Fwd: Abstract console backward compat and S/Linux
Geert: forwarding this to debian-sparc to see if anyone there is interested
in testing.
--- begin forwarded text
Envelope-to: jk@espy.org
Date: Thu, 21 May 1998 12:25:23 +0200 (CEST)
From: Geert Uytterhoeven <Geert.Uytterhoeven@cs.kuleuven.ac.be>
Reply-To: Geert Uytterhoeven <Geert.Uytterhoeven@cs.kuleuven.ac.be>
To: Nathan Hurst <njh@cs.monash.edu.au>
cc: Linuxppc development <linuxppc-dev@cs.wisc.edu>
Subject: Re: Linux/APUS patches
MIME-Version: 1.0
Sender: owner-linuxppc-dev@cs.wisc.edu
Precedence: bulk
On Thu, 21 May 1998, Nathan Hurst wrote:
> BTW, could I ask for a progress report on fbcons? Obviously
Accelerated text on ATI almost works (rectfill is OK, rectcopy is broken).
There are now frame buffer devices for VGA text and VGA VESA graphics (not in
the vger tree).
The GGI guys are working on a scheme so they can masquerade their drivers as
frame buffer devices.
> /chaos/control isn't finished... :-(
That's indeed a weak point... But even with the abstract console driver
enabled, you should be able to use the old control driver now. For the guys
that missed it (and are willing to test), this is what I checked in at vger
last week:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I just checked in the abstract console backward compatibility layer. This
should allow us to use the old console drivers for systems where no frame
buffer devices are available yet. I tested it on my CHRP box with the PowerMac
console driver for ATI graphics boards. I assume it'll work on PowerMac with
other graphics boards too.
Can someone please try this on SPARC and MIPS? All you need to do is:
1. Enable in your config.in
CONFIG_ABSTRACT_CONSOLE=y
CONFIG_ABSCON_COMPAT=y
2. Add to your old console driver (drivers/sbus/char/suncons.c etc.?)
#ifdef CONFIG_ABSCON_COMPAT
#include <linux/console_compat.h>
#endif
3. Put somewhere in your setup_arch()
#ifdef CONFIG_ABSCON_COMPAT
/* Console wrapper */
conswitchp = &compat_con;
#endif
(this needs <linux/console.h>)
and recompile. Good luck!
Caveats:
- Set/get font doesn't work because the old console drivers expect the font
to be in user space, while console.new.c has already copied it to kernel
space.
- Changing the resolution on the fly (using the `vmode' command for the
PowerMac console) doesn't work 100%: some parts of the console stubbornly
keep on assuming the old geomerty.
If this works, the abstract console driver can be used on all architectures.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Unfortunately no reaction from the SPARC/MIPS camp :-(
Greetings,
Geert
--
Geert Uytterhoeven Geert.Uytterhoeven@cs.kuleuven.ac.be
Wavelets, Linux/{m68k~Amiga,PPC~CHRP} http://www.cs.kuleuven.ac.be/~geert/
Department of Computer Science -- Katholieke Universiteit Leuven -- Belgium
--- end forwarded text
--
Joel "Espy" Klecker <mailto:jk@espy.org> <http://web.espy.org/>
Debian GNU/Linux Developer...................<http://www.debian.org/>
--
To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to debian-sparc-request@lists.debian.org
with a subject of "unsubscribe". Trouble? Contact listmaster@lists.debian.org
Reply to: