1VBE Display API
2-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3  This document is part of the Bochs/VBEBios documentation,
4  it specifies the bochs host <-> vbebios client communication.
5
6  That means, the display code implementation and the vbebios code depend
7  very heavily on each other. As such, this documents needs be synchronised
8  between bochs CVS and the vgabios CVS.
9
10  This document does not describe how the VBEBios implements the VBE2/3 spec.
11  This document does not describe how the Bochs display code will display gfx based upon this spec.
12
13
14API History
15-----------
160xb0c0            supports the following VBE_DISPI_ interfaces (present in Bochs 1.4):
17                  VBE_DISPI_INDEX_ID
18                  VBE_DISPI_INDEX_XRES
19                  VBE_DISPI_INDEX_YRES
20                  VBE_DISPI_INDEX_BPP
21                  VBE_DISPI_INDEX_ENABLE
22                  VBE_DISPI_INDEX_BANK
23
24                  Bpp format supported is:
25                  VBE_DISPI_BPP_8
26
270xb0c1            supports 0xb0c0 VBE_DISPI_ interfaces, additional interfaces (present in Bochs 2.0):
28                  VBE_DISPI_INDEX_VIRT_WIDTH
29                  VBE_DISPI_INDEX_VIRT_HEIGHT
30                  VBE_DISPI_INDEX_X_OFFSET
31                  VBE_DISPI_INDEX_Y_OFFSET
32
330xb0c2            supports 0xb0c1 VBE_DISPI_ interfaces, interfaces updated for
34                  additional features (present in Bochs 2.1):
35                  VBE_DISPI_INDEX_BPP supports >8bpp color depth (value = bits)
36                  VBE_DISPI_INDEX_ENABLE supports new flags VBE_DISPI_NOCLEARMEM and VBE_DISPI_LFB_ENABLED
37                  VBE i/o registers changed from 0xFF80/81 to 0x01CE/CF
38
390xb0c3            supports 0xb0c2 VBE_DISPI_ interfaces, interfaces updated for
40                  additional features:
41                  VBE_DISPI_INDEX_ENABLE supports new flags VBE_DISPI_GETCAPS and VBE_DISPI_8BIT_DAC
42
430xb0c4            VBE video memory increased to 8 MB
44
45
46History
47-------
48  Version 0.6     2002 Nov 23  Jeroen Janssen
49                  - Added LFB support
50                  - Added Virt width, height and x,y offset
51
52  Version 0.5     2002 March 08   Jeroen Janssen
53                  - Added documentation about panic behaviour / current limits of the data values.
54                  - Changed BPP API (in order to include future (A)RGB formats)
55                  - Initial version (based upon extended display text of the vbe bochs display patch)
56
57
58Todo
59----
60  Version 0.6+    [random order]
61                  - Add lots of different (A)RGB formats
62
63References
64----------
65  [VBE3]          VBE 3 Specification at
66                  http://www.vesa.org/vbe3.pdf
67
68  [BOCHS]         Bochs Open Source IA-32 Emulator at
69                  http://bochs.sourceforge.net
70
71  [VBEBIOS]       VBE Bios for Bochs at
72                  http://savannah.gnu.org/projects/vgabios/
73
74  [Screenshots]   Screenshots of programs using the VBE Bios at
75                  http://japj.org/projects/bochs_plex86/screenshots.html
76
77Abbreviations
78-------------
79  VBE             Vesa Bios Extension
80  DISPI           (Bochs) Display Interface
81  BPP             Bits Per Pixel
82  LFB             Linear Frame Buffer
83
84
85#defines
86--------
87vbetables-gen.c
88  #define VBE_DISPI_TOTAL_VIDEO_MEMORY_MB 8
89
90vbe.h
91  #define VBE_DISPI_BANK_ADDRESS          0xA0000
92  #define VBE_DISPI_BANK_SIZE_KB          64
93
94  #define VBE_DISPI_MAX_XRES              1024
95  #define VBE_DISPI_MAX_YRES              768
96
97  #define VBE_DISPI_IOPORT_INDEX          0x01CE
98  #define VBE_DISPI_IOPORT_DATA           0x01CF
99
100  #define VBE_DISPI_INDEX_ID              0x0
101  #define VBE_DISPI_INDEX_XRES            0x1
102  #define VBE_DISPI_INDEX_YRES            0x2
103  #define VBE_DISPI_INDEX_BPP             0x3
104  #define VBE_DISPI_INDEX_ENABLE          0x4
105  #define VBE_DISPI_INDEX_BANK            0x5
106  #define VBE_DISPI_INDEX_VIRT_WIDTH      0x6
107  #define VBE_DISPI_INDEX_VIRT_HEIGHT     0x7
108  #define VBE_DISPI_INDEX_X_OFFSET        0x8
109  #define VBE_DISPI_INDEX_Y_OFFSET        0x9
110
111  #define VBE_DISPI_ID0                   0xB0C0
112  #define VBE_DISPI_ID1                   0xB0C1
113  #define VBE_DISPI_ID2                   0xB0C2
114  #define VBE_DISPI_ID3                   0xB0C3
115  #define VBE_DISPI_ID4                   0xB0C4
116
117  #define VBE_DISPI_DISABLED              0x00
118  #define VBE_DISPI_ENABLED               0x01
119  #define VBE_DISPI_VBE_ENABLED           0x40
120  #define VBE_DISPI_NOCLEARMEM            0x80
121
122  #define VBE_DISPI_LFB_PHYSICAL_ADDRESS  0xE0000000
123
124API
125---
126  The display api works by using a index (VBE_DISPI_IOPORT_INDEX) and
127  data (VBE_DISPI_IOPORT_DATA) ioport. One writes the index of the parameter to the index port.
128  Next, the parameter value can be read or written.
129
130[0xb0c0]
131  * VBE_DISPI_INDEX_ID  : WORD {R,W}
132    This parameter can be used to detect the current display API (both bochs & vbebios).
133    The bios writes VBE_DISPI_ID0 to the dataport and reads it back again.
134    This way, the display code knows the vbebios 'ID' and the vbebios can check if the correct
135    display code is present.
136    As a result, a PANIC can be generated if an incompatible vbebios/display code combination is detected.
137    This panic can be generated from the bochs display code (NOT the bios, see Notes).
138
139    Example values: VBE_DISPI_ID0
140
141  * VBE_DISPI_INDEX_XRES : WORD {R,W}
142    This parameter can be used to read/write the vbe display X resolution (in pixels).
143    It's illegal to set the XRES when the VBE is enabled (display code should generate PANIC).
144
145    If the value written exceeds VBE_DISPI_MAX_XRES, the display code needs to generate a PANIC.
146
147    Example values:   320,640,800,1024
148
149  * VBE_DISPI_INDEX_YRES : WORD {R,W}
150    This parameter can be used to read/write the vbe display Y resolution (in pixels).
151    It's illegal to set the YRES when the VBE is enabled (display code should generate PANIC).
152
153    If the value written exceeds VBE_DISPI_MAX_YRES, the display code needs to generate a PANIC.
154
155    Example values:   200,400,480,600,768
156
157  * VBE_DISPI_INDEX_BPP : WORD {R,W}
158    This parameter can be used to read/write the vbe display BPP.
159    It's illegal to set the BPP when the VBE is enabled (display code should generate PANIC).
160
161    If the value written is an incompatible BPP, the display code needs to generate a PANIC.
162
163    Example values:   VBE_DISPI_BPP_8
164
165  * VBE_DISPI_INDEX_ENABLE : WORD {R,W}
166    This parameter can be used to read/write the vbe ENABLED state.
167    If the bios writes VBE_DISPI_ENABLED then the display code will setup a hostside display mode
168    with the current XRES, YRES and BPP settings.
169    If the bios write VBE_DISPI_DISABLED then the display code will switch back to normal vga mode behaviour.
170
171    Example values: VBE_DISPI_ENABLED, VBE_DISPI_DISABLED
172
173  * VBE_DISPI_INDEX_BANK : WORD {R,W}
174    This parameter can be used to read/write the current selected BANK (at 0xA0000).
175    This can be used for switching banks in banked mode.
176
177[0xb0c1]
178  * VBE_DISPI_INDEX_VIRT_WIDTH : WORD {R,W}
179    This parameter can be used to read/write the current virtual width.
180    Upon enabling a mode, this will be set to the current xres
181    Setting this field during enabled mode will result in the virtual width to be changed.
182    Value will be adjusted if current setting is not possible.
183
184  * VBE_DISPI_INDEX_VIRT_HEIGHT : WORD {R}
185    This parameter can be read in order to obtain the current virtual height.
186    This setting will be adjusted after setting a virtual width in order to stay within limit of video memory.
187
188  * VBE_DISPI_INDEX_X_OFFSET : WORD {R,W}
189    The current X offset (in pixels!) of the visible screen part.
190    Writing a new offset will also result in a complete screen refresh.
191
192  * VBE_DISPI_INDEX_Y_OFFSET : WORD {R,W}
193    The current Y offset (in pixels!) of the visible screen part.
194    Writing a new offset will also result in a complete screen refresh.
195
196
197[0xb0c2]
198  * VBE_DISPI_INDEX_BPP : WORD {R,W}
199    The value written is now the number of bits per pixel. A value of 0 is treated
200    the same as 8 for backward compatibilty. These values are supported: 8, 15,
201    16, 24 and 32. The value of 4 is not yet handled in the VBE code.
202  * VBE_DISPI_INDEX_ENABLE : WORD {R,W}
203    The new flag VBE_DISPI_NOCLEARMEM allows to preserve the VBE video memory.
204    The new flag VBE_DISPI_LFB_ENABLED indicates the usage of the LFB.
205
206[0xb0c3]
207  * VBE_DISPI_INDEX_ENABLE : WORD {R,W}
208    If the new flag VBE_DISPI_GETCAPS is enabled, the xres, yres and bpp registers
209    return the gui capabilities.
210    The new flag VBE_DISPI_8BIT_DAC switches the DAC to 8 bit mode.
211
212[0xb0c4]
213  * VBE_DISPI_TOTAL_VIDEO_MEMORY_MB set to 8 (moved to auto-generated vbetables.h)
214
215Displaying GFX (banked mode)
216--------------
217  What happens is that the total screen is devided in banks of 'VBE_DISPI_BANK_SIZE_KB' KiloByte in size.
218  If you want to set a pixel you can calculate its bank by doing:
219
220    offset = pixel_x + pixel_y * resolution_x;
221    bank = offset / 64 Kb (rounded 1.9999 -> 1)
222
223    bank_pixel_pos = offset - bank * 64Kb
224
225  Now you can set the current bank and put the pixel at VBE_DISPI_BANK_ADDRESS + bank_pixel_pos
226
227Displaying GFX (linear frame buffer mode)
228--------------
229  NOT WRITTEN YET
230
231Notes
232-----
233  * Since the XRES/YRES/BPP may not be written when VBE is enabled, if you want to switch from one VBE mode
234    to another, you will need to disable VBE first.
235
236  * Note when the bios doesn't find a valid DISPI_ID, it can disable the VBE functions. This allows people to
237    use the same bios for both vbe enabled and disabled bochs executables.
238