Appoint Mouse Pen and Windows Version 3.0 (68829)

SUMMARY

The Appoint Mouse Pen operates properly under Windows version 3.0 if you choose "Microsoft or IBM PS/2" mouse as the pointing device from the Windows Setup program. You can use the Microsoft MOUSE.SYS or MOUSE.COM file as a mouse driver for MS-DOS applications.

Appoint provides an MS-DOS applications driver for its Mouse Pen, although it doesn't currently have a Windows driver. Appoint claims that its mouse can be used in MS-DOS applications while a Microsoft Mouse is being used for Windows applications.

MORE INFORMATION

If you use the Mouse Pen's driver in a graphical MS-DOS application from Windows, you may be unable to access part of the application (for example, the lower half of the screen). This may occur when you return to an application after using the ALT+TAB key sequence to exit the application. This does not occur with a Microsoft Mouse driver such as MOUSE.COM or MOUSE.SYS version 7.04.

The following table was compiled when testing the compatibility of the Microsoft Mouse and Mouse Pen software and hardware:

   USING MICROSOFT DRIVER AS THE DEVICE DRIVER
   ----------------------------------------------

   COM     Microsoft  Mouse  Windows    MS-DOS
   Port    Mouse      Pen    Mouse      Mouse
   ----    ---------  -----  ---------  ---------

   COM1    COM1       COM2   Microsoft  Microsoft
   COM1    COM2       COM1   Microsoft  Mouse Pen
   COM2    COM1       COM2   Microsoft  None
   COM2    COM2       COM1   Microsoft  Microsoft

   USING MOUSE PEN DRIVER AS THE DEVICE DRIVER
   ----------------------------------------------

   COM     Microsoft  Mouse  Windows    MS-DOS
   Port    Mouse      Pen    Mouse      Mouse
   ----    ---------  -----  ---------  ---------

   COM1    COM1       COM2   Microsoft  Microsoft
   COM1    COM2       COM1   Microsoft  Mouse Pen
   COM2    COM1       COM2   Mouse Pen  Mouse Pen
   COM2    COM2       COM1   Microsoft  Microsoft

The COM port is the port used for a mouse in MS-DOS applications outside of Windows. The following lines set the Microsoft Mouse to COM1 and the Mouse Pen mouse to COM2:

   DEVICE=C:\MOUSE\MOUSE.SYS /C1
   DEVICE=C:\MOUSE PEN\MOUSE.SYS /2

For example, if you set the MS-DOS mouse to the COM1 port, the Microsoft MS-DOS Mouse driver to COM2, and the Mouse Pen MS-DOS mouse driver to COM1, you can use the Microsoft Mouse in Windows and the Mouse Pen in MS-DOS applications. Similar results are obtained using a bus mouse and the Mouse Pen.

Verify the bus mouse and Mouse Pen interrupts (IRQ3 for a Mouse Pen using COM2; IRQ4 for a Mouse Pen using COM1) are different. Windows looks for the bus mouse first, regardless of the mouse configuration.

The product included here is manufactured by IMCS (Appoint); we make no warranty, implied or otherwise, regarding this product's performance or reliability.