[Info-vax] moving a graphics card to higher resolution

[Phillip Helbig---undress to reply]

Thanks mainly to SMS, I think I understand the idea behind
DECW$PRIVATE_SERVER_SETUP.COM.  Basically, I have a node list then
branch to the appropriate code.  (In the longer term, since my choices
are usually based on the graphics card rather than the node name, I'll
probably rewrite this, but that is not the issue now.)  For a couple of
nodes (now satellites, soon to be boot servers), I got the graphics card
to give a higher resolution with code like this: 

$ dwd0 = f$edit(f$extract(0,2,f$element(0,",",DECW$DEVICE)),"UPCASE")
$ if (dwd0 .eqs. "GZ")
$ then
$   decw$xsize_in_pixels == "1280"
$   decw$ysize_in_pixels == "1024"
$   define /system /executive_mode decw$server_pixel_depth 24
$   define /system /executive_mode decw$server_refresh_rate 60
$ endif

The GZ devices are in an ALPHAserver 1200 and an XP1000.  So far, so 
good.

However, similar code for GY devices doesn't increase the resolution; it 
stays at 1024x768.  The GY devices are in Personal Workstations.

For a long time, I have had a DEC 3000/600 in the cluster (as the only
non-satellite ALPHA) and it also has a GY device.  It works at
1280x1024.  Thus, I am surprised that the code above doesn't up the
resolution on the GY devices in the PWSs, considering that their
graphics cards are certainly of a newer vintage than that on the
3000/600. 

Before setting up new nodes as satellites, I hadn't bothered with this
it all, since the monitor on the (up until now) one non-satellite ALPHA
had always worked at the higher resolution.  Interestingly, this node
and only this node has DECW$PRIVATE_SERVER_SETUP.COM in SYS$SPECIFIC
while the other nodes use the one in SYS$COMMON.  However, this file in
SYS$SPECIFIC doesn't have any active code to change the resolution etc. 

The only thing I can think of is that the graphics card in the PWSs is 
not really GY but some other name but for some reason (inherited from 
the boot server?) GY is being displayed.

I don't know what is in the PWSs; probably whatever came from the 
factory.  What might that be?  Shouldn't it work at the higher 
resolution?  What name does VMS see it as?