
19 December 2000,

The example files in assembler require NASM to compile.
The example file in C/C++ requires LADSoft C/C++ compiler.
However the C file can be compiled by any DOS 32bit C/C++ compiler,
with a few modifications (or without modifications).
Also please note that the C example uses my MINI run-time library
and the DPMI wrapper functions as interface.

To link the files both in ASM and C/C++ you will need WLINK.
WATCOM LINKER is a powerful tool that can produce many file images.
The example files use LE image with WDOSXLE dos extender.
The LADsoft C compiler is configured to use WATCOM LINKER.


Future releases:
---------------
If there are any future releases, this is what I would like to do:

release 0.08 - 0.1
-Better support for specifying colors in 256 color modes.
 (if you execute CreateColor in 256 color mode it will return NULL)
-Good support for major C++ 32 bit DOS compilers.
-Better support for VESA initialization functions in C/C++
 (more like the Direct Draw interface under Windows)
-Support for GIF/BMP/PCX in 8bit and truecolor.
-Support for JPEG truecolor (not sure).
-Support for FLI/FLC animation (not sure).
-Some photo effects in highcolor-truecolor.
-Gouraud and Phong shaded triangles only in high or true color.
-Filled circle and other primitives.
-Full clipping for the line, get pixel and put pixel functions.

release 0.1 - 0.2
-3D matrix engine (probably in C++) with camera positioning.
-3D effects on text.
-Any size font, and custom font.
-Maniputation of sprites in any BPP mode (animation and moving).

release 0.2 - 0.3
-linear texture mapping
-support for simple raycasting (like Wolfenstein3D).


However if I include a big amount of work (several houndreds of hours
in front of the computer screen) this library will again be copyrighted
but free to use as a whole package in any program written in ASM or C/C++.
Considering the fact that I'm writing this library in my free time, this
quind of work (till release 0.3) may take a few years and if DOS is
completely dead next year it wouldn't make sense to write anything for
this operating system.

                                                         Piotr Ulaszewski
                                                spiderman@poczta.arena.pl

