Running Generic CADD in Windows XP
… or my way of setting up Generic CADD with Windows XP Pro or XP Home
by Donald Sherburn, September, 2003. Revised December, 2003.

This configuration has not failed me yet on numerous computers and laptops. The reason I have set up so many times is that I put my copy of Generic onto clients computers to finalize their drawings, much quicker and more professional than paper copies, pencils, rubber erasers, scales, set squares etc etc etc You've all been there, haven't you!!!

ALWAYS remember to delete Generic even if bribed or begged to leave it on their computers …loss of income if they can do their own!!! I digress so carry on reading …

The MAIN problem with Generic and XP is almost ALWAYS graphics card or graphics controller problems.....but most have workarounds if you persevere. The main graphics cards that are most problematic are ATI & SIS, no vesa drivers under XP. The best card or chip in my experience is Nvidia or Nvidia based.

At the DOS prompt run c:\cadd6\vesalist.exe>myvesa.txt to produce a text file readable in notepad (below is mine)

VESALIST -- List modes supported by VESA BIOS Extension
—————————————
VESA VGA Information:
VESA Signature: VESA
VESA Version : v3.0
OEM String : NVidia
—————————————
Mode Information:
VESA256-> 0100h 640x400x1 8bpp 8x16 Color Packed Pixel Grfx
VESA256-> 0101h 640x480x1 8bpp 8x16 Color Packed Pixel Grfx
VESA16 -> 0102h 800x600x4 4bpp 8x16 Color 16 Grfx
VESA256-> 0103h 800x600x1 8bpp 8x16 Color Packed Pixel Grfx
VESA16 -> 0104h 1024x768x4 4bpp 8x16 Color 16 Grfx
VESA256-> 0105h 1024x768x1 8bpp 8x16 Color Packed Pixel Grfx
VESA16 -> 0106h 1280x1024x4 4bpp 8x16 Color 16 Grfx
VESA256-> 0107h 1280x1024x1 8bpp 8x16 Color Packed Pixel Grfx
VESA256-> 0130h 320x200x1 8bpp 8x16 Color Packed Pixel Grfx
VESA256-> 0131h 320x400x1 8bpp 8x16 Color Packed Pixel Grfx
VESA256-> 0134h 320x240x1 8bpp 8x16 Color Packed Pixel Grfx
VESA256-> 0145h 1600x1200x1 8bpp 8x16 Color Packed Pixel Grfx

I am assuming that you all have XP set up on C partition of your hard drive, you have all files to do with Generic in C:\Cadd6 and subdirectories for GCD, HCH etc. and you have Vesa256.vgd and / or Vesa256W.vgd in C:\Cadd6.

Make sure that ALL files / all files in subdirectories have read only attributes removed. ( Select All / Highlight viz. "ctl + A " all files and subdirectories in c:\cadd6 in windows explorer, right click on all files and remove tick in properties for read only, include subdirectories when windows asks. )

Add the following lines.....
SET CADD_INIT= 105h
SET CADD_FONT= 10h
(REMEMBER THE SPACE AFTER = SIGN)
Save file as c:\windows\system32\autoexec.GC
When saving make sure you save as autoexec.GC with All files indicated in "save as" box otherwise you will save the file as c:\windows\system32\autoexec.GC.txt if "save as" box indicates txt files!!!

Same goes for c:\windows\system32\config.GC.

Uncheck "hide extensions for known file types" in Tools,…Folder Options …View tab in My Computer to check GC extension.

These two files are used to initialize the msdos environment.

Run C:\Cadd6\config.exe and set up vesa256w as video, 3 button mouse , Memory configuration as 1 ,C:\.... 2, c:\ .... 3, NO virtual memory ..... 4, 16384k .... 5, NO XMS memory ... 6, Buffer ON ..... 7, TSR off save changes and exit. All settings as Mark Palacios for Windows 98. (See Mark’s Article posted here.) [Read]


Right click on C:\cadd6\cadd.exe, (you will not find Cadd.Pif as mentioned in Marks settings) in windows explorer and set properties exactly as per Marks setup for Win98. The only difference to Marks settings is on programme tab click on "advanced" and set the custom msdos initialization autoexec filename to %SystemRoot%\SYSTEM32\AUTOEXEC.GC

and config filename to %SystemRoot%\SYSTEM32\CONFIG.GC


Right click on c:\cadd6\cadd.exe and drag onto desktop and create a shortcut to it. Make sure properties are as c:\cadd6\cadd.exe change icon to "drawing board" in c:\windows\system32\progman.exe.


Reboot machine double click on CADD on desktop and up comes Generic running in 1024 x 726 mode.

You are nearly there if blank screen, incorrect resolution or garbled text etc appears for a few seconds, check the properties of c:\cadd6\cadd.exe together with the "shortcut to it" and make sure that the advanced properties point to %SystemRoot%\SYSTEM32\AUTOEXEC.GC and %SystemRoot%\SYSTEM32\CONFIG.GC together with all of the other "page tabs" being correct as indicated in Marks setup details. XP sometimes in its wisdom points them to %SystemRoot%\SYSTEM32\AUTOEXEC.NT and %SystemRoot%\SYSTEM32\CONFIG.NT which will give you the blank or garbled screen syndrome.

If all "properties" correct and "confide" indicating vesa256w.vgd ( check c:\cadd6\config.fil …open with notepad) , run vesalist and edit c:\windows\system32\autoexec.GC the SET CADD_INIT= 10*h (* indicates the vesalist "figure" that you require) to an appropriate figure for the resolution that you require and save file. REMEMBER the space after = sign!!! Also make sure "read only" attributes for the "autoexec and config .GC" files are removed in properties box.

What I do if this happens is produce a shortcut on the desktop pointing to c:\windows\system32\autoexec.gc together with a shortcut to c:\cadd6\cadd.exe with all the "properties" as described, I run c:\cadd6\vesalist.exe, note down the appropriate vesalist numbers pointing to VESA256 given, then edit the appropriate numbers starting with the lowest in "autoexec.gc", saving each time, run "cadd.exe" until CADD appears on screen. Try each vesalist number until CADD runs at the resolution you require or what is possible with your particular card. If this fails to get a result try running the appropriate VESA16 numbers given by vesalisting making sure that you "config" CADD to run with the vesa16.vgd driver until you get CADD appearing on screen.

Another solution to get the video running correctly is to set the vidio RAM in the BIOS setup down to a lower setting, (mainly on laptops) you can normally set it up at 8, 16, 32, 64, and reboot to try each setting starting with 8 and changing each time after trying to run Generic, this has worked for me in the past with XP, also set "windows" screen resolution to the same resolution that you are trying to run Generic at as this sometimes confuses the graphics card switching between Generic trying to run at say 1024 x 768 when desktop runs at say 800 x 600.

Believe me you will get up and running, maybe not at your desired resolution or colour depth, but you will run Generic CADD / XP with this setup.

When you are up and running associate all gcd files to c:\cadd6\cadd.exe and you can open up files from explorer or other locations.

With regard to mouse settings I type in DI(T) "tandem cursor off" and use left button for drawing, right button for snap to NP on "drawing board" area of screen with right button activating menu commands in "menu" area of screen. I haven't found a mouse with XP that can use the middle button yet and surprisingly enough, I now "mouse" that way in all versions of Windows / Generic CADD.

Another thing that I have found is that in XP you can have up to 3 versions of different drawings open at any time on the desktop, very handy!

Carry on Cadding with the best ever CADD programme,
The best of luck to all.
Regards from Wales(UK)
Don.

"Donald Sherburn" donaldsherburn@ntlworld.com

Website Editors Note: We are sure (if you find an error in Don’s article or if you wish to add something you have found in your settings that was omitted) he would be glad to hear directly from you.

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