
*****************************************************************************
*** Using this program incorrectly can result in dead monitor.            ***
*** To be on the safe side, don't display modes that are beyond the specs ***
*** of your monitor!                                                      ***
*****************************************************************************


Help for CustomRPC
------------------

Start by running the program.
Drag your monitor definition file to the CustomRPC icon on the iconbar. You
will usually find the file in
$.!Boot.Resources.Configure.Monitors.<brand>.<type>

A window will open, listing all the modes in the file. At the same time, that
file will become your current mode file, so you can use the modes listed.
Click Select on a mode to change to that mode.
Click Adjust on a mode to edit it.
Click menu on a mode for other functions:
 Use:    Change to the mode (same as Select)
 Edit:   Start editing the mode (same as Adjust)
 Copy:   Insert a copy of the mode immediately under it.
 Delete: Delete the mode.
You can also save the complete monitor file using the save box.

Editing
-------

You can edit all the parametres using the arrows.
This requires a bit of knowledge about video signals, and I hope to include
a brief course in this help file soon.

When you want to try the mode, click on 'Get new colour limits'.
This will ask the OS about what colours you can have in that mode, and the
colour buttons will be shaded according to this.
Click on 'Try' to try the mode with that number of colours.

The possible colour modes depends on this:

 1. The memory requirements. If the mode would be bigger than your VRAM,
    you can't select it.
 2. The pixel rate can be too high to get the required number of bytes per
    second out of the VRAM. The file called $.!Boot.Utils.BandLimit contains
    the maximum pixel rates for 256, 32K and 16M colour modes respectively.
    See below for more info about this command.
 3. The pixel rate can also be too high for the VIDC. The OS doesn't seem to
    know about this limit, so you will be able to select pixel rates that are
    too high. If the display starts to flicker, check the pixel rate.

When you are satisfied, click on OK. This will register your mode, and you
will be able to change to it in the mode list window. If you want to keep it
permanently, remember to save the monitor file before you quit.

The *VIDCBandwidthLimit command
-------------------------------

This command sets the pixel rate limits for 32, 16 and 8 bpp modes.
However, I have found that it is NOT enough to change the values in the
Boot:Utils.BandLimit file, if you want to change the limits.
The standard !Boot application does this:


[...things...]

Run the Choices:Boot.PreDesktop file, which will run the BandLimit file, thus
executing the *VIDCBandwidthLimit command.

[...more things...]

Run the Choices:Boot.PreDesk.Configure file, which will execute a *LoadModeFile
command to load the monitor definition file.

[...things...]


What you really had to do was to RMReInit the ScreenModes module after the
*VIDCBandwidthLimit command, but before the *LoadModeFile command. I don't know
why this is necessary, but if you don't, the values won't be used.
As you can see from the sequence above, the standard !Boot sequence does not
RMReInit anything, so when you change the BandLimit file, it will have
absolutely no effect. 

The cure for this is simple.
Alter the BandLimit file to look like this:

VIDCBandwidthLimit xxxxxxxxx yyyyyyyyy zzzzzzzzz
RMReInit ScreenModes

And you will find that it now reacts when you change the values.


That's it, happy moding!

Thomas Olsson, 04 Aug 1994

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This is PD, spread at will. I've got the copyright to the application, though
you're free to include unmodified monitor files in a product of your own.

Please report any problems or comments to Thomas Olsson:
EMail:   tolsson@pip.dknet.dk
FidoNet: 2:234/181

  All this software is provided "as is"; Thomas Olsson makes no warranty,
express or implied, of the merchantability of this software or its fitness for
any  particular purpose. In no circumstances shall Thomas Olsson be liable for
any damage, loss of profits, or any indirect or consequential loss arising out
of the use of this software or inability to use this software, even if
Thomas Olsson has been advised of the possibility of such loss.

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