Writing video device drivers
Joe Foster
6600joef at ucsbuxa.ucsb.edu
Mon May 27 07:17:27 AEST 1991
Hello, all. I posted before about whether or not device drivers
for the ATI VGAWonder video card existed. They don't seem to, so
I decided to write my own for Xenix 2.3.4., when I can get my
hands on 2.3.4. The trouble is, I don't have the foggiest idea
about where to begin. The Development System manuals describe a
pretty sophisticated interface to the multi-screen system, but
there's no example code to get me started in the manuals or on
SCO's (otherwise wonderful) new tech-support BBS.
The ATI card can emulate VGA, EGA, CGA, and Hercules modes, as
well as adding its own 640x480x256 as well as 800x600 and
1024x768 modes in a variety of bits/pixel. I want to be able to
access all of the 'standard' modes as well as the super-VGA modes
through the console. I did buy ATI's technical reference manual,
which describes how to initialize the adapter for the high-rez
modes without going through the BIOS.
I would like to avoid reimplementing the 'standard' modes in my
driver and instead pawn support for those modes onto the CGA,
EGA, and VGA drivers already in the kernel. I'm also thinking of
adding some new IOCTLs that would describe to programs how to use
the super-VGA modes, much like the VESA standard does in the DOS
world.
Yes, it will be a lot of work, but seeing how I can't find a job
for this summer (!%$$#%$ recession!!), I need ways to keep from
going insane from boredom! I should still have access to this
account through the summer.
Thanks for any help!
Joe Foster
Unemployed, un-Inc.
6600joef at ucsbuxa.ucsb.edu
The opinions expressed herein are my own, and not my employer's,
assuming I had an employer, which I don't.
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