COLORNNGS


     By Kelly Roach.  Last revised 5-Dec-85.  Comments and queries can be directed to ROACH.PA@XEROX.ARPA.
     The IJCAI 1985 show featured an Interlisp-D color window system based on a version of this package.  I expect that this advanced high level software will become available with the Lute release.  Color windows did not make it into Koto because of Xerox desires to concentrate on the launch of the 1185 and other Koto issues and color windows was seen as too major a change at too late a point in the development cycle for Koto.  I am very optimistic about a Lute release however.  This Koto-compatible package provides basic 8 bit per pixel color, but without the color window system.
     This package is the Interlisp-D software driver for Number Nine Computer Corporation's Revolution 512 x 8 color card.  You need a Xerox 1108 with Extended Processor Option (CPE), Xerox Busmaster card, an IBM PC expansion chasis, a Number Nine Computer Corporation Revolution 512 x 8 color card, and a third party color display.  Please contact your Xerox representative for details concerning acquiring and setting up all the required hardware.
     Assuming you have all the hardware you need, turn it all on.  This means

     (1) Your 1108 is running Interlisp-D.
     (2) Your PC expansion chassis is plugged in and powered on.
     (3) A cable connects between your 1108 CPE board and your Busmaster board.  (The Busmaster board does not go into the 1108, but should rest outside the 1108.)
     (4) Another cable connects between your PC expansion chassis and your Busmaster board.
     (5) A pair of purple and orange wires connects your Busmaster board to the +5V/Gnd power supply terminals on the side of your 1108.
     (6) Your Number Nine Revolution 512 x 8 board is plugged into the PC expansion chassis.
     (7) Your color display is plugged in and powered on.
     (8) Three cables for red, green, and blue signal connect your Number Nine card to your color display.

Any reconnections that involve (3), (4), or (5) should be made while your 1108 is off.  Until you issue some software commands, a black display is normal.
     Once your hardware is on, you can proceed to issue software commands to your hardware.  You should have the COLORNNGS package already LOADed from your LISPUSERS directory.  That is, you've already done something like (LOAD '<LISPUSERS>COLORNNGS.DCOM).  I suggest that at this point you follow this documentation along with the documentation for COLOR described in section 19.16 of the 1983 Interlisp Reference Manual and the 1986 Lisp Library Packages Manual.  If you now type
     (COLORDISPLAY T 8)
your display will now change from total black to a monochrome dark green.  There should be a noticable flicker on your color display, followed by what can be taken to be an abstract pattern representing the contents of the Number Nine card's RAM when the PC chassis was turned on, followed by a dark green wall covering up this abstract pattern.  There are now some simple tests you can do to satisfy yourself that your hardware is working.  Here is a small list of things to try:
    (SETQ CSBM (COLORSCREENBITMAP))
    (BLTSHADE 'WHITE CSBM)
    (BLTSHADE 'RED CSBM)
    (BLTSHADE 'GREEN CSBM)
    (BLTSHADE 'BLUE CSBM)
    (SETQ DS (DSPCREATE CSBM))
    (DRAWLINE 0 0 500 500 10 'REPLACE DS 'YELLOW)
    (DRAWLINE 500 0 0 500 10 'REPLACE DS 'CYAN)
Assuming all has gone well to this point, you should now be able to try all the functions described in the COLOR package documentation.  Most should work, although you may discover some bugs, that have already been noted and fixed in the color window system but remain in KOTO.  The COLORDEMO package is a good source of test programs to try--(LOAD 'COLORDEMO.DCOM) to get this package.  Both COLOR and COLORDEMO documentation should be in your Lisp Library Packages Manual.