Re: [vga16fb] `dbootstrap' starts b&w until vt change.

[karlheg@bittersweet.inetarena.com (Karl M. Hegbloom)]

>>>>> "Ben" == Ben Pfaff <pfaffben@msu.edu> writes:

    Ben> karlheg@bittersweet.inetarena.com (Karl M. Hegbloom) writes:
    >> I'm working with the Debian boot-floppies team.  We've got a kernel
    >> (the compact image) compiled with vga16fb, and it shows the Penguin
    >> logo when it boots.  After booting, `dboostrap', a newt/slang UI
    >> application, is started by our `init', on vt1.  Normally, it is white
    >> and red on IBM blue, but with the vga16fb, it's black and white,
    >> until using A-F2, A-F1 to switch to vt2 and back.  Then it's full
    >> color again.

    Ben> Yes, that's because the penguin logo requires most of the
    Ben> 16-color palette, and the palette doesn't get reset to the usual
    Ben> one until a VT switch occurs.  You can fix this, IIRC, by having
    Ben> dbootstrap force a VT switch or by having it set the palette
    Ben> itself.

 I fixed it by having `busybox' (which acts as `init' via a hard link)
 do a vt switch as you suggest, when it finds out whether it's running
 on a machine with a standard Linux console or a serial console.  If
 it's not a serial console, it does the vt switch.

 Where would be the best place in our standard boot sequence to do the
 similar?  Should there be an rcS.d script, or should `init' be
 patched?  I tend to think that an rcS.d script would be simplest and
 best, because `init' can be restarted without rebooting the machine.
 It would need to be made to only do the palette set once at boot, and
 not again at restart.  The rcS.d script is the cheapest solution and
 ought to suffice.  Maybe someone can make an ncurses or slang gui
 thing for folks to customize their vga16 palette with.

    Ben> If I can be of further assistance, please feel free to contact
    Ben> me.

 Thank you.