_set_color(3)

📦 version 4.4.3.1, in fedora 43, fedora 44

✨ _set_color ✨

okay bestie, so this is a page from the Allegro manual — the Allegro game programming library, if you're new here 🎀 — and we're talking about _set_color, the inline little sister of set_color(). she's fast, she's specific, and she has ✨opinions✨ about where she's allowed to be used. let's get into it 💅

🌸 SYNOPSIS 🌸

#include <allegro.h>

void _set_color(int index, const RGB *p);

💖 DESCRIPTION 💖

So. _set_color() is literally just the inline version of set_color() 🫶. She exists for one reason and one reason only: to be called from inside the vertical retrace simulator callback function — that's retrace_proc, which is, and I cannot stress this enough, deprecated 😭. like, girl, she's retired, we don't do that anymore.

ok but if you really, truly, absolutely must call _set_color from retrace_proc, here's the tea: it should only be used under DOS, and only in VGA mode 13h and mode-X. no exceptions, no vibes-based workarounds.

And why, you ask? 🦋 because some SVGA chipsets aren't VGA compatible. On those cards, set_color() and set_palette() will go ahead and use VESA calls to do their thing — but _set_color()? she literally doesn't know about that 💀. no VESA fallback, no plan B. so yeah, that's the whole situation. iconic behavior, honestly.

🔥 SEE ALSO 🔥

and that's the page, bestie 💜 go forth and set your colors responsibly (or don't, but like, know the risks). this has been brought to you by Allegro, version 4.4.3 ⭐ — mwah, stay slaying 🎀💅✨

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