Assembly Language for Intel-Based Computers, 5th Edition

Kip R. Irvine

Chapter 15: BIOS-Level Programming

Slide show prepared by the author

Revision date: June 4, 2006

(c) Pearson Education, 2006-2007. All rights reserved. You may modify and copy this slide show for your personal use, or for use in the classroom, as long as this copyright statement, the author's name, and the title are not changed.

Chapter Overview
Introduction Keyboard Input with INT 16h VIDEO Programming with INT 10h Drawing Graphics Using INT 10h Memory-Mapped Graphics Mouse Programming

Irvine, Kip R. Assembly Language for Intel-Based Computers 5/e, 2007.

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Personalities
Bill Gates: co-authored QBASIC interpreter Gary Kildall: creator of CP/M-86 operating system
multitasking, when MS-DOS was not

Peter Norton:
Inside the IBM-PC first book to thoroughly explore IBMPC software and hardware created the Norton Utilities software

Michael Abrash: columnist, expert programmer

worked on Quake and Doom computer games optimized graphics code in Windows NT book: The Zen of Code Optimization
Irvine, Kip R. Assembly Language for Intel-Based Computers 5/e, 2007.

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PC-BIOS
The BIOS (Basic Input-Output System) provides lowlevel hardware drivers for the operating system.
accessible to 16-bit applications written in assembly language, of course source code published by IBM in early 1980's

Advantages over MS-DOS:

permits graphics and color programming faster I/O speeds read mouse, serial port, parallel port low-level disk access

Irvine, Kip R. Assembly Language for Intel-Based Computers 5/e, 2007.

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BIOS Data Area

Fixed-location data area at address 00400h
this area is also used by MS-DOS this area is accessible under Windows 98 & Windows Me, but not under Windows NT, 2000, or XP.

Contents:
Serial and parallel port addresses Hardware list, memory size Keyboard status flags, keyboard buffer pointers, keyboard buffer data Video hardware configuration Timer data
Irvine, Kip R. Assembly Language for Intel-Based Computers 5/e, 2007.

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Examples

What's Next
Introduction Keyboard Input with INT 16h VIDEO Programming with INT 10h Drawing Graphics Using INT 10h Memory-Mapped Graphics Mouse Programming

Irvine, Kip R. Assembly Language for Intel-Based Computers 5/e, 2007.

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Examples

Keyboard Input with INT 16h

How the Keyboard Works INT 16h Functions

Irvine, Kip R. Assembly Language for Intel-Based Computers 5/e, 2007.

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How the Keyboard Works

Keystroke sends a scan code to the keyboard serial input port Interrupt triggered: INT 9h service routine executes Scan code and ASCII code inserted into keyboard typeahead buffer

Irvine, Kip R. Assembly Language for Intel-Based Computers 5/e, 2007.

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Keyboard Flags
16-bits, located at 0040:0017h 0018h.

Irvine, Kip R. Assembly Language for Intel-Based Computers 5/e, 2007.

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INT 16h Functions

Provide low-level access to the keyboard, more so than MS-DOS. Input-output cannot be redirected at the command prompt. Function number is always in the AH register Important functions:
set typematic rate push key into buffer wait for key check keyboard buffer get keyboard flags

Irvine, Kip R. Assembly Language for Intel-Based Computers 5/e, 2007.

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Function 10h: Wait for Key

If a key is waiting in the buffer, the function returns it immediately. If no key is waiting, the program pauses (blocks), waiting for user input.
.data scanCode BYTE ? ASCIICode BYTE ? .code mov ah,10h int 16h mov scanCode,ah mov ASCIICode,al

Irvine, Kip R. Assembly Language for Intel-Based Computers 5/e, 2007.

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Function 12h: Get Keyboard Flags

Retrieves a copy of the keyboard status flags from the BIOS data area.
.data keyFlags WORD ? .code mov ah,12h int 16h mov keyFlags,ax

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Clearing the Keyboard Buffer

Function 11h clears the Zero flag if a key is waiting in the keyboard typeahead buffer.
L1: mov int jz mov int cmp je jmp noKey: or quit: ah,11h 16h noKey ah,10h 16h ah,scanCode quit L1 ; ; ; ; check keyboard buffer any key pressed? no: exit now yes: remove from buffer

; was it the exit key? ; yes: exit now (ZF=1) ; no: check buffer again ; no key pressed ; clear zero flag

al,1

Irvine, Kip R. Assembly Language for Intel-Based Computers 5/e, 2007.

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What's Next
Introduction Keyboard Input with INT 16h VIDEO Programming with INT 10h Drawing Graphics Using INT 10h Memory-Mapped Graphics Mouse Programming

Irvine, Kip R. Assembly Language for Intel-Based Computers 5/e, 2007.

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Examples

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VIDEO Programming with INT 10h

Basic Background Controlling the Color INT 10h Video Functions Library Procedure Examples

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Video Modes
Graphics video modes
draw pixel by pixel multiple colors

Text video modes

character output, using hardware or software-based font table mode 3 (color text) is the default default range of 80 columns by 25 rows. color attribute byte contains foreground and background colors

Irvine, Kip R. Assembly Language for Intel-Based Computers 5/e, 2007.

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Three Levels of Video Access

MS-DOS function calls
slow, but they work on any MS-DOS machine I/O can be redirected

BIOS function calls

medium-fast, work on nearly all MS-DOS-based machines I/O cannot be redirected

Direct memory-mapped video

fast works only on 100% IBM-compatible computers cannot be redirected does not work under Windows NT, 2000, or XP

Irvine, Kip R. Assembly Language for Intel-Based Computers 5/e, 2007.

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Controlling the Color

Mix primary colors: red, yellow, blue
called subtractive mixing add the intensity bit for 4th channel

Examples:
red + green + blue = light gray (0111) intensity + green + blue = white (1111) green + blue = cyan (0011) red + blue = magenta (0101)

Attribute byte:
4 MSB bits = background 4 LSB bits = foreground
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Irvine, Kip R. Assembly Language for Intel-Based Computers 5/e, 2007.

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Constructing Attribute Bytes

Color constants defined in [Link] and [Link]: Examples:
Light gray text on a blue background:
(blue SHL 4) OR lightGray

White text on a red background:

(red SHL 4) OR white

Irvine, Kip R. Assembly Language for Intel-Based Computers 5/e, 2007.

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INT 10h Video Functions

AH register contains the function number 00h: Set video mode
text modes listed in Table 15-5 graphics modes listed in Table 15-6

01h: Set cursor lines 02h: Set cursor position 03h: Get cursor position and size 06h: Scroll window up 07h: Scroll window down 08h: Read character and attribute

Irvine, Kip R. Assembly Language for Intel-Based Computers 5/e, 2007.

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INT 10h Video Functions

(cont)

09h: Write character and attribute 0Ah: Write character 10h (AL = 03h): Toggle blinking/intensity bit 0Fh: Get video mode 13h: Write string in teletype mode

Irvine, Kip R. Assembly Language for Intel-Based Computers 5/e, 2007.

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Displaying a Color String

Write one character and attribute:
mov si,OFFSET string . . . mov ah,9 ; write character/attribute mov al,[si] ; character to display mov bh,0 ; video page 0 mov bl,color ; attribute or bl,10000000b; set blink/intensity bit mov cx,1 ; display it one time int 10h

Irvine, Kip R. Assembly Language for Intel-Based Computers 5/e, 2007.

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Gotoxy Procedure
;-------------------------------------------------Gotoxy PROC ; ; Sets the cursor position on video page 0. ; Receives: DH,DL = row, column ; Returns: nothing ;--------------------------------------------------pusha mov ah,2 mov bh,0 int 10h popa ret Gotoxy ENDP
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Irvine, Kip R. Assembly Language for Intel-Based Computers 5/e, 2007.

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Clrscr Procedure
Clrscr PROC pusha mov ax,0600h mov cx,0 mov dx,184Fh mov bh,7 int 10h mov ah,2 mov bh,0 mov dx,0 int 10h popa ret Clrscr ENDP

; ; ; ; ; ; ; ;

scroll window up upper left corner (0,0) lower right corner (24,79) normal attribute call BIOS locate cursor at 0,0 video page 0 row 0, column 0

Irvine, Kip R. Assembly Language for Intel-Based Computers 5/e, 2007.

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What's Next
Introduction Keyboard Input with INT 16h VIDEO Programming with INT 10h Drawing Graphics Using INT 10h Memory-Mapped Graphics Mouse Programming

Irvine, Kip R. Assembly Language for Intel-Based Computers 5/e, 2007.

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Examples

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Drawing Graphics Using INT 10h

INT 10h Pixel-Related Functions DrawLine Program Cartesian Coordinates Program Converting Cartesian Coordinates to Screen Coordinates

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INT 10h Pixel-Related Functions

Slow performance Easy to program 0Ch: Write graphics pixel 0Dh: Read graphics pixel

Irvine, Kip R. Assembly Language for Intel-Based Computers 5/e, 2007.

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DrawLine Program
Draws a straight line, using INT 10h function calls Saves and restores current video mode Excerpt from the DrawLine program ([Link]):
mov mov mov mov int ah,0Ch al,color bh,0 cx,currentX 10h ; write pixel ; pixel color ; video page 0

Irvine, Kip R. Assembly Language for Intel-Based Computers 5/e, 2007.

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Cartesian Coordinates Program

Draws the X and Y axes of a Cartesian coordinate system Uses video mode 6A (800 x 600, 16 colors) Name: [Link] Important procedures:
DrawHorizLine DrawVerticalLine

Irvine, Kip R. Assembly Language for Intel-Based Computers 5/e, 2007.

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Converting Cartesian Coordinates to Screen Coordinates

Screen coordinates place the origin (0,0) at the upperleft corner of the screen Graphing functions often need to display negative values
move origin point to the middle of the screen

For Cartesian coordinates X, Y and origin points sOrigX and sOrigY, screen X and screen Y are calculated as:
sx = (sOrigX + X) sy = (sOrigY Y)

Irvine, Kip R. Assembly Language for Intel-Based Computers 5/e, 2007.

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What's Next
Introduction Keyboard Input with INT 16h VIDEO Programming with INT 10h Drawing Graphics Using INT 10h Memory-Mapped Graphics Mouse Programming

Irvine, Kip R. Assembly Language for Intel-Based Computers 5/e, 2007.

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Examples

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Memory-Mapped Graphics
Binary values are written to video RAM
video adapter must use standard address

Very fast performance

no BIOS or DOS routines to get in the way

Irvine, Kip R. Assembly Language for Intel-Based Computers 5/e, 2007.

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Mode 13h: 320 X 200, 256 Colors

Mode 13h graphics (320 X 200, 256 colors)
Fairly easy to program read and write video adapter via IN and OUT instructions pixel-mapping scheme (1 byte per pixel)

Irvine, Kip R. Assembly Language for Intel-Based Computers 5/e, 2007.

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Mode 13h Details

OUT Instruction
16-bit port address assigned to DX register output value in AL, AX, or EAX Example:
mov mov out dx,3c8h al,20h dx,al ; port address ; value to be sent ; send to the port

Color Indexes
color integer value is an index into a table of colors called a palette

Irvine, Kip R. Assembly Language for Intel-Based Computers 5/e, 2007.

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Color Indexes in Mode 13h

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RGB Colors
Additive mixing of light (red, green, blue). Intensities vary from 0 to 255. Examples:

Irvine, Kip R. Assembly Language for Intel-Based Computers 5/e, 2007.

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What's Next
Introduction Keyboard Input with INT 16h VIDEO Programming with INT 10h Drawing Graphics Using INT 10h Memory-Mapped Graphics Mouse Programming

Irvine, Kip R. Assembly Language for Intel-Based Computers 5/e, 2007.

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Examples

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Mouse Programming
MS-DOS functions for reading the mouse Mickey unit of measurement (200th of an inch)
mickeys-to-pixels ratio (8 x 16) is variable

INT 33h functions Mouse Tracking Program Example

Irvine, Kip R. Assembly Language for Intel-Based Computers 5/e, 2007.

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Reset Mouse and Get Status

INT 33h, AX = 0 Example:
mov int cmp je mov ax,0 33h ax,0 MouseNotAvailable numberOfButtons,bx

Irvine, Kip R. Assembly Language for Intel-Based Computers 5/e, 2007.

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Show/Hide Mouse
INT 33h, AX = 1 (show), AX = 2 (hide) Example:
mov int mov int ax,1 33h ax,2 33h ; show ; hide

Irvine, Kip R. Assembly Language for Intel-Based Computers 5/e, 2007.

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Get Mouse Position & Status

INT 33h, AX = 4 Example:
mov mov mov int ax,4 cx,200 dx,100 33h ; X-position ; Y-position

Irvine, Kip R. Assembly Language for Intel-Based Computers 5/e, 2007.

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Get Button Press Information

INT 33h, AX = 5 Example:
mov mov int test jz mov mov ax,5 bx,0 33h ax,1 skip X_coord,cx Y_coord,dx ; button ID ; left button down? ; no - skip ; yes: save coordinates

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Other Mouse Functions

AX = 6: Get Button Release Information AX = 7: Set Horizontal Limits AX = 8: Set Vertical Limits

Irvine, Kip R. Assembly Language for Intel-Based Computers 5/e, 2007.

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Mouse Tracking Program

Tracks the movement of the text mouse cursor X and Y coordinates are continually updated in the lower-right corner of the screen When the user presses the left button, the mouses position is displayed in the lower left corner of the screen Source code (c:\Irvine\Examples\ch15\[Link])

Irvine, Kip R. Assembly Language for Intel-Based Computers 5/e, 2007.

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Set Mouse Position

INT 33h, AX = 3 Example:
mov int test jne test jne test jne mov mov ax,3 33h bx,1 Left_Button_Down bx,2 Right_Button_Down bx,4 Center_Button_Down Xcoord,cx yCoord,dx

Irvine, Kip R. Assembly Language for Intel-Based Computers 5/e, 2007.

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Summary
Working at the BIOS level gives you a high level of control over hardware Use INT 16h for keyboard control Use INT 10h for video text Use memory-mapped I/O for graphics Use INT 33h for the mouse

Irvine, Kip R. Assembly Language for Intel-Based Computers 5/e, 2007.

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The End

Irvine, Kip R. Assembly Language for Intel-Based Computers 5/e, 2007.

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