An application using VioGetBuf can prepare a screen in the application's own logical video buffer (LVB) offline. When the application is in the foreground, the physical screen buffer is updated from the LVB when VioShowBuf is issued. When the application runs in the background, the physical screen buffer is updated when the application is switched to the foreground.

Once VioGetBuf is issued, all VioWrtXX calls issued while the application is running in the foreground are written to the physical display buffer and LVB.

VioGetMode can be used to determine the dimensions of the buffer.

If VioSetMode is issued following a VioGetBuf call, the size of the LVB is changed, and VioGetBuf must be reissued.