Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!umich!caen.engin.umich.edu!srvr1!chrisl From: chrisl@caen.engin.umich.edu (Chris Lang) Newsgroups: comp.os.os2 Subject: Re: Can you do graphics in OS/2 without using PM? Message-ID: <1990Mar27.010840.22809@caen.engin.umich.edu> Date: 27 Mar 90 01:08 GMT References: <1289@batman.moravian.EDU> <28236@cup.portal.com> <1990Mar25.014347.25497@caen.engin.umich.edu> <1838@cod.NOSC.MIL> Sender: news@caen.engin.umich.edu (Mr. Usenet) Organization: University of Michigan Engineering, Ann Arbor Lines: 59 In article <1838@cod.NOSC.MIL> bmarsh@cod.nosc.mil.UUCP (William C. Marsh) writes: >In article <1990Mar25.014347.25497@caen.engin.umich.edu> chrisl@caen.engin.umich.edu (Chris Lang) writes: >>In article <28236@cup.portal.com> Will@cup.portal.com (Will E Estes) writes: >>>< Is there any way to do graphics in OS/2 without spending the time to >>>< learn the PM programmers interface? >>> >>>It's amazing to me that this is the first time I've seen this question >>>asked. Somehow we have been convinced into thinking that OS/2 application >>>means PM application... >> >>With every new release of OS/2, it becomes more and more >>obvious that the intention is to encourage PM rather than full-screen >>applications. I can't think of many reasons not to use PM, especially >>for graphics-oriented applications. > >How about speed? Ever try to write animation programs through an API which >can switch tasks almost at will? Or a program that doesn't use the normal >event/processing/drawing/'wait for next event' loop? It's entirely possible to write compliant animation programs in a pre-emptive multitasking environment; whether or not its possible under PM or not is another story, but don't assume just because it can't be done on IBMs it can't be done. >One problem with every windowing/graphics system I have ever programmed for >(Windows, PM, Sunview, Mac) is that if you try to do something slightly >different from the windowing 'model' in use is like pulling teeth. It reminds >me of the Murphy's law, "If all you have is a hammer, everything looks like >a nail..." Very true. But I don't see it as being as bad under PM as under, say, the Mac. (I am fairly ignorant of programming the Mac, but I have been given the impression that there is a right way to do things, Apple's, and a wrong way, and never the twain shall meet.) > >There are VIO calls to put the screen into graphics mode, and also a call >to return the screen segment selector. If you are programming in the EGA/VGA >16 color modes, then you will also require IOPL to be YES (since we need >access to the bit mask register, etc.). But I would say there is documented >support for graphics calls under OS/2 without PM! I confess...I didn't type at all what I wanted to say. I know you can do full-screen graphics under OS/2; what I MEANT to say is that there's no equivalent of the GPI for non-PM applications. I apologize for the confusion that caused. (Trying desperately to head off a dozen postings and twice as many letters telling me I'm wrong...I know I know I know! :-) >Bill Marsh, Naval Ocean Systems Center, San Diego, CA >{arpa,mil}net: bmarsh@cod.nosc.mil >uucp: {ihnp4,akgua,decvax,dcdwest,ucbvax}!sdcsvax!nosc!bmarsh >"If everything seems to be coming your way, you're probably in the wrong lane." -Chris -- Chris Lang, University of Michigan, College of Engineering +1 313 763 1832 4622 Bursley, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109 chrisl@caen.engin.umich.edu WORK: National Center for Manufacturing Sciences, 900 Victors Way, Suite 226, Ann Arbor, MI, 48108 +1 313 995 0300 "I hate quotations. Tell me what you know." - Ralph Waldo Emerson