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This is file: FCONSOLE.DOC. It is readable on-line. It is also printable on most printers, if they are first set to print 66 lines per page (no perforation skip). FANSI-CONSOLE (tm) User Manual _____________ ____ FANSI-CONSOLE (tm) User Manual Version 1.07 - March 21st, 1985 Version 1.07 - March 21st, 1985 No Smoking Software (tm) __ _______ ________ ____ No Smoking Software (tm) (C) Copyright 1984-85 (C) Copyright 1984-85 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-CONSOLE (tm) 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 Speeds up screen painting 2 1.2.2 Processes ANSI X3.64 escape sequences 3 1.2.3 Emulates DEC VT100 4 1.2.4 Allows much more typeahead 5 1.2.5 Allows more memory for key replacements 5 1.2.6 Turns display off when not in use 5 1.2.7 Allows one finger pausing 6 1.2.8 Allows one finger typing 6 1.2.9 Allows keyboard generated breakpoints 6 1.2.10 Eliminates screen flicker 6 1.2.11 Provides support for 50 line displays 7 1.2.12 Extends the IBM-PC ROM BIOS 7 1.2.13 Other features 7 1.3 What about multitasking windowing programs and FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ FANSI-CONSOLE? 8 Chapter 2 Starting Quickly 10 FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ 2.1 Do I have to read the whole FANSI-CONSOLE user manual? 10 2.1.1 NO! 10 FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ 2.2 How do I quickly install FANSI-CONSOLE? 11 2.2.1 Verify distribution diskette 11 2.2.2 Backup distribution diskette 13 2.2.3 Backup system disks 13 2.2.4 Copy FCONSOLE.DEV to system disk 13 2.2.5 Add DEVICE=FCONSOLE.DEV to CONFIG.SYS 14 2.2.6 Remove DEVICE=ANSI.SYS from CONFIG.SYS 14 2.2.7 Restart MS(PC)-DOS 16 2.2.8 Add BUFFERS=20 to CONFIG.SYS 17 2.2.9 Modify Prompt 18 2.2.10 Provide memory for applications programs 20 FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ 2.3 How do I use FANSI-CONSOLE? 21 2.3.1 Using the Ctrl-F key 21 2.3.2 Using the Ctrl-S key 21 (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting, Inc. (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting, Inc. FANSI-CONSOLE (tm) _____________ ____ FANSI-CONSOLE (tm) 2.3.3 Using the Ctrl-Num-Lock key 22 2.3.4 Using the Ctrl-C or Ctrl-Break keys 22 2.3.5 Using the Ctrl-Equals key 22 2.3.6 Using the Shift-PrtSc key 23 FANSI-CONSOLE __ _____________ 2.4 How do I uninstall FANSI-CONSOLE? 24 Chapter 3 Detailed Installation 25 3.1 So what is an MS(PC)-DOS device driver, anyway? 25 3.2 What if my computer is ... different? 27 Chapter 4 Programming Background 38 4.1 Which screen access method is best? 38 Chapter 5 ANSI X3.64 escape sequences 41 5.1 Why use ANSI X3.64? 41 5.2 What is an ANSI X3.64 escape sequence? 42 5.3 How can my program write the ANSI X3.64 escape sequences? 44 5.3.1 BASIC 45 5.3.2 C 46 5.3.3 PASCAL 47 5.3.4 Assembly Language 48 5.4 What can the ANSI X3.64 escape sequences do? 51 5.5 How do I find out the name of an ANSI X3.64 escape sequence? 97 Chapter 6 ROM BIOS Calls 102 6.1 Do I have to change my ROM BIOS calls? 102 6.2 How do I make keyboard BIOS calls? 104 6.3 How do I make display BIOS calls? 110 Chapter 7 Advanced Features 118 FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ 7.1 How do I assign strings to FANSI-CONSOLE keys? 118 7.2 How do I induce breakpoints with the keyboard? 121 7.2.1 Using the Alt-Ctrl-Ins key 121 FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ 7.3 How do I get FANSI-CONSOLE to emulate a VT100? 122 7.3.1 Using the Alt-Ctrl-Num-Lock key 122 FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ 7.4 How do I get FANSI-CONSOLE to be more compatible? 125 7.4.1 Using the Alt-Ctrl-Down key 125 (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting, Inc. (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting, Inc. FANSI-CONSOLE (tm) _____________ ____ FANSI-CONSOLE (tm) FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ 7.5 How do I get FANSI-CONSOLE to be faster? 125 7.5.1 Using the Alt-Ctrl-Up key 125 7.6 How do I get the console into local mode? 126 7.6.1 Using the Alt-Ctrl-Scroll-Lock key 126 7.7 How do I access the original definition of a key? 127 7.7.1 Using the Alt-Ctrl-Caps key 127 7.8 How do I get a Dvorak keyboard arrangement? 128 7.8.1 Using the Alt-Ctrl-Tab key 128 7.9 How do I get back the normal keyboard arrangement? 128 7.9.1 Using the Alt-Ctrl-Esc key 128 7.10 What do the extra distribution files do? 129 Chapter 8 Compatibility and Limitations 130 FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ 8.1 What limitations does FANSI-CONSOLE have? 130 FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ 8.2 Are there several versions of FANSI-CONSOLE? 131 FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ 8.3 What programs are compatible with FANSI-CONSOLE? 132 FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ 8.4 What computers are compatible with FANSI-CONSOLE? 135 FANSI-CONSOLE __ _____________ 8.5 What programs are incompatible with FANSI-CONSOLE? 136 FANSI-CONSOLE __ _____________ 8.6 What computers are incompatible with FANSI-CONSOLE? 138 Chapter 9 Credits 141 9.1 How did you do that? 141 Chapter 10 Distribution and Licensing 143 FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ 10.1 You mean FANSI-CONSOLE isn't freeware? 143 FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ 10.2 How are you limiting my use of FANSI-CONSOLE? 145 10.2.1 Limitations 145 10.2.2 Rights 148 FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ 10.3 How do I know if FANSI-CONSOLE is right for me? 149 10.3.1 DISCLAIMER 149 FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ 10.4 How do I get updated versions of FANSI-CONSOLE? 150 10.5 What do we pay if we have more than one computer? 151 FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ 10.6 Can I get a printed complete FANSI-CONSOLE user manual? 152 FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ 10.7 Can I publish the FANSI-CONSOLE complete user manual? 154 (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting, Inc. (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting, Inc. FANSI-CONSOLE (tm) _____________ ____ FANSI-CONSOLE (tm) FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ 10.8 Can I buy the FANSI-CONSOLE program source? 154 (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting, Inc. (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting, Inc. FANSI-CONSOLE (tm) Introduction _____________ ____ FANSI-CONSOLE (tm) Introduction Chapter 1 Chapter 1 Introduction Introduction FANSI-CONSOLE __________________________ 1.1 What is FANSI-CONSOLE? FANSI-CONSOLE (tm) _____________ ____ Briefly, the program 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 is a variant. FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ This chapter gives an overview of what FANSI-CONSOLE can do for you, and explains why you'll want to use it. The next chapter tells you how to get started, so that you can try it right away. (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting, Inc. 1 (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting, Inc. 1 FANSI-CONSOLE (tm) Introduction _____________ ____ FANSI-CONSOLE (tm) Introduction FANSI-CONSOLE _______________________________ 1.2 What does FANSI-CONSOLE do? 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 IBM-PC ROM BIOS console code as FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ well as the part of the IBM-PC ANSI.SYS device 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 replacement for the IBM-PC console software, but offers some significant improvements. 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 ________ _____ ____ __ __________ ______ only requires about 16KB of read/write memory for itself. In comparison, the IBM-PC ANSI.SYS device driver only requires about FANSI-CONSOLE not _____________ ___ 1.6KB of 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. FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ FANSI-CONSOLE works on most computers which are hardware equivalent to the IBM-PC. These computers are sometimes called "compatibles" or "clones". Please note that because of the nature of the program, FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ ___ ___ FANSI-CONSOLE does not work on machines which are not hardware equivalent to the IBM-PC. For compatibility details please refer to the compatibility chapter contained within this manual. We obviously hope to extend the compatibility list, as more people report how well it works on other machines. 1.2.1 Speeds up screen painting _____ ______ __ ______ ________ 1.2.1 Speeds up screen painting FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ The most basic feature of FANSI-CONSOLE is that it speeds up the screen painting of many programs, including all MS(PC)-DOS internal commands. "Screen painting" is what we call the process of filling the screen with information by "writing" to it. Any program which uses MS(PC)-DOS or IBM-PC ROM BIOS calls to access the PC screen, __ ____ __ instead of direct hardware manipulation, paints the screen as much as FANSI-CONSOLE _____ _____ __ ____ _____________ three times as fast as it does without FANSI-CONSOLE. Most of the speed ups we've tested in our benchmarks range between 1.3 and 2.0 times as fast. Other programs, those which write directly to the IBM-PC screen memory, are unaffected. A program's screen painting is FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ never slowed down by FANSI-CONSOLE. This means much less waiting for menus and so on to be painted onto your screen. (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting, Inc. 2 (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting, Inc. 2 FANSI-CONSOLE (tm) Introduction _____________ ____ FANSI-CONSOLE (tm) Introduction 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 an IBM-PC color graphics display adaptor are FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ not affected by FANSI-CONSOLE, because it writes directly to screen memory. For details about which programs are speeded up please refer to the compatibility list contained within the chapter entitled "Compatibility and Limitations". The amount of the speed up depends upon the type of display adaptor used, the screen mode, what type of screen writing calls are used, whether scrolling is necessary, and what brand of IBM-PC equivalent machine you have. Monochrome cards and color cards which do not require screen memory accesses to be delayed until a horizontal retrace are generally speeded up more than the standard IBM-PC graphics card. 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. Lastly, some IBM-PC equivalent computer BIOSes are slower than others, and these are speeded up more than the fast ones. The best part is that the screen modes used the most, the alphanumeric modes with no scrolling, are speeded up the most. 1.2.2 Processes ANSI X3.64 escape sequences _____ _________ ____ _____ ______ _________ 1.2.2 Processes ANSI X3.64 escape sequences FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ Another important feature is that FANSI-CONSOLE processes ANSI X3.64 standard escape sequences like the IBM-PC DOS 2.00 (and later FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ ______ _ ____ ______ versions) ANSI.SYS device driver. FANSI-CONSOLE allows a much larger ______ __ ___ ________ subset of the standard to be used than the 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 output sent to remote terminals, or be redirected to data files. Indirectly, it is important to you, because it may have the effect of reducing program development costs by making it easier to write things to the screen and by allowing 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 details, see the chapter entitled "ANSI X3.64 escape sequences". Please 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. (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting, Inc. 3 (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting, Inc. 3 FANSI-CONSOLE (tm) Introduction _____________ ____ FANSI-CONSOLE (tm) Introduction Using these escape sequences it is possible to limit the screen output 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 details, see the description of the ANSI SSR command in the chapter entitled "ANSI X3.64 escape sequences". Please note that the chapter describing these escape sequences is not abbreviated ___________ 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. 1.2.3 Emulates DEC VT100 _____ ________ ___ _____ 1.2.3 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 a simple terminal emulation (communications) programs which use MS-DOS MODEM86 (tm) _______ ____ console calls, such as our MODEM86 (tm) program, turns your IBM-PC or equivalent into an ANSI X3.64 standard terminal. For more details, see the subsection entitled "Using the Alt-Ctrl-Num-Lock key" 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 details about getting into this mode, see the subsection describing the ANSI DEC-SM command in the chapter entitled "ANSI X3.64 escape sequences". (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting, Inc. 4 (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting, Inc. 4 FANSI-CONSOLE (tm) Introduction _____________ ____ FANSI-CONSOLE (tm) Introduction 1.2.4 Allows much more typeahead _____ ______ ____ ____ _________ 1.2.4 Allows much more typeahead FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ FANSI-CONSOLE has a much larger typeahead buffer than the standard IBM-PC typeahead buffer. 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 doesn't require keyboard input. FANSI- CONSOLE _______ CONSOLE allows 127 characters of typeahead. The standard IBM-PC typeahead buffer 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. Because the convenience of so much typeahead also brings problems of FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ discovering that you mistyped something early on, 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 won't be ignored when you type these keys just because you happened to have typed ahead something else earlier. For more FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ details, see the section entitled "How do I use the FANSI-CONSOLE keyboard?". 1.2.5 Allows more memory for key replacements _____ ______ ____ ______ ___ ___ ____________ 1.2.5 Allows more memory for key replacements More memory is allowed for keyboard key replacements than the FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ standard IBM-PC ANSI.SYS device driver. FANSI-CONSOLE allows you to specify how much memory is used for keyboard key replacements. For more details, see the chapter entitled "Detailed Installation". 1.2.6 Turns display off when not in use _____ _____ _______ ___ ____ ___ __ ___ 1.2.6 Turns display off when not in use FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ FANSI-CONSOLE can be configured to automatically turn off your console screen display when not in use for a specified time. This helps prevent you from permanently burning a particular display onto your screen by leaving it on the display too long. Please note that to avoid surprising people, this is not the default action. For more details, see the chapter entitled "Detailed Installation". (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting, Inc. 5 (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting, Inc. 5 FANSI-CONSOLE (tm) Introduction _____________ ____ FANSI-CONSOLE (tm) Introduction 1.2.7 Allows one finger pausing _____ ______ ___ ______ _______ 1.2.7 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, somewhat similar to the Ctrl-Num-Lock combination you are already familiar with. However, it allows you to typeahead before turning off the scroll lock. With both the Ctrl-Num-Lock and FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ Scroll-Lock pausing, FANSI-CONSOLE prevents the duplicate lines which may appear when using the standard IBM-PC software. For more details, see the chapter entitled "Detailed Installation". 1.2.8 Allows one finger typing _____ ______ ___ ______ ______ 1.2.8 Allows one finger typing FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ ______ ___ __ ___ __ ___ ________ ___ ________ ___ FANSI-CONSOLE allows you to set up the keyboard for optional one ______ ______ finger typing. For more details, see the chapter entitled "Detailed Installation". 1.2.9 Allows keyboard generated breakpoints _____ ______ ________ _________ ___________ 1.2.9 Allows keyboard generated breakpoints FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ FANSI-CONSOLE has Alt-Ctrl-Ins set up to generate the equivalent of a breakpoint. This comes in handy when debugging programs with infinite loops. For more details, see the subsection entitled "Using the Alt-Ctrl-Ins key" in the chapter entitled "Advanced Features". 1.2.10 Eliminates screen flicker ______ __________ ______ _______ 1.2.10 Eliminates screen flicker A feature that owners of IBM-PC color graphics card equivalents like FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ Tecmar's Graphics Master will love is that FANSI-CONSOLE can be used _________ ______ _______ _______ to eliminate screen flicker (blink) as it is scrolled. Unfortunately, this is not so on the IBM-PC color graphics card __ because of a hardware design deficiency (well, that's what we call it). For more details, see the chapter entitled "Detailed Installation". (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting, Inc. 6 (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting, Inc. 6 FANSI-CONSOLE (tm) Introduction _____________ ____ FANSI-CONSOLE (tm) Introduction 1.2.11 Provides support for 50 line displays ______ ________ _______ ___ __ ____ ________ 1.2.11 Provides support for 50 line displays For display adaptors with enough memory and displays with a long persistence phosphor, there is support for several 50 line interlaced display modes. For more details, see the subsection describing the IBM-SM command in the chapter entitled "ANSI X3.64 Escape abbreviated ___________ Sequences". Please note this chapter is not in the abbreviated user manual found on the diskette, but is contained in the complete printed user manual. 1.2.12 Extends the IBM-PC ROM BIOS ______ _______ ___ ______ ___ ____ 1.2.12 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. For more details, see the chapter entitled "ROM BIOS calls". Please note this chapter is not abbreviated ___________ in the abbreviated user manual found on the diskette, but is contained in the complete printed user manual. 1.2.13 Other features ______ _____ ________ 1.2.13 Other features FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ FANSI-CONSOLE will have other features which will become documented as they become ready for use. (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting, Inc. 7 (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting, Inc. 7 FANSI-CONSOLE (tm) Introduction _____________ ____ FANSI-CONSOLE (tm) Introduction FANSI-CONSOLE _________________________________________________________________ 1.3 What about multitasking windowing programs and FANSI-CONSOLE? FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ You may wonder whether you should use FANSI-CONSOLE instead of some of the new multitasking windowing programs such as IBM's TopView, FANSI- ______ Quarterdeck's DESQ, or Microsoft's Windows, or whether to use FANSI- CONSOLE FANSI-CONSOLE _______ _____________ CONSOLE with one of these programs. 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 will be times, though, when you will want to run without the multitasking windowing program, to do things like run batch files or programs with command line parameters. At these FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ times, FANSI-CONSOLE will be there to speed up screen access. 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 256K 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 system are unable to use multitasking windowing programs. Even if you can afford a multitasking windowing program and its required extra hardware, you may find that you don't like it as much FANSI-CONSOLE FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ _____________ as FANSI-CONSOLE. FANSI-CONSOLE speeds up the screen painting of many programs to make them quick enough for your tastes. When your favorite application program still takes awhile to do something, FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ FANSI-CONSOLE allows you to keep typing by having a generous typeahead buffer. Most multitasking windowing products do nothing to speed up the screen painting of other programs. They also don't allow you to typeahead much. In fact, many actually slow things down, even though they claim to be "user-friendly". However, it is generally recognized that being speedy is one of the most user-friendly qualities of a product. 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 (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting, Inc. 8 (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting, Inc. 8 FANSI-CONSOLE (tm) Introduction _____________ ____ FANSI-CONSOLE (tm) Introduction 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, Inc. 9 (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting, Inc. 9 FANSI-CONSOLE (tm) Starting Quickly _____________ ____ FANSI-CONSOLE (tm) 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't be menu driven because of its nature. We have provided an extensive index at the end of this manual. It's there to help you if you have problems finding what you want to know. Please use it, especially if you don't 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't 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 aren't found. If what you want to know is only found in the complete printed user manual and not the abbreviated user manual found on the diskette, then it's probably time you paid for a complete user manual. You can tell this is the case when you find yourself looking for a page number referred to in the index or table of contents that isn't in your abbreviated user manual. The index and the table of contents are complete, but your 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 details which are important to us about what we expect in return from FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ you for your being able to use FANSI-CONSOLE. (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting, Inc. 10 (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting, Inc. 10 FANSI-CONSOLE (tm) Starting Quickly _____________ ____ FANSI-CONSOLE (tm) Starting Quickly FANSI-CONSOLE ___________________________________________ 2.2 How do I quickly install FANSI-CONSOLE? FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ If you are in a hurry to try FANSI-CONSOLE, the following is the FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ simplest possible setup procedure. Bear in mind that FANSI-CONSOLE ___ has some features which can not be taken advantage of in this case. 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! DIZZY.C DIZZY.C Source for C program which generated part of ANSI80.TXT. DOSEDIT.PCH DOSEDIT.PCH Patch file for DOSEDIT program version of 05/09/84. Read comments in this file for instructions. DOSEDIT2.PCH DOSEDIT2.PCH Patch file for DOSEDIT2 program. Read comments in this file for instructions. 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. FCONSOLE.DEV FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ FCONSOLE.DEV FANSI-CONSOLE itself. FCONSOLE.DOC FANSI-CONSOLE abbreviated _____________ ___________ FCONSOLE.DOC FANSI-CONSOLE abbreviated user manual. This file may include information about the latest version of FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ FANSI-CONSOLE which is not yet in the printed user manual. PRINT or TYPE this file. You are reading a copy of it now! (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting, Inc. 11 (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting, Inc. 11 FANSI-CONSOLE (tm) Starting Quickly _____________ ____ FANSI-CONSOLE (tm) Starting Quickly FCONSOLE.HST FCONSOLE.HST Revision history information. This file may include FANSI- ______ information about the latest version of FANSI- CONSOLE _______ CONSOLE which is not yet in the printed user manual. PRINT or TYPE this file. SK.PCH SK.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 details on 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. If the listed files are not all there, ask whomever you got the program from to provide the missing files. They are supposed to give you all the files listed here. There may be additional optional files on the diskette which not listed here. Please note that the abbreviated ___________ user manual which appears on this diskette is abbreviated. Chapters describing advanced features in detail have been omitted abbreviated ___________ from the abbreviated user manual on the diskette. See the chapter entitled Distribution and Licensing. (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting, Inc. 12 (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting, Inc. 12 FANSI-CONSOLE (tm) Starting Quickly _____________ ____ FANSI-CONSOLE (tm) 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 DOS DISKCOPY command, as outlined in the DOS manual. Start out by making sure that the distribution diskette is write protected, so that you don't accidently destroy what's on it by __ ____ copying to it instead of copying from it. After all, the reason that you should make the backup copy in the first place is so that you'll have extra copies in case one copy gets accidently 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 DOS DISKCOPY command, as outlined in the 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 with an Alt-Ctrl-Del without a diskette in drive A:, then your fixed disk is also a system disk. However, it will not be necessary to make a backup copy of your fixed FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ disk just to try FANSI-CONSOLE. If your DOS version is less than 2.00, then run out and buy the FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ latest version now! FANSI-CONSOLE requires at least version 2.00. Many other programs soon will as well. Don't 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 DOS COPY command. 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 installing FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ FANSI-CONSOLE on the fixed disk. All this caution is merely to allow FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ you to start your system without FANSI-CONSOLE if there are some problems with it on your system. (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting, Inc. 13 (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting, Inc. 13 FANSI-CONSOLE (tm) Starting Quickly _____________ ____ FANSI-CONSOLE (tm) Starting Quickly 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 will read it for special instructions. Here it is a special instruction to FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ install FANSI-CONSOLE. 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 FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ the end. This is mostly because the sooner FANSI-CONSOLE gets loaded and its name banner is displayed, the sooner your larger typeahead FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ buffer is ready to be used. It is also 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. 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. 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 reference to another console driver, such as the IBM-PC ANSI.SYS device driver, in the CONFIG.SYS FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ file then you should remove it. This is because FANSI-CONSOLE is a direct replacement for ANSI.SYS as well as the part of the IBM-PC ROM BIOS that deals with the console. They both have the name "CON:" when referred to later with other DOS commands. They cannot coexist FANSI- ______ and there is no point in trying to make them coexist because FANSI- CONSOLE _______ CONSOLE has all the function of the ANSI.SYS device driver. (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting, Inc. 14 (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting, Inc. 14 FANSI-CONSOLE (tm) Starting Quickly _____________ ____ FANSI-CONSOLE (tm) Starting Quickly 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 drivers, the one which is loaded last is the one that will really be 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 first, memory FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ is consumed by ANSI.SYS to no effect, since FANSI-CONSOLE is used FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ instead of ANSI.SYS. If FANSI-CONSOLE is loaded first, it won't work (unless /Y=1, see the chapter entitled "Detailed Installation"). In this case, ANSI.SYS is used as the MS(PC)-DOS console driver. ANSI.SYS directly modifies ROM BIOS code variables (a bad programming practice) and then calls the BIOS expecting those variables to have FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ some effect. However, the BIOS calls are now calls to FANSI-CONSOLE, which doesn't use variables in the same place in memory as ANSI.SYS expected. (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting, Inc. 15 (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting, Inc. 15 FANSI-CONSOLE (tm) Starting Quickly _____________ ____ FANSI-CONSOLE (tm) 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 have to do is use that system disk when you turn on the computer or do a Alt-Ctrl-Del. Of course, you could have several system disks with both FCONSOLE.DEV ___ and CONFIG.SYS on it and any one of them will do. You do not need to have these files on an available disk drive after the MS(PC)-DOS FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ operating system is loaded at the start. FANSI-CONSOLE remains loaded in memory as part of the MS(PC)-DOS operating system until the next time you restart the system. FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ You'll know 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 don't see the banner when FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ you start, you'll know FANSI-CONSOLE is not installed. Simple as that! In either case, you'll see the old familiar MS(PC)-DOS prompt. Notice that we don't 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, Inc. 16 (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting, Inc. 16 FANSI-CONSOLE (tm) Starting Quickly _____________ ____ FANSI-CONSOLE (tm) Starting Quickly 2.2.8 Add BUFFERS=20 to CONFIG.SYS _____ ___ __________ __ __________ 2.2.8 Add BUFFERS=20 to CONFIG.SYS Although it is not 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. The purpose of this command is to allow more buffer space for MS(PC)-DOS to use for FANSI- ______ reading and writing files. While this has nothing to do with FANSI- CONSOLE _______ CONSOLE, it will also speed up your computer by speeding up your disk accesses. We mention it here because many people do not know about it. The only negative aspect to using this line in your CONFIG.SYS file is that it consumes about 10KB of read/write memory for extra buffer space which will no longer be available for your application programs. However, you may replace the number 20 with a smaller number, even one as small as 5. It will still speed up your system, although not quite 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 hard disk. If the number is too large, it will actually start slowing the computer down again. Only you can find the best number for your system, but almost any number is better than the 2 you get by default. (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting, Inc. 17 (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting, Inc. 17 FANSI-CONSOLE (tm) Starting Quickly _____________ ____ FANSI-CONSOLE (tm) 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 $e[0m$e[J$n$g PROMPT $e[0m$e[J$n$g Note that upper and lower case letters must be used exactly as indicated in the 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 DOS command. In this case, we have it send out an ANSI X3.64 SGR escape sequence (indicated by the "$e[0m") to set the current screen colors and other attributes to the normal values before displaying the current drive letter ($n) and a greater than symbol ($g). We also send out an ANSI X3.64 ED escape sequence ($e[J) to erase the rest of the screen in the current colors. We recommend this because some programs leave the current screen color attributes in undesired states. 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 won't be able to change the colors without changing the PROMPT, since it will reset them again immediately afterwards. So you may want to experiment with our many color ______ files before setting up this PROMPT. 3. MS(PC)-DOS is apparently counting 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 doesn't 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 doesn't understand ANSI X3.64 escape sequences. (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting, Inc. 18 (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting, Inc. 18 FANSI-CONSOLE (tm) Starting Quickly _____________ ____ FANSI-CONSOLE (tm) Starting Quickly You may find a different set of colors or attributes desirable. You may also want the 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 $e[32m$e[J$e[1;36;40m$n$g$e[2;32m PROMPT $e[32m$e[J$e[1;36;40m$n$g$e[2;32m (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting, Inc. 19 (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting, Inc. 19 FANSI-CONSOLE (tm) Starting Quickly _____________ ____ FANSI-CONSOLE (tm) Starting Quickly 2.2.10 Provide memory for applications programs ______ _______ ______ ___ ____________ ________ 2.2.10 Provide memory for applications programs FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ Although, FANSI-CONSOLE does not require much memory for itself, it does require some. If you've made ram-disks or print spoolers consume all the extra memory you had before, then you'll need to adjust these programs to use a bit less. You'll need to have about the same amount of memory left over for applications programs as you did before. Otherwise programs will run out of room because you've left too little for them. Sometimes a program will not complain directly about having less memory, instead it may start doing more disk 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 disk file. This even happens on computers fully loaded with memory. Remember, what counts is the not the total memory you have, but how much of it you've 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't tell you exactly how much you'll need, since it depends on what programs you run. However, nearly everyone should leave at least 128K. FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ Many of the problems reported with FANSI-CONSOLE are simply problems caused by lack of enough memory for the application program. If you FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ have a problem with an application program when FANSI-CONSOLE is FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ installed and you think it was caused by FANSI-CONSOLE, one way to check whether it is a memory problem is to run the application program under the MS(PC)-DOS DEBUG program, which happens to be FANSI-CONSOLE FANSI- _____________ ______ approximately the same size as FANSI-CONSOLE. Do this with FANSI- CONSOLE _______ CONSOLE uninstalled. Thus, about the same amount of memory is left for the application program. Just "DEBUG program.ext" and "G" to get it running, and "Q" from DEBUG when the application program is done. FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ If it does the same thing as when FANSI-CONSOLE is installed, it's a "not enough memory" problem. (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting, Inc. 20 (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting, Inc. 20 FANSI-CONSOLE (tm) Starting Quickly _____________ ____ FANSI-CONSOLE (tm) 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 the fact that FANSI-CONSOLE is loaded FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ and running. When the FANSI-CONSOLE banner appears at the top of your screen when you start MS(PC)-DOS, many programs magically paint the screen faster without your further intervention. All that is necessary for you to do now is to 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 don't 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 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 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, Inc. 21 (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting, Inc. 21 FANSI-CONSOLE (tm) Starting Quickly _____________ ____ FANSI-CONSOLE (tm) 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 stroke combination works in a manner similar to the way it works with the standard IBM-PC software. One advantage, however, is that unlike the FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ standard IBM-PC 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 clearing the pause. Any FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ 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. They are both FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ treated the way the standard IBM-PC software (without FANSI-CONSOLE installed) treats the Ctrl-Break key, which is to flush the typeahead buffer before placing a Ctrl-C in it. The standard IBM-PC 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 software ignores the 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 FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ does not cancel without FANSI-CONSOLE installed. 2.3.5 Using the Ctrl-Equals key Press the Ctrl-Equals key combination, instead of the Ctrl-6 key combination used by the IBM-PC ROM BIOS, to get a Unit Separator (US) character. Wherever any application program specifies the use of the Ctrl-6 key combination in its user manual, use Ctrl-Equals instead FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ when FANSI-CONSOLE is installed. This is the only character whose FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ key combination is different with FANSI-CONSOLE than with the IBM-PC ROM BIOS. This character was placed at a different key in order to FANSI- ______ free a whole row of keys (Ctrl-1 thru Ctrl-0) for later use by FANSI- CONSOLE _______ CONSOLE. (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting, Inc. 22 (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting, Inc. 22 FANSI-CONSOLE (tm) Starting Quickly _____________ ____ FANSI-CONSOLE (tm) Starting Quickly 2.3.6 Using the Shift-PrtSc key Press the Left-Shift-PrtSc key combination to cause the screen FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ display to be printed. With FANSI-CONSOLE this key stroke combination works in the same manner as it works with the standard FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ IBM-PC software. However, with FANSI-CONSOLE the Right-Shift-PrtSc key combination does not cause the screen display to be printed, as it would with the standard IBM-PC software. This is to prevent the printing action from happening by accident when using the PrtSc key to generate an asterisk. (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting, Inc. 23 (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting, Inc. 23 FANSI-CONSOLE (tm) Starting Quickly _____________ ____ FANSI-CONSOLE (tm) 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 your system 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 your computer. This may be done by pressing Alt-Ctrl-Del or by turning your computer off and then on. Simply removing FCONSOLE.DEV from your system disk, or renaming it, and restarting your computer also works, but it causes the following error message to be displayed by MS(PC)-DOS when you start your computer: 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 will 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, Inc. 24 (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting, Inc. 24 FANSI-CONSOLE (tm) Detailed Installation _____________ ____ FANSI-CONSOLE (tm) 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 are not well described in the IBM-PC DOS manuals. Some but not all the features are in the manuals, and what is there is definitely hard to find. IBM has even moved most of this information to a separately purchased manual called the DOS Technical Reference Manual. We feel it is FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ useful for you to know this 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 DOS 1.xx. The problem was that to make a new piece of hardware work in your system as though it was really an integral part of the original IBM-PC and IBM-PC DOS, the add-on manufacturers had to create software for their cards and make it look like part of the original IBM-PC DOS. However, they were not given the source program code for MS(PC)-DOS, nor were they given a standard way to write their software and have MS(PC)-DOS include this code 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. The result was that choosing 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. Microsoft's solution was to allow 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. These device drivers are then loaded at start up time in a manner similar to the original device drivers that come with MS(PC)-DOS from your original manufacturer (IBM or your equivalent maker). This is a new feature provided by MS(PC)-DOS 2.00 and later versions. (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting, Inc. 25 (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting, Inc. 25 FANSI-CONSOLE (tm) Detailed Installation _____________ ____ FANSI-CONSOLE (tm) Detailed Installation Now all the add-on hardware manufacturers have to do is to provide you with 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 provided two loadable device drivers themselves. One is a console driver called ANSI.SYS and was provided in object form. The other was a read/write memory based disk emulation (ram-disk) which was provided as a listing (source form) in the DOS manual. The best part is how you incorporate such device drivers into MS(PC)-DOS. All you have to do is provide a file called CONFIG.SYS with a few commands in it. MS(PC)-DOS always read this file, if there is one on your system disk, 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 just the MS(PC)-DOS file name that the device driver object is to be found in. What the <options> part really needs to look like is entirely up to your device driver author (that's us!), and so looks like whatever they decide. So it may look different for different kinds of 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 that is really used. (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting, Inc. 26 (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting, Inc. 26 FANSI-CONSOLE (tm) Detailed Installation _____________ ____ FANSI-CONSOLE (tm) Detailed Installation _________________________________________ 3.2 What if my computer is ... different? FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ FANSI-CONSOLE has several installation options. They all have default values which are set for standard IBM-PC display adaptor FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ cards, so that FANSI-CONSOLE should work on all "equivalent" computers and cards. However, if you do not have a standard IBM-PC FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ ______ display adapter card, FANSI-CONSOLE will probably work better if the option values are changed. You don't 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 display adaptor card. You will probably find that it will be worth the effort. Don't worry. You can't hurt your computer by experimenting and trying out different option settings, even if they turn out to be wrong for your display adapter card. The worst thing that could happen is that you would have to start the installation process over again. The options are set by "parameters" which are added to the end of the 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, and a number. If the number starts with a zero, it is considered to be a hexadecimal number. Otherwise it is considered a decimal number. The letter tells which option is being set and the number specifies the value of the option. It does not matter which case (upper or lower) the letters are. An example is: DEVICE=FCONSOLE.DEV /G=400 /S=10000 DEVICE=FCONSOLE.DEV /G=400 /S=10000 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 there are any options specified. The options are processed in a left to right order, so if an option is specified more than once, the rightmost instance will be the one which has an effect. (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting, Inc. 27 (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting, Inc. 27 FANSI-CONSOLE (tm) Detailed Installation _____________ ____ FANSI-CONSOLE (tm) Detailed Installation The option letters and their meanings are as follows: A - Attributes B - Blink C - Color What You Can F - Font Table Address G - Ctrl-G Bell Length H - Horizontal Retrace Delay I - Initialize with Internal Controller parameters K - Key Bell Frequency L - Lock on Scroll-Lock M - Memory Allocated N - No Color Display O - One Finger Typing 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. A - Attributes _ __________ A - Attributes FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ This option specifies the response that FANSI-CONSOLE should give to FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ the ANSI X3.64 device attributes (DA) command. FANSI-CONSOLE treats this option as a two byte number. The high byte specifies the first value returned, and the low byte specifies the second byte returned. This is easiest to understand when a hexadecimal number is FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ specified. So for example, /A=00100 makes FANSI-CONSOLE return 1;0, which is the response code for a DEC VT101 terminal. The default is /A=00000. This may be changed if we get an official implementation number. Setting this option is only important if you have a program expecting to talk to a particular ANSI X3.64 terminal, and it wants the exact response of that particular terminal from the DA command. (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting, Inc. 28 (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting, Inc. 28 FANSI-CONSOLE (tm) Detailed Installation _____________ ____ FANSI-CONSOLE (tm) Detailed Installation 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 unless the /H=1 FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ option is used. A value of /B=1 means FANSI-CONSOLE should blink. A FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ value of /B=0 means FANSI-CONSOLE should not blink. Other values are ignored. Blinking the screen during scrolling allows the use of a faster scrolling routine that would otherwise cause snow on monitors requiring the /H=1 option. If the /H=1 option must be used, we recommend using /B=1 (or /W=1, if possible) because otherwise the scrolling will be too slow. The drawback to blinking is that it is somewhat hard on the eyes. However, this is what the IBM-PC BIOS does, so it will appear "normal". The default value is /B=1, because the IBM-PC color graphics card requires the /H=1 option. Related options are /H, /V, and /W. For the IBM-PC color graphics adaptor, we recommend /B=1. C - Color What You Can _ _____ ____ ___ ___ C - Color What You Can FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ This option specifies whether FANSI-CONSOLE should use the ANSI X3.64 SGR current graphics rendition to color the characters written to the FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ screen where possible. A value of /C=1 means FANSI-CONSOLE should FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ use the current SGR. A value of /C=0 means FANSI-CONSOLE should use IBM-PC ROM BIOS compatible coloring. Other values are ignored. This option gives the initial value for the FANSI-COLOR mode, which may later be changed with the ANSI X3.64 FANSI-SM and FANSI-RM commands. If the /C=1 option is used, many programs which would display only white characters on a black background with /C=0, will display characters in the current colors and attributes set by the the last ANSI X3.64 SGR command instead. This would normally be the colors and attributes set by the MS(PC)-DOS PROMPT command. To accomplish this, /C=1 forces all screen display mode settings be modified to the equivalent colored variation, if there is one. Also, /C=1 forces the primary graphics rendition to have the last foreground and background colors explicitly set with the ANSI X3.64 SGR 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 black. This option is related to the /N option, which has priority over this option. However, there may be a few programs which do not color things reasonably when /C=1. Note that this option will only affect programs which normally unintentionally cause the colors to be white on black as a side effect of changing the screen display mode. Programs which intentionally set the foreground and background colors will not be affected. (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting, Inc. 29 (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting, Inc. 29 FANSI-CONSOLE (tm) Detailed Installation _____________ ____ FANSI-CONSOLE (tm) Detailed Installation F - Font Table Address _ ____ _____ _______ F - Font Table Address This option specifies the offset in the ROM BIOS segment (F000:) of the graphics character set. The default offset is /F=0FA6E (hexadecimal), since this is the address in the IBM-PC ROM BIOS. If this value is not set appropriately, then the characters displayed in ________ ______ _______ _____ the graphics screen display modes will appear to be strange shapes instead of characters. This only affects graphics screen display mode characters and not alphanumeric screen display mode characters. not ___ This is not meant to provide a way to create alternate character sets, but only to specify where in the ROM the regular character set is to be found. 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. The duration is specified as a delay loop count, so the exact delay time depends upon how fast your IBM-PC or equivalent runs. For the IBM-PC, a count of /G=4096 lasts about one second. The default is /G=4096 because that's the amount of time used by the IBM-PC ROM BIOS. We like our bells a bit shorter, like that provided by /G=400. If your computer is faster than an IBM-PC, you may want to increase this number. Specifying /G=0 turns off the Ctrl-G bell entirely. 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 cards before writing to screen memory in the 25x80 alphanumeric screen display modes. It has FANSI- ______ no effect for monochrome display cards. A value of /H=1 means FANSI- CONSOLE FANSI-CONSOLE _______ _____________ CONSOLE must delay. A value of /H=0 means FANSI-CONSOLE need not delay. Other values are ignored. The default value is /H=1, because the IBM-PC color graphics card requires this delay or else "snow" (also known as hashing) appears when the screen is written to (you may not mind this but we do). If your add-on manufacture's color graphics card does not require a delay, then using /H=0 will provide a much nicer and faster screen display. Related options are /B, /V, and /W. For the IBM-PC color graphics adaptor, we recommend /H=1. For a Tecmar Graphics Master, use /H=0. For Compaq's or Zenith 150's, use /H=0. (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting, Inc. 30 (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting, Inc. 30 FANSI-CONSOLE (tm) Detailed Installation _____________ ____ FANSI-CONSOLE (tm) Detailed Installation I - Initialize with Internal Controller Parameters _ __________ ____ ________ __________ __________ I - Initialize with Internal Controller Parameters FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ This option specifies whether FANSI-CONSOLE should use its own internal parameter values for initializing the CRT controller. A FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ value of /I=0 means FANSI-CONSOLE should use the table provided by FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ the ROM BIOS. A value of /I=n means FANSI-CONSOLE should use its FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ internal table number n. Currently, FANSI-CONSOLE has two (2) internal tables. An internal table should be used if you want to provide your own initial values which are different from those provided by the ROM BIOS. To find the internal tables in a specific FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ 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 only use /I=0, unless you are an advanced user. So the default value is /I=0. K - Key Bell Frequency _ ___ ____ _________ K - Key Bell Frequency This option specifies the frequency of the keyboard buffer full bell and of keyclicks. The frequency is specified as a delay loop count, so the exact frequency depends upon how fast your IBM-PC or equivalent runs. The default value is /K=048 because that causes FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ FANSI-CONSOLE's keyboard buffer full bell to sound similar to that of the IBM-PC ROM BIOS. If your computer is faster than an IBM-PC, you may want to increase this number. The keyclick sounds may be made louder by pressing Ctrl-Alt-DarkPlus and quieter by Ctrl-Alt-DarkMinus, just as is normal for Compaq machines. L - Lock on Scroll Lock _ ____ __ ______ ____ L - Lock on Scroll Lock This option specifies whether to provide a one-finger pause key. A FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ value of /L=1 means FANSI-CONSOLE must provide the one-finger pause FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ key. A value of /L=0 means FANSI-CONSOLE must not provide the one-finger pause key. The default value is /L=0, because this is the IBM-PC compatible setting. This option gives the initial value for the FANSI-LOCK mode, which may later be changed with the ANSI X3.64 FANSI-SM and FANSI-RM commands. To use the one-finger pause key when the /L=1 option is used, press the Scroll-Lock key without any shifting keys 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, other keys may be used to type ahead without affecting the pause. Pressing Scroll-Lock a second time clears the pause. You will probably find Scroll-Lock more convenient than Ctrl-Num-Lock, mostly because it's a "one finger" FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ pause key. Any program that works with FANSI-CONSOLE pauses with (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting, Inc. 31 (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting, Inc. 31 FANSI-CONSOLE (tm) Detailed Installation _____________ ____ FANSI-CONSOLE (tm) Detailed Installation Scroll-Lock. Pressing the Scroll-Lock key with a shift or Alt key, when the /L=1 option is used, has the same effect as Scroll-Lock does when the /L=0 option 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 desciptions of Ctrl-S and Ctrl-Num-Lock in the chapter entitled "Starting Quickly". M - Memory Allocated _ ______ _________ M - Memory Allocated This option specifies how much read/write memory to reserve for varying space requirements. This memory is used for saving ANSI X3.64 command parameters and keyboard key replacement strings. To estimate your requirements, add your total keyboard key replacement string lengths to your maximum keyboard key replacement key length. 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 value is /M=512. N - No Color Display _ __ _____ _______ N - No Color Display FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ This option specifies whether FANSI-CONSOLE should attempt to force most programs to use only black and white for the graphics FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ rendition. A value of /N=1 means FANSI-CONSOLE should try to force FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ only black and white to be used. A value of /N=0 means FANSI-CONSOLE should allow the use of color. Other values are ignored. If the /N=1 option is used, many programs which would use color with /N=0, will display characters in black and white instead. To accomplish this, /N=1 forces all screen display mode settings be modified to the equivalent monochromatic variation, if there is one. Also, /N=1 forces the primary graphics rendition to have the last foreground and background colors explicitly set with the ANSI X3.64 SGR command. 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 adaptor and you find that some colored characters are not readable on your display. This option is related to the /C option, which this option has priority over. This option gives the initial value for the FANSI-NOCOLOR mode, which may later be changed with the ANSI X3.64 FANSI-SM and FANSI-RM commands. (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting, Inc. 32 (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting, Inc. 32 FANSI-CONSOLE (tm) Detailed Installation _____________ ____ FANSI-CONSOLE (tm) Detailed Installation O - One Finger Typing _ ___ ______ ______ O - One Finger Typing The option is the letter O This option specifies whether to allow one finger typing. A value of FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ /O=1 means FANSI-CONSOLE will toggle the Alt, Ctrl, or shift key states only when you press the appropriate key, and not when you release it. This means that you remain Alt'ed, Ctrl'ed, or shifted until you press the key again. This is provided for handicappers and others who find it impractical to press multiple keys at once. Note that in this situation, each shift key is a separate shift lock and both must be off to get unshifted characters. A value of /O=0 means FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ FANSI-CONSOLE will toggle 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 provides the normal behavior of keyboards. 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 should be the number of 1/18.2 second intervals to be counted before turning off all the display output. If no keys are pressed or there is no output from a program using ROM BIOS calls or MS-DOS before the timeout, the console screen display is automatically turned off. This is to prevent you from accidentally permanently burning a pattern into your display screen by displaying the same thing on the screen too long. When the display is turned off, any key including a shifting key may be pressed to turn the display back on. When the display is turned back on, the data displayed appears the same as it did just before the display was turned off. The default count of /S=0 may be used to specify always keeping the screen display on, which is the behavior of the standard ROM BIOS software. We don't 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 /S=0FFFF is used. We suggest /S=10000, for a timeout of about ten minutes. 18.2 units/sec * 60 secs/min * 10 min = 10920 units, actually. (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting, Inc. 33 (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting, Inc. 33 FANSI-CONSOLE (tm) Detailed Installation _____________ ____ FANSI-CONSOLE (tm) Detailed Installation Note that some programs set the border, color palette, or screen display mode directly rather than 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 these programs are used and the screen is disabled and then restored, the border or palette may be a different color than before the screen was disabled, or the screen may appear to be totally distorted. This is because hardware state of these values cannot be read and then restored, but they must be changed to disable the screen. So to do the restore, FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ FANSI-CONSOLE must assume the values were as they were last set by FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ FANSI-CONSOLE. If you specify the /S option but the screen does not turn off after the specified period, then it may be that your display adaptor card has no way to disable video signal. There is no way to have the /S option work with such adaptors. It may also be that the video signal disable is turned off in a manner which is different from that FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ required by IBM standard cards. FANSI-CONSOLE may have an extended features option which must be used with such an adaptor. See the description of the /X options below. 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. A value of /T=1 means FANSI-CONSOLE will process the ANSI X3.64 standard escape sequences found in the TTY output FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ calls. A value of /T=0 means FANSI-CONSOLE will process the TTY output calls in a manner compatible with the IBM-PC ROM BIOS. 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 provide 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. (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting, Inc. 34 (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting, Inc. 34 FANSI-CONSOLE (tm) Detailed Installation _____________ ____ FANSI-CONSOLE (tm) Detailed Installation V - Vertical Retrace Delay _ ________ _______ _____ V - Vertical Retrace Delay FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ This option specifies whether FANSI-CONSOLE should wait for the vertical retrace signal to be 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 cards. It has FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ no effect if /B=0. A value of /V=1 means FANSI-CONSOLE should wait. FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ A value of /V=0 means FANSI-CONSOLE should not wait. Other values are ignored. If the /B=1 option 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 IBM-PC ROM BIOS does, so it will appear "normal". The default value is /V=1, because /B=1 is also the default. Related options are /B, /H, and /W. For the IBM-PC color graphics adaptor, we recommend /V=1. 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 cards. It has no effect if /H=0. A value of /W=1 FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ means FANSI-CONSOLE should move a word at a time. A value of /W=0 FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ means FANSI-CONSOLE should move a byte at a time. Other values are ignored. If it does not cause hashing (snow) on the screen, /W=1 is recommended because it makes the scrolling faster. However, /W=0 is the default because /W=1 causes hashing on the IBM-PC graphics adaptor 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. On such machines /W=1 is usually slower than /B=0. Related options are /B, /H, and /V. X - Extensions _ __________ X - Extensions FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ This option specifies whether FANSI-CONSOLE should use extensions which are peculiar to a particular display adaptor. A value of /X=0 means use no extensions, and is therefore the default. A value of /X=1 means use Zenith Z150/160 extensions. A value of /X=2 means use Mad-1 extensions. If /X=1 is not used for a Zenith Z150/160, then using the /S option with a non-zero value will not turn off the screen display. If /X=2 is not used for a Mad-1, then the break key and the numeric pad comma key will be ignored. Other values are currently ignored. Other /X values may be added as extensions for one display adaptor are found to be incompatible with other display adaptors. Check the FCONSOLE.HST file for any recently added values. (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting, Inc. 35 (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting, Inc. 35 FANSI-CONSOLE (tm) Detailed Installation _____________ ____ FANSI-CONSOLE (tm) Detailed Installation Y - Yuck, You Should Be So Compatible _ _____ ___ ______ __ __ __________ Y - Yuck, You Should Be So Compatible FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ This option specifies whether FANSI-CONSOLE should be as compatible FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ as it can be to the IBM-PC ROM BIOS. 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 provide several of the new features, it has to use it's own internal FANSI- ______ variables and not the ROM BIOS screen variables. However, if FANSI- CONSOLE _______ CONSOLE doesn't look at the ROM BIOS screen variables, these programs will 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 provide the /Y option as a way for you to make this decision. FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ A value of /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's as close as we've figured out how to be and still be fast. This also means that some of the extended features will be 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 to increase compatibility. FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ A value of /Y=0 means that FANSI-CONSOLE should start out being faster but slightly incompatible. It also allows some extended features to be used. This provides enough compatibility to run most but not all programs. Using this mode is a way to test the portability of a program. If it doesn't run correctly in this mode, it may have problems running on some "almost but not quite" IBM-PC equivalent machines. Of course, it does not mean that a program is portable just because it runs in this mode. (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting, Inc. 36 (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting, Inc. 36 FANSI-CONSOLE (tm) Detailed Installation _____________ ____ FANSI-CONSOLE (tm) Detailed Installation The default is /Y=1, since this provides normal behavior for as many of your applications as possible. Where it is known that /Y=1 is required for a specific program, it is noted in the compatibility FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ lists. FANSI-CONSOLE also provides the Alt-Ctrl-Down key combination and the FANSI-SM command to option to the /Y=1 mode, and the Alt-Ctrl-Up key combination and the FANSI-RM command to option to the /Y=0 mode at any later time. This option gives the initial value for the FANSI-CMP mode, which may later be changed with the ANSI X3.64 FANSI-SM and FANSI-RM commands. (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting, Inc. 37 (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting, Inc. 37 FANSI-CONSOLE (tm) Programming Background _____________ ____ FANSI-CONSOLE (tm) Programming Background Chapter 4 Chapter 4 Programming Background Programming Background _______________________________________ 4.1 Which screen access method is best? This chapter is devoted to a discussion of screen and keyboard usage methods and their portability to other computers. It is an introduction for the next two chapters, to help you decide which type of screen access to use in your programs. You do not need to read it unless you are going to write programs for your computer. You might want to read it anyway, if you are curious, since it is not too technical. There are three general ways to access the screen and keyboard: 1. Direct hardware manipulation. 2. ROM BIOS calls. 3. MS(PC)-DOS calls. Each has its own advantages and disadvantages. As you move down our list above, the methods generally become somewhat slower and less versatile but they also become more computer independent. It is probably obvious why you would want your programs to access the screen as fast as possible. What may not be obvious is why you might want them to be computer independent. The more computer independent a program is, the more likely it will be that that program will run on your particular computer. Sure, you bought your IBM-PC or equivalent because it is (or is equivalent to) what everyone else is buying. We are sure you have heard stories from friends about how great some IBM-PC card was but it was not "IBM-PC compatible". By the way, we like the word "equivalent" better than "compatible", when used in this context. We are also sure that you have at one time or another heard other stories about how badly designed parts of the IBM-PC are. Not that we agree with all such complaints. The problem is that it is impossible to improve on IBM's ideas if everything has to be the same as IBM's! So pick one, please. Which will it be: "equivalent" or "better than IBM's"? Well, if more programs used more computer independent methods to access the hardware on your IBM-PC, you could have your cake and eat (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting, Inc. 38 (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting, Inc. 38 FANSI-CONSOLE (tm) Programming Background _____________ ____ FANSI-CONSOLE (tm) Programming Background it too. For example, consider that many programs use the first screen access method: direct hardware manipulation. If someone (even IBM) designed a hot new video board for the IBM-PC that allowed you to display 80 lines of 132 columns of text, none of these programs would work with this board. In fact, there are some boards out there that can do something like this, and some are not much more expensive than IBM's! So you paid a high price for all the speed of direct screen access: you must buy an equivalent board. If the same programs instead called the ROM BIOS or the DOS to do screen accesses, all that would be needed is for the screen board manufacturer to provide a replacement for part of the ROM BIOS or part of MS(PC)-DOS for screen access. It turns out that the IBM-PC ROM BIOS is slow. Since MS(PC)-DOS calls also call the IBM-PC ROM BIOS, they are also slow. Anyway, the price for computer independence is much higher than it needs to be. FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ How do we know? That's what FANSI-CONSOLE is all about! It replaces IBM-PC ROM BIOS code for the screen and keyboard with our own BIOS code. The result is that programs which use the BIOS or MS(PC)-DOS calls for screen access are speeded up. It also did not help that most of the things that could be done directly to the screen are not supported with some type of MS(PC)-DOS call. This was remedied somewhat with the introduction of the concept of an MS(PC)-DOS device driver. There are several reasons that MS(PC)-DOS calls should be used instead of ROM BIOS calls, wherever feasible: 1. The MS(PC)-DOS calls provide some functions in a more convenient manner for the programmer than the BIOS does. In particular, they are the easiest to use from most languages other than assembly language. 2. Program screen displays may be redirected into an MS(PC)-DOS file instead of directed to the screen. From there it can be manipulated just like any other data file. 3. The program may be used with the CTTY program on an external terminal via your serial port. 4. Even more computers using MS(PC)-DOS support the ANSI X3.64 standard through MS(PC)-DOS calls than those supporting an equivalent to the IBM-PC ROM BIOS. The interrupt vectors used by the IBM-PC ROM BIOS standard violate Intel's reservation of them for its newer processors like the 80186. So not all computers which could otherwise be equivalent have the possibility of using these vectors for screen or keyboard access. So the program could be run on more machines now, and in the future. (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting, Inc. 39 (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting, Inc. 39 FANSI-CONSOLE (tm) Programming Background _____________ ____ FANSI-CONSOLE (tm) Programming Background Remember though, that the price we pay for portability is some speed and some versatility. But the price does not have to be unbearable, FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ if you use FANSI-CONSOLE. (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting, Inc. 40 (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting, Inc. 40 FANSI-CONSOLE (tm) Compatibility and Limitations _____________ ____ FANSI-CONSOLE (tm) Compatibility and Limitations Chapter 8 Chapter 8 Compatibility and Limitations Compatibility and Limitations FANSI-CONSOLE _____________________________________________ 8.1 What limitations does FANSI-CONSOLE have? FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ FANSI-CONSOLE does have some limitations and we hope to remedy these in the future. FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ FANSI-CONSOLE could easily be made to accept more of the ANSI standard escape sequences. We will try to extend it. FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ FANSI-CONSOLE may not work with some key reassignment programs. Because the typeahead buffer is bigger, it must be put in a different place. We will try to make it work with most of these programs, and try to eliminate the need for separate key reassignment programs, by FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ adding functions to FANSI-CONSOLE, or to a companion program. FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ FANSI-CONSOLE may not work with some mouse drivers. However, it is compatible with the most popular mice. FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ FANSI-CONSOLE may not work with newer IBM graphics adaptors. We will provide either separate versions or appropriate switches. (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting, Inc. 130 (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting, Inc. 130 FANSI-CONSOLE (tm) Compatibility and Limitations _____________ ____ FANSI-CONSOLE (tm) Compatibility and Limitations FANSI-CONSOLE ________________________________________________ 8.2 Are there several versions of FANSI-CONSOLE? FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ FANSI-CONSOLE has at least three different versions for differing kinds of machines. The type of machine which a version is meant to run on is indicated by the first character of the serial number: 0 IBM-PC and very compatibles with very compatible ROM BIOS. This includes the IBM-PC AT. The ROM BIOS must have console variables in the same place as the IBM-PC. 1 Computers with IBM-PC work-alike display adaptors and keyboards. No ROM BIOS is expected, and if one exists, it is ignored. (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting, Inc. 131 (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting, Inc. 131 FANSI-CONSOLE (tm) Compatibility and Limitations _____________ ____ FANSI-CONSOLE (tm) Compatibility and Limitations FANSI-CONSOLE ____________________________________________________ 8.3 What programs are compatible with FANSI-CONSOLE? Any program which only uses DOS or ROM BIOS screen and keyboard calls FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ should work with FANSI-CONSOLE, and have faster screen painting. Any compiler or assembler should work. Programs written which use standard language calls for reading and writing the console should have faster screen painting. Only programs that manipulate hardware address contents or BIOS variables directly may not run correctly FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ with FANSI-CONSOLE. The indication "(faster)" in the list below means that the program's FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ screen writing is noticeably faster using FANSI-CONSOLE than without using it, or, for compilers, that programs written in the language have faster screen writing. Other programs listed work at the same speed as they would otherwise or we just haven't done a benchmark to find out otherwise. FANSI- ______ The indication "/Y=0" means that the program may be run with FANSI- CONSOLE _______ CONSOLE with either /Y=0 or /Y=1. The indication "/Y=1" means that FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ the program must be run with FANSI-CONSOLE in it's most compatible mode. For other programs we do not know whether /Y=0 will work, but /Y=1 does work. (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting, Inc. 132 (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting, Inc. 132 FANSI-CONSOLE (tm) Compatibility and Limitations _____________ ____ FANSI-CONSOLE (tm) Compatibility and Limitations FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ This list of programs we believe are compatible with FANSI-CONSOLE is not all inclusive by any means! (Names below are all trademarks of indicated companies) Application Executive Corporation - APX Core Executive (faster) Ashton-Tate - DBase II (/Y=1) DBase III Framework BACKSCRL.COM Borland International - Sidekick Buttonware - PC-FILE (faster) (/Y=0) Columbia University - Kermit (faster) Computer Innovations - C86 C compiler, all versions (faster) CompuView - Vedit - IBM-PC version (some things faster) Vedit - MS-DOS version (faster) Condor Computer - Condor (faster) Consortium Software, UofM - ABC Davong - Multi-OS (faster) Decision Resources - Chart-Master 6.03 (faster) Emerging Technologies - Edix Forth, Inc. - PolyForth II (faster) Gersbach, Jack - DOSEDIT1 (/Y=1) DOSEDIT2 (/Y=1) Hayes - SmartCom FANSI-RAMDISK _____________ Hersey Micro Consulting - FANSI-RAMDISK (/Y=0) MODEM86 _______ MODEM86 (faster) (/Y=0) IBM - Basic, all versions (faster) (/Y=0) DOS Command Retriever (/Y=1) IBM-PC DOS 2.00 (faster) (/Y=0) IBM-PC DOS 2.10 (faster) (/Y=0) IBM-PC DOS 3.00 (faster) (/Y=0) Personal Editor TopView, preliminary WordProof (/Y=0) Utilities - Dos command retriever (/Y=1) IUS - Accounting Series - General Ledger (faster) (/Y=0) Lattice - C compiler, all versions (/Y=0) Lifetree Software - Volkswriter Logitech - Modula II Lotus Development Corp. - Lotus 1-2-3 Symphony Mansfield Software - Kedit Mark of the Unicorn - Final Word MS-DOS version (faster) MetaSoft - Benchmark Micrografx, Inc. - PC-Draw (faster) MicroPro - Wordstar IBM-PC version Microsoft - Assembler (/Y=0) C compiler (faster) (/Y=0) Mouse (/Y=1) Multiplan MS-DOS version (faster) (/Y=0) Pascal Compiler (faster) (/Y=0) Project (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting, Inc. 133 (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting, Inc. 133 FANSI-CONSOLE (tm) Compatibility and Limitations _____________ ____ FANSI-CONSOLE (tm) Compatibility and Limitations Word 1.1 Microstuf - Crosstalk MORERAM - Mouse Systems - PC Mouse PC Paint Norton - Norton Utilities 2.0 (faster) (/Y=0) Norton Utilities 3.0 (faster if not direct I/O) (/Y=0) QMODEM - Quarterdeck - DESQ RoseSoft - Prokey (except LAYOUT program) (/Y=0) SAMNA Corporation - SAMNA Word (faster) Satellite Software International - (use Ctrl-Equals instead of Ctrl-6) - P-Edit - Word Perfect Sorcim - SuperCalc (faster) Tall Tree Systems - J-Drive J-Spool Tandy - Teleterm (faster) Thesys - TMS Fastware University of Michigan - Window (/Y=0) Zenith - GWBasic (/Y=1) Zsoft Corp - PC Paintbrush (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting, Inc. 134 (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting, Inc. 134 FANSI-CONSOLE (tm) Compatibility and Limitations _____________ ____ FANSI-CONSOLE (tm) Compatibility and Limitations FANSI-CONSOLE _____________________________________________________ 8.4 What computers are compatible with FANSI-CONSOLE? This list of computers and display adaptor cards we believe are FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ compatible with FANSI-CONSOLE is not all inclusive by any means! (Names below are all trademarks of indicated companies) Amdek - MAI (/H=0) AT&T - 6300 (/H=1/W=1/B=0/V=0) (Except keyboard status lights not supported yet) Columbia Data Products - Multi Personal Computer Compaq - Compaq (/H=0) Compaq Plus (/H=0) Compaq Deskpro (/H=0) Data General - One (has no video disable) (No support yet for extra keys) (Some problems with mode changes) Everex - Graphics Edge (/H=0) (Use all 3 jumpers ON, card has no video disable) Hercules - B&W Graphics Card (no support for graphics modes or second page) IBM - PC, 64K motherboard PC, 256K motherboard PC/XT Portable PC PC/AT Monochrome display adaptor Color graphics display adaptor (/H=1) Leading Edge - Leading Edge PC Mad Computer - Mad-1 (/X=2) Paradise - Modular Graphics (/H=0) Plantronics - Color Plus (/H=1) QuadRam - QM2 Tandy - Tandy 1000 (extra keys not supported yet) Tandy 1200 (extra keys not supported yet) Tecmar - Graphics Master (/H=0) Zenith - Z150 (/X=1/H=0) Z160 (/X=1/H=0) If a card has no video disable, then the screen save feature cannot be made to work. (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting, Inc. 135 (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting, Inc. 135 FANSI-CONSOLE (tm) Compatibility and Limitations _____________ ____ FANSI-CONSOLE (tm) Compatibility and Limitations FANSI-CONSOLE ______________________________________________________ 8.5 What programs are incompatible with FANSI-CONSOLE? The following are some areas of expected incompatibility problems: 1. Programs which replace the keyboard interrupt vectors may cause FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ some difficulty for FANSI-CONSOLE or vice versa. 2. Programs which try to insert characters into the keyboard FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ typeahead buffer may not work with FANSI-CONSOLE. 3. Some programs that manipulate BIOS variables directly. 4. DOS versions earlier than DOS 2.00 do not have a standard mechanism for installing loadable device drivers. It is conceivable that if there is enough demand, a version may be made for earlier versions of the DOS. However, in general other application packages should instead be upgraded to work with the current DOS (even if not to use new DOS features). In most cases other application products need no upgrading to work under the current DOS version. In other cases the upgrade should be available for a small price. 5. Some programs that run from an AUTOEXEC.BAT file and which cause the MS(PC)-DOS to redo part of the bootstrap process FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ after FANSI-CONSOLE has been initialized. This is because they FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ are reusing the memory that FANSI-CONSOLE resides in while it is active and processing timer interrupts. Such programs should be made into device drivers and placed first in the CONFIG.SYS file, or be made to use INT 19. 6. Programs which do not work properly with the IBM-PC ANSI.SYS driver. Most of these kinds of programs work for the most part, but some characters used in display messages are ANSI X3.64 control characters and therefore do not get displayed. 7. Programs which expect all MS(PC)-DOS console input/output to eventually be done through the ROM BIOS, instead of directly by the MS(PC)-DOS console driver. (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting, Inc. 136 (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting, Inc. 136 FANSI-CONSOLE (tm) Compatibility and Limitations _____________ ____ FANSI-CONSOLE (tm) Compatibility and Limitations Please let us know about these programs so we may either find a solution for you and others in the same predicament or at least provide a more specific warning. Since we may be able to solve the problem, programs may move from this list to the one above. Sometimes we leave them in this list, but provide a patch which makes FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ specific versions of the programs below work with FANSI-CONSOLE. FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ This list of programs we believe are incompatible with FANSI-CONSOLE is not all inclusive by any means! FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ Programs we believe are NOT compatible with FANSI-CONSOLE: (Names below are all trademarks of indicated companies) CGCLOCK - DDATE - Works but arrow characters displayed are ANSI control characters. IBM - IBM-PC DOS 1.0 - Does not allow loadable device drivers. IBM - IBM-PC DOS 1.1 - Does not allow loadable device drivers. KeyNote - Mark of the Unicorn - PC/InterComm - Replaces keyboard BIOS. REMIND - Causes "missed characters". RoseSoft - Prokey - Everything but Prokey LAYOUT program works. LAYOUT requires ROM BASED BIOS keyboard handlers. SCRLLOCK - FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ Equivalent function already in FANSI-CONSOLE. SCRNSAVE - FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ Equivalent function already in FANSI-CONSOLE. Seasoned Systems - Dvorak keyboard program. FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ Equivalent function already in FANSI-CONSOLE. Software Link - MultiLink Expects MS(PC)-DOS console output to all go through the ROM BIOS. STB - PC Accelerator - Doesn't go thru reboot. Not well investigated yet. Xywrite - Reported that it only works when BREAK=OFF. Not well investigated yet. (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting, Inc. 137 (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting, Inc. 137 FANSI-CONSOLE (tm) Compatibility and Limitations _____________ ____ FANSI-CONSOLE (tm) Compatibility and Limitations FANSI-CONSOLE _______________________________________________________ 8.6 What computers are incompatible with FANSI-CONSOLE? For some computers, there are currently some general problems we know which may prevent portability to computers other than IBM-PC's. FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ 1. FANSI-CONSOLE always resides in memory. Although it is not a big program, it may be big enough to cause problems on a small system (192K or less) with at least some other application programs not having enough remaining memory. Also using other memory resident programs, even on larger systems, may cause memory space problems, but these are often solvable. Such memory resident programs include ram-disks and print spoolers. One simple solution for problems related to these programs is to reduce their memory usage a bit. Of course, it is also usually possible to eliminate the problem by buying more memory for your computer. In these cases, just one bank of 64K is much more than enough. 2. The location of keyboard ROM BIOS variables must be the same as FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ the IBM-PC's in order for FANSI-CONSOLE to support some of the fancier keyboard reassignment programs. We will have a version FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ of FANSI-CONSOLE for machines with slightly less compatible ROM BIOSes. 3. The location of the lower half of the font table for the graphics modes depends upon your BIOS ROM. This address is settable using the "/F=" option on the device specification line in CONFIG.SYS. 4. Instructions necessary to prevent the soft restart (Ctrl-Alt-Del) from doing the complete power up self tests differ on different computers. Those necessary on the IBM-PC may be dangerous on other computers. We are investigating possible solutions to this. 5. The computer may not be completely hardware equivalent with the IBM-PC. If the computer's equivalence is only at the ROM BIOS FANSI-CONSOLE FANSI- _____________ ______ level, then FANSI-CONSOLE will not work. For example, FANSI- CONSOLE _______ CONSOLE will definitely not work on any MS-DOS computer with a terminal which is connected to the computer via a serial port. (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting, Inc. 138 (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting, Inc. 138 FANSI-CONSOLE (tm) Compatibility and Limitations _____________ ____ FANSI-CONSOLE (tm) Compatibility and Limitations This list of computers and display adapters we believe are FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ incompatible with FANSI-CONSOLE is not all inclusive by any means! Computers and display adapters we believe are NOT compatible with FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ FANSI-CONSOLE: (Names below are all trademarks of indicated companies) IBM - Enhanced Graphics Adaptor - Most functions works with different CRT controller initialization parameters. Use of /I options allow only 80x25 alphanumeric mode to be used. /S option will not work. We expect to be able to eventually fully support this card, but it will take a while. IBM - PC jr. - We haven't tested it yet. We suspect however that the size FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ of FANSI-CONSOLE and the fact that it is always resident will preclude its use on this computer with most applications, because of memory size limitations. There may also be keyboard problems. However, we may create a version for this computer. Eagle - Reported to work but there are extra unsupported keys. We don't have enough documentation about them yet. IBM - Professional Graphics Adaptor - Not tested so we are not sure, but probably too much different from the other adaptors. Tava - PC - Works for the most part, but on the machine we tried, Ctrl-Alt-Del puts the computer in an infinite loop. Solution seems possible. Tandy 2000 - Same problem as Texas Instruments Professional Computer. (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting, Inc. 139 (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting, Inc. 139 FANSI-CONSOLE (tm) Compatibility and Limitations _____________ ____ FANSI-CONSOLE (tm) Compatibility and Limitations Texas Instruments - Professional Computer - Not a hardware compatible machine. The machine does have enough similarities that it may be worthwhile for us to FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ make a version of FANSI-CONSOLE for it. It would turn it into a more compatible machine. Zenith Z100 - Same problem as Texas Instruments Professional Computer. (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting, Inc. 140 (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting, Inc. 140 FANSI-CONSOLE (tm) Credits _____________ ____ FANSI-CONSOLE (tm) Credits Chapter 9 Chapter 9 Credits Credits ________________________ 9.1 How did you do that? We know you have questions about our company and how our products are produced. Needless to say, we use only the finest unnatural ingredients. Hersey Micro Consulting, Inc. is a small new company formed in 1984 from a three year old consulting business owned by Mark Hersey. We are specialists in system software for microcomputers. Our company is dedicated to promoting software portability among machines. FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ FANSI-CONSOLE was conceived as a notion that there must be a way to make the IBM-PC color graphics display adaptor to scroll large portions of the screen quickly without blinking. Although some programming was done in that direction as early as January, 1983, the FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ programming of FANSI-CONSOLE as a product by itself began in earnest in November, 1983. It was introduced to the public in October, 1984. FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ The FANSI-CONSOLE source program is about 12000 lines of code written in Microsoft's Macro Assembler. For some reason, it keeps getting bigger, too. Unlike many folks, we like that assembler, including its primitive type checking. In fact, we wish it had more type checking. We use a set of macros for structured programming that give us nested IF-THEN-ELSE type statements and LOOP type statements. Some utility programs were written in C and compiled with either a Lattice C compiler (we like the generated code) or a Computer Innovations C compiler (we like the library source). The user manual was processed by the Mark of the Unicorn's FinalWord word processor. Programs were compiled and assembled on a Seattle Computer Products S100 bus 8086 computer running MS-DOS, which is sometimes upgraded with a Lomas Data Products Lightning 286 board. Programs were tested first and most frequently on an IBM-PC with a Tecmar Graphics Master display adaptor board and a Princeton Graphics (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting, Inc. 141 (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting, Inc. 141 FANSI-CONSOLE (tm) Credits _____________ ____ FANSI-CONSOLE (tm) Credits color monitor. It also has an AST Six Pack Plus multi-function board, a Mountain hard disk controller, and an Interface I**2 Disk System. Naturally, we use IBM-PC DOS. We thank these companies for their creative efforts and for putting their useful products in the marketplace. We also thank our beta-testers for putting up with unstable versions and providing useful comments. (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting, Inc. 142 (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting, Inc. 142 FANSI-CONSOLE (tm) Distribution and Licensing _____________ ____ FANSI-CONSOLE (tm) Distribution and Licensing Chapter 10 Chapter 10 Distribution and Licensing Distribution and Licensing FANSI-CONSOLE ___________________________________________ 10.1 You mean FANSI-CONSOLE isn't freeware? FANSI-CONSOLE (tm) _____________ ____ The program FANSI-CONSOLE (tm) is a commercial product and is not public domain. It is not "freeware" either, although its distribution is similar to that of "freeware". NOT ___ We prefer NOT to call it "freeware" for three reasons: 1. The name "freeware" implies something for nothing, and we still believe that we are entitled to be paid by you for using our software, if you like it enough to use it. abbreviated ___________ 2. Only the abbreviated user manual is on the distribution diskettes. Several chapters describing advanced features in complete ________ detail have been removed from the complete user manual to create the abbreviated user manual. The complete user manual is not free and must be purchased if one is desired. 3. "Freeware" is also a trademark of The Headlands Press, Inc. and not of our own. If it were not trademarked and were merely a generic classification, we would have less complaint about that aspect of things. Instead, perhaps we should call it "fairware". We want things to be fair for you and for us. (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting, Inc. 143 (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting, Inc. 143 FANSI-CONSOLE (tm) Distribution and Licensing _____________ ____ FANSI-CONSOLE (tm) Distribution and Licensing FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ The basic difference between the license for FANSI-CONSOLE and that FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ of software which is freeware is that use of FANSI-CONSOLE beyond a _________ _____ _______ free trial period, is subject to a low mandatory usage royalty _______ payment instead of a voluntary usage royalty payment (sometimes called a "contribution" in the latter case). Unlike many commercial software vendors, we feel that you are entitled to a test drive with our software for a free trial period. On the other hand, like many commercial software vendors, we feel that if you continue use our software you should pay us for the privilege. The price you pay should still be fair, but it should not be free. (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting, Inc. 144 (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting, Inc. 144 FANSI-CONSOLE (tm) Distribution and Licensing _____________ ____ FANSI-CONSOLE (tm) Distribution and Licensing FANSI-CONSOLE __________________________________________________ 10.2 How are you limiting my use of FANSI-CONSOLE? FANSI-CONSOLE (tm) abbreviated _____________ ____ ___________ The program FANSI-CONSOLE (tm) and its abbreviated user manual are copyrighted restricted ___________ __________ copyrighted by Hersey Micro Consulting, Inc. We give restricted permission to make unlimited numbers of copies for personal use. We restricted __________ also give restricted permission to make unlimited numbers of copies of the diskettes for distribution to others. To allow such copying, ___ ____ _________ it is not copy protected. 10.2.1 Limitations The restrictions on this permission to make unlimited numbers copies ___ ____________ __ ____ __________ __ ____ _________ _______ ______ The restrictions on this permission to make unlimited numbers copies are as follows: ___ __ ________ are as follows: _______ ______ __ ___ ____ _______ _______ ___________ __ 1. Printed copies of the user manual, whether abbreviated or _________ ____ ___ __ ___________ complete, must not be distributed without a written license from Hersey Micro Consulting, Inc. to do so, even if it is FANSI- ______ done for free and with no service charge. All copies of FANSI- CONSOLE abbreviated _______ ___________ CONSOLE and its abbreviated user manual which are distributed to others must be on magnetic media, such as diskettes, or via electronic communications such as via electronic bulletin board systems or electronic information networks. The recipients must each print their own copies of the abbreviated user manual. ___ _____ __ ___ ________ ____ ______ ____ ___ ___ __ ___ 2. The parts of the complete user manual that are not in the ___________ ____ ______ ____ ___ __ ___________ abbreviated user manual must not be distributed in any form, especially printed or on magnetic media, without a written license from Hersey Micro Consulting, Inc. (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting, Inc. 145 (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting, Inc. 145 FANSI-CONSOLE (tm) Distribution and Licensing _____________ ____ FANSI-CONSOLE (tm) Distribution and Licensing ___ ______ ___________ __ ______ ____ _______ _____ _________ 3. All copies distributed to others must include files identical __ ___ ___ ________ _____ to all the original files. A list of files is included in this manual. So the program must not be distributed without the abbreviated user manual, for example. The files may be condensed via data compression techniques if the decompression process results in files identical to all the original files, and that the decompression program is included on the media in object form. Versions of the program or abbreviated user manual which have been otherwise modified, or incorporated into other programs in whole or in part, must not be further distributed. Files indicating program patches, or user manual addenda, may be added to the media as separate files, providing that there is room for such files on the media. Such changes must not remove or change the copyright notices found in the program or abbreviated user manual. FANSI-CONSOLE ___ __ _____________ ______ ___ ____ __ _____ ___ __ ___ 4. Use of FANSI-CONSOLE beyond ten days of first use of the ________ ___ _____ _____ ________ __ _______ __ _ _________ program, the "free trial period", is subject to a mandatory _____ _______ _______ __ ___ _______ usage royalty payment of $25 (MI+4%) (United States) per computer console (CRT) on which it may be used simultaneously. This is true unless you have received the published (printed and bound) form of the complete user manual, the cost of which includes the usage royalty payment for one computer console (CRT). This usage royalty must be delivered directly to Hersey Micro Consulting, Inc. at the address on the cover page of this manual. The free trial period is intended to allow you to try the program before paying for it. If at the end of the free trial period, you decide you do not want to pay the usage royalty, this may be done providing all copies of the program which are or will be in your possession are never used by you again. Even in this case they may be further distributed. Obviously, even though payment is legally mandatory, we are relying on your honesty, because in most cases, we do not have much capability to enforce it. Remember that your payment will help us to afford to develop other fine programs that you may also be interested in using. FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ 5. Serial reuse, or moving FANSI-CONSOLE from one computer console to use it on another, is specifically allowed. We require that FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ either FANSI-CONSOLE is first removed from the original computer console (CRT) before use on the second, or that the original computer console (CRT) be unattended during use on the FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ second. Thus FANSI-CONSOLE is only in active use on one computer console at a time. This is roughly equivalent to the concept of a per user license. (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting, Inc. 146 (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting, Inc. 146 FANSI-CONSOLE (tm) Distribution and Licensing _____________ ____ FANSI-CONSOLE (tm) Distribution and Licensing FANSI-CONSOLE __________ __ _____________ ______ ___________ __ ______ ____ 6. Recipients of FANSI-CONSOLE copies distributed to others must ___ __ _______ ___ ___ _____ _______ __ __________ not be charged for the usage royalty by unlicensed ____________ distributors. In fact, the recipients must be encouraged to follow the terms of this licensing agreement. Recipients should note that this means that payment of such distribution fees does not cover the usage royalty, which must still be paid to Hersey Micro Consulting, Inc., if the program is used beyond the free trial period. Distribution charges (such as materials and postage) may be made if they are no more than $10 per copy and no more than that charged for other media of similar construction, capacity, and quantity from the same distributor. (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting, Inc. 147 (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting, Inc. 147 FANSI-CONSOLE (tm) Distribution and Licensing _____________ ____ FANSI-CONSOLE (tm) Distribution and Licensing 10.2.2 Rights Payment of the usage royalty fee entitles you to: 1. A copy of the next program update (does not include printed complete user manual) directly from us. If you describe a feature you would like included, and we feel that we are likely to add some similar feature, we will delay shipment until that similar feature is supported. use FANSI-CONSOLE ___ _____________ 2. A license to use updated versions of FANSI-CONSOLE, if you can not ___ obtain them, for no additional usage royalty fee. It does not include the costs of distributing such updated versions. FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ 3. Request help with solving FANSI-CONSOLE related problems. Note however, that we do not guarantee that telephone help will be provided to each licensed user. Remember that such things cost a good deal of money to support. We hope to set up a bulletin board system to provide information about new versions and a mechanism for initiating problem resolution. 4. Assignment of a new serial number. It will be placed in the version heading of any update you receive directly from us. It should be used as an identifying number when requesting updates or help. (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting, Inc. 148 (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting, Inc. 148 FANSI-CONSOLE (tm) Distribution and Licensing _____________ ____ FANSI-CONSOLE (tm) Distribution and Licensing FANSI-CONSOLE ____________________________________________________ 10.3 How do I know if FANSI-CONSOLE is right for me? 10.3.1 DISCLAIMER 10.3.1 DISCLAIMER FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ FANSI-CONSOLE and its user manual are provided "as is". If you don't like it after the free trial period, don't use it. If you don't use it after the free trial period, don't pay for it. We cannot warrant it for all possible purposes, as we know it has limitations. We have even tried to notify you of the limitations we already know about. We cannot warrant it for your specific purposes, because it would cost us much more to determine its suitability for your purposes than we are charging. FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ It is up to you to determine the suitability of using FANSI-CONSOLE with any other program or with any computer. Mention of any other program or a computer in this manual is not a guarantee by Hersey FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ Micro Consulting, Inc. of suitability of using FANSI-CONSOLE with that other program or computer. We do occasionally make mistakes in the user manuals, and they cannot always be rectified by changing the program. In no event will Hersey Micro Consulting, Inc. be liable, either to you or to any other party, for any damages, including loss of profits, lost savings, or other incidental or consequential damages FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ arising out of the use of or inability to use FANSI-CONSOLE, even if we have been advised of the possibility of such damages. Since you may have received this version from someone other than Hersey Micro Consulting, Inc., it may have been mangled on its way to you. We obviously can't warrant that no one has done that. We certainly hope no one will do that, anyway. We reserve the right to make modifications to the program and user manuals without notification to you. (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting, Inc. 149 (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting, Inc. 149 FANSI-CONSOLE (tm) Distribution and Licensing _____________ ____ FANSI-CONSOLE (tm) Distribution and Licensing FANSI-CONSOLE ____________________________________________________ 10.4 How do I get updated versions of FANSI-CONSOLE? All prices below are subject to change if our costs get out of hand. We will try to hold the price as low as possible, to encourage everyone FANSI-CONSOLE ________ _____________ everyone to use FANSI-CONSOLE. We've already been told by distributors that our price is ridiculously low, but we will keep these prices as long as we can. It is also the case that as the program goes in function, the printed user manual will grow in size, and this will require a higher price for the manual. Updated versions of the program and abbreviated user manual, or versions on differently formatted diskettes, may be purchased from Hersey Micro Consulting, Inc. for $10 (MI+4%) per diskette. This requires a previously or simultaneously paid license fee. The price includes the media, so please don't send us any. We don't want our mailperson to be overwhelmed with incoming packages. Of course, you can also get updates from other customers of Hersey Micro Consulting, Inc., for whatever they charge. Diskettes are currently available in 8-inch SSSD formats and most 5-inch DSDD formats. We also expect availability in some sub-4-inch formats when such formats become more common. We're sorry, but we cannot directly support formats requiring one-of-a-kind hardware, such as Victor 9000 (Sirius 1), Apple II, or any type of hard sectored diskettes. Orders requiring such one-of-a-kind hardware will require an extra $25 processing charge per order, assuming we can find such hardware to borrow. We provide software update notice service for a $25 one time fee. This requires a previously or simultaneously paid license fee. This puts you on our mailing list of customers who are interested in being directly notified of the availability of newer versions. We will send you a notice giving an overview of new features and bug fixes in new versions on a quarterly basis. Then you can decide whether to obtain a new version, either directly from us or elsewhere. We will also notify you of the availability of other programs from us. (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting, Inc. 150 (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting, Inc. 150 FANSI-CONSOLE (tm) Distribution and Licensing _____________ ____ FANSI-CONSOLE (tm) Distribution and Licensing ______________________________________________________ 10.5 What do we pay if we have more than one computer? Site licenses may be purchased from Hersey Micro Consulting, Inc. The charge for such a site license is $25 (MI+4%) (United States) per FANSI- ______ computer console (CRT) owned by the licensing entity on which FANSI- CONSOLE _______ CONSOLE may be used simultaneously (fair estimates accepted). If additional computers are purchased by the licensing entity, the royalty should be recalculated and the increase paid annually. Site licenses cover all use by all employees or students, regardless of whether the computers used are owned by the licensing entity. So home use is included, for example. Site license pricing does not include any printed user manuals. They may be purchased for an additional $25 (MI+4%) each. Quantity discounts are available. (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting, Inc. 151 (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting, Inc. 151 FANSI-CONSOLE (tm) Distribution and Licensing _____________ ____ FANSI-CONSOLE (tm) Distribution and Licensing FANSI-CONSOLE ____________________________________________________________ 10.6 Can I get a printed complete FANSI-CONSOLE user manual? Printed user manuals in "IBM standard" size loose leaf binders with slip covers may be purchased for $50 (MI+4%). The $50 price includes: the printed manual; a usage royalty fee for one computer console (CRT); one distribution diskette with the program and a magnetically copyable version of the abbreviated user manual. This is the "commercial" version of the program. When the order is prepaid, the price also includes ground shipping by UPS within the USA. Other shipping arrangements require a shipping charge. FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ If you received FANSI-CONSOLE from us or from another commercial product vendor, and did not receive a printed user manual, then you FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ may have received our registration coupon with your FANSI-CONSOLE serial number on it. Receiving that coupon means that vendor has FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ paid us to distribute FANSI-CONSOLE with their product, and it means that your usage royalty for one computer console (CRT) has already been paid for you by the vendor. If you did not receive our registration coupon with your serial number on it, or a printed user manual, then the vendor did not pay your usage royalty fee, and you must pay it yourself. The registration coupon is redeemable for a printed user manual at the reduced cost of $25 (MI+4%). Updates for the complete user manual will cost $25 (MI+4%), assuming you've purchased the commercial version of the program, or have otherwise payed the usage royalty licence fee. We didn't include the complete user manual on the distribution diskettes for several reasons: ________ __ ________ ___ __ _ _________ _____ 1. Frankly, it wouldn't fit in a printable form. At least, not the way we want it printed. 2. Using data compression might have made it fit, but would have scared away some potential users, and made printing inconvenient. 3. An abbreviated user manual is quicker and less discouraging to print, or to download from a bulletin board system. 4. We wanted some control over how it got abbreviated, for people desiring only a shorter form. 5. The part we left out was mostly of interest only to programmers. (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting, Inc. 152 (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting, Inc. 152 FANSI-CONSOLE (tm) Distribution and Licensing _____________ ____ FANSI-CONSOLE (tm) Distribution and Licensing 6. It provides some small encouragement to pay us for our hard work. (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting, Inc. 153 (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting, Inc. 153 FANSI-CONSOLE (tm) Distribution and Licensing _____________ ____ FANSI-CONSOLE (tm) Distribution and Licensing FANSI-CONSOLE __________________________________________________________ 10.7 Can I publish the FANSI-CONSOLE complete user manual? FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ You may want to include FANSI-CONSOLE with your hardware or software product. Companies interested in publishing the complete user manual should contact us. We would prefer to program than to publish! We can provide you with a license to publish the complete user manual with a distribution diskette; or we can provide you a license to distribute diskettes with a serialized registration coupons redeemable for reduced cost printed user manuals. The license cost includes the usage royalty fee for one computer console (CRT) for each recipient of a published complete user manual, or the serialized registration coupon. Essentially, all we are doing is selling you a particular lot of serial numbers and a clear conscience. However, your customer gets an even bigger bargain on our product. Generally, we would prefer that you use one or the other of the above licenses if you distribute our software with your product. Distributing our software with your product without the license falsely implies to the customer that you've paid us a royalty and therefore that customer has already paid to use our software. FANSI-CONSOLE ________________________________________________ 10.8 Can I buy the FANSI-CONSOLE program source? FANSI- ______ We would be happy to provide you with the source code for FANSI- CONSOLE _______ CONSOLE, if you are willing to sign a non-exclusive licensing agreement, and pay $250,000 U.S. dollars for the privilege. For an even larger sum, we might even allow you to publish the source. We obviously don't expect too many takers. Although we don't expect to become millionaires selling this program, we do have some stake in keeping the source to ourselves until we have made some money from our efforts. (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting, Inc. 154 (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting, Inc. 154 FANSI-CONSOLE (tm) _____________ ____ FANSI-CONSOLE (tm) FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ FANSI-CONSOLE REGISTRATION FORM Person completing form: Date: Company: Address: When did you first receive this product: Release number: Old serial number: What kind of computer are you using it on: Comments: (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting, Inc. (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting, Inc. FANSI-CONSOLE (tm) _____________ ____ FANSI-CONSOLE (tm) (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting, Inc. (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting, Inc. FANSI-CONSOLE (tm) _____________ ____ FANSI-CONSOLE (tm) Hersey Micro Consulting, Inc. Invoice # 8401 P.O. Box 8276 Michigan and Federal Ann Arbor, Michigan USA 48107 EIN 38-2532624 (313) 994-3259 Date: / / Product Quantity Price Each Item Total FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ FANSI-CONSOLE: complete user manual ___ @ $50.00 = ______ (includes royalty & disk) software usage royalty ___ @ $25.00 = ______ (includes next update disk) software update disk DSDD ___ @ $10.00 = ______ (requires paid usage royalty) user manual update ___ @ $25.00 = ______ (requires paid usage royalty) update notice service ___ @ $25.00 = ______ (requires paid usage royalty) Subtotal: ______ 4% sales tax (Michigan residents) x0.04= ______ Shipping if not UPS ground ______ Total: ______ Make checks payable to: Hersey Micro Consulting, Inc. MasterCharge and Visa are accepted. Card number: ____________________ Expires: ______ You should retain this a copy of this invoice for your tax records. (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting, Inc. (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting, Inc. FANSI-CONSOLE (tm) _____________ ____ FANSI-CONSOLE (tm) FANSI-CONSOLE _____________ FANSI-CONSOLE USAGE AND PROBLEM REPORT QUESTIONNAIRE We at Hersey Micro Consulting greatly appreciate your taking the time to complete this questionnaire. Your suggestions and comments are important to us, as they help us both to evaluate and improve our products. Please feel free to file this report with us more than once. Person completing form: Date: Company: Address: When did you first receive this product: Release number: Serial number: What kind of computer was it used on: During the usage period, about how many hours per day did you use this product on average? Do you have any experience with similar products, even on other computers? If so, please describe the products and computers. How long have been using computers? Please give a brief description of your business and how this product was used: (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting, Inc. (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting, Inc. FANSI-CONSOLE (tm) _____________ ____ FANSI-CONSOLE (tm) Using a scale of 1 to 10 (1=terrible, 5=average, 10=excellent) please indicate your general satisfaction with the following: The product on the whole: The user manual: The setup procedures: The ease of using this product: The practicality or usefulness of this product: The performance of this product: The help provided by Hersey Micro Consulting: The following questions may require more lengthy responses. Please use the reverse side of this sheet or additional sheets of paper as necessary. What would you say are the BEST features of this product? What would you say are the WORST features of this product? List any extraneous or useless features of this product that you have noticed. List any enhancements you would like to see added to the existing features of this product. (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting, Inc. (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting, Inc. FANSI-CONSOLE (tm) _____________ ____ FANSI-CONSOLE (tm) Describe any problems you have encountered in using this product, including examples if possible. (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting, Inc. (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting, Inc. FANSI-CONSOLE (tm) _____________ ____ FANSI-CONSOLE (tm) Index /A option, attributes 28 /B option, blinking scroll 29 /C option, color what you can 29, 67, 111 /F option, font table address 30, 138 /G option, Ctrl-G bell length 30 /H option, horizontal retrace delay 30 /I option, controller initialization parameters 31 /K option, key bell frequency 31 /L option 22 /L option, lock on Scroll-Lock 21, 31, 68 /M option, memory allocated 32 /N option, no color display 32, 68, 111 /O option, one finger typing 33 /S option, screen save timeout 33 /T option 43, 45, 53 /T option, use ANSI X3.64 TTY ROM BIOS 34 /V option, vertical retrace delay 35 /W option, word wide screen write 35 /X option, extensions 35 /Y option 15, 110, 125 /Y option, you should be so compatible 36, 67 50 lines 7 FCONSOLE.DEV 13, 14, 16, 24 abbreviated user manual 11, 12 access methods, screen 38 Alt-Ctrl-Caps 127 Alt-Ctrl-Down 37, 67, 125 Alt-Ctrl-Esc 128 Alt-Ctrl-Ins 6, 121 Alt-Ctrl-Num-Lock 69, 122 Alt-Ctrl-Scroll-Lock 126 Alt-Ctrl-Tab 128 Alt-Ctrl-Up 37, 67, 125 ANSI mode 54 ANSI X3.64 3, 34 ANSI X3.64 escape sequences 41, 42, 44, 51 ANSI X3.64 name table 97 ANSI.SYS 42 ANSI.SYS device driver 2, 3, 14, 24, 26, 42, 49, 67, 101 ANSI40.TXT 43 ANSI80.TXT 43 assembly language, escape sequences 48 assignment strings 118 attribute 29 attributes 28, 32 auto repeat keyboard keys 83 (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting, Inc. (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting, Inc. FANSI-CONSOLE (tm) _____________ ____ FANSI-CONSOLE (tm) auto wrap mode 96 back space 54 background color 29, 32 background colors 86 backward 54, 57, 58 BASIC, escape sequences 45 BBS 152 beginning state 82 BEL 54 bell 54 bell frequency 31 bell length 30 BIOS 110 BIOS calls 102 BIOS calls, screen 110 BIOS, keyboard 104 BIOS, TTY calls ANSI X3.64 34 blinking 86 blinking, getting rid of the scroll 29 bold 86 breakpoint 6, 121 BS 54 BSLASH 51 BUFFERS=20 17 bugs 130 bulletin board system 152 C language, escape sequences 46 CARET 51 carriage return 57 CBT 54 CHA 55 character delete 60 character erase 64 character insert 75 character names 51 cheating 102 CHT 55 CK 55 CNL 56 color 29, 32, 67, 68 color ROM BIOS calls 32 color what you can 29 colors 86 commercial version 152 compatibility 36, 67 compatible computers 135 compatible programs 132 complete user manual 152 compression 152 computer independence 38 CONFIG.SYS 14, 15, 16, 17, 24, 26, 27 console 1 console driver 14 (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting, Inc. (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting, Inc. FANSI-CONSOLE (tm) _____________ ____ FANSI-CONSOLE (tm) control sequence introducer 57 controller initialization 31 conventions 51 CPL 56 CPR 56 CR 57 CSI 57 CTC 57 Ctrl-6 22 Ctrl-Break 22, 63, 76 Ctrl-C 22, 63, 76 Ctrl-Equals 22 Ctrl-F 21 Ctrl-G 30, 54 Ctrl-H 54 Ctrl-I 70 Ctrl-J 77 Ctrl-K 96 Ctrl-M 57 Ctrl-Num-Lock 21, 22, 31 Ctrl-S 21, 22, 31 Ctrl-[ 66 CTTY 39 CUB 58 CUD 58 CUF 58 CUP 59 current graphics rendition 29, 83, 85 cursor backward 58 cursor backward tab 54 cursor down 58, 59 cursor forward 58 cursor horizontal absolute 55 cursor horizontal tab 55 cursor key mode 55 cursor left 58 cursor movement 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 70, 71, 76, 77, 78, 79, 81, 82, 83, 93, 95, 96 cursor next line 56 cursor position 59 cursor position report 56 cursor preceding line 56 cursor right 58 cursor tabulation control 57 cursor up 59 cursor vertical absolute 95 cursor vertical tabulation 59 CUU 59 CVT 59 DA 28, 60 data compression 152 DCH 60 DEC VT100 emulation 4, 69, 122 (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting, Inc. (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting, Inc. FANSI-CONSOLE (tm) _____________ ____ FANSI-CONSOLE (tm) DEC VT52 emulation 4 DEC-ANM 54 DEC-ARM 83 DEC-AWM 96 DEC-CKM 55 DEC-KPAM 77 DEC-KPNM 77 DEC-OM 79 DEC-RM 60 DEC-SCNM 83 delay, horizontal retrace 30 delay, vertical retrace 35 delete character 60 delete line 63 device attribute 60 device driver 14, 15, 25 device status report 64 DEVICE= 14 disable keyboard 63, 76 disable manual input 63 disclaimer 149 display erase 65 display, BIOS calls 110 display, software interrupt 110 distribution 143 distribution diskette 11 DL 63 DLE 63 DMI 63 documentation 11, 12, 152 down 56, 58, 59, 76, 77 DSR 64 DVORAK.TXT 43 ECH 64 ED 65 editing mode, horizontal 69 editing mode, vertical 95 EL 65 EMI 66 emulation, DEC VT100 4, 69, 122 emulation, DEC VT52/Heath H19/Zenith Z100 4 enable keyboard 66, 76 enable manual input 66 erase character 64 erase display 65 erase line 65 erase screen 65 ESC 51, 66 escape 66 escape sequence name table 97 escape sequences 3 extensions 35 extra distribution files 129 (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting, Inc. (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting, Inc. FANSI-CONSOLE (tm) _____________ ____ FANSI-CONSOLE (tm) FANSI 1 FANSI-CMP 67, 110 FANSI-COLOR 67, 111 FANSI-IBM 67 FANSI-LOCK 68 FANSI-NOCOLOR 68, 111 FANSI-RM 37, 66 FANSI-SM 37, 68 FANSI-VT100 69 fast 35, 36 FCONSOLE.DEV 27 file list 11 files, extra distribution 129 fixed disk 13 flashing, getting rid of the scroll 29 flicker, getting rid of the scroll 29 font 30 foreground color 29, 32 foreground colors 86 forward 58 free trial period 146 freeware 143 graphics font 30 graphics rendition 29, 32, 83, 85 GRAVE 51 hard disk 13 hardware requirements 2 hashing 30 Heath H19 emulation 4 HEM 69 home position 81 horizontal and vertical position 71 horizontal editing mode 69 horizontal position absolute 70 horizontal position relative 70 horizontal retrace delay 30 horizontal tab 70 horizontal tabulation set 71 HPA 70 HPR 70 HT 70 HTS 71 HVP 71 IBM-KKR 72, 118, 126 IBM-RM 72, 74, 88 IBM-SM 73, 74, 88 ICH 75 ID 75 identify 75 IL 75 incompatible computers 138 incompatible programs 136 IND 76 (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting, Inc. (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting, Inc. FANSI-CONSOLE (tm) _____________ ____ FANSI-CONSOLE (tm) index 10, 76 initial state 82 initializing crt controller 31 insert character 75 insert line 75 insert mode 76 installing FCONSOLE, simple 11 installing FANSI-CONSOLE, detailed 27 interlaced mode 7 internal parameters 31 interrupt vector, reservation violation 39 interrupt, keyboard 104 interrupt, screen 110 inverse video 86 IRM 76 joke 10, 16, 141 KAM 76 key pad alternate mode 77 key pad numeric mode 77 key reassignment 72 keyboard action mode 76 keyboard disable 63, 76 keyboard enable 66, 76 keyboard replacement strings 118 keyboard, BIOS calls 104 keyboard, software interrupt 104 KKR 72 KKR 118, 126 KPAM 77 KPNM 77 left 54, 57, 58 LF 77 limitations 130 line delete 63 line erase 65 line feed 77 line feed new line mode 78 line insert 75 literal next character 63 LNM 78 loadable device driver 25 locking scroll 31 manual 11, 12, 152 memory limit 32 names, table of ANSI X3.64 escape sequence 97 NEL 78 next line 78 next page 78 NP 78 one finger pause 31 one finger typing 33 option 26 options, installation 27 (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting, Inc. (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting, Inc. FANSI-CONSOLE (tm) _____________ ____ FANSI-CONSOLE (tm) ORIG 79 origin mode 79 output redirection 39 P1 51 P2 51 P3 51 P4 51 painting 2 parameter 26 parameters 51 parameters, installation 27 parameters, internal 31 PASCAL, escape sequences 47 pause 6, 21, 22, 31 Pi 51 positioning unit mode 80 PP 79 prefix 57 previous page 79 primary graphics rendition 29, 32, 83, 85 print spoolers 20 printed user manuals 152 problem, Alt-Ctrl-Ins causing breakpoint in wrong place 121 problem, bad or missing FCONSOLE.DEV 24 problem, bad or missing FCONSOLE.DEVLE.DEV 14 problem, blank screen 15 problem, blinking 29 problem, character is not displayed 63 problem, characters overwritten 36 problem, characters written in wrong place 36 problem, confuses keyboard replacement program 124 problem, ctrl-6 key doesn't work 22 problem, Ctrl-P key 18 problem, Ctrl-PrtSc key 18 problem, Ctrl-X key 18 problem, different colors after restore 34 problem, disk access increases 20 problem, escape key 18 problem, everything is in black and white 74, 88 problem, flashing 29 problem, flicker 29 problem, hashing 30 problem, installation 16 problem, memory usage 15, 138 problem, not enough memory 20 problem, not replacing keyboard keys 72 problem, prompt doesn't set colors with echo off 18 problem, screen distorted after restore 34 problem, screen save does not work 34 problem, scroll-lock key 31 problem, slow scroll 29 problem, snow 30 problem, strange shape characters 30 (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting, Inc. (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting, Inc. FANSI-CONSOLE (tm) _____________ ____ FANSI-CONSOLE (tm) problem, tab stops don't get set right 70 problem, unreadable characters 32 problem, won't change colors 18 problem, wrong attributes 29 problem, wrong colors 29 problem, wrong colors after program ends 18 problems how to check that FCONSOLE is cause 20 problems, Zenith display does not turn off 35 program source 154 programming escape sequences 44 PROMPT 18 Ps 51 PUM 80 ram disk 15 RAM disks 20 ramdisk 26 raw mode 70 RC 80 RCC 80 RCP 81 redirection 39 removing FCONSOLE 24 REP 81 repeat character 81 repeat keyboard keys 83 replacement mode 76 replacement strings 118 report 56, 60, 64, 80 report cursor content 80 reset modes 60, 66, 72, 82 reset to initial state 82 restore cursor position 81 retrace delay, horizontal 30 retrace delay, vertical 35 return 57 reverse index 81 reverse video 86 RI 81 right 58 RIS 82 RM 60, 66, 72, 82 ROM BIOS 7, 14, 110 ROM BIOS calls 102 ROM BIOS, keyboard 104 royalty 144 RPT 83 save cursor position 83 SC 83 SCP 83 screen access methods 38 screen display mode 29, 30, 32, 34, 35, 36, 72, 73, 74, 85, 88 screen display redirection 39 screen erase 65 (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting, Inc. (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting, Inc. FANSI-CONSOLE (tm) _____________ ____ FANSI-CONSOLE (tm) screen mode 83 screen painting 2 screen save timeout 5, 33 screen, BIOS calls 110 screen, software interrupt 110 SCRN 83 scroll down 84 scroll left 89 scroll lock 68 scroll right 92 scroll slow 29 scroll up 94 Scroll-Lock 6, 21, 22, 31 scrolling 63, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 81, 84, 89, 92, 93, 94 scrolling region 93 scrolling regions 4, 93 SD 84 set graphics rendition 85 set modes 62, 68, 73, 90 set scrolling region 93 setting up FCONSOLE, simple 11 SGR 73, 85 shift keys 33 Shift-PrtSc 23 site licenses 151 SL 89 slow 35, 36 slow scroll 29 SM 62, 73, 90 snow 30 software interrupt, keyboard 104 software interrupt, screen 110 source program 154 SP 51 speed 35, 36 SPIT.EXE 43 SR 92 SSR 93 starting state 82 status report 64 SU 94 switches, installation 27 system disk 14, 17 tab 55, 70, 96 tab stop, clear 57 tab stop, set 57 tabulation clear 94 TBC 94 terminal emulation 4 text movement 60, 63, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 81, 84, 89, 92, 93, 94, 95 TILDE 51 timeout, screen save 5, 33 trial period 146 (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting, Inc. (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting, Inc. FANSI-CONSOLE (tm) _____________ ____ FANSI-CONSOLE (tm) TTY, BIOS calls ANSI X3.64 34, 116 typeahead buffer 5, 14, 136 typeahead flushing 5 typeahead limit 5 typeahead, flushing 21 underlining 86 uninstalling FCONSOLE 24 unit mode 80 up 56, 59 update notice service 150 updated versions 150 user manual 11, 12, 152 using FCONSOLE, simple 21 VEM 95 verify distribution diskette 11 versions 131 vertical editing mode 95 vertical position absolute 95 vertical position relative 95 vertical retrace delay 35 vertical tab 96 vertical tabulation set 96 VPA 95 VPR 95 VT 96 VT100 emulation 4, 69, 122 VT52 emulation 4 VT52 mode 54 VTS 96 windows 4, 8, 93 word wide screen move 35 WRAP 96 wrapping mode, auto 96 writing escape sequences 44 Z100 emulation 4 (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting, Inc. (C) Copyright 1984-85 Hersey Micro Consulting, Inc. 
