VGA and Hi-Res

[John Sparks]

caf at omen.UUCP (WA7KGX) writes:

>In article <26a36b50-6cccomp.unix.i386 at tronsbox.xei.com> tron1 at tronsbox.xei.com (HIM) writes:
>:
>:
>:
>:So if I read the net right .. if I comment out the "VGAROM" line in vpix.cnf
>:, I should be able to get my VRAM-VGA card to do it's 800x600 under VPIX ??
>:
>:Just a GIF junkie....

>YES, but ... if you flip to another screen, esp. while in graphics mode,
>you may or may not be able to flip back.

Yep. and there will be a lot of other flakey things. Heres what I have 
encountered with my Orchid Prodesigner board. This board supports
the normal VGA modes, 640 x 480 x 256C, 800 x 600 x 256C, and 1024 x 768 x 16C
But not all of them work right with all of my dos software.
For instance, I have gotten AutoCAD to work at 1024 x 768 
and dpaint II enhanced. But I can't seem to get anything to work right with
the 800 x 600 modes. Dpaint II enhanced will not work in 800 x 600 although it
says it supports it. It just gives me a blank screen. and when setting up
Xwindows (this is under Unix now, not MSDOS) I had to tell X11 I was using
a Paradise card in order to get it to work at 800 x 600. Weird huh?

And yes if you try to switch session screens while VP/IX is using one of
the extended VGA modes on your card, you will be greeted with a screenfull
of garbage. 

Many times you have to reboot the entire machine in order to 
clear up the screen. Sometimes you can switch back to the VP/IX screen and
it will come in clear, then exit it and THEN when you switch screens, everything
is ok. Many times this doesn't work, though. Also, just the screen is messed up.
The machine is still running fine, and you can still log on from another 
terminal and shut her down to fix the problem. Or if you are a good blind 
typer, you can switch to the console screen and log in as root and shut her
down.

-- 
John Sparks         |                                 | D.I.S.K. 24hrs 2400bps. 
sparks at corpane.UUCP |                                 | PH: (502) 968-DISK
A door is what a dog is perpetually on the wrong side of. - Ogden Nash