DoubleSpace User Interface Text Not Visible on Plasma Display (98512)



The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft MS-DOS operating system 6.0

This article was previously published under Q98512

SYMPTOMS

When you run DoubleSpace on some plasma display screens, some highlighted screens and some color combinations are not viewable. For example, when you select a menu, you may be unable to see the selected command.

There is no way to directly change the default colors or the video display.

WORKAROUND

You can work around this problem by using Debug to edit DBLSPACE.EXE and change the default colors.

NOTE: This procedure works for the DBLSPACE.EXE file provided with MS-DOS 6.0 (dated 3-10-93 with a size of 274484 bytes). It does not work with the DBLSPACE.EXE file provided on the Conversion Disk for Users of Stacker.

  1. Make a backup copy of your DBLSPACE.EXE file. To do this, type the following at the MS-DOS command prompt and then press ENTER:

    copy c:\dos\dblspace.exe c:\dos\dblspexe.sav

  2. Rename DBLSPACE.EXE before running Debug. To do this, type the following at the MS-DOS command prompt and then press ENTER:

    ren dblspace.exe dblspace.bw

  3. Run Debug and edit the DBLSPACE.BW file. To do this, type the following at the MS-DOS command prompt and then press ENTER:

    debug dblspace.bw

  4. Follow the steps shown in the table below. Press ENTER after each command shown in the "Command to ENTER:" column.

    NOTE: Debug displays a segment address in place of the "xxxx" shown below. For example, if the segment address is 2C0E, Debug displays the following after you enter the first edit command:

    2C0E:0BA4 74.

    In the commands where this segment address is represented with a "Yxxx", use a segment address that is calculated as follows:

    Add 3 to the left digit shown in the segment address (represented by "xxxx") that appears after you enter the first edit command. For example, if "xxxx" is equal to 2C0E, use 5C0E for the segment address in all commands that specify "Yxxx".
       Debug                  Command to
       Prompts                Enter                 Comment
       -----------------------------------------------------------------
    
       -                      e 0ba4                Edit 0BA4
       xxxx:0BA4   74.        90                      Replace 74 with 90
       -                      e 0ba5                Edit 0BA5
       xxxx:0BA5   07.        90                      Replace 07 with 90
       -                      e Yxxx:a097           Edit Yxxx:A097
       Yxxx:A097   07.        00                      Replace 07 with 00
       -                      e Yxxx:a098           Edit Yxxx:A098
       Yxxx:A098   00.        07                      Replace 00 with 07
       -                      e Yxxx:a0a7           Edit Yxxx:A0A7
       Yxxx:A0A7  00.         07                      Replace 00 with 07
       -                      e Yxxx:a0a8           Edit Yxxx:A0A8
       Yxxx:A0A8  07.         00                      Replace 07 with 00
       -                      e Yxxx:a0b7           Edit Yxxx:A0B7
       Yxxx:A0B7  00.         07                      Replace 00 with 07
       -                      e Yxxx:a0b8           Edit Yxxx:A0B8
       Yxxx:A0B8  07.         00                      Replace 07 with 00
       -                      w                       Write file to disk.
       Writing 43034 bytes
       -                      q                       Quit Debug
    						
  5. Rename DBLSPACE.BW so that it can be used. To do this, type the following at the MS-DOS command prompt and then press ENTER:

    ren dblspace.bw dblspace.exe

Patch Locations in DBLSPACE.EXE

The following are patch locations that are changed using the above Debug script. If you prefer, you can use a hex editor to make these changes.
            Original    New
OFFSET:    Value       Value
-------------------------------------------------------

00000AA4:    74         90    ; force monochrome colors
00000AA5:    07         90    ; force monochrome colors
00039F97:    07         00    ; change menu highlight
00039F98:    00         07    ; change menu highlight
00039FA7:    00         07    ; change list box color for options
00039FA8:    07         00    ; change list box color for options
00039FB7:    00         07    ; change hot key highlight when selected
00039FB8:    07         00    ; change hot key highlight when selected
				

Other Options

You can also work around this problem by using the command-line interface or by pressing the PRINT SCREEN key to view the DoubleSpace screens. Although the screens don't display with viewable colors, they do print correctly.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in the MS-DOS 6.0 DoubleSpace user interface. We are researching this problem and will post new information here in the Microsoft Knowledge Base as it becomes available.

Modification Type:MajorLast Reviewed:11/22/1999
Keywords:KB98512