Re: xfree

[Sven LUTHER <luther@debian.org>]

On Mon, Jan 10, 2000 at 05:32:43PM +0100, Ivo KRAB wrote:
> Hi,
> 
> Sven Luther wrote:
> 
> >What about providing a full set of macintosh XF86Config in the ppc xfree
> >packages ?
> >
> >I guess there is only a limited set of macintosh video boards around, isn't it
> >? mostly ATI boards. and for laptops, we can get the config file directly from
> >the laptop model, since i doubt anyone changed graphic board on a laptop.
> >
> >So for configuring X we could add a postinst, that will ask about the computer
> >model you have, and use a symlink to provide the X server with the proper
> >XF86Config File.
> 
> Good idea in principle, but the details of the XF86Config depend on more
> than just the UC model: you also need to know what monitor is connected. A
> script/application presenting a choice from a list of models of UC (limited
> indeed) and monitors (standard Apple ones also limited in number, but
> third-party monitor could also be used), which then chooses appropriate
> settings from a database and builds an XF86Config would be more useful.

Just providing some minimal monitor setup, and tell the user he can change
them by hand. This would work, or even we could have the script asking the
user about his monitor values, and do some sed or awk magic to provide a
monitor correct value.

> >3.3.6 is out, as soon as branden makes the source package, i will build it for
> >ppc. I will try to add the above mentionned script and files, but i am no mac
> >user, so please someone with a (or better yet a lot of) mac(s), please send me
> >the necessary XF86Config files. I will provide the ones for apus. Fon't know
> >what the situation is for prep and chrp and others, but i guess there is no
> >such easy solution for them ?
> 
> Could you PLEASE build and package all the servers, not just the FBdev one?
> The fbdev is not accellerated for my Powerbook's Chips 65550, but the SVGA
> one is supposed to be.

No, i will not, i have other things to do. If you provide me with a patch,
then i could do it. Anyway, i don't think the SVGA Xfree server will even
compile on ppc, but then i may be wrong.

If you have the 65550 specs, you could even add fbdev accel for it, taking as
model the mach64 and pm2 stuff (in xc/programs/Xserver/hw/xfree68/maxh64|pm2 i
guess).

> On another tack there, I've downloaded and built the 3.9.17 source. It's
> not working for me yet, but when (if) it will, how do I go about packaging
> and uploading it? Is there a HOWTO?

Xfree 3.9.17 is not actually working for powerpc. you could give 3.9.15 a try
i guess, but it is somewhat old. what problem did you experiment with 3.9.17 ?
please forward your problem to the xfree mailing list, so it get fixed. (the
address is devel@XFree86.Org) Make sure to provide lots of info about your
problem.

Packaging Xfree is not a trivial matter, and no there is no howto about it,
but you can download the source package and build it.

The easiest way to do it right now, is to build a static Xfree 3.9 server, and
build only the server (with the Staticserver and buildserveronly flag in the
Xfree config stuff). After that you move the resulting executable in
/usr/X11R6/bin, or wherever you want, modify /etc/X11/XF86Config (best would
be to modify the Xserver to read /etc/X11/XF86Config4 or something such) and
then have /etc/X11/xserver point to it. Works fine.

Did you try the prcompiled Xserver from Michel Daenzer ? you can find it at :

http://n.ethz.ch/student/daenzerm/download/

it is called XFree86-3.9.16c-pm2-glibc2.1.tar.gz, but should work for other
chipsets also. Please tell me your experience with it.

BTW, i have no more diskspace for doing X compiles, can i do the Xfree build
on powerpc.debian.org ? Is there enough disk space there ? I will cleanup
after me naturally.

Friendly,

Sven LUTHER