Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!samsung!umich!terminator!jkenyon
From: jkenyon@css.itd.umich.edu (Jim Kenyon)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.misc
Subject: Re: Joysticks
Message-ID: <1991Jan28.175634.6899@terminator.cc.umich.edu>
Date: 28 Jan 91 17:56:34 GMT
References: <1991Jan27.043204.3792@aplcen.apl.jhu.edu>
Sender: usenet@terminator.cc.umich.edu (usenet news)
Organization: Univ. of Michigan ITD Consulting & Support Services
Lines: 29

David Simpson says.....

> Okay folks.  Who knows anything about programming the game port
> for a joystick on the PC?  I plugged a Mach I joystick into the
> game port of my Zeos 386 and discovered that the BIOS "read
> joystick" function (interrupt 15h, function 84h) correctly
> reads the "fire" buttons but not the joystick position.
> (The position is just randomly varying "trash" numbers.)
> However, I discovered that my "Tetris" game can use the joystick
> without trouble.  What gives?
> (I know.  "Power users" don't use joysticks, but I'm curious.)
> :-)   Thanks for any help.
>                                 David Simpson

Hey!  This sounds *very* familiar!  I have an ALR386/220 with exactly
the same problem -- However, QAPlus does read the sticks correctly.
I got some code from Borland to try the XT style (camp on the port until
is goes low...) joystick interface and it failed in the same manner.
Another netlander was kind enough to send me some C code to try as well.
It works just fine on a Zenith with the same game board (I moved it from
machine to machine) but not on the ALR.  If anyone knows what gives,
please let me know (BTW, I have Phoenix BIOS 1.10.13 -- what's in 
the Zeos?)
-Jim Kenyon
--
Jim Kenyon -- jkenyon@css.itd.umich.edu
University of Michigan, 401 Washtenaw Ave
Division of Kinsesiology, Motor Behavior Lab
Ann Arbor, MI 48109 -- (313) 763-0498