Blink VGA function in IBM PS/2 does not work

[Notchmaster]

Describe the bug
When turning on WYSIWYG mode on Lotus 1-2-3 Release 2.3, or launching Lotus 1-2-3 Release 2.4 where WYSIWYG mode is enabled by default, the screen becomes white and is non functional

To Reproduce
Steps to reproduce the behavior:

1. Launch Lotus 1-2-3 Release 2.3
2. Press / to make the menu appear
3. Go to add-in
4. Attach
5. select WYSIWYG.adn
6. No key

Expected behavior
The screen should've stayed the same color (https://youtu.be/jHUaneVUkfQ as the video here).
I found a temporary remedy that always gets reset when the application is started

1. Open the WYSIWYG menu (:)
2. Go to display
3. Options
4. Adapter
5. Navigate to blink, and then turn blink off
   This may be as help, as the issue seems to be happening related to "blink"

Screenshots

Without WYSIWYG

With WYSIWYG (it should've looked like without WYSIWYG, here the program is not operational where the menu and any input to the cells is not visible)

With WYSIWYG with Blink turned off (this is how it should look like)

Desktop (please complete the following information):

• OS: Windows 11 64-bit
• 86Box version: [v3.11 build 4311]
• Build information: [IBM PS/2 model 80 (type 3), i386DX on 25 speed, 387 FPU, 4 MB ram, Internal VGA controller on display, SCSI 120 MB hard drive]

[TC1995]

Does it work on non-IBM PS/2 VGA?

[Notchmaster]

I have another 86box vm that uses a vastly different set of hardware configuration, and it does have the same issue

This VM uses an i486DX4-100 and an S3 968 4 MB GPU, with 64 MB of RAM, and it exhibits the same issue

[OBattler]

In graphics modes, the behavior is by definition dependent on the video BIOS. Try something like an AT with IBM VGA and see if it works there.

[iamgreaser]

Does it support 640x350 EGA mode? If so, try that with an "[IBM] EGA" video card - that should emulate blink in graphics modes somewhat sanely, although I suspect my handling of plane 3 is incorrect here. I'm currently trying to get a bunch of stuff fixed for VGA and SVGA which should emulate blink properly when I'm done fixing stuff up.

To clarify, blink behaviour in EGA-style graphics modes toggles bit 3 of the colour according to the blink clock. I don't know how it combines with the plane 3 data (I implemented it as an XOR but I suspect it actually overrides the contents of plane 3), but this will be a good test case for the proper behaviour.

[OBattler]

I have another 86box vm that uses a vastly different set of hardware configuration, and it does have the same issue This VM uses an i486DX4-100 and an S3 968 4 MB GPU, with 64 MB of RAM, and it exhibits the same issue

Wait for the latest 86Box build to compile and see if this issue is fixed on it.

[iamgreaser]

I've tested with the latest code and it seems to blink between what you'd actually want and that grey screen.
Looks like graphics blink mode is going to need more research - it's definitely a feature, and it's a requirement for mode 0Fh / SCREEN 10, but it's not well documented.

[OBattler]

Can you upload the VM so this can be reproduced?

[iamgreaser]

Here's an 86Box VM with DOS 3.31 and Lotus 1-2-3 release 2.3 on an SX495 w/ MR BIOS and a 100 MHz 486-DX4.

lotus-blink.zip

Launching 1-2-3 is as simple as 1-2:

1. cd 123r23
2. 123

From there, follow the instructions of the original post. Alternatively: / a a right right right right enter enter