Using BIOS functions through C++ [closed]

Question

I'm searching for information about managing BIOS settings through C++. I am unfamiliar with low level programming. I tried to make a research, but my lack of knowledge in low level programming terminology terminated my progress.

I need to draw pixels on the screen, change to text mode or video mode and so on. Is it possible to do it with a C++ program?

Can someone give me some information which can guide me through the process?

This appears to be too broad because a correct answer could fill a book. — Tim Seguine
So there is no simple way in which i can set the screen color to red and write a sentence in the center, using BIOS functions? — Alexander Demerdzhiev
What is the platform? What will start the program execution? — galinette
@AlexanderDemerdzhiev I think you would be better off asking how to do specifically what you want to do rather than asking for general advice ("and so on"). Although I am still tempted to downvote as "does not show any research effort" — Tim Seguine
@AlexanderDemerdzhiev edit your question with that information along with what research you have done. — Tim Seguine

Serge Ballesta Serge Ballesta · Accepted Answer · 2014-11-24T16:53:40

You question in fact has many subquestion :

do you need some kind of a boot loader ? definitively no
can you do that with standard portable C++ ? obviously no(*)
can you do that from a C++ program ? yes
what are the BIOS functions to change video mode ... BIOS interrupt call on wikipedia will give you the answer or at least an entry point
how to call that from a C++ program ? _asm keyword is your friend. It you use Windows and a MS compiler, _asm page on MSDN will give you examples.

It will look like :

_asm {
    mov ah, sub_function
    mov al, parameter
    int bios_function
}

(*) standard portable C++ is independant of platform and implementation. As soon as you use BIOS call you are tight to a platform.

Using BIOS functions through C++ [closed]

1 Answers