Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!ames!pasteur!ucbvax!decwrl!sun!pepper!cmcmanis
From: cmcmanis%pepper@Sun.COM (Chuck McManis)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.tech
Subject: Re: IDCMP ports
Message-ID: <89711@sun.uucp>
Date: 14 Feb 89 19:25:20 GMT
References: <9246@bloom-beacon.MIT.EDU>
Sender: news@sun.uucp
Reply-To: cmcmanis@sun.UUCP (Chuck McManis)
Organization: Sun Microsystems, Mountain View
Lines: 39

As Michael begins the journey to becoming Amiga Wizard ...

In article <9246@bloom-beacon.MIT.EDU> (Michael Zehr) writes:
>Some people have mentioned IDCMP ports lately -- "just open the first
>window and use the initialize IDCMP port in it" -- but what if you're
>not using Intuition?  I'm creating my own view and viewports.

IDCMP ports aren't anything fancy, they are just message ports that
Intuition uses to talk to you. If you want a message port, just use
CreatePort() to make one. On the other hand, you can still use
intuition legally while having your own view and viewport, you just
have to make sure that Intuition doesn't remake the display on you.
That is a bit tougher to do though so we'll leave it for a later message.

>the amiga ROM manual i've read includes things like -- "if an application
>takes control of the machine, and doesn't open intuition, then it can
>use the left game port -- otherwise it will be conflicting with the
>input.device" 

This is no longer entirely correct, in fact there is an example by Kodiak
on how to take the mouseport away from intuition. Check out a list of 
programs on the various fish disks or the comp.sys.amiga.sources archive
I believe you will find it there.

>how can you tell if input.device is running?  does it make a difference
>if the program is started with the WB or from a CLI?

When the system boots, input.device is running. Get a copy of the Programmers
Guide to the Amiga by Rob Peck, it has a good description of how the pieces
fit together. Note that there are ways to take over the machine that are
"friendly" and ways that aren't. Generally the one you use is probably 
dependent on how much memory you need versus how much you have. Sometimes
raping the OS for it's memory is the only thing you can do. (But you would
be suprised at how much leeway you get before you have to.)


--Chuck McManis
uucp: {anywhere}!sun!cmcmanis   BIX: cmcmanis  ARPAnet: cmcmanis@sun.com
These opinions are my own and no one elses, but you knew that didn't you.