Backlight API

One of the Newton 2.x OS Q&As
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This document was exported on 7/23/97.

Backlight API (4/19/96)

Q: What is the API to check for and use the backlight?

A: There are three relevant pieces of information:

Checking for the backlight

To check if the backlight is there, use the Gestalt function as follows:

// define this somewhere in your project
// until the platform file defines it (not in 1.2d2)
constant kGestalt_BackLight := '[0x02000007, [struct, boolean], 1];

local isBacklight := Gestalt(kGestalt_BackLight);

if isBacklight AND isBacklight[0] then
   // has a backlight
else
   // has not got one

Status of the backlight

To find the current state of the backlight, use the following function:
    BackLightStatus()

 return value = nil (backlight is off) or non-nil (backlight is on)

Changing backlight status

To turn the backlight on or off, use:

    BackLight(state)

 return value - unspecified
state - nil (turn backlight off) or non-nil (turn backlight on)