MONY README
25-Jan-1996 (chh)

Topics covered include a description, requirements, installation
instructions, and availability.  Additional coverage on use is in the
monydemo.c, mony_api.c, and mony_api.h files.


Description
-----------
MONY.SYS is an MDA device driver for OS/2.  MDA, or monochrome display
adapater, also known as the Herc card, MGP, or just plain mono card, can
be used together with a color VGA, and both can run at the same time.
They can, that is, with proper support.  You can't get this with a base
OS/2 install, so Mony was born (TJ's Mony).

Mony is designed for the OS/2 programmer, both application level programmer
and device driver programmer.  The MDA BIOS (INT10 functions) are supported
by the Mony emulator, with a few extensions added for ease of use.  For
example, WriteString is supported, as is ReadBlock and WriteBlock.  Also,
up to 8 video pages can be used, and switched to and from instantly.  This,
of course, is not calling the ROM BIOS, but is emulating those functions in
code.

The programming interface is DosDevIOCtl calls, but an easy-to-use API
(source included) is provided that simplifies use of all the functions.
For example, WriteString is as simple as:

 ULONG MonyWriteString (HFILE monyID, PSZ strgPtr,
                       UCHAR page, UCHAR attr, UCHAR row, UCHAR col);

A demonstration program is included which covers just about all the calls
available for the application programmer.  For device driver programmers,
a brief tutorial on how to access Mony from physical device drivers is
located at the start of the mony_api.c file.  Everything you need to
evaluate Mony is included.  Continued use beyond a short evaluation time
requires payment of less than $15.00 for the individual in a non-corporate
environment.  Corporate (site) licenses are $299.50.  Ordering instructions
are included in the !ORDER.FRM file, or simply send your vitals and payment
to:  Cornel Huth/6402 Ingram Rd/San Antonio, TX 78238/USA.


Requirements
------------

 - OS/2 Warp 3.0 or later
 - Monochrome display adapter or compatible (MDA, MGP, Herc, etc.)
 - Digital/TTL monochrome display monitor

The mono video subsystem must be the non-primary display system.  In
other words, you are expected to have a VGA or similar video system
installed as the primary video subsystem.  It is not expected, nor
desired, to use the OS/2 installation of a secondary display.  OS/2
cannot make use of a secondary display concurrent with the primary
display.

For performance reasons, a VLB or PCI primary video system is
recommended.  Adding an 8-bit mono card has no effect whatsoever
on the performance of the VLB/PCI video card.  However, adding an
8-bit card into the A0000-BFFFF region on an ISA (repeat ISA) bus
causes all cards on that bus in that region to revert to 8-bit mode.
So, if you don't have a VLB or PCI primary video card, you may not
desire the performance loss of your ISA-based video card.  And again,
if you do have VLB or PCI primary video, disregard this paragraph since
it does not apply.

If you don't already have an MDA and mony (mono monitor), the going
rate is about $15 for a new MDA card (often with a printer port, and
often Herc compatible -- an MGP card, for mono, Herc-graphics,
printer-port).  Mony displays are not that hard to find.  Any used-parts
shop will have at least a few.  Going rate for a mony in good condition
is about $35.  Avoid, if you can, any monitor with burn-in (where you can
see stuff on the screen with the monitor off).  Total hardware cost is
$50 or so, if you don't have it already, and total cost, with Mony, and
everything, is under $65.


Installation
------------

MONY.SYS is an OS/2 device driver.  It is installed by adding the line

  DEVICE=MONY.SYS [-p#] [-xr] [-q]

in the config.sys file (with appropriate path, if required).  Option
switches are (use -, not /):

 -p#

where # is the video pages desired, from 1 to 8 (default=1).  To run the
monydemo.exe program, it's recommended that you set up 8 video pages (-p8).

 -xr

which you can use to bypass the Resource Manager allocations that MONY.SYS
usually makes (or attempts to make).  If you experience any problems in
installing MONY.SYS, or any other device driver, give -xr a shot.

 -q

can be used to quiet the MONY.SYS install banner, in case you like to
look at the VGA OS/2 logo instead...  The banner on the mony monitor
is always generated, and indicates that MONY.SYS installed correctly.
If you don't see anything on the mony monitor by the time you have
the desktop up and running, recheck your DEVICE= line and hardware/
connections.


Availability
------------

Current versions of MONY (filename mony_xxx.zip, where xxx is the
version number, as in mony_100.zip) can be found at:

Internet FTP:  hobbes.nmsu.edu
               /os2/drivers

         CIS:  OS2DF1
               Device Drivers file area and elsewhere

Home sites:  See below.
...........................................................................
Toolkits  [database] [sound] [utils]  |cornel@crl.com  (102504,3043)
    DOS Bullet 1.25   DOS Ruckus 1.21 | ftp://ftp.crl.com/users/co/cornel
  Win3x Bullet 1.26   W95 Bullet 2.04 |http://www.crl.com/~cornel/
 DOSX32 Bullet 2.04  OS/2 Bullet 2.04 |BBS:(210)684-8065 after business hrs
