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gsfgf
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PostPosted: Thu Jan 23, 2003 1:44 am    Post subject: What exactally can i do with the framebuffer Reply with quote

This might be a stupid question. It's kinda sorta support, but if i posted in the wrongforum (again) sorry.

Can i run normal graphical apps w/out X on the framembuffer. Just like i do now, but without the huge overhead of x. I emerged xdirectfb. What else would i have to do. I have a geforece3 and would like acceleration and GLX, but it's no big deal as i don't play games much.
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TripKnot
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PostPosted: Thu Jan 23, 2003 5:18 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Well the FB is good for a few things but gaming is not one of them.

First it gives a nice high res console so text looks better and you can fit more on a screen.

Second, some systems that primarily run as servers don't have X. Some apps like Links and MPlayer can run on top of the FB giving you a nice graphical browser and video capabilities.

Third, it gives you that little icon on bootup.
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AndiW
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PostPosted: Thu Jan 23, 2003 5:26 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

For more info check out:

http://tldp.org/HOWTO/Framebuffer-HOWTO.html

so long...
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Martin
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PostPosted: Thu Jan 23, 2003 6:05 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Also, what are the benefits (if any, how drastic) or using a framebuffer specifc to your video card?

For instance, I have a Matrox G400, and I know that a Matrox framebuffer exists; would it be beneficial for me to use it?

</stupid question> :oops:
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David_Escott
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PostPosted: Thu Jan 23, 2003 7:01 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

sadly nvidia and the frame buffer really dont go well together. Although you can get gtk for the frame buffer so most of gnome will fit on it, (don't know for sure about the panel there may be some direct X calls there)

honestly though the overhead of X isn't that bad. I used to think that the frame buffer was the way to go but after reading a lot of different stuff i am a little more partial to X myself.
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gsfgf
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PostPosted: Thu Jan 23, 2003 7:18 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I guess i'll stick w/ X.
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hhaamu
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PostPosted: Thu Jan 23, 2003 9:01 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Martin wrote:
For instance, I have a Matrox G400, and I know that a Matrox framebuffer exists; would it be beneficial for me to use it?


Probably yes. You get all the benefits listed above and a TV-out capability (if you have dualhead on your card). It is a bit slower on high resolutions than the normal 80x25 console, though.

And if you go a little farther and use xdirectfb, you'll get really translucent windows :D
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gsfgf
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PostPosted: Sun Feb 02, 2003 8:42 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

i emerged xdirectfb, but when i startxdfb i get en error saying /usr/X11R6/bin/XDirectFB doesn't exist. It doesn't. Why didn't that install?
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gsfgf
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PostPosted: Sun Feb 02, 2003 8:44 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

also, if i run links2 -g as a user i get an error saying svgalib can't get I/O premissions. It runs fine as root.

One more: how do i enable the mouse in cosole mode.
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gsfgf
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PostPosted: Tue Feb 04, 2003 12:45 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

i tried to emerge xdirectfb-0.3-r1 which depends on DirectFB 0.9.16
When i merge DirectF i get an error saying libasound/la can't be found. I had alsa at one point, but removed a long time ago. i have -alsa in USE and i added --disable-alsa to the ebuild. i also remerged libtool. What do i ned do
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petu
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PostPosted: Tue Feb 04, 2003 3:57 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

gsfgf wrote:
also, if i run links2 -g as a user i get an error saying svgalib can't get I/O premissions. It runs fine as root.

You need to set suid bit to use it with normal user
Code:

chmod +s /usr/bin/links2

gsfgf wrote:

One more: how do i enable the mouse in cosole mode.

Install gpm
Code:

emerge gpm
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gsfgf
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PostPosted: Wed Feb 05, 2003 3:10 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

chmodding did the trick.
i emerged gpm. I have 2 questions:
1) how do i make gpm use 2 mice. I have a touchpad and an external mouse. They're on different devices. How can i make it emulate 3 buttons?

2) links2 still doesn't resopond to the mouse right. if i mouve the PS/2 touchpad the cursor jumps to the upper left corner of the screen. Moving the usb mouse does nothing. This happens with gpm off, configured to sue the touchpad or the usb mouse. gps seems to be working fine.

EDIT
I remerged links with fb support and it now works w/ the mouse. It didn't when running w/ svgalib.

How can i make the GPM mouse more sensitive?

Thanks for all the help.
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gsfgf
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PostPosted: Wed Feb 05, 2003 7:11 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

gsfgf wrote:
i tried to emerge xdirectfb-0.3-r1 which depends on DirectFB 0.9.16
When i merge DirectF i get an error saying libasound/la can't be found. I had alsa at one point, but removed a long time ago. i have -alsa in USE and i added --disable-alsa to the ebuild. i also remerged libtool. What do i ned do


This is still a problem.
Sorry to bump but i was afraid it was overlooked in my slew of questions.
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enrique
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PostPosted: Wed Feb 05, 2003 7:25 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Martin wrote:
Also, what are the benefits (if any, how drastic) or using a framebuffer specifc to your video card?

For instance, I have a Matrox G400, and I know that a Matrox framebuffer exists; would it be beneficial for me to use it?

</stupid question> :oops:


I use the framebuffer for tv out with my Matrox G400Max using mplayer:
http://www.cs.auc.dk/~enrique/linux/workstation.html#doc_chap3_sect3

If I just could get dfbmga working I would have a DVDMax like feature running under linux, now that would be nice :D
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modal
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PostPosted: Thu Feb 06, 2003 5:44 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I use the framebuffer for some fun with my console...mainly higher res text and bootsplash over the kernel text in the console.
check these threads out to see some of the cool stuff.

bootsplash stuff
framebuffer stuff i run my grub config with 848 (1600x1200 res console!!!)

i hope this helps.
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gsfgf
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PostPosted: Thu Feb 06, 2003 9:37 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

i got xdirectfb working. However i can't start stuff in it. I assume i need to rebuild everything the fbcon USE var.

Also how do i get my mouse that's enabled in gpm to only move the pointer in xdirectfb? It moves the pointer, but the gpm curser also shows up and leaves black streaks accross the screen and isn't aligned w/ the pointer.

I still wonder how to get gpm to use both mice.

UPDATE: I remerged fluxbox,but when i start it in dfbserverrc I get an error saying it can't connect to display.
GTK apps also say the can't open display.

Before that, i get an error fro XDirectFB saying[code] DirectFB/core/fbdev: Panning display failed!
--> Invalid argument
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gsfgf
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PostPosted: Thu Feb 06, 2003 10:12 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Fixed it.
i'll post a howto in Trips & tricks
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gsfgf
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PostPosted: Thu Feb 06, 2003 10:52 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

can i run xdm on the framebuffer?

Also, Abiword says it is not able to add its fonts to the font path. Then it says i can't load the TimesNewRoman font. It says i need to manually change my font path. How do i do that?

Code:

gsfgf@laptop xinit $ sudo xset +fp /usr/share/AbiSuite/fonts/
X Error of failed request:  86
  Major opcode of failed request:  51 (X_SetFontPath)
  Serial number of failed request:  8
  Current serial number in output stream:  10
gsfgf@laptop xinit $
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gsfgf
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PostPosted: Fri Feb 07, 2003 2:58 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Also how can i run 2 framebuffer consoles at different resolutions? And have xdirectfb work like X does (can move the mouse on either).
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gsfgf
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PostPosted: Fri Feb 07, 2003 3:42 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Also, how can i enable the windows key since XF86Config isn't parsed.
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gsfgf
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PostPosted: Fri Feb 07, 2003 3:49 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

One more. Sorry, i'll add all this to the howto.
I can't get it to run in 24bpp color. I changed the pertinant mode to
Code:

mode "1280x1024 90Hz 24bit"
    # D: 108.00 MHz, H: 63.981 kHz, V: 60.02 Hz
    geometry 1280 1024 1280 1024 24
    timings 9260 248 48 38 1 112 3
    hsync high
    vsync high
endmode


Also how do i raise mt refresh rate?
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iqt
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PostPosted: Fri Feb 07, 2003 7:29 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Anyone has experience with the aty128fb driver? I have an ATI Rage Fury Pro card. The framebuffer driver is working (bootlogo, nice console at 1280x1024). I emerged directfb and xdirectfb but after startxdfb the screen is black. ctrl+alt+back is stopping the X-Server. I can see the messages from directfb (version 0.9.16, mouse, keyboard, screen added, ...). Mplayer with -vo directfb started is also not working. I just get green/black vertical stripes.
If I use the VESA fb-driver everything is fine, except the fonts at 1280x1024 are ugly. I've to use 1024x768 then.

I think it's a problem with my directfb installation. Any ideas?

Dirk
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lordsibn
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PostPosted: Fri Feb 07, 2003 8:29 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

if your system is sporting a GeForce 3, then I strongly doubt that X carries that much overhead for you.

When I start my system (with 384MB system memory), and login, startx and gnome, the whole system is using less than 60MB. But my real point...

Hey, ive got a geforce2 gts. if you dont play games, perhaps itd be a good idea if we traded cards, eh? :twisted:
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