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From: tomlin@elec.canterbury.ac.nz (M. Tomlinson)
Newsgroups: comp.os.msdos.programmer,comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware
Subject: Keyboard Identification
Message-ID: <1991Apr29.164256.526@csc.canterbury.ac.nz>
Date: 29 Apr 91 04:42:55 GMT
Sender: tomlin@betelgeux (M. Tomlinson)
Organization: University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand
Lines: 16
Nntp-Posting-Host: betelgeux.elec.canterbury.ac.nz

How does PC software know which BIOS version you are using?
Specifically, for the keyboard BIOS call (number 16) there
are extra functions available for reading keyboard status,
and getting a key from the keyboard.  How do programs know`
whether these functions are available, or whether they should
stick with the ones originally provided on the PC/XT machines?

Presumably the BIOS date and machine id byte (at FFFF:FFFE) can
be used, but is there some other way?

(PS - don't just give me the best way - I want to know how
existing software does it.)

 - Mark Tomlinson

(tomlinson@elec.canterbury.ac.nz)