Using INTERRUPT 15 hex for Time Increments Less Than 1 Second (65927)

SUMMARY

The resolution of the ON TIMER (n) GOSUB statement is limited to increments of 1 second.

The following are three separate methods to work around this limitation (to obtain a smaller time interval):

Use BIOS INTERRUPT 15 hex, with function 86 hex (or, in decimal, INTERRUPT 21 with function 134) for resolution at intervals of 976 microseconds (976 millionths, or .000976 of a second).
Use BIOS INTERRUPT 1A hex (26 decimal) with function 0 for a resolution at about 18.20648 ticks per second (or .05492549 seconds).
Use the ON PLAY statement for resolution at 30 times per second (or .0333333).

This article describes method 1 above. To find two additional articles, which explain methods 2 and 3, search in this Knowledge Base for the following exact words:

Basic and timer and increments and smaller and second

This information applies to Microsoft QuickBasic versions 4.00, 4.00b, and 4.50, to Microsoft Basic Compiler versions 6.00 and 6.00b for MS-DOS, and to Microsoft Basic Professional Development System (PDS) versions 7.00 and 7.10 for MS-DOS.

MORE INFORMATION

By using the INTERRUPT service routine 15 hex with function 86 hex (in decimal: INT 21 with function 134) you can delay the execution of the program for a interval of 976 microseconds. This interrupt and function work properly only on IBM AT and PS/2 class machines, and will fail on PC or XT class machines, which do not support this function. Method 2 or 3 above can be used if this INTERRUPT fails on your machine.

Note that the INTERRUPT routine is only designed for MS-DOS, and is NOT supported under OS/2 protected mode.

For more information regarding interrupts under MS-DOS, please refer to "Advanced MS-DOS Programming, Second Edition", by Ray Duncan, published by Microsoft PRESS (1988).

Sample Code

'| *******************************************************************
'|   The DELAY% function below uses an interrupt call to suspend the
'|   execution of the program for a given number of microseconds, in
'|   integrals of 976 microseconds.
'|   This program uses BIOS interrupt 15 hex with function 86 hex
'|   (or, in decimal, interrupt 21 with function 134).
'|
'|   NOTE : This interrupt only works on AT and PS/2 machines, and
'|          will fail on PC or XT class machines. The function will
'|          return a value of 1 when it fails to delay the program,
'|          and a value of 0 when it completes the call.
'|
'| *******************************************************************

DECLARE FUNCTION DELAY% (Integral AS LONG)

'|  Use the following $INCLUDE metacommand in Microsoft QuickBasic
'|  4.00/4.00b/4.50 or Basic Compiler 6.00/6.00B:
REM $INCLUDE: 'QB.BI'
'|  You must change 'QB.BI' to 'QBX.BI' above if you are using
'|  Basic PDS 7.00 or 7.10.

FUNCTION DELAY% (Integral&)
        '| Set up the register parameters used by INTERRUPT routine:
        DIM ToDOS AS RegType, FromDOS AS RegType

        '| Interrupt service 15 hex with function 86 hex will suspend
        '| the calling process for a specified interval in microseconds.
        DOSINT% = &H15
        ToDOS.Ax = &H8600

        '| Calculate the Microseconds to pause (Integrals of 976):
        MicroSeconds& = Integral& * 976

        '| The Delay value is a long integer and must be broken into
        '| the component high/low integer parts:
        ToDOS.Dx = VAL("&H" + HEX$(MicroSeconds& MOD &H10000))
        ToDOS.Cx = VAL("&H" + HEX$(MicroSeconds& \ &H10000))

        CALL INTERRUPT (DOSINT%, ToDOS, FromDOS)
        '| This interrupt service only works on a AT or PS/2 machine
        '| and will fail on PC/XT machines, and possible other machines.
        IF FromDOS.Flags AND 1 THEN
           ReturnDelay% = 1    '| Failed interrupt call
        ELSE
           ReturnDelay% = 0    '| Call Worked and should have delayed
        END IF
        '| Return the flag to the caller:
        DELAY% = ReturnDelay%
END FUNCTION