Switch from graphics mode into text mode and vice versa wit→
Posted: Sat Jun 03, 2017 12:28 am
→hout BIOS interrupts ?
Don't.EladAshkcenazi335 wrote:→hout BIOS interrupts ?
It's relatively easy to emulate text mode while still using graphics mode, simply by drawing characters yourself. This avoids the need to switch modes (which may be impossible in some cases - e.g. UEFI), and avoids the overhead and "ugliness" (visible black flicker) caused by video mode switching.
It also allows you (initially, or in future improvements done as the OS grows) to:
- Use a modern cursor (e.g. a modern "vertical bar" instead of an "antiquated block" cursor)
- Support a much larger range of colours
- Support different font sizes
- Support different styles (bold, italic, underline, super-script, etc)
- Support Unicode/internationalisation
- Support emoji
- Support anti-aliasing (to fix "jagged diagonal edges")
- Use much more detailed (and much easier to read) characters (e.g. maybe a 16*24 font rather than an 8*16 font)
- Support smooth scrolling properly
- Add a vertical scroll bar the user can use (with mouse) to see all the stuff that scrolled off the top of the screen
- Add a background image
- Do anything else I forgot to mention
- Recycle most of the existing code when you implement a GUI
- Avoid giving end users the impression that you aren't good at writing software
Cheers,
Brendan