This is...

	The documentation for the Video Mode Tester!!!
	
	(readvmt.txt, about vmt.exe).

started:
	circa 14:50 Hrs, y0-9/12-10/30.
revised:
	circa 19:55 Hrs, y0,9/12,10/30

scope:

	This document covers vmt.exe, and, also, 
	in brief, the S+6 command set, and even
	the log file produced by vmt.exe (vmt.log).
	
--->

"What is VMT?"

VMT stands for Video Mode Tester.

It is a small utility which is used to test the integrated
video driver ("vd").

"How does it work?"

:> vmt <video mode> <filename of S+6 script to run>

The < > indicate that both paraments are optional.

The default mode is compiled in as 640x400,
and the default script is "sex.cas" (which stands
for Script EXectuable.saCAS).

Um, that is... it starts up, sets the video mode,
and runs the script.

During "rest points" in the script, it plots the
point (x,y) on the screen, where x and y are
dynamic charonic variables read from the integrated
S+6 pico machine.

"What can I do with it?"

Nothing much... I mean, what else can you do with a video mode
tester, but test video modes?

"So, can't I do anything fun?"

Well, you can try...

:> vmt 19 s4.cas

"What is a 'picoms' ?"

A pico command, is a single command,
in the S+6 pico processor, the picoms
are represented in the input files (such as sex.cas)
by one line of "kode".

Unlike native assembly languages, the label markers
are included in the processed (loaded) S+6 kode. 

This is for many reasons, the most important being,
to make the logs more readable to humans. 

Speaking of which, the log file is < file://vmt.log >,
and should contain a vast amount of useful information.

One of the things which I will do in future pico machines,
is to make the various information in log files, switchable
by flags... such as disabling the logging of every single
picom as it is processed. 


---: Further reading and stuff

The S+6 command set is described in < file://sx6l.txt >.

Note that the values of x and y should be within
[0~309] and [0~199] at the "rest points" in the
script, or else, the fragile video driver will
be operating in an unstable state. 

Yes, I know I should do bounds checking, but, I haven't,
yet... koding takes time, and I'm financially challenged
at the moment.

---: Troubleshooting

Sometimes, the mode change does not work properly. 

This seems to be due to an anomoly of Windows 98. 

However, if you exit the program (just press andy key) 
and come back in, it should work fine. 

I imagine the people who did the video code for 9x live
in Texas.


--->

Hails and stuff

At this point, I don't intend to relase this tool, so I won't
bother to hail anyone up.

Praises to Lord Jehovah.

Later.

---:

Author:

Keinall "K31" Caddle,
k31@mad.scientist.com.

Mailing address:

Keiz Korner,
c/o Keinall Caddle,
Opp. Back Ivy Rd.,
My Lord's Hill,
St. Michael,
Barbados.

---] That's all, folks!
