[Linux-ia64] IA-64 XFree86 (was: XFree 4.0.1 module loading)

Marc Aurele La France
2000-08-21T16:12:33Z

On Thu, 17 Aug 2000, Stuart Anderson wrote:

> On Wed, 16 Aug 2000, Marc Aurele La France wrote:

> > On Fri, 11 Aug 2000, Keith Owens wrote:

> > > >> I guess my question now is: Should the dlopen() loader be able to
> > > >> resolve inter-module dependencies? If not, what is left to be done with
> > > >> the elf loader make it functional on IA64?

> > > >Support for the ELF64 relocation types. Just like a block of code was added
> > > >for Alpha support, the same type of thing will have to be added for IA64.

> > > modutils 2.3.13 has IA64 relocation support, courtesy of Mike Stephens
> > > at Intel. obj/obj_ia64.c should be a reasonable starting point.

> > Is anyone going ahead with this? If not, I can probably come pretty close
> > to getting it working even though I'd be going in blind (no hardware).

> > Let me know.

> I've received some code, and should have hardware soon, so I was planning
> on working on it.

ATI is funding me to go to their labs near Toronto from 2000.09.13 to
2000.09.22 and work on IA-64 support. This despite that they are aware
Michael Madore has both the ATI and R128 drivers working reasonably well.
I see this as a measure of how important they feel IA-64 support this. I
agree with them. And so, my goal with this "outing" will be to bring
XFree86's IA-64 server up to as close to an "out-of-the-box" condition as
I can, using what we currently provide on IA-32 as a benchmark.

So that I don't end up duplicating effort and/or working in the dark, I'd
like us to coordinate our efforts.

First, I ask David Dawes or Keith Packard to set up an XFree86-internal
mailing list, say ia64@xfree86.org. At this point, I don't think this
list should be public. Its initial membership would be

Stuart Anderson <anderson@metrolink.com>
David Dawes <dawes@xfree86.org>
Dirk Hohndel <hondel@suse.de>
Marc Aurele La France <tsi@ualberta.ca>
Michael Madore <mmadore@turbolinux.com>
Bill Nottingham <notting@redhat.com>
Keith Owens <kaos@ocs.com.au>
Michael Smith <msmith@ati.com>
Mark Vojkovich <mvojkovich@valinux.com>

... and anyone else willing to participate.

Second, I propose we use XFree86's CVS repository as a common code base.
I'd like to check in all the work that has been done so far, warts
included.

Third, I ask everyone here with IA-64 hardware and compilation environment
to give the server a reasonably thorough shakedown, and report on and/or
fix what falls out. In terms of a status report, I am currently aware of
the following:

- ATI and R128 drivers work OK (Michael Madore)
- MGA and R128 drivers work OK (Mark Vojkovich)
- The loader needs to be changed to understand the IA64 flavour of
ELF64. From the above, it appears that Stuart has volunteered
for this one ;-)
- SIGILL's in VBE, probably related to int10 (Michael Madore)
- SIGSEGV's when loading/unloading pcidata and scanpci modules
(Michael Madore).

This is surely incomplete and needs to be kept up to date.

These's a non-zero probability that most issues will be resolved by the
time I get to ATI's labs, but I'm willing to accept that risk. There are
lots of other things I can talk to ATI about anyway.

I might be way off base on this one, but I believe the development of an
out-of-the-box XFree86 IA-64 server to be important, crucial even. It is
my understanding that IA-64 systems have yet to hit the streets. If so,
then we have an opportunity to preempt, or at least match, MS's entry into
this market. Also, it's just a matter of time before the *BSD's join the
IA-64 bandwagon, and XFree86 should be ready for them.

So, please, let's get our act together and have something to show for our
efforts by 2000.09.22.

Thanks.

Marc.

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