Path: utzoo!yunexus!maccs!cs3b3aj
From: cs3b3aj@maccs.McMaster.CA (Stephen M. Dunn)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc
Subject: Re: Detecting ANSI.SYS
Summary: Two methods for IBM-compatible machines
Message-ID: <2301@maccs.McMaster.CA>
Date: 2 Apr 89 01:17:48 GMT
Article-I.D.: maccs.2301
References: <1920@dataio.Data-IO.COM>
Reply-To: cs3b3aj@maccs.UUCP (Stephen M. Dunn)
Organization: McMaster U., Hamilton, Ont., Can.
Lines: 25


   I know of a couple of methods.  If you know where the screen memory is,
you can send a sequence of characters (including some cursor placement
strings) which print a recognizable pattern somewhere on the screen, and
then look through memory to see if it's where it should be.  If so, you
know that ANSI is installed.

   If you know you're working on a machine with an IBM-compatible BIOS,
you can do something similar even if you don't know where screen memory
is.  Repeat the following a few times:  use an ANSI escape sequence to
move the cursor somewhere, then do a BIOS call (int 10h, function 3)
to read the cursor position and see if it's the same.  If the cursor
ends up where you expect it, you've got ANSI.  Alternatively, you could
print a string including some escape sequences and then use int 10h
function 8 to read what's in screen memory and see if it's what you
expect.

   Hope this helps.

Regards
-- 
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! Stephen M. Dunn, cs3b3aj@maccs.McMaster.CA ! DISCLAIMER:           !
! I always wanted to be a lumberjack! - M.P. ! I'm only an undergrad !
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