some random coding notes from 1990's

notes.pas

{
topic    = Objects in resources
problem  = Realizing object

store is easy but the most diffucult part is to load it...
How will I know the object's type I read from stream...
and how will I call the proper object's load constructor????
}

{
topic    = Objects in resources
problem  = Realizing object
date     = 22nd Mar 94

Borland performs it via stream links. It stores object types in records
linked in memory. Every view has a view type and borland recognizes the
view in that way. But I think vmt comparison can quickly solve it????
No.. no.. because vmt changes according to PSP of program.
}

{
topic    = Fancy ASCII chars
problem  = none (only documentation)
date     = 22nd Mar 94

:) , :( , :P , :t , :u , :i
}

{
topic   = To Do's
problem = What will I do?
date    = 02nd May 94

Sorted by importance and self-motivation ratio
----------------------------------------------
+ Kasa defteri for GenDis
- Finish AXE
- Finish surface handler
+ Finish help texts
}

{
topic   = VOC format
problem = what the hell is this voc?
date    = 10th Jul 94

Size          Description
======        ========================
14 bytes      Description ('Creative Voice File',1ah)
word          First data block offset
word          VOC Version
word          Version-1234h (for integrity check)

byte          block-type (1=voice)
3-bytes       block-length
byte          256-1000000/khz
byte          pack flag (0=unpacked)
...           voice data
}

{
topic   = EGA/VGA registers from PC/Intern
problem = none
date    = 27th Jul 94

MISCELLANEOUS REGISTER        (W:3CC / R:3C2)

bit 0 : mono/color
    1 : VRAM locked/unlocked
  2-3 : Horizontal resolution
          0 = 640
          1 = 720
          2 = external dot clock rate
          3 = reserved (0 mhz)
    4 : reserved
    5 : page bit for odd/even mode
  6-7 : scan lines
          0 = reserved (you're wrong - it's not 200 - because no 200 in VGA)
          1 = 350
          2 = 400
          3 = 480

INPUT STATUS REGISTER         (R:3DA)

bit 0 : retrace activity (any of horiz or vert retrace is active)
    1 : unused
    2 : unused
    3 : vertical retrace activity
  4-5 : diagnostics bits
  6-7 : unused

CRT CONTROLLER                (SELECT:3D4 / ACCESS:3D5)

Reg#   Description  (first eight functions are r/o default)
----   ------------------------------------------
00     Horiz Total Characters - 5
01     Horiz Total Characters - 1
02     Start horiz blanking signal
03     End horiz blanking
         bit 0-4 : End horiz blanking
             5-6 : Time delay for display (unused)
               7 : reserved , always 0
04     H-Hold (voila!)
05     End horiz retrace
         bit 0-4 : End horiz retrace
             5-6 : Time delay for retrace (unused)
               7 : last bit of end horiz blanking (03)
06     Total vert scan lines-2
07     Overflow register
         bit 0 : 8th bit of total vert
             1 : 8th bit of vert display end
             2 : 8th bit of vert retrace start
             3 : 8th bit of vert blank
             4 : 8th bit of line compare
             5 : 9th bit of total vert
             6 : 9th bit of vert display end
             7 : 9th bit of vert retrace start
08     Vertical PEL panning
         bit 0-4 : Vertical shift value
             5-7 : 0
09     Character height
         bit 0-4 : Height of a char-1
               5 : 9th bit of start vert blanking
               6 : 9th bit of line compare
               7 : 200 line doubling !!! (COOL)
0A     Vertical cursor start
         bit 0-4 : Starting line of cursor
               5 : cursor visibility
             6-7 : 0
0B     Vertical cursor end
         bit 0-4 : Ending line of cursor
             5-7 : 0
0C     VRAM start address (HI)
0D     VRAM start address (LO)
0E     Cursor pos (HI) (offset in VRAM)
0F     Cursor pos (LO)
10     Vert retrace start line
11     Vert retrace end line
         bit 0-3 : end of vert retrace
               5 : IRQ during retrace (IRQ 2)
               6 : Refresh cycles per line (3/5)
               7 : Register PROTECTION (registers 0-7)
12     End vert display-1
13     Line length in VRAM
14     Underline location
         bit 0-4 : pixel line for underline
               5 : four count mode
               6 : dword mode
               7 : 0
15     Start vert blanking (last displayed pixel line+1)
16     End vert blanking (first displayed pixe line-1)
17       bit 0 : CGA compatibility
             1 : Hercules compatibility
             2 : 0
             3 : two count mode
             4 : 0
             5 : address wrap (64K / 256K)
             6 : access mode (16bit / 8bit)
             7 : something about retrace
18     Line compare
         Here's how Pinball Fantasies does its scrolling in a specified
         region of screen without playing with VRAM...

SEQUENCER CONTROLLER  (SELECT:3C4 / ACCESS:3C5)

Reg#   Description
----   ------------------------------------------
00     Reset
         bit 0 : Power On/Off bit (isn't it cool?)
             1 : Warm Boot
           2-7 : Unused
01     Clocking mode
         bit 0 : pixels per clock (8 / 9)
             1 : reserved 0
             2 : reserved
             3 : half dot clock
             4 : reserved
             5 : Display On/Off
           6-7 : unused
02     Bitplane select
         bit 0 : bitplane #0
             1 :          #1
             2 :          #2
             3 :          #3
           4-7 : unused
03     Char map select
         bit 0-1 : first font number
             2-3 : second font number
               4 : last bit of first font num
               5 : last bit of second font num
             6-7 : 0
04     Memory mode
         bit 0 : 0
             1 : VRAM size (64K / 256K)
             2 : Odd-Even/Linear mode select
             3 : chain4 / odd-even select

ATTRIBUTE CONTROLLER  (SELECT:3C0 / ACCESS:3C1)

Reg#   Description
----   ------------------------------------------
00-0F  Palette register (no need)
10     Mode control
         bit 0 : Text / Gfx mode select
             1 : 0
             2 : Empty / Duplicate 8th Pixel mode
             3 : Highlight / Blink select
             4 : 0
             5 : PEL panning register for line compare
             6 : 256 color mode
11     Overscan color index to DAC table
12     Plane enable
13     Horizontal PEL panning (bits 0-3)
14     no need

}