The purpose of this file to enable you to use high-resolution text modes available from various manufactures of "Super VGA's" (and some "Super EGA's).If you are content to run with the 80 column by 25, 43, 50 row modes, readno further. TOP can support high resolution video modes on many VGA systems. Not only will TOP set the requested mode, it will maintain this mode between programs which reset the mode to a lower resolution. Finally, you can use that big screen! But before you get too excited, remember that many ANSI.SYS drivers are not compatible with these modes. Therefore, you may need to remove ANSI.SYS from your CONFIG.SYS file and reboot your computer before seeing the "big picture". Try running TOP's video setup utility, called TOPVIDEO. It can show you what video modes are available on your system and demonstrate each one. After you decide which is best for you, TOPVIDEO can automatically update the TOP.INI file to reflect your choice. To start TOPVIDEO, change to the TOP directory and type: TOPVIDEO Or, after a default TOP installation, TOPVIDEO can also be started by typing The table below contains a partial list of available video modes. However, TOPVIDEO will assist you in determining which modes are available in your system (also see "Handling Programs Lacking VGA Support" after the table): (Ahead) Ahead V5000 - Ahead VGA Wizard/Deluxe -------------------------------------------------------------------- 132 Columns 44 Rows, VideoMode=34 (EGA Monitor) 132 Columns 25 Rows, VideoMode=35 (EGA Monitor) 132 Columns 28 Rows, VideoMode=36 (EGA Monitor) 160 Columns 50 Rows, VideoMode=47 (EGA Monitor) 80 Columns 66 Rows, VideoMode=52 (Super VGA Monitor) 132 Columns 25 Rows, VideoMode=80 (MDA Monitor) - monochrome 132 Columns 44 Rows, VideoMode=82 (MDA Monitor) - monochrome (ATI) ATI 18800 - ATI 18810 - ATI VGAWONDER -------------------------------------------------------------------- 132 Columns 25 Rows, VideoMode=35 (EGA Monitor) 132 Columns 25 Rows, VideoMode=39 (EGA Monitor) - monochrome 132 Columns 44 Rows, VideoMode=51 (EGA Monitor) 132 Columns 44 Rows, VideoMode=55 (EGA Monitor) - monochrome (Cirrus) Cirrus Logic 510, 520 - MaxLogic MaxVGA -------------------------------------------------------------------- 132 Columns 25 Rows, VideoMode=21 (MDA Monitor) 132 Columns 44 Rows, VideoMode=22 (MDA Monitor) 132 Columns 30 Rows, VideoMode=24 (Multisync Monitor) 132 Columns 25 Rows, VideoMode=30 (CGA Monitor) 132 Columns 25 Rows, VideoMode=31 (EGA Monitor) 132 Columns 44 Rows, VideoMode=32 (EGA Monitor) 132 Columns 30 Rows, VideoMode=34 (Super VGA Monitor) 100 Columns 37 Rows, VideoMode=49 (Super VGA Monitor) - monochrome (Chips) Chips and Technologies - Boca 1024VGA -------------------------------------------------------------------- 132 Columns 25 Rows, VideoMode=96 (VGA Monitor) 132 Columns 50 Rows, VideoMode=97 (VGA Monitor) (Compaq) Compaq Integrated VGA -------------------------------------------------------------------- 132 Columns 43 Rows, VideoMode=24 (VGA Monitor) - monochrome 132 Columns 25 Rows, VideoMode=25 (VGA Monitor) - monochrome 132 Columns 28 Rows, VideoMode=26 (VGA Monitor) - monochrome 132 Columns 50 Rows, VideoMode=27 (VGA Monitor) - monochrome 132 Columns 60 Rows, VideoMode=28 (VGA Monitor) - monochrome 132 Columns 43 Rows, VideoMode=34 (VGA Monitor) 132 Columns 25 Rows, VideoMode=35 (VGA Monitor) 132 Columns 28 Rows, VideoMode=36 (VGA Monitor) 132 Columns 50 Rows, VideoMode=39 (VGA Monitor) 132 Columns 60 Rows, VideoMode=40 (VGA Monitor) (Genoa) Genoa SuperVGA -------------------------------------------------------------------- 80 Columns 20 Rows, VideoMode=67 (VGA Monitor) - monochrome 80 Columns 32 Rows, VideoMode=68 (VGA Monitor) - monochrome 80 Columns 44 Rows, VideoMode=69 (VGA Monitor) - monochrome 132 Columns 25 Rows, VideoMode=70 (VGA Monitor) - monochrome 132 Columns 29 Rows, VideoMode=71 (VGA Monitor) - monochrome 132 Columns 32 Rows, VideoMode=72 (VGA Monitor) - monochrome 132 Columns 44 Rows, VideoMode=73 (VGA Monitor) - monochrome 80 Columns 32 Rows, VideoMode=88 (VGA Monitor) 132 Columns 25 Rows, VideoMode=96 (VGA Monitor) 132 Columns 29 Rows, VideoMode=97 (VGA Monitor) 132 Columns 32 Rows, VideoMode=98 (VGA Monitor) 132 Columns 44 Rows, VideoMode=99 (VGA Monitor) 132 Columns 60 Rows, VideoMode=100 (VGA Monitor) 80 Columns 60 Rows, VideoMode=114 (VGA Monitor) 80 Columns 66 Rows, VideoMode=116 (VGA Monitor) 100 Columns 75 Rows, VideoMode=120 (VGA Monitor) (Video7) Headland HT-208 (V7VGA) - Video Seven VGA1024i -------------------------------------------------------------------- 80 Columns 43 Rows, VideoMode=64 (VGA Monitor) 132 Columns 25 Rows, VideoMode=65 (VGA Monitor) 132 Columns 43 Rows, VideoMode=66 (VGA Monitor) 80 Columns 60 Rows, VideoMode=67 (VGA Monitor) 100 Columns 60 Rows, VideoMode=68 (VGA Monitor) 132 Columns 28 Rows, VideoMode=69 (VGA Monitor) (Everex) Everex Viewpoint -------------------------------------------------------------------- 80 Columns 34 Rows, VideoMode=259 (VGA Monitor) 80 Columns 60 Rows, VideoMode=260 (VGA Monitor) 100 Columns 43 Rows, VideoMode=263 (Super VGA Monitor) 100 Columns 75 Rows, VideoMode=264 (Super VGA Monitor) 132 Columns 25 Rows, VideoMode=266 (EGA Monitor) 132 Columns 44 Rows, VideoMode=267 (EGA Monitor) 132 Columns 25 Rows, VideoMode=268 (CGA Monitor) 132 Columns 25 Rows, VideoMode=270 (MDA Monitor) - monochrome 132 Columns 44 Rows, VideoMode=271 (MDA Monitor) - monochrome 80 Columns 30 Rows, VideoMode=278 (VGA Monitor) 100 Columns 37 Rows, VideoMode=280 (Super VGA Monitor) 132 Columns 30 Rows, VideoMode=320 (VGA Monitor) 132 Columns 30 Rows, VideoMode=336 (VGA Monitor) - monochrome (Trident) Trident 8800CS - ZyMOS Poach51 - TrueTech HiRes VGA -------------------------------------------------------------------- 80 Columns 30 Rows, VideoMode=80 (VGA Monitor) 80 Columns 43 Rows, VideoMode=81 (VGA Monitor) 80 Columns 60 Rows, VideoMode=82 (VGA Monitor) 132 Columns 25 Rows, VideoMode=83 (Super VGA Monitor) 132 Columns 30 Rows, VideoMode=84 (VGA Monitor) 132 Columns 43 Rows, VideoMode=85 (VGA Monitor) 132 Columns 60 Rows, VideoMode=86 (Super VGA Monitor) 132 Columns 25 Rows, VideoMode=87 (Super VGA Monitor) 132 Columns 30 Rows, VideoMode=88 (VGA Monitor) - monochrome 132 Columns 43 Rows, VideoMode=89 (VGA Monitor) - monochrome 132 Columns 60 Rows, VideoMode=90 (Super VGA Monitor) (Tseng) Tseng ET3000 - STB VGA EM-16 -------------------------------------------------------------------- 132 Columns 44 Rows, VideoMode=24 (Super VGA Monitor) - monochrome 132 Columns 25 Rows, VideoMode=25 (Super VGA Monitor) - monochrome 132 Columns 28 Rows, VideoMode=26 (Super VGA Monitor) - monochrome 132 Columns 44 Rows, VideoMode=34 (Super VGA Monitor) 132 Columns 25 Rows, VideoMode=35 (Super VGA Monitor) 132 Columns 28 Rows, VideoMode=36 (Super VGA Monitor) 80 Columns 60 Rows, VideoMode=38 (VGA Monitor) (Paradise) Western Digital WD90C00 - Western Digital Paradise VGA 1024 -------------------------------------------------------------------- 132 Columns 43 Rows, VideoMode=84 (VGA Monitor) 132 Columns 25 Rows, VideoMode=85 (VGA Monitor) 132 Columns 43 Rows, VideoMode=86 (VGA Monitor) - monochrome 132 Columns 25 Rows, VideoMode=87 (VGA Monitor) - monochrome Handling Programs Lacking VGA Support ------------------------------------- Amazingly, even though VGA extended modes have been around a fairly long time, there are still a lot of applications around that do not take advantage of them. Many older programs even have the same problem as DOS in that they assume your screen is in a 25 line text mode and when they start up, they do not verify or set it! To help you solve this problem, TOP includes a fast video mode setting utility, called VIDEO, which you can use to quickly set the mode prior to running these programs. Since TOP always restores the mode after any program is run, you must include the VIDEO command in a compound command, alias, fkey, or batch file. For example, suppose you find your favorite editor only seems to work in a 25 line mode. You might type: c:\>video co80 ^ editor Or you could define an alias, called ed: c:\>alias ed video co80^editor %* and always start your editor using the alias. Also see HELP for VIDEO. Extended VGA Support and MS Windows (tm) ---------------------------------------- Unfortunately, if running TOP under MS Windows, a limitation in MS Windows will prevent your VGA monitor and adapter from being switched to any mode other than the "standard" VGA modes, ie. 80 columns by 25, 43, or 50 rows. This applies to any DOS program running under MS Windows, including TOP, when operating in 386 enhanced or standard mode. If you have specified an extended VGA mode in your TOP.INI file, and then start TOP under Windows, TOP will inform you you are unable to set the requested video mode. We are presently searching for workarounds to this problem.