Video display adapter control system

• US 5,418,962 A
• Filed: 03/31/1993
• Issued: 05/23/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Whitfield, Dale R., Bodin, William K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Heckler, Thomas M.
• Application Number:
  US08/040,701
• Time in Patent Office: 783 Days
• Field of Search: 395/153, 395/161, 395/162, 395/164, 395/325, 395/700
• US Class Current: 710/8
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/14 Digital output to display device ; Cooperation and interconnection of the display device with other functional units

Abstract

A video display adapter control system is provided for utilization in a data processing system which includes a processor, data storage, a video display device and one of multiple selected video display adapter cards. A text data file is generated, utilizing either a utility program, or manufacturer provided information, which specifies video adapter information for a specific video adapter card including: an identification of the particular video adapter; port addresses and indices; commands necessary to lock and unlock extended video registers; data which describes video mode resolutions and colors; and the necessary commands and data to enable selected video modes to be set and stored. A video display device driver is then provided which is capable of accessing and parsing the text data files and which creates multiple command structures in response thereto. Each time a video state is required as a result of a session being initiated, terminated or transferred to background or foreground status, the appropriate command structure is utilized to determine and set a particular group of registers, store the status of the current registers and/or return the video adapter to a known stable state. The command structures are implemented utilizing an inverted linked list of commands which may be traversed in a direct or inverted manner to efficiently set or retrieve the state of the video adapter.

Claims

1. A display adapter control system for utilization in a data processing system, said data processing system including a processor, data storage, a video display device and a selected one of a plurality of video adapters, each of said plurality of video adapters utilizing a diverse group of specified registers within said data processing system to provide a high resolution display within said video display device, said display adapter control system comprising:

a text data file within said data processing system including specific data associated with said selected one of said plurality of video adapters;

a video display device driver within said data processing system, said video display device driver including means for accessing and parsing said text data file and for creating at least one command structure in response thereto; and

mode control means associated with said video display device driver for determining and setting a particular group of specified registers within said data processing system utilizing said at least one command structure.

2. The display adapter control system according to claim 1, wherein said data processing system comprises a multitasking data processing system capable of simultaneous execution of multiple applications within a plurality of concurrent sessions, wherein one of said plurality of concurrent sessions operates in foreground while all remaining concurrent sessions operate in background, and wherein said mode control means determines and sets a group of specified registers in response to an establishment of a session in foreground.

3. The display adapter control system according to claim 2, wherein said at least one command structure comprises a linked list of commands and instructions which are processed by said video display device driver in a direct order in response to an establishment of a session in foreground and in an inverted order in response to a switching of said session into background.

4. The display adapter control system according to claim 1, wherein said text data file includes an identification of said selected one of said plurality of video adapters.

5. The display adapter control system according to claim 1, wherein said text data file includes an identification of selected commands utilized to lock and unlock said particular group of specified registers within said data processing system.

6. The display adapter control system according to claim 1, wherein said text data file includes an identification of at least one selected resolution and a selected number of colors to be utilized with said selected one of said plurality of video adapters.

7. A display adapter control system for utilization in a multitasking data processing system, said data processing system capable of simultaneous execution of multiple applications within a plurality of concurrent sessions wherein one of said plurality of concurrent sessions operate in foreground while all remaining concurrent sessions operate in background, said data processing system including a processor, data storage, a video display device and a selected one of a plurality of video adapters, each of said plurality of video adapters utilizing a diverse group of specified registers within said data processing system to provide a high resolution display within said video display device, said display adapter control system comprising:

a text data file within said data processing system including specific data associated with said selected one of said plurality of video adapters;

a video display device driver within said data processing system, said video display device driver including means for accessing and parsing said text data file and for creating at least one clean up command structure in response thereto; and

mode control means associated with said video display device driver for updating and setting a particular group of specified registers within said data processing system utilizing said at least one clean up command structure in response to a transition of a concurrent session into background.

8. The display adapter control system according to claim 7, wherein said text data file includes an identification of said selected one of said plurality of video adapters.

9. The display adapter control system according to claim 7, wherein said text data file includes an identification of selected commands utilized to lock and unlock said particular group of specified registers within said data processing system.

10. The display adapter control system according to claim 7, wherein said text data file includes an identification of at least one selected resolution and a selected number of colors to be utilized with said selected one of said plurality of video adapters.

11. The display adapter control system according to claim 7, wherein said video display device driver also creates a command structure which comprises a linked list of commands and instructions which are processed by said video display device driver in a direct order in response to an establishment of a session in foreground and in an inverted order in response to a switching of said session into background.

12. A method for providing a high resolution display in a data processing system having a processor, data storage, a video display device and a selected one of a plurality of video adapters, each of said plurality of video adapters utilizing a diverse group of specified registers within said data processing system, said method comprising the steps of:

creating a text data file within said data processing system including specific data associated with said selected one of a plurality of video adapters within said data processing system;

utilizing a video display device driver within said data processing system to access and purse said text data file;

automatically creating at least one command structure in response to said accessing and pursing of said text data file; and

determining and setting a particular group of specified registers within said data processing system utilizing said at least one command structure.