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What is it?
The Future.Library is a library for QB 4.5, which you can use freely in your programs (as long as credit to Future Software is given). It has tons of useful functions, that you can start using after just a few simply commands, instead of programming the functions yourself which may take a very very long time...

What's new?
November 14, 2000:
- fixed bug in loading/storing BMPs
(the trailing 4 byte alignment was off, resulting in incorrect loading/storing)
- Speedup on PCX image loading time
- Added support for loading 24 bit PCX images
- Added support for loading 24 and 8 bit PCX images i hi/true-color modes
- Added support for GIF89a images
- Added support for loading GIF images in all hi/true-color modes
- Fixed bug in SetPage
(it canceled the effect SetFrameBuffer had)
- Added Animated GIF routines
- Added new Timer functions
- Replaced 50/50 blending with full blending support
- Added Blender support for Future.CIRCLE
- Added new screen modes
- New now made public SetScreenMode

July 18, 2000:
- Entire document has been reviewed and updated
- New SVGA special effects
- Speeded up loading time for BMPs
- added MMX support
- added a 1280x960 mode
- added DQB type blender map
- added blendeing for hi and true color modes
- Fixed bug in Future.Snapshot
(used incorect file sizes in 15/16 bit modes)
- Fixed bug in EMS/XMSarrayPut
(did not work corectly with hi/true color modes)
- Fixed bug in mode setting routine
(better mode detection)
- Fixed Future.Mouseshape
(Colors was not shown right in 16 bit mode)
- New SizeOf
- New CopyEMSpage
- New Future.EMStoFile
- New Future.FiletoEMS
- New IsMMX
- New SetMMX
- New SetBlender
- New SetBMapColor
- New Future.Library Builder v2.00
(it now builds librarys for PDS 7.1 aswell)
April 8, 2000:
- New Future.DefineXMSArray
- New Future.XMSArrayGet
- New Future.XMSArrayPut
- New Future.DefineEMSArray
- New Future.EMSArrayGet
- New Future.EMSArrayPut
- New Future.Version
- Fixed bug in SetViewport
(it did not work properly on ems maps)
- Fixed bug with wave playing routine
- Fixed bug in screen setup routines
(It crashed computers where ems was not installed)
- Fixed bug in Future.POINT
- Added support for loading 1 bit BMPs
- Added an extra parameter in LoadWAV
- Fixed bug in Future.EMSROTATE/EMSROTATEB
(X and Y had been swapped)
- Fixed bug in Future.LOADBMP
(it did not work in 32 bit screens)
- Fixed bug in Future.EMSput
(the clip box did not work correctly on it)
- New Future.Library Builder v1.05
- Updated previous Latest updates
(it was incomplete)
March 12, 2000:
- Changed parameters in Future.MouseShape
- New Future.ResetMouseShape
- Updated Future.TRIGOUR with truecolor support
- New SetViewPort
- Fixed mouse cursor position at start up
(Furure.MouseX and Furure.MouseY now contains the right coordinates at startup)
- New Future.Library Builder v1.01
(Fixed minor bugs and changed the mode from 640x400 to 640x480)
February 9, 2000:
- Added an EXCELLENT Keyboard handler
- Reduced the use of string space (should now be above 40k)
- New RGB2Color/Color2RGB
- Future.TRITEXT/EMSTRITEXT will only work with power of 2 sized maps
- New Future.EMSTRITEXT
- New Future.EMSROTATE
- New Future.EMSROTATEB
- New Future.Library Builder v1.0
- added more sound options
December 27, 1999:
- Added TrueColor Modes
- Used more string memory                          (you may run into memory problems)
- Updated all subs and functions for truecolor (excluding Future.TRIGOUR)
- Speeded up Future.EMSput/Future.EMSputx
- New Future.XMSget/Future.XMSput
- Fixed bug in AllocateXMS
- Added MoveXMS
- Added support for loading 24 bit BMPs in 15, 16 and 32 bit modes
- Added support for loading 4 and 8 bit BMPs in all modes
- Changed the color format from 16 bit integer to a 32 bit integer
  (this affects all drawing functions)
November 05, 1999:
- Added full access to XMS
- Userfonts are now stored in xms
- Reduced memory use.
- Fixed bug in Future.FONTLOAD
- Fixed bug in Future.EMSget
- New Future.EMSputx/Future.EMSgetx
- Fixed bug in scrolling routines
 (scrolling only worked on the first page)
- New SetScroll
- New LockPage/UnlockPage
- New Future.RotateB
- New SBsetup
- New SetMouseSensitivity
September 27, 1999:
- Added full access to EMS
 (new routines are added)
- Reduced the use of string space
- Added user defined fonts (+beta version font editor)
- New Future.ROTATE
- Fixed Future.MouseX
 (it only returned even numbers)
- Fixed the screen setting routine
 (a screen allready set will not be cleared if set again)
- New Future.LOADFONT
- New Future.Modelist
- Fixed bugs in Future.LOADPCX and Future.LOADBMP
- Fixed bug in Future.EMSget/put
- Addeds VBE 2.0/3.0 low res modes
- Added support for loading 16 color BMPs
- added ems screen buffers
August 8, 1999:
- Future.POINT is now working
- fixed Future.MouseOff Bug
- Speeded up Futere.TRIFILL
- Speeded up Futere.TRIGOUR
- New Futere.TRITEXT
- Added one demo program (rotate.bas)

Functions
Well to start with: The most important functions.
SVGA functions, called like Future.(LINE, PSET, CIRCLE, BOX, FILLBOX), can be used to totally improve your programming, heck, totally improve the QB language. In normal QB you can only have 256 in a 320*200 resolution (SCREEN 13). Now you can have 320*200*256 (Set320x200), 640*480 (Set640x480), 800*600 (Set800x600), ..., up to 1600*1200 (Set1600x1200), all in 256 colors! Now is that improving or not?
Memory functions, full access to EMS and XMS memory!
Wave functions, ever wanted to remove the silence of your programs, and you don't want to fill your whole source file with those gigantic SUBs and FUNCTIONs? Now, with one command you load a WAVE file, and with one again you reset the soundblaster. The wave functions are really good, in the test they even loaded 8.5 MB files and played them well!
Mouse functions, you want to give a better user interface to the users of your programs? Use the mouse functions! There are also functions included for using the mouse in SVGA! One command to set it on, one to turn it off and that's it!
Misc. other functions, like loading GIF/BMP/PCX files, save/load the current screen, and much more. Just download it!
Do you want the ASM source of the FSLibrary's SVGA functions? Click here! If you improve anything, please send it to Michael!

Download
Get the latest version here: f3build.zip. This version has got all, including the builder. With the builder you can create your own customized library, by only including the parts of the library that you need! Works for both QB 4.5 and QB 7.1!
Other useful utilities:

  • Font editor, create your own fonts to use with the Future.Library! By Michael of Future Software. Must download!
  • Mouse Cursor editor, for use with the SVGA routines. Created by Jerimiah Short! Must download!
  • Sprite editor, for use with the SVGA routines. Created by Iron Storm Elite!
  • JPEG viewer, for use with the SVGA routines. Created by James Lewis!
  • AlfaFLA(Alfa Future.Library Addition). A very good GUI to use with the Future.Library. This addition provides a windows-feeling to your program. Visit the homepage here Must download!

    Get started
    You must load QB with QB /L FUTURE, or just run the QBFUTURE.BAT.
    Then, you must tell QB to include the libraries functions by typing REM $INCLUDE:'future.bi' or '$INCLUDE:'future.bi' (or just load the CODE.BAS, it includes this line. That all! Now you can start using the functions of the library! Be sure to read the documentation!

    Credits
    Michael Rye Sørensen, for the SVGA and WAVE functions.
    Jorden Chamid, for the other functions.
    More info on contacting us on the about-us page.
    If you use this library in your programs, please give us credit. Something like:
    This program was created with the Future.Library from Future Software. Visit them at http://www.qb45.com!
    Also, don't forget to let us know if you create any programs with our library! We'd love to see them and maybe put them on our homepage!

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