From: Thomas Zimmermann <tzimmermann@suse.de>
To: gregkh@linuxfoundation.org, jirislaby@kernel.org, deller@gmx.de,
James.Bottomley@HansenPartnership.com, simona@ffwll.ch
Cc: linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org, linux-serial@vger.kernel.org,
linux-fbdev@vger.kernel.org, linux-parisc@vger.kernel.org,
sashiko-reviews@lists.linux.dev,
Thomas Zimmermann <tzimmermann@suse.de>
Subject: [PATCH v2 0/7] vt: Simplify console-blanking interface
Date: Fri, 16 Oct 2026 11:11:50 +0200 [thread overview]
Message-ID: <20261016093357.33294-1-tzimmermann@suse.de> (raw)
Update con_blank from struct consw to use enum vesa_blank_mode according
to its intented semantics. Handle unblanking in the separate new callback
con_unblank. Update all consoles.
Some background: the vt subsystem calls con_blank with what at first
appears to be non-sensical value. This is because the blank value and the
type of the blank parameter do not match: con_blank mixes up console blank
state and monitor DPMS levels for power saving in the same argument.
The implementation of con_blank in various consoles suffers from a similar
problem: their interpretation of the given blank value often disagrees with
what the value's type suggests.
Patch 1 adds a new helper con_unblank, which handles all unblanking. This
allows for changing con_blank to only handle blanking. There's support
for both semantics while consoles are being converted.
Patches 2 to 6 implement con_unblank for the individual consoles. With
this, con_blank changes to its new semantics. Each console gets a single
callback for blanking and a single callback for unblanking. Switching a
console between text and graphics mode is currently tied to the blanking
helpers. The mode_switch parameter controls this. As suggested in the
earlier reviews, rather detect a mode switch from the existing state.
The mode_switch parameter is deprecated. A later series might rework the
mode switching entirely.
With all consoles updated, patch 7 removes the old semantics and the
mode_switch parameter.
Tested with vgacon on a SiS 6202 VGA and with fbcon on a Matrox G200
VGA device. The latter also ran fbcon via DRM fbdev emulation. It's easy
to test this with setterm, like this:
setterm --blank force # blank
setterm --blank poke # unblank
setterm --powersave powerdown # set VESA DPMS level 3
setterm --blank force # blank and turn off monitor
setterm --blank poke # unblank
Blanking and unblanking still works in all tested cases.
Newport and sticon are built-only, due to a lack of test equipment.
v2:
- rewrite series with con_unblank (GregKH)
- drop mode_switch from console implementations
Thomas Zimmermann (7):
vt: Add con_unblank callback to struct consw
dummycon: Implement struct consw.con_unblank
fbcon: Implement struct consw.con_unblank
newport_con: Implement struct consw.con_unblank
sticon: Implement struct consw.con_unblank
vgacon: Implement struct consw.con_unblank
vt: Remove old-style con_blank
drivers/tty/vt/vt.c | 9 ++---
drivers/video/console/dummycon.c | 18 +++++++--
drivers/video/console/newport_con.c | 27 ++++++-------
drivers/video/console/sticon.c | 27 ++++++++-----
drivers/video/console/vgacon.c | 60 +++++++++++++++++------------
drivers/video/fbdev/core/fbcon.c | 60 ++++++++++++++++++++---------
include/linux/console.h | 12 +++---
7 files changed, 132 insertions(+), 81 deletions(-)
base-commit: b0bd9fb9e92aae2a653efa1d0407daa2aabe99d0
--
2.55.0
next reply other threads:[~2026-10-16 9:34 UTC|newest]
Thread overview: 15+ messages / expand[flat|nested] mbox.gz Atom feed top
2026-10-16 9:11 Thomas Zimmermann [this message]
2026-10-16 9:11 ` [PATCH v2 1/7] vt: Add con_unblank callback to struct consw Thomas Zimmermann
2026-10-16 9:44 ` sashiko-bot
2026-10-16 9:11 ` [PATCH v2 2/7] dummycon: Implement struct consw.con_unblank Thomas Zimmermann
2026-10-16 9:46 ` sashiko-bot
2026-10-16 9:11 ` [PATCH v2 3/7] fbcon: " Thomas Zimmermann
2026-10-16 10:01 ` sashiko-bot
2026-10-16 9:11 ` [PATCH v2 4/7] newport_con: " Thomas Zimmermann
2026-10-16 10:07 ` sashiko-bot
2026-10-16 9:11 ` [PATCH v2 5/7] sticon: " Thomas Zimmermann
2026-10-16 10:13 ` sashiko-bot
2026-10-16 9:11 ` [PATCH v2 6/7] vgacon: " Thomas Zimmermann
2026-10-16 10:26 ` sashiko-bot
2026-10-16 9:11 ` [PATCH v2 7/7] vt: Remove old-style con_blank Thomas Zimmermann
2026-10-16 10:38 ` sashiko-bot
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