Baslinux mailing list

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

svgalib 1.4.3 (latest stable) supports i810.
See below also for latest xpdf, and a libc5 svgalib links2.

Details:
> svgalib before version 1.9 had to be run SUID.  The newer version has its
> own device drivers instead of calling directly to hardware and can be run
> as user without SUID permissions. I should compile the libraries for glibc
> 2.2.5 to avoid SUID security risk with zgv and links2 online as user. 1.9
> is still development version preparatory to 2.0.  1.4.3 latest stable.

> 1.9.25 987084 bytes from
> http://www.arava.co.il/matan/svgalib/svgalib-1.9.25.tar.gz
>
> alpha release
>
> You need to mknod /dev/svga c 209 0 and
> insert module svgalib_helper (which the above also makes) in order
> to run non-SUID root.

The device and module are probably compiled and installed for you.


> You need kernel 2.4 or later to make the module, or you can compile
> without this module (edit Makefile.cfg to select NO_HELPER option, which I
> do not see there, but I can comment out the make module section) and run
> SUID root.
>
> 0-README says to read INSTALL, which seems to be missing.
> no configure
> make install:
>
> SVGALIB_HELPER_MAJOR undeclared.
>
> I commented out the whole kernel module section of Makefile.cfg and also
> told it not to install the programs or the manuals or make utilities.
>
> Still says SVGALIB_HELPER_MAJOR undeclared.

Nobody else reported this error online in English, but there is an 
odeklarerad report at 
www.linuxquestions.org/questions/showthread.php?t=124957

For version 1.4.3 you need the gcc patch if using gcc 3.3.1.
They were using gcc 3.2.3 and 1.9.18 svgalib.

> I have glibc 2.2.5/gcc 2.95.3  kernel 2.4.31
>
> I wrote the author for help.
> I might try uclibc-static next or wait for Karolis's new uclibc.
> Sindi

I got it to compile the shared libraries without the module by deleting 
the kernel directory and the svgalib_helper.h but the libraries don't work 
without the module and device.

Makefile.cfg does not offer the option of compiling NO_HELPER but does 
have the lines:

ifeq ($(NO_HELPER),y)
        INSTALLDEV =
        INSTALLMODULE =
endif


(This might mean that if you did not make/compile /dev/svga and the 
module, you don't need to install them).

Makefile itself does not contain no_helper or NO_HELPER.

Compiling with uclibc would probably produce an unusable kernel module 
(different gcc).

I am awaiting the author's help.  This is alpha.

I don't need this to work without the HELPER business, it would just be 
more secure with it.

Version 1.4.3 of svgalib (requires running SUID root)

Changes:  Now supports new Radeon and Geforce models, digital-output 
Trident (notebook LCDs).

!!!!!!!The i810 driver works!!!!!!!!

This would imply that it does NOT work in version 1.3.1 provided with 
Slackware 4.0.  The Slackware 7.1 svgalib libraries ought to work with 
glibc added to BL3 and there is a libc5 precompiled version:

http://www.arava.co.il/matan/svgalib/svgalib-1.4.3-bin.tar.gz


blueflops tiny linux uses Links2.1pre9 svgalib 1.4.3 kernel 2.4.20,
on 2 floppy disks i386 16MB RAM libc5

You could get the libc5 svgalib from here along with svgalib links2
for libc5.

I am using 2.1pre14 from Delilinux (svgalib/X) glibc.
Steven's links2 (X only, mostly static) is pre15 (libc5)

So BL3 can be used with links2 and lib5 with video that won't work with 
Xvesa, such as i810 (which I think required glibc to compile and use)
or on our old Compaq 486 laptop (256 color, needed special X modelines).
--------------------------------------


This of course does not get you opera (unless you can find a libc5 
version) or precompiled xpdf or a window manager.

Xpdf version 3.00 (Jan 2004) supports xpdf 1.5, unlike the very old 
precompiled version (0.9?) provided with Slackware 7.1 .  The precompiled 
CLI programs bundled with xpdf 3 that I got working with BL3 only do pdf 
1.3. I upgraded after running into pdf 1.5 that ver 2.0 could not display.

The precompiled xpdf is glibc but they also provide source.

http://www.foolabs.com/xpdf/  Feb 27, 2007 latest version 3.02

ver 3.02 supports PDF 1.6 and 1.7 and has lots of fixes including security 
holes and buffer overflows, and improvements.  3.01 (Aug 2005) also lists 
several pages of changes.  Worth the large download.

Sindi