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Gold Medal Software Volume 2 (Gold Medal) (1994).iso
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8514smal.arj
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8514SMAL.TXT
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Title: OS/2 2.1GA small font 8514/a display driver
Release date: 17 Nov 1993
Package source: Stuart G. Robertson
CONTENTS:
Introduction
File list
Contacting the author
Limitations
Disclaimer
Installation
Uninstalling
Configuring Win-OS2 to use small fonts
Conclusion
INTRODUCTION
This display driver makes use of the fact that the 8514/a drivers that
ship with OS/2 2.1GA contains small fonts (the same size as those used
by the 1024x768 small font drivers for Windows - well almost).
The differences between this driver and the standard driver are:
- The fonts are small (that should be more than a little obvious...)
System fonts are now really small. Fantastic for viewing
help, text files and other stuff. 8.Helv is really tiny.
- Settings notebooks are now quite nice to look at (not so big and
ugly anymore).
Yep, that's the entire feature list... :) Don't laugh.
FILE LIST
After unzipping the zipfile, you should have the following 12 files:
README.1ST, {start here}
8514SMAL.TXT, {this document}
VGANOTES.TXT, {see note below}
8514_32.DLL, {*the* DLL}
COURE.FON, {
SERIFE.FON, {
SMALLE.FON, {
SSERIFE.FON, { Various small fonts
SYMBOLE.FON, { for use with Win-OS/2
VGAFIX.FON, {
VGAOEM.FON, and {
VGASYS.FON. {
8514SMAL.TXT (this file), should be read entirely before attempting to install the driver.
VGANOTES.TXT is a document detailing the procedure used to 'create' the DLL, and
was written by Daniel J Neades (he has 'created' a VGA 1024x768 small fonts driver which
is available on Hobbes (possibly some other FTP sites as well). Much thanks is due to
Daniel, since it was his advice (darned good advice as well) that allowed this driver to be
'made'. Here it is then, "Thanks, Daniel. That was real grand work!"
CONTACTING THE AUTHOR
Firstly, I am not the author of the display driver, just a bored fiddler who
modified IBM's DLL a bit. Actually, I wasn't really bored; I was cheesed off
by IBM's waste of my new ATI video card.
If you have any problems (or if you have something nice to say?), I can be
contacted at my e-mail address:
007RSG3@WITSVMA.WITS.AC.ZA
I will only be around for about another 2 weeks (vac work and all), so if you
don't get a reply until next year February, don't feel too bad. Nothing personal.
Also, my snail-mail address is:
Stuart Robertson
7 Inyanga
Roxy Drive
Waterval Park
2195
Johannesburg
South Africa.
Yup. It's true. I come from *there*.
LIMITATIONS
This driver is only suitable for use with video-cards which are fully 8514/a
compatible. It has been tested (extensively!) on an ATI Graphics Ultra (1MB),
and moderately tested on an ATI Graphics Ultra Plus (2MB), and an ATI 8514 Ultra.
The author (of the document you're reading, not the DLL) has been using
the 'new' driver for two months (the driver was 'created' exactly two months ago
(17-09-1993) ) and has not encountered any problems.
"There are, however, one or two interesting side-effects to the new DLL", he
said with a glint in his eye, and a wry smile on his face. Firstly, the icons (little
picture thingy's) on the system's message boxes come out a little strange. This
is due to a font metrics problem and is currently being investigated (exams are
over now, so I have all the time in the world... *yawn*). If this 'feature' bothers
you excessively, look out for the next release of this driver. The slighty messed
up li'l pictures only occur in message boxes (desktop and other icons are fine),
and I suspect most users will consider it a fair trade for more screen space.
Secondly, when using Win-OS2 seamlessly (i.e. on the desktop), the
astute user will notice that the cute little white Microsoft pointer has a
new spot. Not a real big spot (I'm working on how to make it bigger :) ), but
in fact one errant pixel. It appeared after the final modification, and won't go
away. Not a problem: you now have a pre-release of Microsoft's new mouse
pointer design. :) This little doodad is also being investigated.
Sadly, OS/2 will not give up its insistence on using 40x40 icons (actually, since
I got some real nice 40x40x256 colour icons I quite like them big...), so those of
you who still long for Windows' small 32x32 stuff, I'm sorry.
Also, title bars don't get any smaller. Too bad I suppose. As I always say,
if you don't like it, don't use it. :) Oh, by the way, I should mention in passing
that the driver is very easy to uninstall, so at least give it a try.
Other than that, the driver is 100% (well perhaps 99.9%) IBM stuff.
DISCLAIMER
This driver is the result of frustration (and an abhorrence for large fonts), and
does not come with a guarantee (sad, hey?).
*A drum roll starts, and a deep, monotonic voice drones*:
I accept no responsibility or liability for any loss or damage arising from or as
a result of the use of this driver, or from following the installation instructions
contained herein.
If anyone at IBM is upset that I've uploaded modified OS/2 code, they should
contact me and let me know. I'll get the driver removed real pronto.
*Drum roll stops, and Jim Morrison comes on singing LA Women*
*Someone interrupts and asks*:
Why doesn't IBM supply small resource 8514/a drivers with the standard
distribution?
INSTALLATION
This is where the fun begins. Those of you who don't like fiddling with OS/2's
DLL's directly should put this document down and enjoy their large fonts. Those
of you with weak hearts should perhaps take a pill before proceeding.
NOTE: This driver is *only* for OS/2 2.1GA. No, not the March Beta. Did I say the
March beta. I'm sure I didn't say the March beta. Hmm.
OK, let's get on with it.
1) Open an OS/2 Window and change into the root directory of your OS/2 drive
(where your CONFIG.SYS file lives).
2) Type:
COPY CONFIG.SYS CONFIG.BAK <Enter>
3) Type:
CD X:\OS2\DLL <Enter>
(X: is the drive where you installed OS2)
4) Type:
COPY 8514_32.DLL 8514_32.HUGEDLL <Enter>
5) Type:
START E CONFIG.SYS <Enter>
6) The OS/2 System Editor will load with your CONFIG.SYS file ready to
be edited.
7) Insert the following line immediately after the line "IFS=D:\OS2\.....":
CALL=X:\OS2\CMD.EXE
where X: is the drive where you installed OS/2.
The first two lines of your CONFIG.SYS file should now read as follows:
IFS=D:\OS2\HPFS.IFS /CACHE...
CALL=D:\OS2\CMD.EXE
.
.
.
assuming you installed OS/2 on your D: drive.
8) Save the CONFIG.SYS file, and close the editor.
That's the end of the first part. Now, before you shut-down, print out this part
of the installation procedure (or at least write it down). The line
"CALL=D:\OS2\CMD.EXE" causes the system to boot up without Presentation
Manager (initially, anyway). So, when you restart your system, you will find
that the system boots up and then gives you an OS/2 Full-Screen session.
This is *good*. If you get PM immediately, you've done something wrong.
NOTE: This is a fully functional OS/2 session, i.e. everything works (like path, etc.)
Now, let's carry on.
9) Once you have printed this part of the procedure, shut-down and then
restart your system. You should get the famed OS/2 full-screen.
10) Copy the newly unzipped DLL into your OS2/DLL directory. For example,
if you had unzipped the files into C:\ZIPFILES, and your OS2 directory is
D:\OS2\DLL, you would type:
COPY C:\ZIPFILES\8514_32.DLL D:\OS2\DLL <Enter>
This has just replaced the existing large font DLL with the small font
version. Be sure you didn't skip step 4.
11) Type:
EXIT <Enter>
This exits the lone little OS/2 session, and loads Presentation Manager.
If all has gone well, you should now have PM with small fonts.
12) If you are happy with the way things are, then fine. You can then remove
the line "CALL=D:\OS2\CMD.EXE" from your CONFIG.SYS file. This will
stop you getting an initial full-screen session every time you boot up.
13) When you are totally sure that everything is functioning correctly (like after
a month or two, delete 8514_32.HUGEDLL.
UNINSTALLING
If something miserable has happened, and your screen is corrupted, or something
equally nasty, shut-down (press Ctrl+Alt+Del and wait until disk activity has ceased).
Then,
1) Restart your system.
2) When the full-screen session appears, type:
CD X:\OS2\DLL <Enter>
(where X: is the drive where you installed OS/2).
3) Type:
COPY 8514_32.HUGEDLL 8514_32.DLL <Enter>
4) Now type:
EXIT <Enter>
and everything should be big to normal (Oh, I meant 'back' to normal.)
5) Cry a bit, and then tell yourself it's not *so* bad. Just think, it could be
worse: You could be using Windows!
CONFIGURING WIN-OS2 TO USE SMALL FONTS
To get Win-OS2 to use small fonts is pretty darn easy. No *real* fiddling required,
either.
1) Copy all the supplied *.FON files into your WINOS2\SYSTEM directory. For
example, if X: is the drive where you installed OS/2, and the unzipped files are
in C:\ZIPFILES, type:
COPY C:\ZIPFILES\*FON D:\OS2\MDOS\WINOS2\SYSTEM <Enter>
2) Now, edit the file X:\OS2\MDOS\WINOS2\SYSTEM.INI. Again, X: is
the drive where you installed OS/2
3) Change the following lines in the [boot] section
fonts.fon=8514sys.fon
fixedfon.fon=8514fix.fon
oemfonts.8514oen.fon
to
fonts.fon=vgasys.fon
fixedfon.fon=vgafix.fon
oemfonts.fon=vgaoem.fon
Then, under the [boot.description] section, change the line
display.drv=???
to
display.drv=8514/a (Small Fonts)
Also, ensure that the entry
aspect=xxx,xx,xx
says
aspect=100,96,96
If not, change it.
4) Look for a section in your SYSTEM.INI file called [8514.DRV]. If it is
there, it probably has a single entry saying:
dpi=120 (or something similar)
Change it to:
dpi=96
If there isn't an [8514.DRV] section, type the following at the end of the
your SYSTEM.INI file:
[8514.DRV]
dpi=96
5) Save the changed SYSTEM.INI file.
That should about do it! Start up a Win-OS2 FullScreen session and see
whether it worked or not. It should, really.
One last refinement is possible: you'll notice that the icon text in Win-OS2 uses
some or other crummy font (a beast somewhat akin to a rounded Arial font). I don't
like it (didn't, but now I don't have to look at it anymore, so hey...), so I fiddled
a bit, and lo, there was the cute little font that Windows uses for icon text.
Here's what to do:
1) Open the file X:\OS2\MDOS\WINOS2\WIN.INI file for editing, where X: is the
drive where you installed OS/2.
2) Find the [fonts] section, and change the lines:
MS Sans Serif 8,10,12,14,18,24 (8514 res)=SSERIFF.FON
Courier 10,12,15 (8514 res)=COURF.FON
MS Serif 8,10,12,14,18,24 (8514 res)=SERIFF.FON
Symbol 8,10,12,14,18,24 (8514 res)=SYMBOLF.FON
Small Fonts (8514 res)=SMALLF.FON
to
MS Sans Serif 8,10,12,14,18,24 (VGA res)=SSERIFE.FON
Courier 10,12,15 (VGA res)=COURE.FON
MS Serif 8,10,12,14,18,24 (VGA res)=SERIFE.FON
Symbol 8,10,12,14,18,24 (VGA res)=SYMBOLE.FON
Small Fonts (VGA res)=SMALLE.FON
Don't forget to change the E's on the font names.
3) Save the modified WIN.INI file.
4) Open a Win-OS/2 full-screen session and make sure it worked. If something is wrong,
fiddle (if you have the time), or change things back to the way they were.
The above modifications should result in Win-OS/2 running correctly seamlessly (i.e. on the
desktop). It's quite magic to see a small-fonts Win-OS/2 running on top of a small-fonts
OS/2. Really wonderful. Sort of makes you want to sing and dance. Jump up and shout. Fire
off a couple of flares! Tell the world. Oh, I'm sorry. I tend to get a little carried away every
now and then.
CONCLUSION
That's it! I hope the driver is to your liking. As mentioned earlier, I am currently working
on a 'fixed' version (to take care of the spotted mouse, and the funny message box icons), so
look out for it.
If this driver is useful, or if you have any comments/suggestions/complaints, you should note
that I don't like complaints, I do like praise, and I will consider suggestions. Feel free to
drop much praise into my e-mail account, as well as the odd suggestion. Praise will be
answered, and I'll probably answer suggestions (and send you a free lollypop).
Have fun, and let me know how you get along.
Regards,
Stuart.