Re: [AD] New graphics driver -- GFX_FORCE?

[Laurence Withers <lwithers@xxxxxxxxxx>]

In reply to Grzegorz Adam Hankiewicz <gradha@xxxxxxxxxx>:
[snip]
>I am rather against this because if the program takes the hassle of
>checking such similar color depths, it's really trivial to make it work
>correctly with other color depths too.

But I am talking about programs which *don't* run in other color depths,
and for which only binary code is provided. This isn't a problem with
the core library examples, tests, etc., but it is with some games.

>Also, it's potentially risky: users running such examples getting wrong
>colors or whatever would immediately think Allegro is broken and delete
>it.

No, because they have to set the option manually in the configuration
file. If a user deletes Allegro because they think it is broken, then
they wouldn't get as far as reading the manual to find out workarounds
for getting Allegro to user other modes. If you follow me :-)

>Well, maybe you could do the following: let GFX_AUTODETECT use GFX_FORCE
>as a last resort, or the first driver to be tried if a .cfg file is found.

You have to write `gfx_card = FORC' in allegro.cfg and then set the
relevant resolutions. So it is never autodetected; it is only ever
specified by the user (like GFX_XTENDED on DOS, for instance).

>Then make the GFX_FORCE driver work like the normal X driver, which
>emulates screen and makes color conversions as needed through a double
>buffer, IIRC.

At the moment, it doesn't do that, but I could write that. 

>Anyway, the good thing should be to use GFX_SAFE :)

But GFX_SAFE on DOS is VGA 320x200, which works nicely on my laptop :)
but isn't very good for those things trying to set 640x480 :(

On a side note, wouldn't it be a good idea to allow the user to override
the default GFX_SAFE card, width and height?

Bye for now,
-- 
Laurence Withers, lwithers@xxxxxxxxxx
                http://www.lwithers.demon.co.uk/

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