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WHATS.NEW
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1993-10-02
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Release Notes
Fastgraph (tm) V3.0
Ted Gruber Software
PO Box 13408
Las Vegas, NV 89112
(702) 735-1980 voice
(702) 735-4603 FAX
(702) 796-7134 BBS
72000,1642 CIS
Copyright (c) 1991-1993 Ted Gruber Software.
All Rights Reserved.
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Introduction
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Fastgraph 3.0 release notes describe the new features added in Fastgraph
3.00 through 3.03 (hereafter collectively referred to as Fastgraph 3.0). The
release notes will be of interest to customers who are already familiar with
Fastgraph so they can get an overview of the new version. Among the many new
features in Fastgraph 3.0 are:
* SVGA support for 19 chipsets plus VESA in resolutions of 640x400x256,
640x480x256, 800x600x256, 1024x768x256, 800x600x16, and 1024x768x16.
* Routines for displaying and creating GIF files (not in Fastgraph/Light).
* Routines for FAST filling of convex polygons, with clipping.
* Low-level keyboard handler, ideal for game development.
* User-definable image buffer (up to 64K) for faster creation and display
of GIF, PCX, and pixel run files.
* Additional graphics primitives, including XOR points/lines/boxes in all
graphics modes, filled circles and ellipses, and clipped region fill.
* Bit maps that don't include transparent colors.
* Block transfers between RAM and video memory instead of just video memory
to video memory.
* Improved ROM text support, including three font sizes (VGA/SVGA) and the
ability to display strings relative to any graphics position.
* Ability to access up to 1MB video RAM in non-SVGA modes with certain SVGA
chipsets (see the READ.ME file for more information about this).
* Ability to display PCX images at the position defined in the PCX header
instead of only relative to the current graphics position.
* Total of 47 new functions.
* Support for additional compilers.
The release notes provide an overview of most of these new features. For
details, refer to the Fastgraph User's Guide and Reference Manual.
Please be sure to see the last section of this document, which discusses two
important compatibility considerations when migrating Fastgraph 2.xx programs
to version 3.0.
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Summary of New Routines in Fastgraph 3.0
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The following routines are new to Fastgraph 3.0. Please see the Fastgraph
Reference Manual for full descriptions, including their parameters, return
values, and restrictions.
FG_BOXW World space version of FG_BOX
FG_BOXX Draw hollow rectangle in XOR mode
FG_BOXXW World space version of FG_BOXX
FG_CIRCLEF Draw a filled circle
FG_CIRCLEFW World space version of FG_CIRCLEF
FG_DEFPAGES Define extended video pages when using block transfer routines
FG_DRAWRELX Draw line in XOR mode relative to graphics position
FG_DRAWRXW World space version of FG_DRAWRELX
FG_DRAWX Draw line in XOR mode
FG_DRAWXW World space version of FG_DRAWX
FG_ELLIPSEF Draw a filled ellipse
FG_ELLIPSFW World space version of FG_ELLIPSEF
FG_FILLPAGE Fill active video page with the current color
FG_FLOOD Like FG_PAINT but observes the clipping limits
FG_FLOODW World space version of FG_FLOOD
FG_FONTSIZE Enable 8x8, 8x14, or 8x16 ROM font (VGA/SVGA only)
FG_GETBLOCK Transfer rectangular region from video memory to RAM
FG_GETENTRY Get address and type of a physical, virtual, or logical page
FG_IMAGEBUF Define address and size of Fastgraph's GIF/PCX file buffer
FG_INSIDE Check if a specified point is inside a convex polygon
FG_JUSTIFY Define justification settings for FG_PRINT
FG_KBINIT Enable or disable the Fastgraph low-level keyboard handler
FG_KBTEST Determine if a key is now pressed or released
FG_MAKEGIF Create GIF file from rectangular region of active video page
FG_MAKEPPR Create PPR file from rectangular region of active video page
FG_MAKESPR Create SPR file from rectangular region of active video page
FG_MEMORY Return amount of video memory present in kilobytes
FG_MOUSEFIN Unhook Fastgraph's XVGA or SVGA mouse handler
FG_PAGESIZE Return video page size in bytes
FG_POINTX Draw point in XOR mode
FG_POINTXW World space version of FG_POINTX
FG_POLYFILL Draw filled convex polygon
FG_POLYLINE Draw unfilled polygon from one vertex array
FG_POLYOFF Define polygon offsets for FG_POLYFILL and FG_POLYLINE
FG_PRINT Display hardware characters in screen space
FG_PUTBLOCK Transfer rectangular region from RAM to video memory
FG_PUTIMAGE Like FG_DRWIMAGE but doesn't check for transparent pixels
FG_SETENTRY Set address and type of a physical, virtual, or logical page
FG_SHOWGIF Display GIF file
FG_SHOWPCX Display PCX file (formerly FG_DISPPCX)
FG_SHOWPPR Display packed pixel run (PPR) file
FG_SHOWSPR Display standard pixel run (SPR) file
FG_SVGAINIT Initialize Fastgraph's SVGA kernel
FG_SVGASTAT Return information about the active SVGA chipset
FG_SVGAVER Return Fastgraph SVGA kernel version number
FG_TCDEFINE Define transparent color number for FG_TCXFER
FG_WAITVR Specify if functions wait internally for vertical retrace
Note that FG_MAKEGIF, FG_SHOWGIF, and the world space functions are not in
Fastgraph/Light.
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New SVGA Video Modes
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Six new video modes have been introduced for Fastgraph's SVGA support. These
are summarized below:
640x400x256 mode 24 1024x768x256 mode 27
640x480x256 mode 25 800x600x16 mode 28
800x600x256 mode 26 1024x768x16 mode 29
Before you establish an SVGA graphics mode with FG_SETMODE, you must call the
FG_SVGAINIT function. This new function initializes Fastgraph's SVGA kernel
for a specific SVGA chipset (see the list of supported chipsets in the next
section). You can use FG_SVGAINIT to automatically detect the system's SVGA
chipset, or you can use a specific chipset.
More information about the new SVGA video modes, Fastgraph's SVGA kernel, and
the FG_SVGAINIT routine appears in Chapters 2 and 3 of the Fastgraph User's
Guide.
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Supported SVGA Chipsets
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As different manufacturers developed SVGA cards, they implemented the SVGA
features according to their own specifications (each unique implementation is
called a "chipset"). This situation arose because of the lack of an SVGA
standard. Fastgraph 3.0 will directly support the SVGA chipsets listed in
the table below. A "Y" entry means the chipset supports the video mode, and
an "N" means it doesn't. The last row of the table shows the amount of video
memory required to support each mode.
----------- 256 colors ------------ --- 16 colors ---
SVGA chipset 640x400 640x480 800x600 1024x768 800x600 1024x768
==============================================================================
Ahead "A" type Y Y Y N Y Y
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Ahead "B" type Y Y Y Y Y Y
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