GFA-BASIC for DOS

[Mork]

Hi,
is it possible to use the 800x600 resolution with the MS-DOS version of GFA-Basic? 

Many regards, 
Mork

[(X)]

Is it GFA-BASIC for DOS V4.55 ?

[Mork]

Yes, it is Ver 4.55 E3.

[(X)]

I looked for specifics about GFA for DOS but could not find anything very helpful.

Here is what ChatGPT 3.5 has to say:

GFA-BASIC for DOS V4.55 is a programming language and development environment for DOS (Disk Operating System) from the MS-DOS era. The maximum screen resolution that you can use with GFA-BASIC for DOS depends on the capabilities of your graphics hardware and the drivers available for your system.

In general, MS-DOS itself does not inherently limit screen resolutions. Instead, it relies on the capabilities of your graphics card and the drivers provided for that card. If you have a graphics card and monitor that support 800x600 resolution, you should be able to set and use that resolution with GFA-BASIC for DOS V4.55 as long as you have the appropriate drivers installed.

Here are the general steps to set the screen resolution in an MS-DOS environment:

1. **Check Hardware Compatibility**: Ensure that your graphics card and monitor support 800x600 resolution. Check the documentation for your hardware for details.

2. **Install Graphics Drivers**: You may need to install specific graphics drivers for your graphics card. These drivers would typically come with the graphics card or could be obtained from the manufacturer's website.

3. **Modify CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT**: You might need to configure your CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT files to load the appropriate drivers and set the desired resolution. This process varies depending on the specific graphics card and driver software you are using.

4. **Set Resolution in GFA-BASIC**: Once you've set the resolution for your DOS environment, you can use GFA-BASIC to create programs that utilize that resolution. GFA-BASIC provides commands and functions for controlling graphics modes and screen output.

Keep in mind that MS-DOS and software from that era may not offer the same level of plug-and-play convenience that modern operating systems do. Configuring graphics settings and drivers can be more involved, and compatibility issues may arise.

It's also worth noting that GFA-BASIC for DOS V4.55 is quite old, and it may not fully support or take advantage of higher-resolution displays as modern programming languages and development environments do.

To summarize, setting an 800x600 resolution with GFA-BASIC for DOS V4.55 is possible if your hardware and drivers support it, but the specifics of how to achieve it would depend on your hardware and driver configuration.

[(X)]

What is your experience level with computers?
A) Beginner,
B) Average user,
C) I know computers well,
D) I can build my own computer and write an operating system with stone knives and bear skins.

[Mork]

I would say C)
But to set the resolution you are using the screen-command in the GFA-Basic program.
SCREEN 18 is 640x480 /16 Colours.
SCREEN 19 is 320x200 /256 Colours.
Lower numbers produce Hercules, CGA and EGA resolutions and a higher number than 19 produces an error.
So I was wondering if one might install some kind of config-file to enable higher resolutions but found nothing about it yet.

[(X)]

This deals with VESA modes. I am not sure it will help you, but, it might give you a clue.

GFA-Basic (also known as GFA-Basic 32) is primarily a DOS-based programming language, and it doesn't have built-in support for VESA (Video Electronics Standards Association) screen modes. However, you can use GFA-Basic to make VESA calls to set the screen mode by utilizing the DOS interrupt functions.

Here's a general outline of how you can choose a VESA screen mode using GFA-Basic:

1. **Determine VESA Support**: First, you should check if the computer's graphics card and VESA are supported. You can do this by calling the appropriate VESA BIOS functions. You'll need to use the `INT 10h` interrupt to interact with the BIOS.

2. **Set the Desired VESA Mode**: Once you've confirmed VESA support, you can use the `INT 10h` interrupt to set the desired VESA mode. The specific interrupt and register values required for this will depend on the VESA mode you want to set (e.g., 640x480 with 16-bit color).

3. **Initialize Graphics**: After setting the VESA mode, you'll typically need to initialize graphics operations in GFA-Basic to work with the new screen mode. This might involve configuring the screen buffer, palette, and any other graphics-related settings.

Here's a simplified example of how you might set a VESA mode in GFA-Basic using DOS interrupt calls (note that this is a simplified example and may need adaptation depending on your specific requirements):

```basic
' Set VESA mode using DOS interrupt 10h
DIM registers(8)

' AH = 4Fh is the VESA set video mode function
registers(0) = &H4F
' AL contains the VESA video mode number you want
registers(1) = <your VESA mode number>

' Call the BIOS interrupt to set the VESA mode
DEF SEG = 0 ' Set segment register to 0
CALL ABSOLUTE(&H10, registers(0))

' Now that you've set the VESA mode, initialize graphics in GFA-Basic
' (This step depends on the specifics of your GFA-Basic environment)
```

Please note that this is a basic example, and the actual interrupt values and method of initializing graphics in GFA-Basic may vary depending on your specific GFA-Basic version and DOS environment. Additionally, working with low-level BIOS interrupts requires a good understanding of x86 assembly language and the specifics of the VESA mode you want to use. Be sure to consult the documentation for your GFA-Basic version and any VESA-specific documentation for further guidance.

[(X)]

Just out of curiosity, why do you want to work with the DOS version instead of the Windows version of GFA-BASIC?

[Mork]

I am running it on Win98 or native DOS-Machines.
I assume, the Windows Version will not accept Win98?

[(X)]

You might be able to run GFA-BASIC 16 for Windows on Win98.

GFA-BASIC 16 for Windows is an older version of the GFA-BASIC programming language designed for Windows environments. While I don't have specific information about its compatibility with Windows 98, it is more likely to be compatible with Windows 98 than GFA-BASIC 32, which was designed for newer Windows versions like Windows Vista and higher.

However, compatibility can still be an issue with older software and operating systems due to changes in technology and system requirements over time. To determine if GFA-BASIC 16 for Windows will work on Windows 98, you should consult the software's official documentation or the developer's website. Additionally, you can try installing and running it on a Windows 98 system to see if it functions properly. Keep in mind that if you encounter any compatibility issues, there may not be official support or updates available for resolving them, as these older software versions may no longer be actively maintained.

GFA-BASIC 32 requires Windows Vista or higher to run, but it may also work on Windows 2000 and XP. However, it's important to note that Windows 98 is not mentioned in the compatibility list.

Since Windows 98 is not mentioned as a supported operating system, there is a strong likelihood that GFA-BASIC 32 for Windows may not run on Windows 98. Compatibility with older operating systems like Windows 98 would typically depend on whether the software was specifically designed and tested for compatibility with those older systems.

If you are using Windows 98 and want to run GFA-BASIC 32, you might encounter compatibility issues or limitations. It's recommended to check with the software's official documentation or the developer's website for specific system requirements and compatibility information. If Windows 98 is not supported, you may need to consider using a different version of GFA-BASIC or a different programming environment that is compatible with your operating system.

[(X)]

Business or Pleasure?
Again, just out of curiosity, are you intending to use GFA-BASIC for personal use, for a business or education?

[Mork]

I code for fun!
;-)
I am especially interested in GOFAI and game-programming.

[(X)]

Sounds great! 😄
If any questions pop up, please don't hesitate to ask. We're always happy to help!

[dragonjim]

Have you tried running GFABASIC-32 on Windows 98?

As far as I remember, GFABASIC-32 was written for Windows 98's release with backward compatibility for Windows 95 (which is why it only supports ASCII/ANSI strings and not Unicode). I was running Windows 98 when I first used it...

If the current installer does not work on Windows 98, install GB32 on a new OS and then simply copy the GFABASIC folder from Program Files(x86) to your Windows 98 installation (it used to install either onto C:\ or in My Documents but can be run from anywhere).

I'd be interested to know how if GFABASIC-32 still runs on Windows 98; sadly, I no longer have my old installation on a Virtual drive; however, for anyone who is interested, it still works well on Windows XP, as well as all OS's since then.

[Mork]

Haven't tried yet, but might do it next weekend.

[Mork]

Hi,
I tested it and it runs on Win98 in the way you described it!
But alas, it's quite more complicated than the DOS-Version or the good old Atari-ST Version.
I was able to modify the title of a window, but in which way can a windows-title be centered?

[(X)]

To my knowledge, there is no built-in command to center the text in a form title or caption, but, there are ways to calculate an offset for the text to mimic this.  (There are cases for which you can specify centered text; for example, in a Label or TextBox control)

This code should get you by...

OpenW 1
TitleW 1, App.Name
P_Center_Form_Title_Text(Win_1)

Do
 Sleep
Loop Until Me Is Nothing

Sub Win_1_ReSize()
 P_Center_Form_Title_Text(Win_1)
EndSub
 
Proc P_Center_Form_Title_Text(frm As Form)
 Dim t$ = Trim(frm.Caption)            // trimmed title text
 Dim tw! = TextWidth(t$)               // text width
 Dim sw! = TextWidth(" ")              // width of a space character
 Dim fw! = frm.ScaleWidth - 170        // form width - controlbox width
 Dim bfr! = ((fw / 2) - (tw / 2)) / sw // space buffer
 Dim ct$ = Space(bfr) + t$             // Centered text
 frm.Caption = ct$
EndProc


As you resize the window, the Title / Caption text should continue to be centered...

[Mork]

I think that's why I asked for a higher resolution for DOS GFA-Basic instead of changing to the Windows Version.
It seems to me, that things in Windows are far more complicated to handle with than with a BASIC that does things without a middleware.

[(X)]

I agree 100%. If you don't specifically need to develop a Windows application I would stick with DOS.

---

A bit about myself:
I am 99% driven by curiosity to see if I am able to accomplish something in GFA_BASIC 32 for Windows.
I don't need to, I just do it for fun and entertainment.

ChatGPT has helped me a lot to quickly find ~80% complete solutions to many of my projects.

If I needed to make money, I would follow the current trends and learn as much as I could about making life easier for the coder.
But as I said, I don't need to bother with any of that. I am retired. I can just follow my nose and explore.

[Mork]

That's why you are God!
:-)

[(X)]

Yes, about the 'God' label.  Initially I found it rather amusing, then, I worried others may not.  So, less amusing.

If you are interested in a bit of an explanation, here's a little background of what can and can't be done on this site.

This is a member driven, stand-alone forum, not legally bound or affiliated with GFA-BASIC 32 for Windows.

In fact, anyone can create a forum for free on Proboards as well as from many other forum web-sites.

Some of the member rank labels, including 'New Member,' 'Junior Member,' 'Full Member,' 'Senior Member,' 'God,' and 'Administrator,' are merely associated with the number of posts made by each member. 

Unfortunately, the member rank labels are fixed at design time and we can't change them without Admin rights.

They are beyond the control of moderators, who can only perform basic housekeeping tasks.

So, I tried to correct the situation by asking the Admin to change: 'God' to something less controversal, but, I received no response.  Well, I tried.  For reasons unknown to me, this forum has been effectively "abandonned" by the original creator and Full Admin: DJ Peters (2010).  I assume he is too busy or doesn't care, which is fine.  He has no real obligation beyond courteousy.

I attempted to create another forum called 'GFATRIX,' for which I had full administrative rights. However, it was not successful as most people preferred to remain here.  That is perfectly fine since this site has been operational without major incidents for 13 years.

We have our own little Pantheon going here:

(X)       God 936
rogercabo God 521
scalion   God 501

You can see the full list of members if you log-in.