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Q21839: Support for IBM EGA and Hercules Graphics Cards

Article: Q21839
Product(s): See article
Version(s): 2.00 2.01 3.00 4.00 4.00b 4.50
Operating System(s): MS-DOS
Keyword(s): ENDUSER | B_BasicCom | mspl13_basic
Last Modified: 29-DEC-1989

This article describes which versions of QuickBASIC support the IBM
EGA (Enhanced Graphics Adapter) Card and which versions support
Hercules Monochrome Graphics Cards.

EGA Support
-----------

QuickBASIC Versions 2.00, 2.01, 3.00, 4.00, 4.00b, and 4.50 support
EGA through the use of SCREEN modes 7, 8, 9, and 10. QuickBASIC
Versions 1.00, 1.01, and 1.02 do not support the EGA. The 43-line EGA
mode is supported in the Editor and in the WIDTH statement in
QuickBASIC Versions 3.00, 4.00, 4.00b, and 4.50. The EGA is also
supported in OS/2 real mode and MS-DOS for programs compiled with
Microsoft BASIC Compiler Versions 6.00 and 6.00b for MS-DOS and MS
OS/2, and Microsoft BASIC PDS Version 7.00. The EGA is not currently
supported for BASIC programs that run in OS/2 protected mode.

Hercules Support
----------------

Microsoft QuickBASIC Versions 4.00 and later, the Microsoft BASIC
Compiler 6.00 and 6.00B, and Microsoft BASIC PDS 7.00 all support the
Hercules Monochrome Graphics Card, Hercules Graphics Card Plus,
Hercules InColor Card, and cards that are 100 percent compatible with
these cards. The following describes how Hercules cards are supported
in QuickBASIC:

1. Hercules graphics mode is SCREEN 3.

2. Hercules text mode is SCREEN 0.

3. With Hercules, you must use a monochrome monitor.

4. You must load the Hercules driver (QBHERC.COM) before running your
   program. If the driver is not loaded, the SCREEN 3 statement gives
   an "Illegal function call" error message. Type "QBHERC" to load the
   driver.

5. The text dimensions are 80x25 (9x14 character box); the bottom two
   scan lines of the 25th row are not visible.

6. The resolution is 720x348 pixels, monochrome.

7. SCREEN 3 supports two pages (0 and 1); SCREEN 0 used with Hercules
   supports only one page.

8. The PALETTE statement is not supported.

9. To make function calls to the Microsoft Mouse, you must follow
   special instructions for Hercules cards in the "Microsoft Mouse
   Programmer's Reference Guide." (This manual must be ordered
   separately; it is not supplied with either the QuickBASIC or the
   Microsoft Mouse packages.)

The use of Hercules cards is also documented in the README.DOC file on
the QuickBASIC Version 4.00, 4.00b, and 4.50 release disk, which
supplements the Microsoft QuickBASIC Compiler documentation.

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