VGM-150 (25-4090) FP.EXE Faxback Doc. # 6077 The following lists the effect of the non-application-specific keywords you can use with FP.EXE to switch the Full-Page monitor to different modes. fp Displays menu of mode choices fp off Disables full-page mode fp 25 80 x 25, black text on white, reverse graphics fp 25n 80 x 25, black text on white, normal graphics fp dos 80 x 25, black text on white, for DOS 5.0 fp 50 80 x 50, black text on white, reverse graphics fp 50 n 80 x 50, black text on white, normal graphics fp 55 80 x 55, black text on white, reverse graphics fp 60 80 x 60, black text on white, reverse graphics fp legal 80 x 73, black text on white, double-spacing Batch File Example: Here are some examples of batch files that use some of these keywords: Running Procomm: fp 25n 80 x 25 text with normal graphics background procomm Runs Procomm fp55 Switches the display to 80 x 55 text Running Autosketch: fp off Switches to normal VGA mode for Autosketch sketch Runs Autosketch fp dos Switches the display back to 80 x 50 for DOS5.0 Full-Page Applications Information: This section explains how to configure a variety of applications for full- page operation. General Software Instructions: Note: You must modify many applications for them to correctly work in full- page mode. Before you modify an application, make a back-up of the original software. We also suggest you install each application for normal VGA operation and check to see if the application works properly in normal VGA mode before you modify it for full-page operation. Running Full-Page Applications: Follow these steps to run an application in full-page mode. 1. Be sure that FP.SYS is in the CONFIG.SYS file as previously described in Faxback document # 6076. 2. Be sure you have modified the application for full-page operation. 3. Type: fp (application keyword) to set the monitor to the proper full-page mode for the application you want to run. If you type fp , the system displays a menu of all valid applicat- ion keywords. 4. Run the application. For example, to run WordPerfect 5.0 in full-page mode, type the following: fp wordp wp When you exit an application, the monitor might remain in the full-page mode. To return to regular VGA mode, type: fp off Releases of programs dated later than those listed in this manual might work in full-page mode using the same drivers. Some programs not listed here also work in full-page mode. Contact the software manufacturer for up-to- date information. Automatic Full-Page Applications: Many utility programs and text editors automatically switch to full-page mode if you type: fp 55 or fp 60 before you start the application. Microsoft's QuickBASIC and Datastorm's Procomm Plus both automatically display in full-page mode. One way to find out if a program automatically runs in full-page mode is to try it by typing: fp 55 before you run the program. If the program displays on the entire screen, you can use it automatically. If the program only displays on the top 25 rows of the screen, or switches the screen to another mode, it is not a program that can automatically display in full-page mode. Some programs support a 50-row VGA text mode. Some of these programs look better when you use the 50-row mode, which you activate by typing: fp 50 before you run the program. You must modify the application to run programs that do not automatically switch to full-page mode, but that can operate in full-page mode. The following sections describe the steps to follow for each application to configure it for full-page operation. MS-DOS 5.0 Operation: MS-DOS 5.0 normally displays DOSSHELL, EDIT, and QBASIC with a white background, but uses a black background for all other DOS operations. you can use the following procedures to display almost all DOS 5.0 operations on a white background with much sharper characters than DOS provides. Note: The DOSSHELL task swapper is not supported while FP.EXE is active. 1. Before you install DOS, type: fp off to be sure FP.EXE is not active. 2. Install DOS 5.0 for 50-row VGA operation per the instruction manual and verify that it works properly. Also, run DOSSHELL, configure it for a 50-row display, and select reverse from the colors options. 3. Before you run DOSSHELL, QBASIC, or EDIT, type: fp dos . This places the monitor in a 50-row mode with sharper characters for DOS. 4. Follow the instructions in the DOS manual to configure QBASIC and EDIT for a white foreground and a black background. 5. Exit to DOS. The background should remain white. You can leave the dis- play in this mode until you run an application that requires FP to be turned off or that requires a different keyword. MS-DOS Half-Page Operation: Some programs switch between text and graphics screens, and sometimes the graphics screens are designed to have a white background. FP.EXE has two different operation modes for a white text background with black characters. Typing: fp 25n gives a white background for text and leaves the background for graphics in its original color. Typing: fp 25 pro- vides a white background for text, but reverses the graphics background color. To determine which mode to use, type: fp off to disable FP.EXE. Then, run the application to see if the graphics background is white or black. If the application displays graphics on a white background, type: fp 25n before you run the application to reverse the application's text display to a white background, without changing the graphics display color. If the application displays graphics on a black background, and you think it would be better with a white background, type: fp 25 before you run the application. You can leave the monitor in either of these modes for all normal DOS operations and file management. Depending on the level of ambient light at your operating position, you might find that leaving the monitor operating with black characters on a white background reduces the eyestrain normally experienced when you use a computer for a long period of time. If any half-page application exhibits unusual behavior when you run it with a white background, or if the gray shades are hard to read, exit the application, type: fp off to disable FP.EXE, and restart the application. You should run most CAD programs with FP.EXE disabled. Dos Full-Page Operation: You can run DOS operations and file management in full-page mode with a white background. The characters in this mode are smaller than in the half- page mode, but are also very sharp. In addition, many utility programs work automatically in a full-page mode if you set the screen to that mode before you use the utility. Type: fp 55 to place the monitor in the 55-row, full-page mode. This displays 55 rows of black text on a white screen, and causes minimum eyestrain for most DOS operations. Type: fp 60 to place the monitor in the 60-row, full-page mode. You might notice more screen flicker in this mode. Flicker becomes noticeable at different levels, depending on the person using the display, the brightness setting, and the type and level of light in the room. In general, flicker is more noticeable under fluorescent lighting and at high brightness settings. The lowest comfortable brightness setting produces the least flicker. If you make a large change to the monitor brightness, close your eyes for a few moments before you look at the display. This helps your eyes adjust more rapidly to the brightness level. National Language Support: DOS provides national language support by using code pages, which are descriptions of fonts for the screen and printer, and redefine the arrange- ment of the keyboard. These instructions explain how to install the proper code page for the full page display to make the screen display the proper fonts. Follow the instructions in your DOS manual for installing the corresponding code pages for the printer and keyboard. DOS also provides national language support for the screen display through a driver named DISPLAY.SYS, and uses MODE.COM to change display modes and install national fonts. If you use 3.5" disks, copy FP.SYS, FP850.SYS, FP852.SYS, FP860.SYS, FP863.SYS, or FP865.SYS from the DRIVERS disk into the root directory of your bootable floppy disk or hard disk. If you use 5.25" disks, use the 5.25" SUPPLEMENTAL DRIVERS 2 disk for the drivers. you can install only one code page at a time. To change code pages, modify CONFIG.SYS to include the desired line from the chart, and reset your computer. You cannot use MODE.COM to switch code pages for the full-page display, but you can use MODE.COM to switch between code pages for the printer. National language support is provided only for the monitor's 60-row, 56-row, and 55-row full-page modes, and does not extend to any VGA of "legal" modes in which FP.EXE has not been turned off. If you turn off FP.EXE, the full-page monitor functions exactly the same as a standard monochrome VGA monitor, and you can use all the DOS national language support functions. Language Code Page # Include in Config.sys English 437 device=fp.sys Multilingual (Latin I) 850 device=fp850.sys Slavic (Latin II) 852 device=fp852.sys Portuguese 860 device=fp860.sys Canadian-French 863 device=fp863.sys Nordic 865 device=fp865.sys