Third-Party TSR for Printing Hercules Graphics Screens (36738)

SUMMARY

The GRAPHICS.COM utility [a terminate-and-stay-resident (TSR) program] provided with MS-DOS Versions 2.x through 3.x supports printing of graphics in CGA SCREEN modes 1 and 2 to Epson-compatible printers, but does NOT support printing Hercules graphics SCREEN 3. [While GRAPHICS.COM provided with MS-DOS 4.00 supports screen dumps to Epson printers for EGA and VGA SCREEN modes (7 through 13), it still doesn't support Hercules.]

A TSR can be obtained from Hercules Computer Technology that may enable printing Hercules graphics screens. Details on obtaining this TSR are given below.

This article applies to QuickBasic Versions 4.00, 4.00b, and 4.50, to Microsoft Basic Compiler Version 6.00 and 6.00b for MS-DOS, and to Microsoft Basic PDS Version 7.00 for MS-DOS.

MORE INFORMATION

Once you have installed GRAPHICS.COM, the graphics screen dump ability is enabled for the PRINT SCREEN key (or SHIFT+PRINT SCREEN on nonenhanced keyboards) and for the equivalent CALL to hardware interrupt 5. However, GRAPHICS.COM doesn't support Hercules graphics SCREEN 3. Hercules memory is arranged in a fashion incompatible with GRAPHICS.COM.

Hercules Computer Technology provides two TSR software drivers that allow dumping either page of Hercules graphics memory to a printer. HGC and HPRINT are available as a combined set by calling Hercules Technical Support at (415) 540-0749. These drivers work correctly with the IBM EGA or VGA graphics.

Microsoft has not officially tested these products with QuickBasic and makes no guarantees of compatibility. According to customers who have these drivers, they work properly with QuickBasic Version 4.00. As always, you should be careful using any memory-resident program with QuickBasic.

As an alternative to the above products, if you would like a QuickBasic program that can perform a Hercules graphics screen dump, search for the following words:

Hercules and Epson and screen and print and QuickBasic

Note: QuickBasic versions earlier than Version 4.00 have no support for Hercules-monochrome graphics adapters.

Hercules-compatible monochrome graphics is provided in QuickBasic 4.00 and later. Hercules graphics mode is invoked with SCREEN 3. To invoke SCREEN 3, the Hercules support-driver must be loaded. This driver is called QBHERC.COM in QuickBasic Versions 4.00 and 4.00b and in the Basic compiler Versions 6.00 and 6.00b. This driver is called MSHERC.COM in QuickBasic 4.50 and in Basic PDS 7.00.