VideoDriver and PCMCIA Function Configuration Registers

Is there a way to access the Function Configuration Registers is a
VideoMiniport driver. I can access (somewhat) I/O memory (given to me
through VideoPortGetAccessRanges) but nothing comes for the FCR's. Of
course, given that the card gets mapped to ISA (determined from the
VIDEO_PORT_CONFIG_INFO) I may not need to access the Registers. Also, any
one who is famialar with the internal workings of the VideoPort functions,
what PCMCIA Configuration Registers are needed for successful operation.
Currently we only support a subset of the registers PC-Card requires because
we are a CF-Card, could this cause a problem?

Thanks in advance, yet again.

--
Brian V. Minier
Interactive Imaging Systems, Inc
www.iisvr.com

Tadd
Tue Oct 21 00:41:16 CDT 2003

I have no clue about overlap between PC Card and video miniport/display
drivers (I assume you're using PCMCIA for VGA out and I didn't look for your
earlier posts, sorry), so I can only speak in the most general terms, but...

One thing has always struck me about video miniports... Since you're only
"supposed" to call functions provided by the Video Port, your freedom is
extremely limited (i.e., you're crippled if you want to try something even
barely beyond ordinary).

Maybe you could write another driver, one "closer" to the PC Card, and
communicate between it and your miniport via I/O packets -- similar to how
the video miniport and the display driver already communicate. Thus your
other driver would be free from those "under the Video Port" limitations,
where you're lucky to even get your driver to load if you call any
non-VideoPort functions.

Just my 0.0002 cents!


"Brian" <brian_minier@no-spam.iisvr.com> wrote in message
news:uu7qsKxlDHA.3316@TK2MSFTNGP11.phx.gbl...
> Is there a way to access the Function Configuration Registers is a
> VideoMiniport driver. I can access (somewhat) I/O memory (given to me
> through VideoPortGetAccessRanges) but nothing comes for the FCR's. Of
> course, given that the card gets mapped to ISA (determined from the
> VIDEO_PORT_CONFIG_INFO) I may not need to access the Registers. Also, any
> one who is famialar with the internal workings of the VideoPort functions,
> what PCMCIA Configuration Registers are needed for successful operation.
> Currently we only support a subset of the registers PC-Card requires
because
> we are a CF-Card, could this cause a problem?
>
> Thanks in advance, yet again.
>
> --
> Brian V. Minier
> Interactive Imaging Systems, Inc
> www.iisvr.com

Brian
Wed Oct 22 13:52:38 CDT 2003

Can you give me an example of communicating via I/O Packets? Or do you mean
IRP's? and if so, how do I open the function driver for the PCMCIA and pass
the IRP's down to it through the Videominiport functions. This is how I
originally was trying to do it (except was attempting to call create file
and comminucate throught DeviceIoControl's) but the problem is, as you
mentioned, that you are severly limited with your functionality through the
VideoPortXXX functions. I am convinced though that having this Video
Miniport driver comminicate directly with the PCMCIA (CF-Card) device is the
correct one, now I just need to get it working.

--
Brian V. Minier
Lead Software Engineer
Interactive Imaging Systems, Inc
www.iisvr.com



"Tadd" <tjun.nospam@nospam.hmds.nospam.com> wrote in message
news:0G3lb.598949$Oz4.604051@rwcrnsc54...
> I have no clue about overlap between PC Card and video miniport/display
> drivers (I assume you're using PCMCIA for VGA out and I didn't look for
your
> earlier posts, sorry), so I can only speak in the most general terms,
but...
>
> One thing has always struck me about video miniports... Since you're only
> "supposed" to call functions provided by the Video Port, your freedom is
> extremely limited (i.e., you're crippled if you want to try something even
> barely beyond ordinary).
>
> Maybe you could write another driver, one "closer" to the PC Card, and
> communicate between it and your miniport via I/O packets -- similar to how
> the video miniport and the display driver already communicate. Thus your
> other driver would be free from those "under the Video Port" limitations,
> where you're lucky to even get your driver to load if you call any
> non-VideoPort functions.
>
> Just my 0.0002 cents!
>
>
> "Brian" <brian_minier@no-spam.iisvr.com> wrote in message
> news:uu7qsKxlDHA.3316@TK2MSFTNGP11.phx.gbl...
> > Is there a way to access the Function Configuration Registers is a
> > VideoMiniport driver. I can access (somewhat) I/O memory (given to me
> > through VideoPortGetAccessRanges) but nothing comes for the FCR's. Of
> > course, given that the card gets mapped to ISA (determined from the
> > VIDEO_PORT_CONFIG_INFO) I may not need to access the Registers. Also,
any
> > one who is famialar with the internal workings of the VideoPort
functions,
> > what PCMCIA Configuration Registers are needed for successful operation.
> > Currently we only support a subset of the registers PC-Card requires
> because
> > we are a CF-Card, could this cause a problem?
> >
> > Thanks in advance, yet again.
> >
> > --
> > Brian V. Minier
> > Interactive Imaging Systems, Inc
> > www.iisvr.com
>
>
>

Tadd
Wed Oct 22 21:48:35 CDT 2003

Hi Brian,

Ya know, I probably misspoke, based on my experience of sending custom/user
IOCTLs to the Video Miniport driver from the Display driver. That is, the
Videoport didn't seem to care that my packets were NOT strictly of type
IOCTL_VIDEO_xxx and passed them down anyway, for my Miniport to sort out
whether they were erroneous or not. I guess I used the term "I/O packets"
to avoid specifying IRP vs. VRP!

For some reason I was thinking that this could be extended to other drivers,
but I forgot to properly consider that only the Display driver through
EngDeviceIoControl() -- or Video Miniport child device drivers, by querying
the interface -- are "allowed" to send such packets to the Miniport. So I
guess I'm back at square one... at which point I usually start looking for
something sneaky (hooking)! Such "imposed limitations" do that to a person.

Anyway, it sounds to me like you're on the right track. Good luck! ...and
sorry I couldn't've been more help. :-(


"Brian" <brian_minier@no-spam.iisvr.com> wrote in message
news:OA6xd1MmDHA.1672@TK2MSFTNGP09.phx.gbl...
> Can you give me an example of communicating via I/O Packets? Or do you
mean
> IRP's? and if so, how do I open the function driver for the PCMCIA and
pass
> the IRP's down to it through the Videominiport functions. This is how I
> originally was trying to do it (except was attempting to call create file
> and comminucate throught DeviceIoControl's) but the problem is, as you
> mentioned, that you are severly limited with your functionality through
the
> VideoPortXXX functions. I am convinced though that having this Video
> Miniport driver comminicate directly with the PCMCIA (CF-Card) device is
the
> correct one, now I just need to get it working.
>
> --
> Brian V. Minier
> Lead Software Engineer
> Interactive Imaging Systems, Inc
> www.iisvr.com