Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!sun-barr!cs.utexas.edu!utastro!pjm
From: pjm@utastro.UUCP (Phillip MacQueen)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc
Subject: Programming video attributes
Keywords: BIOS
Message-ID: <4094@utastro.UUCP>
Date: 13 Jul 89 17:44:03 GMT
Organization: U. Texas, Astronomy, Austin, TX
Lines: 27


  I would appreciate any suggestions which might help me solve the following
problems that I am having while learning to program video adapters with
assembly language.  I'm using a VGA adapter.

  I have been trying to find a simple way to determine what value is being used
for the default video attribute byte in, for example, BIOS calls like `write
character at cursor' (INT 10h, function 0Ah).  I haven't been able to find a
BIOS call which returns this value, or a location within the BIOS data area
in which it is stored.  How can a program determine this value?

  The second question is closely related to the first.  How can a program
specify the attribute byte which will be placed in the video buffer by
BIOS calls like `write character at cursor' (INT 10h, function 0Ah), without
having to write anything to the screen?

  I'd appreciate a copy of replies via e-mail, thanks.


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  ARPA: pjm@astro.utexas.edu
  Phillip MacQueen
  McDonald Observatory
  University of Texas at Austin
  RLM 15-308
  Austin, Texas 78712, U.S.A.
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