Installing FASTBIOS.SYS ----------------------- FASTBIOS.SYS device driver is a file located on the Utility Diskette that is used to transfer the contents of the video ROMBIOS to PC system RAM. This utility enhances video BIOS operation speed considerably. FASTBIOS.SYS is installed in the system CONFIG.SYS file with the line : DEVICE=FASTBIOS.SYS It must be the FIRST such device driver listed within the CONFIG.SYS file. If this is not done, the following message may result upon loading. FASTBIOS NOT INSTALLED - another (earlier installed) device driver has taken over the video interrupt; make sure the line, DEVICE=FASTBIOS.SYS, occurs first in your CONFIG.SYS file. When FASTBIOS.SYS is successfully installed the following message appears : FASTBIOS installed FASTBIOS.SYS, residing within CONFIG.SYS, can only be installed during system boot-up. Remember to reboot your system after adding FASTBIOS to your CONFIG.SYS file, and ensure that FASTBIOS.SYS exists on the same directory as CONFIG.SYS. Using EANSI.SYS --------------- Format : DEVICE=EANSI.SYS This command must appear in the configuration file (CONFIG.SYS) to install EANSI.SYS, just as the command to install the ANSI.SYS device driver that comes on the DOS diskette would appear. EANSI.SYS is compatible with the standard ANSI.SYS, and additionally supports the extended screen modes provided by the W32-VLB. Once installed with the above command, EANSI.SYS provide all the screen control and keyboard re-mapping feature of ANSI.SYS (see your DOS Technical Reference manual). EANSI.SYS is a replacement for ANSI.SYS, and the two should not be in use at same time. EANSI.SYS may be used to select the extended screen modes. This is accomplished by issuing an escape sequence with the 'set mode' command, just as any standard mode would be selected with the normal ANSI.SYS. For example, screen mode 22 hex would be selected by sending the escape sequence : (Esc)[=34h to the screen. (Note that 34 is the decimal equivalent of 22 hexadecimal). To select other modes, simply replace 34 with the number of the mode you wish to select. The available extended screen modes using an enhanced color display are as follows : Mode Columns Rows ------------------------------------- 34dec(22hex) 132 44 35dec(23hex) 132 25 36dec(24hex) 132 28 42dec(2Ahex) 100 40 38dec(26hex) 80 60 2dec(02hex) 80 25 For example, to place the screen in 132-column by 44-row mode, do the following. Place the DEVICE command : DEVICE=EANSI.SYS in the CONFIG.SYS file on a bootable disk, and place EANSI.SYS and BASICA.COM on that disk. Boot the system, and in response to the DOS prompt, type BASICA, then press ENTER and type the following BASIC command : OPEN "0", 1, "TEMP.DAT" PRINT #1, CHR$(27); "[=34H"; CLOSE SYSTEM This creates the file TEMP.DAT, containing the escape sequence to select mode 22hex, 132-column mode. In response to the DOS prompt, type TYPE TEMP.DAT which sends the escape sequence to the screen. The screen is immediately set to 132-column mode. Note that the escape sequence is not displayed; it is interpreted as a command rather than displayable text. Using the Font Loader and Font Editor ------------------------------------- The Custom Font Loader and Font Editor included on the Utility Diskette let you instantly change the set of characters (character font) displayed on the screen. For example the letter "A" could be displayed as '@' or '!', or could even be changed to a different character entirely. This is very useful for scientific and foreign language applications, as well as for simply customizing the look of your screen. Normally, fonts must be changed from within a program, but the Font Loader lets you change the displayed font with a single DOS command. You can load one of the several ready-made fonts provided on the Utility Diskette, or you can use the font editor to customize your own fonts. The Font Editor and Loader programs are included on the Utility Diskette. below are descriptions of the files and their functions. Note : ------ Fonts may be loaded in text mode only. When a font is selected to be displayed, every character on the screen is immediately displayed in that new font. FEDIT.COM - the font editor, used to create new fonts and/or modify existing fonts. Start the Font Editor by typing the command FEDIT at the DOS prompt. Select the Help option in FEDIT's main menu for more information. FLOAD.COM - the font loader, used to load a selected font into video memory from disk. Up to four fonts may be stored in video memory at once, with any one of the fonts selected for display. Type the command FLOAD, with no parameters, for more information on the use of this program. FEDIT.HLP - the help file used by FEDIT. Assorted fonts - fonts packaged on your Utility Diskette are listed here. Any file with the .FNT extension contains a font. 6x8.FNT 6 by 8 font used with the 132-column by 44-line mode. 6x14.FNT 6 by 14 font used with the 132-column by 25 or 28-line modes. 8x8.FNT 8 by 8 font used with the 80-column by 43-line mode. 8x8THIN.FNT 8 by 8 font used with the 80-column by 43-line mode. 8x14.FNT 8 by 14 font used with the 80-column by 25-line mode. 8x14APL.FNT 8 by 14 font, include APL symbols used with the 80-column by 25-line mode. 8x14THIN.FNT 8 by 14 font used with the 80-column by 25-line mode. - END -