<doc>
  <legacy_id>1549</legacy_id>
  <name>screenType</name>
  <type>function</type>
  <syntax>
    <example>the screenType</example>
    <example>screenType()</example>
  </syntax>
  <library></library>
  <objects>
  </objects>
  <synonyms>
  </synonyms>
  <classification>
    <category>The System Environment</category>
  </classification>
  <references>
    <property tag="privateColors">privateColors Property</property>
    <function tag="screenColors">screenColors Function</function>
    <function tag="screenDepth">screenDepth Function</function>
    <function tag="screenRect">screenRect Function</function>
  </references>
  <history>
    <introduced version="1.0">Added.</introduced>
  </history>
  <platforms>
    <mac/>
    <windows/>
    <linux/>
  </platforms>
  <classes>
    <desktop/>
    <server/>
    <web/>
  </classes>
  <security>
  </security>
  <summary><glossary tag="return">Returns</glossary> the color capability of the screen.</summary>
  <examples>
    <example>the screenType</example>
    <example>if the screenType is "PseudoColor" then useLineImages else usePhotos</example>
  </examples>
  <description>
    <p>Use the <b>screenType</b> <control_st tag="function">function</control_st> to determine what kind of color or grayscale values the current screen can use.</p><p/><p><b>Value:</b></p><p>The <b>screenType</b> function <glossary tag="return">returns</glossary> one of the following types:</p><p/><p><code>StaticGray</code>: a fixed list of shades of gray</p><p><code>StaticColor</code>: a fixed list of colors</p><p><code>GrayScale</code>: a list of shades of gray, each changeable by the engine</p><p><code>PseudoColor</code>: a list of 256 or fewer colors, each changeable by the engine</p><p><code>TrueColor</code>: a list of 2^24 (16,777,216) colors</p><p><code>DirectColor</code>: an unlimited number of colors</p><p/><p><b>Comments:</b></p><p>If the <b>screenType</b> is "StaticGray" or "StaticColor", the available colors are predefined in a <glossary tag="color table">color table</glossary>. Any colors displayed by LiveCode are changed to the closest available color.</p><p/><p>If the <b>screenType</b> is "GrayScale", "PseudoColor", or "TrueColor", a predefined number of color slots is available, and the <glossary tag="engine">engine</glossary> can change any of those colors to one of a larger set of available colors. 8-<glossary tag="bit">bit</glossary> color displays (256 colors) are usually<code> PseudoColor</code>.</p><p/><p>If the <b>screenType</b> is "DirectColor", any <glossary tag="pixel">pixel</glossary> on the screen can be set to any color that the screen supports.</p><p/><p>On some Unix systems, you can change the <b>screenType</b> with the -v <glossary tag="command line">command-line</glossary> option. See the "xdpyinfo" command and the <glossary tag="Unix">Unix</glossary> documentation for more information on visual types and changing the visual type.</p><p/><p>If the system has more than one monitor, the <b>screenType</b> function <glossary tag="return">returns</glossary> the color capability of the main screen.</p><p/><p>The value returned by the <b>screenType</b> function is updated only when you start up the <glossary tag="application">application</glossary>. If you change the screen settings after starting up the <glossary tag="application">application</glossary>, you must quit and restart to update the <b>screenType</b>.</p>
  </description>
</doc>