Protel dos XP video driver

PROTEL Autotrax XP video driver

Version	1.02a - Minor update, only text file changed Alternative version to be available soon, courtesy Richard Aston
Date	17 March 2013
Features	Suitable for Autotrax, Easytrax, Dos schematic, lib Operates under XP only Alternative to our VESA drivers Some deficiencies as runs a DOS app in window Runs as a small or maximized window *Open source*
Download	ax130301.zip 63,932 bytes (complete pkg)

These files are video drivers for the Protel Autotrax, Easytrax and dos schematic products. These video drivers only work with XP operating system

Applying XP update KB2724197 will disable EMS memory. This stops Autotrax, and a host of other DOS based programs working. See our FAQ

If you have a VESA bios equipped video card in your system, whether or not your system runs XP, we suggest you use as a first choice our VESA video drivers. The main shortcoming of the XP driver (compared with the VESA drivers) is that Autotrax, being a DOS application, does not redraw the screen when obscured by another application or minimized then restored. This means when you restore the Autotrax window it is Black until you press "End", or move, or zoom in and out, or do some other operation that cause Autotrax to specifically alter the screen. This is not actually a programming error on our part - it is just what happens when a DOS application is run in a window. XP normally runs these full screen.

When you are using Autotrax and autoXPDv, and you wish to use the mouse, you must right click in the window title bar and select "Hide Mouse Pointer". The mouse then becomes exclusive to autotrax - to get control of the mouse back to windows again you must either alt-tab away from Autotrax, or quit the application (Esc - F - Q - Y)

Basic Instructions to Install Autotrax and use these drivers:
Copy file autoxpdv.drv and rename as GRAPH.DRV in autotrax directory
Install file autoxpdv.dll in C:\windows\system32
Make a .PIF shortcut (or other as appropriate) to traxedit
Edit the Cmd line and working directory to match autotrax
Select "Screen: Usage: Windowed"
As you run the driver right click the title bar and enter "Hide Mouse Pointer"
Ensure you exit autotrax normally, with "File Quit Yes"
Full instructions included in the download - see autoxpdv.txt
You can read the FAQ
Background colour was broken - fixed in version 1 June 2009
NTVDM cursor causes interference - workaround suggested in FAQ
KB2724197 MS12-068 stops autotrax - note in FAQ 17 March 2013
Problems, or works OK? Either way, email and tell us.

This driver is hereby released into the public domain, and you can do what you like with it with no obligation. It was written by Steve Murray of AirBorn, and is open source. These drivers may well be updated, check back on this webpage, periodically, for new versions: www.airborn.com.au/layout/autoxpdv.html

AirBorn would like to give credit to Mark Smit of Canada, for his work on implementing DirectX primitives, which we use in this code, and also to Japheth of Germany, for his advice on implementing VDM calls in 16 bit code. There is a webpage describing the connnection of the 16 bit application to the 32 bit DLL, for more depth on the technical side of the task.

XP driver is lightning fast and has perfect image quality (pixels not resampled).
Works great at 1920x1080 ! ! ! -- Alex Copeland
He adds: Screen redraws with XP DirectX driver may be so fast for me
because I'm using Radeon HD3850 video card, which was fastest card for AGP
interface and has hardware support for DirectX 9c. Even for very large
boards, redraws are virtually instantaneous. I do remember they were
still faster than DoxBox, even with an older, slower, video card. -- Alex Copeland