---
name: "gl_setcontextvga"
section: "3"
platform: "linux"
package: "libsvga1-dev"
version: "1:1.4.3-33"
release: "Debian 7 (Wheezy)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/gl_setcontextvga"
---

# gl\_setcontextvga(3)

set the context to the physical screen

## NAME

gl\_setcontextvga - set the context to the physical screen

## SYNOPSIS

**#include \<vgagl.h\>**

**int gl\_setcontextvga(int** *mode***);**

## DESCRIPTION

Set the graphics context to the physical screen of a vga mode (as defined in [**vga\_setmode**(3)](/vga_setmode/3.md)). The mode must be set with [**vga\_setmode**(3)](/vga_setmode/3.md) prior to using any of the drawing functions. **vgagl** does not take care of that.

The function returns 0 for success and non-zero if the mode is not supported by the hardware.

The only thing you can do with a planar (mode X-like) 256 color mode is aligned **gl\_putbox**, and use it as a target for **gl\_copyscreen**.

In all of the svga modes this program makes a description of the vga mode available to the vgagl functions.  The 256 color svgamodes are handled properly by this program.

## SEE ALSO

[**svgalib**(7)](/svgalib/7.md), [**vgagl**(7)](/vgagl/7.md), **svgalib.conf**(5), **threedkit**(7), **testgl**(1), [**currentcontext**(3)](/currentcontext/3.md), [**gl\_allocatecontext**(3)](/gl_allocatecontext/3.md), [**gl\_copyboxfromcontext**(3)](/gl_copyboxfromcontext/3.md), [**gl\_copyboxtocontext**(3)](/gl_copyboxtocontext/3.md), [**gl\_copyscreen**(3)](/gl_copyscreen/3.md), [**gl\_freecontext**(3)](/gl_freecontext/3.md), [**gl\_line**(3)](/gl_line/3.md), [**gl\_getcontext**(3)](/gl_getcontext/3.md), [**gl\_setcontext**(3)](/gl_setcontext/3.md), [**gl\_setcontextheight**(3)](/gl_setcontextheight/3.md), [**gl\_setcontextvgavirtual**(3)](/gl_setcontextvgavirtual/3.md), [**gl\_setcontextvirtual**(3)](/gl_setcontextvirtual/3.md), [**gl\_setcontextwidth**(3)](/gl_setcontextwidth/3.md).

## AUTHOR

This manual page was edited by Michael Weller \<eowmob@exp-math.uni-essen.de\>. The exact source of the referenced demo as well as of the original documentation is unknown.  This page was modified by Don Secrest \<secrest@uiuc.edu\>.

It is very likely that both are at least to some extent are due to Harm Hanemaayer \<H.Hanemaayer@inter.nl.net\>.

Occasionally this might be wrong. I hereby asked to be excused by the original author and will happily accept any additions or corrections to this first version of the svgalib manual.