLE FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ _____________ Using /V=0 means FANSI-CONSOLE should not wait. FANSI-CONSOLE ignores other values. If /B=1 must be used, /V=1 is recommended because it makes the blink slightly less annoying. The drawback to waiting with /V=1 is that it slows the scrolling speed slightly. However, this is what the standard IBM-PC console software does, so it appears "normal". The default value is /V=1, because /B=1 is also the default. For the IBM-PC color graphics adapter, we recommend /V=1. Related options are /B, /H, and /W. (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting 41 (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting 41 FANSI-CONSOLE Detailed Installation _____________ FANSI-CONSOLE Detailed Installation W - Word Wide Screen Move _ ____ ____ ______ ____ W - Word Wide Screen Move FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ This option specifies whether FANSI-CONSOLE should move a whole word at a time after waiting for horizontal retrace. It has no effect for monochrome display adapters. It has no effect if /H=0. Using /W=1 FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ means FANSI-CONSOLE should move a word at a time. Using /W=0 means FANSI-CONSOLE FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ _____________ FANSI-CONSOLE should move a byte at a time. FANSI-CONSOLE ignores other values. If it does not cause "snow" on the screen, /W=1 is recommended because it makes the scrolling faster. This snow is also known as hashing. However, /W=0 is the default because /W=1 causes hashing on the IBM-PC graphics adapter on an IBM-PC. Generally, only machines with a 16-bit wide data bus and an 8086, 80186, or 80286 like the IBM-PC AT, the AT&T PC, or DeskPro are fast enough for /W=1 to not cause snow. The chapter entitled "Compatibility and Limitations" indicates those machines for which /W=1 is appropriate. In addition we have a test program called SNOW. Just run SNOW, and you will able to see which way to set the /W option. Specifying a /X value may effect the default setting of /W. Related options are /B, /H, and /V. (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting 42 (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting 42 FANSI-CONSOLE Detailed Installation _____________ FANSI-CONSOLE Detailed Installation X - Extensions _ __________ X - Extensions FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ This option specifies whether FANSI-CONSOLE should use extensions which are peculiar to a particular display adapter. You do not need to understand the reasons, just that if you have the hardware which requires the extensions, that you must set the /X option accordingly. /X=0 means use no extensions, and is therefore the default. /X=1 means use Zenith Z150/160 extensions. If you do not use /X=1 for a Zenith Z150/160, then using the /S option with a non-zero value does not turn off the screen display. Also changes defaults to /H=0. /X=2 means use Mad-1 extensions. If you do not use /X=2 FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ for a Mad-1, then FANSI-CONSOLE ignores the break key and the numeric pad comma key. /X=3 means use AT&T 6300 extensions. If you do not use FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ /X=3 for an AT&T 6300, the FANSI-CONSOLE does not light the keyboard status lights. Because of a pair FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ of bugs in the AT&T 6300 BIOS ROMs, FANSI-CONSOLE also hangs the machine without this option. Also changes defaults to /B=0/W=1. /X=4 means use Tandy 1000 extensions. If you do not use /X=4 for a Tandy 1000, then keys which are on and near the numeric keypad do not always generate the values indicated key top labels. Also changes defaults to /H=0. /X=5 means use Data General One extensions. If you do not use /X=5 for a Data General One, then shifted arrow keys do not generate the expected values. Also changes defaults to /H=0. FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ FANSI-CONSOLE ignores other values. Other /X values may be added when we discover that the extensions for one display adapter or computer are incompatible with other display adapters or computers. Check the FCONSOLE.HST file for any recently added values. Related options are /B, /H, and /W. (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting 43 (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting 43 FANSI-CONSOLE Detailed Installation _____________ FANSI-CONSOLE Detailed Installation Y - Yuck, You Should Be So Compatible _ _____ ___ ______ __ __ __________ Y - Yuck, You Should Be So Compatible This option gives the starting value for the FANSI-CMP mode, which may later be changed with the ANSI X3.64 FANSI-SM and FANSI-RM FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ commands. Using /Y=1 means FANSI-CONSOLE sets FANSI-CMP at the FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ start. Using /Y=0 means FANSI-CONSOLE resets FANSI-CMP at the FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ start. FANSI-CONSOLE ignores other values. This option specifies FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ whether FANSI-CONSOLE should be as compatible as it can be to the FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ standard IBM-PC console software. In designing FANSI-CONSOLE, there were a few tough decisions which had to be made. Certain programs directly modify ROM BIOS screen variables themselves before making calls to ROM BIOS screen routines to make other changes. This is not a proper way of doing things, because it violates the intended purpose of the ROM BIOS, but some programs did it anyway. The practice is sometimes called "making endruns around the BIOS". The proper way is to make calls to the appropriate ROM BIOS screen routines to make all the changes. FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ The problem is that, if FANSI-CONSOLE is to be fast and to have several of the new features, it has to use its own internal variables FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ and not the ROM BIOS screen variables. However, if FANSI-CONSOLE does not look at the ROM BIOS screen variables, these programs do not run correctly. When these programs run, it looks like most of the characters are overwritten, in the wrong place, and the screen is mostly empty. So the choice is to be fast, or to be compatible. Since you may have already purchased some of these improper programs, we feel that we should leave the decision up to you, so we have the /Y option as a way for you to make this decision. FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ Using /Y=1 means that FANSI-CONSOLE should start out being more not ___ compatible but slightly slower. This does not mean totally compatible (nothing ever could be), but it is as close as we have figured out how to be and still be fast. This also means that some of the extended features are unusable. Particularly, it means that only 8 screen pages may be used, and that the extended 50 line interlaced screen display modes may not be used. Currently, the speed penalty is about 7% at most, so you may not even notice the difference. The penalty may become greater in later versions if we discover more things that may be done