Queries in 80x86 Assembly Language Programming

8086 Assembly language programming posted Today 06:59 PM
(post #10)

Hey guys, i'm writing a code in assembly language using Turbo Assembler 2.0. If anybody out there is using it too then maybe you can help me with my question. ( I just hope cheeseball can read this.)

I'm creating in assembly language a game. To provide a good user interface i have a module
which invokes function 06h of BIOS int 10h to
create a window (with shadow). the width and height of the window depends on the coordinates passed into the stack. the color is also passed to the stack.

(i'll just strip the lines which gets parameters from the stack)

In assembly, I'll only invoke function 06 of int 10 like this:

module proc near
;(assume that these comment lines are the codes which get parameters
;(from the stack

mov ah, 06 ; create window
mov al, 00
mov bh, 17h ; assume that these are the actual parameters
mov cx, 0a14h
mov dx, 143dh
int 10h

ret
module endp

now, my problem is when i try to remove the window, the underlying screen data is removed too.

how do i display this window so that when i remove it, the underlying data is also preserved?
And, how do I allocate memory dynamically in assembly?

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Hello frz,
I might can point U in the right direction, but I use NASM for assembling code. Even thou that really doesn't matter which assembler you use the code will be the same just different in invoking the assembler. Looking at your code:

Quote:

mov ah,06
mov al, 00
mov bh, 17h
mov cx, 0a14h
mov dx, 143dh

First why write a 16-bit game? Nevermind! Still let's optimise this code.

mov ah, 06h ;2bytes
mov al, 00h ;2bytes
;total 4 bytes
replace with:
mov ax 0600h ;3 bytes, save one
(U don't have to use my suggest it's only purpose is for faster execution )

OK back to your ? Memory try : 48ah -allocates mem
bx - # of paragraphs of mem requested
int 21h

There is different ways of doing this with different interrupts. Get a copy of Ralf Brown's Interrupt list it contains documented and undocumented int's and functions.

[shadow]asm will give U a rope to hang yourself if not careful[/shadow]

HI phaza27. Thanks for the kind words. Well, I'm writing a 16-bit game for the simple reason that I wanted to challenge myself how to create a really functional program in assembly language. I want to feel the thrill.

Yes, I tried to use function 48 of interrupt 21. I tried to allocate a memory dynamically of 4k bytes (4*1024) but you know what? it returns an error and returns the highest memory that can be allocated in BX which is BX=0004!

gosh! I can't work on with 4 bytes of memory ( that is if 0004 is really 0004 not 0400 (you know, back-words storage)! I tried anyway to allocate memory greater than 0004 and i still have an error. I run the program in DOS 6.22 (gee!) and also used mem to see the memory blocks and i found i have lots of them. So, what do you think is wrong? And by the way,
I still have my old problem: that is, let's say I have a screenful of data , well, on the screen. Now, I want to display the window on top of it by calling my module which invokes function 06 of interrupt 10. Now, after displaying the window in the given coordinates with the given width and height and deciding to remove it and go back to the original screenful of data, it leaves a gaping hollow square right on the screen. So, how do I display the window in such a way that when I remove it, the underlying data is still there?

(i'll try also to check out ralph brown's interrupt list. ciao! thanks by the way for taking the time to reply.)

Try using int2f it is also use to allocate mem for as your screen poblem I will look around and C If i can help.

Thanks a lot. I'll try to explore int2f. And I still haven't had the chance to see ralph brown's interrupt list.

OK, I don't quite remember how this works, but you have
four display pages of video memory available.

Code:

mov ax,0003 ;set video mode #3 (also clears screen) int 10 ;BIOS video services mov ax,09db ;write character # DB hex mov bx,0001 ;display page #0,char attribute #01 (blue) mov cx,07d0 ;# of repetitions of char to fill screen int 10 ;BIOS video services

The above code will fill the screen with blue characters, effectively
turning the screen blue.
The line that says MOV BX, 0001 uses display page 00, because
BH is set to 00

If I said MOV BX, 0101, Iwould be using display page 01.
Now, I don't know the details in your case, but if you set up
your window in another display page than the default 00,
you may preserve the other page beneath it, so it will still
be there when the window is gone.
:cool:

thanks rcgreen. it works!

hi rcgreen. thanks for the nice tip. I see what you mean. Yes, there are four 'display pages' in video memory. and by using different video page other than the default page of my program, I I can 'pop-up' my window on the new video page and then switch to my default page to go back to my previous screen data. In this case, the data is preserved.

Yes it works!!!

But one thing I noticed is this: when i display the characters in a different video page, the old screen is 'lost' (it's as if I executed a command to clear the screen and then display the window afterwards. it would be very nice however if my window just 'float' above my screen data just like how other programs work) and i'm left with the single window on the new screen. ( but of course, when i switch back to my old screen page the data is back).

What I want to happen is this: to display the new window on top of my previous screen data without 'clearing the screen' and then remove the window without leaving a hollow area and return to my previous screen data.

I'll keep working on it and I'll tell you the update about my program in assembly. And then if I have some difficulty, I'll just tell you about it. Ok?

Thanks a lot.
In our country ( philippines ) we say 'salamat', which means thank you. :)
Again, salamat.