Falcon 3.0 under OS/2 2.0: Difference between revisions

From OS2World.Com Wiki
Jump to navigation Jump to search
No edit summary
Jugbogdan (talk | contribs)
mNo edit summary
 
Line 4: Line 4:


Many of you have been trying to run Falcon 3.0 under IBM's new OS/2 2.0 operating system, but have been confused and bewildered by the huge array of DOS settings available to you. So, after consulting technical manuals (The IBM Red Books), here are a list of settings you need, and why they must be set that way:
Many of you have been trying to run Falcon 3.0 under IBM's new OS/2 2.0 operating system, but have been confused and bewildered by the huge array of DOS settings available to you. So, after consulting technical manuals (The IBM Red Books), here are a list of settings you need, and why they must be set that way:


;DOS_BACKGROUND_EXECUTION to OFF
;DOS_BACKGROUND_EXECUTION to OFF
(If Falcon is running in background, it will suspend processing. Otherwise, it will eat too much CPU cycles)
(If Falcon is running in background, it will suspend processing. Otherwise, it will eat too much CPU cycles)
;DOS_HIGH to ON
;DOS_HIGH to ON
(This will give us extra memory for the DOS session)
(This will give us extra memory for the DOS session)
;DOS_LASTDRIVE to D (or whatever your highest drive letter is)
;DOS_LASTDRIVE to D (or whatever your highest drive letter is)
(This will give us some more memory)
(This will give us some more memory)
;DOS_UMB to ON
;DOS_UMB to ON
(More memory by usiing Upper Memory Blocks)
(More memory by using Upper Memory Blocks)
 
 
;DPMI_DOS_API to DISABLED
;DPMI_DOS_API to DISABLED
(Falcon Doesn't use DPMI memory, so we gain speed by not emulating DPIM)
(Falcon Doesn't use DPMI memory, so we gain speed by not emulating DPIM)
;DPMI_MEMORY_LIMIT to 0
;DPMI_MEMORY_LIMIT to 0
(We don't use DPMI)
(We don't use DPMI)
;HW_ROM_TO_RAM to ON
;HW_ROM_TO_RAM to ON
(This speeds up BIOS functions)
(This speeds up BIOS functions)
;IDLE_SECONDS to 60
;IDLE_SECONDS to 60
(Makes Idle detection a long time)
(Makes Idle detection a long time)
;IDLE_SENSITIVITY to 100
;IDLE_SENSITIVITY to 100
(this disables idle detection, so Falcon will always be checked to see if it needs CPU
(this disables idle detection, so Falcon will always be checked to see if it needs CPU
;MOUSE_EXCLUSIVE_ACCESS to ON
;MOUSE_EXCLUSIVE_ACCESS to ON
(We only plan to use the program with the 1 mouse pointer)
(We only plan to use the program with the 1 mouse pointer)
;VIDEO_ONDEMAND_MEMORY to OFF
;VIDEO_ONDEMAND_MEMORY to OFF
(Saves memory by not allocating video buffer)
(Saves memory by not allocating video buffer)
;VIDEO_ROM_EMULATION to ON
;VIDEO_ROM_EMULATION to ON
(Speeds processing by putting ROM in RAM)
(Speeds processing by putting ROM in RAM)
;VIDEO_SWITCH_NOTIFICATION to ON
;VIDEO_SWITCH_NOTIFICATION to ON
(Lets app know when switching to full screen mode)
(Lets app know when switching to full screen mode)
;VIDEO_8514_XGA_IOTRAP to OFF (Only for 8514 Cards)
;VIDEO_8514_XGA_IOTRAP to OFF (Only for 8514 Cards)
Eliminates 8514 video buffer overhead)
Eliminates 8514 video buffer overhead)
;XMS_HANDLES to 32
;XMS_HANDLES to 32
(For mapping HMA)
(For mapping HMA)
;XMS MEMORY_LIMIT to 0
;XMS MEMORY_LIMIT to 0
(Not using XMS memory)
(Not using XMS memory)
;XMS_MINIMUM_HMA to 0
;XMS_MINIMUM_HMA to 0
(Any HMA request will be filled)
(Any HMA request will be filled)


 
With these settings, you can expect to get a frame rate of roughly 70% of that of DOS (your mileage may vary). You will find that if you had memory manager problems before, OS/2 is much more stable and less likely to crash and burn.
With these settings, you can expect to get a frame rate of roughly 70% of that of DOS (your mileage may vary). You will find that if you had memory manager problems before, OS/2 is much more stable and less likely to crash and burn.


If you have any comments, please feel free to address my CIS UID at 70031,435.
If you have any comments, please feel free to address my CIS UID at 70031,435.

Latest revision as of 12:19, 19 December 2022

By Eric Pinnell.

Dear Falconers,

Many of you have been trying to run Falcon 3.0 under IBM's new OS/2 2.0 operating system, but have been confused and bewildered by the huge array of DOS settings available to you. So, after consulting technical manuals (The IBM Red Books), here are a list of settings you need, and why they must be set that way:

DOS_BACKGROUND_EXECUTION to OFF

(If Falcon is running in background, it will suspend processing. Otherwise, it will eat too much CPU cycles)

DOS_HIGH to ON

(This will give us extra memory for the DOS session)

DOS_LASTDRIVE to D (or whatever your highest drive letter is)

(This will give us some more memory)

DOS_UMB to ON

(More memory by using Upper Memory Blocks)

DPMI_DOS_API to DISABLED

(Falcon Doesn't use DPMI memory, so we gain speed by not emulating DPIM)

DPMI_MEMORY_LIMIT to 0

(We don't use DPMI)

HW_ROM_TO_RAM to ON

(This speeds up BIOS functions)

IDLE_SECONDS to 60

(Makes Idle detection a long time)

IDLE_SENSITIVITY to 100

(this disables idle detection, so Falcon will always be checked to see if it needs CPU

MOUSE_EXCLUSIVE_ACCESS to ON

(We only plan to use the program with the 1 mouse pointer)

VIDEO_ONDEMAND_MEMORY to OFF

(Saves memory by not allocating video buffer)

VIDEO_ROM_EMULATION to ON

(Speeds processing by putting ROM in RAM)

VIDEO_SWITCH_NOTIFICATION to ON

(Lets app know when switching to full screen mode)

VIDEO_8514_XGA_IOTRAP to OFF (Only for 8514 Cards)

Eliminates 8514 video buffer overhead)

XMS_HANDLES to 32

(For mapping HMA)

XMS MEMORY_LIMIT to 0

(Not using XMS memory)

XMS_MINIMUM_HMA to 0

(Any HMA request will be filled)

With these settings, you can expect to get a frame rate of roughly 70% of that of DOS (your mileage may vary). You will find that if you had memory manager problems before, OS/2 is much more stable and less likely to crash and burn.

If you have any comments, please feel free to address my CIS UID at 70031,435.

Eric Pinnell