README
1psftools-1.0.13: Notes on DOS build
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3
4 This archive contains the PSF Tools as compiled for 16-bit DOS using
5Pacific C. The following points apply particularly:
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71. Compared to the Unix build, this has received very little testing.
8 Be careful when using it!
9
102. In the Unix version, the codepage tables are compiled into the programs.
11 This isn't possible in the DOS version (at least with the Pacific C
12 compiler) so instead each table is stored in its own .CP2 file. These must
13 be kept in the same directory as the programs if you want to use any
14 codepage features (such as making CPI files).
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163. The DOS command line is restricted, being only 128 characters long. Most
17 psftools commands shouldn't find this too restrictive, since they usually
18 just take two filename arguments. The exception is psfs2cpi, which tends to
19 go for rather long argument strings:
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21 psfs2cpi +437 psf psf psf +850 psf psf psf ... output.cpi
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23 Accordingly, the DOS version of psfs2cpi can also take its filename list
24 from a text file:
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26 psfs2cpi @filename.txt output.cpi
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28 where filename.txt contains the "+437 psf psf psf +850 psf psf psf" etc.
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304. FNTS2FON takes a font ID option. In the UNIX version, this can include
31 spaces (escaped to hide them from the shell). The DOS command line doesn't
32 work the same way, so _ characters should be used to represent spaces.
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345. LOADPSF has been included; this loads a PSF file into the video card's
35 character generator. It supports the following video cards:
36 * EGA/VGA
37 * IBM Convertible
38 * Hercules Plus / Hercules InColor
39 Fonts loaded into the EGA/VGA will last only until a video
40 mode change, whereupon the characters will be reset to normal. If you want
41 the characters to stay loaded, the best way to do that is the "official"
42 way -- convert to a CPI file and load that with DISPLAY.SYS and MODE.
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44 in CONFIG.SYS: DEVICEHIGH=C:\DOS\DISPLAY.SYS CON=(EGA,0,1)
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46 (note the "EGA,0,1" which stops the ROM font being used).
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48 and then type MODE CON CP PREPARE=((437)myfile.cpi)
49 MODE CON CP SELECT 437
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51 However, LOADPSF does support double (512-character) fonts, which
52 DISPLAY.SYS and MODE do not. When asked to load a 512-character font, it
53 will select the first 256 characters for normal use and the second 256
54 for high intensity. A number of options can be used to alter this:
55
56 --first: Treat the font like a normal 256-character font and ignore
57 anything after the first 256 characters.
58 --second: As above but use characters 256-511, not 0-255.
59 --alt: If loading a 256-character font, load it into the high intensity
60 set. If loading a 512-character font, swap the halves over so that
61 the first 256 characters are used for high intensity and the second
62 256 for normal.
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64 On a Hercules system, attempts to load a PSF file larger than 256
65 characters will select the "48k RAMfont" mode, in which the attribute
66 of a character determines what font is used to display it. If the font
67 has more than 1024 characters, the card will be switched to "Full" mode,
68 which requires that no other graphics card (except the Hercules Color Card)
69 be present in the computer. If the --first or --second option is present,
70 the 48k RAMfont mode will not be used.
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