Graphics by Lord Azathoth

Introducing my Training
For the first step I will discuss about programming VGA cards at a resolution of 320x200 with 256 colors. This is the magic BIOS mode 13h, simple to use and very efficiently. Next I'll explain how to use the BMP and PCX graphics format at this resolution, whit the basics about sprites and frames.

What languages should I use?
Until writing programs under DOS or Linux the best choice about languages is the famous C/C++. I prefer it because is very powerful, fast and very simple to interface with assembly procedures. If I write programs under Windows I prefer Delphi because is very simple to use, but I hardly make programs under Windows. Only under DOS or Linux I can take the whole control of the keyboard, the timer, the graphics card with my own code. Instead under Windows I must use the code written by other (because this OS is very hardly to use) and I never can take the whole control of the machine. In my opinion the windows system is useful only for serious application, not for games. Pheraphs I know only a bit about this system, so I can say bad.
How about compilators?
For years I've used Turbo C and next Borland C/C++. Those compilators was very good for the DOS machine: very fast in compiling and linking and easy to use. But the programs compiled with those compilers are limited by the 16 bit code. But since I've discovered Internet I've used the great DJGPP 32 bit compiler: fast, powerful and FREE! I think is the best choice if you haven't enough money to buy Watchom C/C++, another 32 bit compiler. Read the next paragraph for more information.
What is DJGPP?
DJGPP is a 32 bit compiler for the i386 (or better) processor based upon DOS system. It use an DPMI server which allows a 4 GByte flat address space and up to 256 MBytes of virtual memory. It's very similar to the GNU project for Linux. For details see the readme.1st downloaded from one of the following ftp servers.

You can download the files from a lot of ftp site. There are a list:

    Country         Host                     Directory
    ---------       ----------------------   -------------------
    Australia       ftp.iniaccess.net.au     /pub/simtelnet
    Australia       ftp.tas.gov.au           /pub/simtelnet
    Belgium         ftp.linkline.be          /mirror/simtelnet
    Belgium         ftp.tornado.be           /pub/simtelnet
    Brazil          ftp.unicamp.br           /pub/simtelnet
    Canada          ftp.direct.ca            /pub/simtelnet
    Canada          ftp.synapse.net          /pub/simtelnet
    Czech Republic  pub.vse.cz               /pub/simtelnet
    China           ftp.pku.edu.cn           /pub/simtelnet
    England         micros.hensa.ac.uk       /pub/simtelnet
    England         ftp.demon.co.uk          /pub/simtelnet
    England         sunsite.doc.ic.ac.uk     /packages/simtelnet
    Finland         ftp.funet.fi             /mirrors/ftp.simtel.net/pub/simtelnet
    France          ftp.grolier.fr           /pub/simtelnet
    France          ftp.ibp.fr               /pub/simtelnet
    Germany         ftp.tu-chemnitz.de       /pub/simtelnet
    Germany         ftp.uni-heidelberg.de    /pub/simtelnet
    Germany         ftp.uni-paderborn.de     /pub/simtelnet
    Germany         ftp.uni-trier.de         /pub/pc/mirrors/simtelnet
    Hong Kong       ftp.hkstar.com           /pub/simtelnet
    Hong Kong       sunsite.ust.hk           /pub/simtelnet
    Italy           cis.utovrm.it            /simtelnet
    Italy           ftp.unina.it             /pub/simtelnet
    Japan           ftp.iij.ad.jp            /pub/simtelnet
    Japan           ftp.riken.go.jp          /pub/simtelnet
    Japan           ftp.saitama-u.ac.jp      /pub/simtelnet
    Korea           ftp.nuri.net             /pub/simtelnet
    Mexico          ftp.gdl.iteso.mx         /pub/simtelnet
    Netherlands     ftp.nic.surfnet.nl       /mirror-archive/software/simtelnet
    New Zealand     ftp.vuw.ac.nz            /pub/simtelnet
    Poland          ftp.icm.edu.pl           /pub/simtelnet
    Portugal        ftp.ip.pt                /pub/simtelnet
    Portugal        ftp.ua.pt                /pub/simtelnet
    Romania         ftp.sorostm.ro           /pub/simtelnet
    Slovenia        ftp.arnes.si             /software/simtelnet
    South Africa    ftp.is.co.za             /pub/simtelnet
    South Africa    ftp.sun.ac.za            /pub/simtelnet
    South Korea     ftp.nuri.net             /pub/simtelnet
    South Korea     ftp.sogang.ac.kr         /pub/simtelnet
    Sweden          ftp.sunet.se             /pub/simtelnet
    Switzerland     nic.switch.ch            /mirror/simtelnet
    Taiwan          ftp.ncu.edu.tw           /Packages/simtelnet
    Taiwan          NCTUCCCA.edu.tw          /PC/simtelnet
    Thailand        ftp.nectec.or.th         /pub/mirrors/simtelnet
    US, California  ftp.digital.com          /pub/micro/pc/simtelnet
    US, Illinois    uiarchive.cso.uiuc.edu   /pub/systems/pc/simtelnet
    US, Mass.       ftp.bu.edu               /pub/mirrors/simtelnet
    US, Michigan    oak.oakland.edu          /pub/simtelnet
    US, Oklahoma    ftp.uoknor.edu           /pub/simtelnet
    US, Oregon      ftp.orst.edu             /pub/simtelnet
    US, Virginia    mirrors.aol.com          /pub/simtelnet

There are a list of file to dowload (link are referred to ftp.digital.com):

- To build C programs, you'll need
  - djdev201.zip (1502Kb) - Basically libraryes and application
  - gcc2721b.zip (1071Kb) - The compiler binary
  - bnu281b.zip (1740Kb)- various utility
- For C++
  - gpp2721b.zip (665Kb) - The C++ compiler binaries
  - lgp271b.zip (623Kb)
- Other stuff:
  - txi390b.zip (455Kb) for the online manual (`info`)
  - csdpmi3b.zip (39Kb) if you don't have a DPMI server
  - faq210b.zip (389Kb) - The full FAQ list
  - alleg22.zip - A graphics library
  - rhide13b.zip (1451Kb) - An integrated IDE like Borland C for DJGPP (very useful)
  - mak375b.zip (204Kb) - Make utility
  - infng100.zip - Trasform info file to norton guide database

For more informations visit the official site.

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