Baslinux mailing list

[sindi keesan <keesan AT sdf.lonestar.org>]

On Mon, 12 Dec 2005, David Moberg wrote:

> On 12/12/05, sindi keesan <keesan AT sdf.lonestar.org> wrote:
> > On Mon, 12 Dec 2005, Nguyen The Luan wrote:
> >
> > > Hi All
> > >
> > > I need to configure framebuffer to my BasicLinux,
> > > Because I'm intending to develop some GUI based on NanoX package.
>
> NanoX (aka microwindows) also works with svgalib. I wonder if it has
> the Kdrive 8-bit color problem? If not, it might be useful for BL.
Nanox is another type of X?
Can Mplayer be used with svgalib instead of X or vesafb?

> > David Moberg has compiled a vesa framebuffer kernel which he posted as a
> > package (with some modules) a while back - if he no longer has it I will
> > post it for you.  You need to make /dev/fb too:
> > mknod /dev/fb0 c 29 0
>
> Slackware has several fb-capable kernels-I don't remember which
> ones are vesafb-capable. I will check if you want.

Your kernel is about half the size of theirs and works well for me.

> > Then you boot, if using loadlin, with vga=N at the end of the line,
> > choosing the correct number for your resolution and color depth.
> > 640 uses vga=786 (I think this is 16 million colors).  You can find this
> > info online for framebuffer.
>
> This is for vesafb. The official documentation for this is in the linux
> source archive. linux/Documentation/fb/vesafb.txt
>
> If you do not boot with the vga= parameter, you can load one of the
> other framebuffer modules - provided that you have a compatible
> card.

Matrox?

> > He also provided xfbdev - a framebuffer X, that works at the resolution at
> > which you booted, but has the same drawback as Xvesa in that it won't do
> > 256 colors.  Or you can use regular X, or Xvesa in framebuffer mode.
>
> There is also a full-size X server which uses FB and does not have the
> 8-bit color problem. But it is bigger than xfbdev.

Does this server have any advantages over the SVGA server?

> > His 2.4.31 kernel with USB support also has framebuffer support and is
> > still posted - search the thread 'USB and the digital camera' from this
> > past month.  vga=788 800 res, 790 is 1024 res (16-bit color?).
>
> Actually, I think the FB support in that kernel is broken. I am trying to
> fix it.

Let me know when to test a working copy.

> > Please set your email program not to send html, which makes the makes 3-4
> > times as large and contributes nothing useful.
>
> Is mine sending HTML or plain text?

Plain text.  I know about the HTML if I use pine and type v while reading 
- it shows for instance 9 lines of plain text and 24 lines of html that 
says the same thing in much more space.  And when reading the plain text 
part, there is a line saying that something else is attached.

> David