Instat/waitkey$/set Screen

[Walt Decker]

1. Does INSTAT release timeslice while waiting for keyboard/mouse event? The documentation doesn't say.

2. WAITKEY$ seems to return only lower case characters. One then has to check INSHIFT to determine if the character is upper case. The documentation does not mention this.

3. When using CONSOLE SET SCREEN if the console box is set larger than standard a virtual size is actually used, at least on a W2K system. For example:

DESKTOP GET USER TO X, Y
X = X \ 8
Y = Y \ 8
CONSOLE SET SCREEN Y, X

On my machine with a W2K OS this results in an actual box of 24 rows by 80 columns but a virtual box of 75 rows by 100 columns. The remainder of the virtual box can be viewed using the scrollbars. The documentation does not mention this behavior.

Finally, is there a way to hook the scrollbars? Using SCROLL UP does not seem to move the vertical scrollbar all the way to the top?

[Michael Mattias]

. Does INSTAT release timeslice while waiting for keyboard/mouse event?

???

INSTAT doesn't wait for anything... it just tests "if" something is available and returns immediately.

INKEY$ waits until something is there, efficiently.

MCM

[Walt Decker]

Michael, according to the docs, INKEY$ dosn't wait nor does it give up a timeslice. However, according to the docs, WAITKEY$ waits for an event and gives up timeslice while waiting. Both INKEY$ and WAITKEY$ removes the event from the buffer whereas INSTAT doesn't.

[Eric Pearson]

Walt --

> 1. Does INSTAT release timeslice while waiting for keyboard/mouse event?

INSTAT doesn't wait, therefore it doesn't give up a timeslice while waiting.

> 2. WAITKEY$ seems to return only lower case characters.

I am not seeing this. Shift and Capslock both affect WAITKEY$ on my system. Can you post some code that fails?

> 3. When using CONSOLE SET SCREEN if the console box is set larger than
> standard a virtual size is actually used

I'm not certain what you mean, but maybe this will help.

Windows will not normally allow a program to create a console window that is larger than the monitor on which it will appear. Your code is measuring the desktop, dividing both pixel measurements by 8, and attempting to create a console with that number of rows/columns. If the default console font size on the runtime computer is larger than 8x8 pixels (in either direction) then Windows will (usually) create the requested console size, but only part of it will be visible. You'll need to use the scroll bars to see all of the rows and/or columns. See CONSOLE SET VIRTUAL.

> Using SCROLL UP does not seem to move the vertical scrollbar all the way to the top?

I am not seeing this behavior either. It's probably a matter of using a different desktop resolution, a different default console font size, etc. etc. Again, can you post some code that fails? Please also post your screen resolution and your default console font size.

-- Eric