Table of Contents
Note: This IBM PC BIOS API call is for DOS/Win16 personality only. Use Family API for portability.
Note: osFree Macro Library provides macros for most of functions
Int 16H, AH=00H
Version
IBM 5150 and higher
Brief
Read char from keyboard
osFree Macro Library
Family API
Input
- AH = 00h
Return
- AH = BIOS scan code
- AL = ASCII character
Notes
- on extended keyboards, this function discards any extended keystrokes, returning only when a non-extended keystroke is available
- the BIOS scan code is usually, but not always, the same as the hardware scan code processed by INT 09. It is the same for ASCII keystrokes and most unshifted special keys (F-keys, arrow keys, etc.), but differs for shifted special keys
- some (older) clone BIOSes do not discard extended keystrokes and manage function AH=00h and AH=10h the same
- the K3PLUS v6.00+ INT 16 BIOS replacement doesn't discard extended keystrokes (same as with functions 10h and 20h), but will always translate prefix E0h to 00h. This allows old programs to use extended keystrokes and should not cause compatibility problems
Note
Text based on Ralf Brown Interrupt List Release 61
| IBM PC BIOS API | |
|---|---|
| Video I/O | INT 10H: 00H, 01H, 02H, 03H, 05H, 06H, 07H, 08H, 09H, 0AH, 0BH, 0CH, 0DH, 0EH, 0FH |
| Hardware info | INT 11H, INT 12H |
| Serial I/O | INT 14H: 00H, 01H, 02H, 03H |
| Tape I/O | INT 15H: 00H, 01H, 02H, 03H |
| Keyboard I/O | INT 16H: 00H, 01H, 02H |
| Printer I/O | INT 17H: 00H, 01H, 02H |
| Disk I/O | INT 13H: 00H, 01H, 02H, 03H, 04H, 05H |
| Date and Time | INT 1AH: 00H, 01H |
| osFree Macro Library | |
|---|---|
| Video I/O | @SetMode @SetCurSz @SetCurPos @GetCur @SetPage @ScrollUp @ScrollDn @Scroll @GetChAtr @PutChAtr @PutCh @SetPalet @SetColor @SetDot @GetDot @WrtTTY @VideoState @GetMode @GetDisplay @GetVideoState @GetEGAInfo @Cls |
| Hardware info | @Equipment @MemSize |
| Serial I/O | @AuxInit @AuxSendChar @AuxRecieveChar @AuxStatus |
| Tape I/O | @TapeOn @TapeOff @TapeRead @TapeWrite |
| Keyboard I/O | @KbdStatus @CharIn @CharPeek |
| Printer I/O | @PrnPrint @PrnInit @PrnStatus |
| Disk I/O | @DskReset @DskStatus @DskRead @DskWrite @DskVerify @DskFormat |
| Date and Time | @SetTime @GetTime |
| Mouse | @MouInit @MouShowPointer @MouStatus @MouSetPos @MouSetMickey @MouRegion |
| Memory manager | @ModBlok SET_BLOCK |