/FHQ16: What determines the amount of conventional memory that DESQview claims
for itself and takes away from programs?/FB



Using XDV.COM, DESQview Classic or DESQview-386 can load most of itself
into upper and high memory so conventional memory is preserved.
However, loading many TSRs or DOS high /JB(see Q22)/q22.txt/ will reduce the amount
of DESQview that can be loaded high (i.e. in the XMA - the first 64K of
extended memory).  DVX386 automatically loads itself into high memory.



DESQview also sets aside a portion of conventional memory and calls it
``Common Memory''.  The amount that DESQview allocates can be decreased
in DVSETUP, but the minimum is about 14K.  Certain programs such as DVSI
(a set of shareware utilities by Daniel Bodoh) require the amount of
Common Memory to be larger than the minimum.  A large Open Window menu
or many ``shared programs'' will also increase the required amount of
Common Memory.



Each window has an area of memory called ``System Memory''.  The amount
of System Memory available to a program is controlled by three separate
entries on the Change A Program screen.  First, since DESQview stores
the window image in System Memory, decreasing the number of text pages
and maximum window size decreases System Memory usage.  Second, since
most programs do not explicitly use System Memory, the System Memory
field can be set to 1K or 0K.



The pool of System Memory only reduces the maximum window memory for
that particular window, and does not affect the other windows.  You can
see this using the Memory Status program.  It will report, say, 592K of
conventional memory available, but part of that is used for System
Memory so the actual amount available is less.