+---------------------------------------------------------------+
| |
| XLIB v2.02 - Graphics Library for Borland/Turbo Pascal 7.0 |
| |
| Tristan Tarrant - tristant@cogs.susx.ac.uk |
| |
+---------------------------------------------------------------+
| |
| Credits |
| |
| Themie Gouthas |
| |
| Matthew MacKenzie |
| |
| Tore Bastiansen |
| |
| Andy Tam |
| |
| Douglas Webb |
| |
| John Schlagel |
| |
+---------------------------------------------------------------+
| |
| I informally reserve all rights to the code in XLIB |
| Rights to contributed code is also assumed to be reserved by |
| the original authors. |
| |
+---------------------------------------------------------------+
+---------------------------------------------------------------+
| DISCLAIMER |
+---------------------------------------------------------------+
This library is distributed AS IS. The author/s
specifically disclaim any responsibility for any loss of
profit or any incidental, consequential or other damages.
+---------------------------------------------------------------+
| IMPORTANT NOTICE |
+---------------------------------------------------------------+
Hi Xlib users, this is v2.02 of my port of XLib to
Turbo/Borland Pascal. I would like to state a few things
before you start using this package :
I have ported all the useful stuff from Xlib for C v6.0,
and added a few things of my own, apart from cleaning up
the code and making it more Pascal-friendly.
If there is any code you have written that you think is
worth including in the next release, don't hesitate to
send it to me and you will receive due credit.
I have had a look at the new Xlib for C (6.11+) and the
only addition it has is support for Windoze. What a pile
o' shit. I am not going to add that feature (bug?) in
Xlib for TP/BP.
Sorry if this isn't up to your expectations but, hey,
don't forget : XLIB is a user supported library, so send
me your code and let's write the ultimate XMode game !!!
Share and enjoy.
+----------------------------------------------------------------+
| INTRODUCTION |
+----------------------------------------------------------------+
XLIB is a "user supported freeware" graphics library
specifically designed with game programming in mind.
It has been placed in the public domain for the benefit
of all, and represents *MANY* hours of work so it is
requested that all users comply with the the wishes of
the author/s as specified in the individual modules and:
a) To leave the code in the public domain
b) Not distribute any modified or incomplete versions of
this library
New contribution and comments are welcome and hopefully
there will be more releases as the code evolves.
Finally, do not trust this excuse for a manual if in
doubt, as this code has undergone several revisions. The
place to get the answers is in the code itself.
+----------------------------------------------------------------+
| REQUIREMENTS |
+----------------------------------------------------------------+
Minimum requirements
386 processor,
VGA,
Borland/Turbo Pascal v7.0
+----------------------------------------------------------------+
| GENERAL FEATURES |
+----------------------------------------------------------------+
Support for a number of 256 colour tweaked graphics mode
resolutions :
320x200 320x240 360x200 360x240 376x282 320x400 320x480
360x400 360x480 360x360 376x308 376x564 256x200 256x240
256x224 256x256 360x270 400x300
Please note that some of these resolutions best suit
monitors with adjustable vertical height.
Virtual screens larger than the physical screen (memory
permitting) that can be panned at pixel resolution in all
directions
A split screen capability
Text functions supporting 8x8 and 8x14 ROM fonts and user
defined fonts
Support for page flipping
Graphics primitives such as line and rectangle drawing
functions and of course bit block manipulation functions
Virtual VSync Handler
Compression and archiving
GIF/BMP loading and saving
+----------------------------------------------------------------+
| BUILDING THE LIBRARIES |
+----------------------------------------------------------------+
To compile XLIB use the provided makefile. Just put all
of the XLIB files in the same directory and type MAKE at
the DOS prompt. This will build all the libraries and
examples. If Borland Pascal isn't in your path just edit
the makefile where indicated. BP 7.0 and TASM are
required to compile the libraries.
If you want to make units with full debug information,
compile with MAKE -DDEBUG
To make the DPMI versions of the units, compile with
MAKE -DDPMI
To make the help (XLIB2.TPH) file you need ScanHelp. I
used version 3.26. MAKE HELP
+----------------------------------------------------------------+
| USING THE LIBARY WITH YOUR PROGRAMS |
+----------------------------------------------------------------+
Using the XLIB library in your programs is simple. Just
include the XLIB units in the uses statement at the
beginning of your program which will make all the
procedures and functions composing the XLIB library
available.
+---------------------------------------------------------------+
| BUGS AND REVISIONS |
+---------------------------------------------------------------+
The SplitScreen routines weren't handled by the Virtual
VSync handler, sometime resulting in the program waiting
twice for a vsync, and causing a choppy effect when
scrolling the split screen.
Now the mouse handler uses the VVH to redraw the pointer
when necessary. Unfortunately it takes a bit too long
and, if you are updating the whole palette AND using the
mouse at the same time, you'll notice that the tip of the
pointer disappears for an instant when it's at the top of
the screen.
The palette-updating part of the VVH has been sped up a
bit.
I have implemented 32-bit compiled bitmaps, even though
they are bigger and (on my machine) slightly slower than
normal CBMs. Maybe on VLB/PCI machines this isn't the
case.
Protected mode is still at an experimental stage, but it
can do quite a few things already. Things that don't
work (or are a bit odd) in protected mode are :
- The Virtual VSync handler (self-modification works, but
the rest doesn't)
- VBM's on my machine are faster in pmode (??!?!?!)
- I assume that the ROM font is at segment 0C000h because
that's where the Video BIOS usually is. I have tested
it on a Paradise (WD90c30), a Cirrus Logic (CL-54xx)
and a Trident (9000i) with no problems. If you find
some board that doesn't work please report it (though I
don't know why you'd want to use ROM BIOS fonts anyway
:-)
- The palette scrolling in the XLIBDEMO is tooooooo
slow...
If you find a way of fixing these, or if you find more
routines that don't like protected mode, email me please.
Release v2.01
XConvert was broken. Fixed.
XLArc and XLA2 were broken in DPMI. Fixed.
Added file viewing in XLArc.
If you want to know how to do CBMs in DPMI, read
BLITDEMO.PAS.
Makefile fixed.
Bugfixes here and there.
Release v2.02
Fixed clipping code. Now all clipping routines should not
crash when displaying bitmaps that were allocated in
areas of memory other than the data segment.
+---------------------------------------------------------------+
| NOTES |
+---------------------------------------------------------------+
A good idea for debugging programs that use XLib is to
use Colin Buckley's UNCHAIN v2.1 program. The code for
saving the screen information is built in the xsetmode
function, but if you don't use UNCHAIN it should not make
any difference.
+---------------------------------------------------------------+
| APPLICATIONS THAT USE XLIB FOR TP/BP |
+---------------------------------------------------------------+
I have decided to start a list of applications that have
been written using a version of XLibPas, and where they
can be found. Please mail me any additions.
Chromatiks - The world's first multi-group music disk.
Coordinated by Trixter (Jim Leonard).
Site : wasp.eng.ufl.edu
Directory : /pub/msdos/demos/music/disks
Filename : chromat*.zip
WadManager v1.50 - A GUI WAD manager for DOOM. Written by
Tristan Tarrant.
Site : infant2.sphs.indiana.edu
Directory : /pub/doom/misc
Filename : wm150.zip
+---------------------------------------------------------------+
| CREDITS AND THANKS |
+---------------------------------------------------------------+
Michael Abrash - The guy who started it all in
the first place
Themie Gouthas - The original maintainer of the
XLIB for C library
Matthew McKenzie - Compiled blits, circles and
clipping. What more could I say
Tore Bastiansen - For the Virtual VSync handler :
a true masterpiece
Andy Tam - For the LZS encoding/decoding routines
Douglas Webb - For collecting loads of
compression algorithms
John Schlagel - For the bitmap scaling code
iD Software - For giving me inspiration for XLAs
Jim Leonard - For beta-testing this beast
Colin Buckley - For his UNCHAIN program which
made debugging hours so much
easier
Kai Rohrbacher - Author of ANIVGA for including
so many fonts in his most
excellent library
Paul Silver and Aarron Shaughnessy - For letting
me test this code on their machines
Borland - For their excellent compiler suite
Anybody on USENET who sent me suggestions
| 
Tristan Tarrant