KnowledgeBase Archive

An Archive of Early Microsoft KnowledgeBase Articles

View on GitHub

Q37628: Toggling Display Modes: 25-, 43-, and 50-Row Modes

Article: Q37628
Product(s): See article
Version(s): 1.00   | 1.00
Operating System(s): MS-DOS | MS-DOS
Keyword(s): ENDUSER | | mspl13_basic
Last Modified: 14-NOV-1988

The following Microsoft Editor macro allows you to toggle the EGA
display between 25-row mode and 43-row mode by pressing ALT+E:

;Macro to toggle 25/43 line EGA modes
    to23:=arg "height:23" assign
    to41:=arg "height:41" assign
    toggle23:=to23 arg "toggle41:alt+e" assign
    toggle41:=to41 arg "toggle23:alt+e" assign
    toggle41:alt+e

The example below is a variation of the above macro. It allows you to
toggle the VGA display between 25-row mode, 43-row mode, and 50-row
mode by pressing ALT+E. Instead of switching back and forth between
two modes, it cycles through all three.

The macro is as follows:

;Macro to toggle 25/43/50 line VGA modes
    to23:=arg "height:23" assign
    to41:=arg "height:41" assign
    to48:=arg "height:48" assign
    toggle23:=to23 arg "toggle41:alt+e" assign
    toggle41:=to41 arg "toggle48:alt+e" assign
    toggle48:=to48 arg "toggle23:alt+e" assign
    toggle41:alt+e

These macros should be placed in your TOOLS.INI file as described
in Chapters 6 and 7 of the "Microsoft Editor User's Guide."

Note: the "toggle" functions in these macros not only set the video
mode, they also change the assignment of function ALT+E. This makes
these macros similar to self-modifying code. For example, "toggle23"
not only sets the video mode to 23-rows (with a call to "to23"), it
also assigns ALT+E to "toggle41" by using the following sequence:

   arg "toggle41:alt+e" assign

This technique is very useful in learning to write macros.

THE INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THE MICROSOFT KNOWLEDGE BASE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND. MICROSOFT DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. IN NO EVENT SHALL MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER INCLUDING DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, LOSS OF BUSINESS PROFITS OR SPECIAL DAMAGES, EVEN IF MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. SOME STATES DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF LIABILITY FOR CONSEQUENTIAL OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES SO THE FOREGOING LIMITATION MAY NOT APPLY.