SuSE Rage 128 Xserver Source and XFree 3.3.6

SuSE Rage 128 Xserver Source and XFree 3.3.6

[Kevin B. Hendricks]

Hi,

I got tired of waiting for SuSE to release the source to its accelerated
Xserver for Rage 128, so I sent them a nasty gram and what they replied is
below:

So Anthony?, Tom?, Geert?, Anyone?

Do any of you know who has access to XFree 3.3.6 source code so that we can
get started porting this server to PPC?

Thanks,

Kevin

Here is SuSE's reply:

---cut-here---

> Why is the source not available for your Rage 128 X server.  I have
>looked all
> over your site and asked Xfree developers and no one I know has any
>access to
> the source you "say" has been contributed to Xfree org.

 I would be interested to learn who those "XFree86 developers" are whom you
 supposedly asked. The sources are available to the development team.

> No one wants to reinvent the wheel.  If the source code exists, please
>make it
> publicly available, now and not at some unspecified future time.

 It will be available as part of XFree86-3.3.6, within about one month. If you
 want to work on porting it to the PPC architecture, join the XFree86
 development team. Simply recompiling it will not work.

	Dirk


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Re: SuSE Rage 128 Xserver Source and XFree 3.3.6

[anthony tong]

Kevin B. Hendricks (Wed, Oct 20, 1999 at 03:43:06PM -0400):
> I got tired of waiting for SuSE to release the source to its accelerated
> Xserver for Rage 128, so I sent them a nasty gram and what they replied is
> below:
> 
> So Anthony?, Tom?, Geert?, Anyone?
> 
> Do any of you know who has access to XFree 3.3.6 source code so that we can
> get started porting this server to PPC?

I have the source, and also Precision Insights additions to it (a bit 
cleaner layout + hw cursor).

I've also started merging into our xf68_fbdev but I won't have any free
time to continue this (at least for a week or so). The problem is that
they're using the xaa interface (which never was ported to ppc), so you
have to wrapper all their accel functions by hand.


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Re: SuSE Rage 128 Xserver Source and XFree 3.3.6

[Kevin B. Hendricks]

Hi Anthony,

>I have the source, and also Precision Insights additions to it (a bit
>cleaner layout + hw cursor).
>
>I've also started merging into our xf68_fbdev but I won't have any free
>time to continue this (at least for a week or so). The problem is that
>they're using the xaa interface (which never was ported to ppc), so you
>have to wrapper all their accel functions by hand.

Are you allowed to share that source with others?

If so, and if you need help working on it am I sure we could drum up some
volunteers to help write wrapper code for you (myself and Christopher
Shepherd already volunteered to help, and I am sure others would also)!

I am sure both LinuxPPC and YellowDogLinux would love to claim acceleration
for Rage 128 for G3 and G4 systems and they would probably be willing to
lend you a hand too. (How about it Dan and Jason???)

Just say the word.

Thanks for all of your efforts!

Kevin


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Re: SuSE Rage 128 Xserver Source and XFree 3.3.6

[Dan Burcaw]

> I am sure both LinuxPPC and YellowDogLinux would love to claim acceleration
> for Rage 128 for G3 and G4 systems and they would probably be willing to
> lend you a hand too. (How about it Dan and Jason???)
> 

Of course. Let me know if you need a hand, Anthony. We have a number of
people here that could lend assistance.

Regards,
Dan

Terra Soft Solutions, Inc.
   Yellow Dog Linux
   "The Ultimate Companion for a Dedicated Server"
   http://www.yellowdoglinux.com/


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Accel ATI Rage 128 support, the very first step (Help needed)

[Charlie McLachlan]

I've taken a look at the the Suse code and the Antony's aty128 fb with a
mind to accelerating console scrolling (for a start).

Starting with the fb device. 

I've found the bmove function and guess that's what is used to copy
bits of the screen around.

As an experiment, I replace it with a  function that does nothing.

Thus,

(all the following based on  Antony's aty128fb.c)

add a display_switch to fb_info_aty128

struct fb_info_aty128 {
	...
	struct display_switch dispw;
	...
	};

then alter aty128_set_disp so that instead of just

disp->dispw = &fbcon_cfb<whatever>;

we have

disp->dispw= &info->dispw;
memcpy(&info->dispw,&fbcon_cfb<whatever>,sizeof(fbcon_cfb<whatever>));
info->dispw.bmove=fbcon_aty128_bmove;

where fbcon_aty128_bmove is a function of my own devising that does
nothing.

The result was that vertical scolling worked fine (i.e. when you typed
to the bottom of the screen the scroll upward was okay) but when scrooling
horizontally (like when you back cursor through a line then add more
characters) the remains of the line (the bit to the right of the cursor)
is not moved.

So on to the questions:

(I realise some of these might be RTFM answers, but I don't know which FM
I should be R'ing)

1) What gives? Why isn't bmove (seemingly) used for vertical console
scrolls?

2) If I recompile aty128fb, how do I replace the currently active version
without having to restart? (i.e. how do I change frame buffer modules?)

3) Have I got this all wrong? Is bmove even what I should be thinking of?

4) Where can I find more frame buffer documentation? I've worked most of
this out from the skellington framebuffer device and Antony's code.

5) Antony's code references registers through info->regbase (which is a
big long hex number with some 8's in it). The Suse code references
registers through (PCIDevice->_basel & 0xffffff00), where PCIDevice is a
pciconfigPtr found through probing. Is this the same thing?

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Charlie McLachlan - Responsible for VNC on the Mac
	AT&T Research Lab. Cambridge.
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

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Re: Accel ATI Rage 128 support, the very first step (Help needed)

[Ryuichi Oikawa]

From: Charlie McLachlan <cim@uk.research.att.com>
Subject: Accel ATI Rage 128 support, the very first step (Help needed)
 
> I've taken a look at the the Suse code and the Antony's aty128 fb with a
> mind to accelerating console scrolling (for a start).
> 
> Starting with the fb device. 
> 
> I've found the bmove function and guess that's what is used to copy
> bits of the screen around.
> 
> As an experiment, I replace it with a  function that does nothing.
> 
> Thus,
> 
> (all the following based on  Antony's aty128fb.c)
> 
> add a display_switch to fb_info_aty128
> 
> struct fb_info_aty128 {
> 	...
> 	struct display_switch dispw;
> 	...
> 	};
> 
> then alter aty128_set_disp so that instead of just
> 
> disp->dispw = &fbcon_cfb<whatever>;
> 
> we have
> 
> disp->dispw= &info->dispw;
> memcpy(&info->dispw,&fbcon_cfb<whatever>,sizeof(fbcon_cfb<whatever>));
> info->dispw.bmove=fbcon_aty128_bmove;
> 
> where fbcon_aty128_bmove is a function of my own devising that does
> nothing.
> 
> The result was that vertical scolling worked fine (i.e. when you typed
> to the bottom of the screen the scroll upward was okay) but when scrooling
> horizontally (like when you back cursor through a line then add more
> characters) the remains of the line (the bit to the right of the cursor)
> is not moved.
> 
> So on to the questions:
> 
> (I realise some of these might be RTFM answers, but I don't know which FM
> I should be R'ing)
> 
> 1) What gives? Why isn't bmove (seemingly) used for vertical console
> scrolls?
> 
> 2) If I recompile aty128fb, how do I replace the currently active version
> without having to restart? (i.e. how do I change frame buffer modules?)
> 
> 3) Have I got this all wrong? Is bmove even what I should be thinking of?
> 
> 4) Where can I find more frame buffer documentation? I've worked most of
> this out from the skellington framebuffer device and Antony's code.
> 
> 5) Antony's code references registers through info->regbase (which is a
> big long hex number with some 8's in it). The Suse code references
> registers through (PCIDevice->_basel & 0xffffff00), where PCIDevice is a
> pciconfigPtr found through probing. Is this the same thing?

I have an Xpmac server with Rage128 acceleration support. If you have ADB
keyboard and mouse, please try:
 ftp://ppc.linux.or.jp/pub/users/oikawa/Xserver/hw/powermac/Xpmac-3.3.3.1-19991028.gz


Regards,

Ryuichi Oikawa
roikawa@rr.iij4u.or.jp

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Re: Accel ATI Rage 128 support, (another test Xserver)

[anthony tong]

Ryuichi Oikawa (Thu, Oct 28, 1999 at 03:26:24AM +0900):
> I have an Xpmac server with Rage128 acceleration support. If you have ADB
> keyboard and mouse, please try:
>  ftp://ppc.linux.or.jp/pub/users/oikawa/Xserver/hw/powermac/Xpmac-3.3.3.1-19991028.gz
> 

I'm not as far as Ryuichi is, but I finally had some time tonight
to port most of Precision Insight's (slightly buggy) code. It's not
fully accelerated yet and still no 15/16 bpp (haven't had time to
look at it).

You'll need a newer aty128fb patch if you're using a 2.2.x kernel.

ftp://devel.linuxppc.org/users/atong/aty128
	XF86FB_Dev-r128.gz
	aty128fb-oct_28.diff.gz

Because there is unreleased xfree code the server will expire in ~3
weeks. :( Also, do keep in mind that this is an experimental Xserver.

Please test,
-at

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Re: Accel ATI Rage 128 support, the very first step (Help needed)

[anthony tong]

Charlie McLachlan (Wed, Oct 27, 1999 at 11:46:15AM +0100):
> The result was that vertical scolling worked fine (i.e. when you typed
> to the bottom of the screen the scroll upward was okay) but when scrooling
> horizontally (like when you back cursor through a line then add more
> characters) the remains of the line (the bit to the right of the cursor)
> is not moved.

this might be a shell vs. termcap/terminfo problem.

> 1) What gives? Why isn't bmove (seemingly) used for vertical console
> scrolls?

Because it's slow. If you want to try it set display->scrollmode to 0.
Be warned though it's not really ready for prime time use (you need
to make sure that the engine isn't busy).. simple stuff but I simply
didn't have the time to sit down and test it.

> 2) If I recompile aty128fb, how do I replace the currently active version
> without having to restart? (i.e. how do I change frame buffer modules?)

You don't; at least, I've never been able to unregister a fbdev driver
and re-registering a new one. I'm not sure if this has been fixed recently
though.

> 3) Have I got this all wrong? Is bmove even what I should be thinking of?

I'd look into panning + getting a rectfill. I'll try and do it this
weekend if I have the time.

> 5) Antony's code references registers through info->regbase (which is a
> big long hex number with some 8's in it). The Suse code references
> registers through (PCIDevice->_basel & 0xffffff00), where PCIDevice is a
> pciconfigPtr found through probing. Is this the same thing?

Pretty much.


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Re: Accel ATI Rage 128 support, the very first step (Help needed)

[Geert Uytterhoeven]

On Thu, 28 Oct 1999, anthony tong wrote:
> Charlie McLachlan (Wed, Oct 27, 1999 at 11:46:15AM +0100):
> > 2) If I recompile aty128fb, how do I replace the currently active version
> > without having to restart? (i.e. how do I change frame buffer modules?)
> 
> You don't; at least, I've never been able to unregister a fbdev driver
> and re-registering a new one. I'm not sure if this has been fixed recently
> though.

If you have a second active frame buffer device, you can unload the first after
you mapped all VCs to the second. It works for me: I can unload/reload vga16fb
for my S3 Trio64V+ while atyfb serves my RAGE II+.

Gr{oetje,eeting}s,
--
Geert Uytterhoeven -- Linux/{m68k~Amiga,PPC~CHRP} -- geert@linux-m68k.org

In personal conversations with technical people, I call myself a hacker. But
when I'm talking to journalists I just say "programmer" or something like that.
							    -- Linus Torvalds


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Re: SuSE Rage 128 Xserver Source and XFree 3.3.6

[anthony tong]

Kevin B. Hendricks (Wed, Oct 20, 1999 at 07:23:27PM -0400):
> >I have the source, and also Precision Insights additions to it (a bit
> >cleaner layout + hw cursor).
> >
> >I've also started merging into our xf68_fbdev but I won't have any free
> >time to continue this (at least for a week or so). The problem is that
> >they're using the xaa interface (which never was ported to ppc), so you
> >have to wrapper all their accel functions by hand.
> 
> Are you allowed to share that source with others?

Unfortunately, no.

           2) You must, under no circumstances, release work-in-progress code,  
              documentation, or other preliminary materials outside the         
              membership of The XFree86 Project, Inc., without express          
              permission from the Board of Directors of the corporation.        

However becoming a XFree86 member is quite painless.

XFree86-3.3.5a is already completed, and to my knowledge it'll be released
as 3.3.6 by the end of the month.


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Re: SuSE Rage 128 Xserver Source and XFree 3.3.6

[Charlie McLachlan]

On Wed, 20 Oct 1999, anthony tong wrote:

> > Are you allowed to share that source with others?
> 
> Unfortunately, no.

After whining about the Suse website being misleading (on this mailing
list) a bloke from Suse sent me the code. I'm not a member of XFree86 and
the code doesn't mention that is not for redistribution. I'll email my
source and see if he has any objections to me posting it to the mailing
list (its a 12k tar ball)

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Charlie McLachlan - Responsible for VNC on the Mac
	AT&T Research Lab. Cambridge.
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=


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Re: SuSE Rage 128 Xserver Source and XFree 3.3.6

[Sven LUTHER]

On Wed, Oct 20, 1999 at 03:05:02PM -0500, anthony tong wrote:
> 
> Kevin B. Hendricks (Wed, Oct 20, 1999 at 03:43:06PM -0400):
> > I got tired of waiting for SuSE to release the source to its accelerated
> > Xserver for Rage 128, so I sent them a nasty gram and what they replied is
> > below:
> > 
> > So Anthony?, Tom?, Geert?, Anyone?
> > 
> > Do any of you know who has access to XFree 3.3.6 source code so that we can
> > get started porting this server to PPC?
> 
> I have the source, and also Precision Insights additions to it (a bit 
> cleaner layout + hw cursor).
> 
> I've also started merging into our xf68_fbdev but I won't have any free
> time to continue this (at least for a week or so). The problem is that
> they're using the xaa interface (which never was ported to ppc), so you
> have to wrapper all their accel functions by hand.

What about 3.9.16 ? it is publicly available, and does run on powerpc, at least
i think so (3.9.Px did for me). I think it has some compile problems though, so
you will have to configure the emux86 stuff out. Not sure it is needed anyway,
and was tested only on i386 (pretty stupid to have a i386 bios emulator that
only works on i386 i think, but then i know nothing of this stuff.)

So is the Rqge 128 driver stuff already in 3.9.16 ?

Friendly,

Sven LUTHER

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Re: SuSE Rage 128 Xserver Source and XFree 3.3.6

[anthony tong]

Sven LUTHER (Thu, Oct 21, 1999 at 12:44:50PM +0200):
> So is the Rqge 128 driver stuff already in 3.9.16 ?

Nope.


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Re: SuSE Rage 128 Xserver Source and XFree 3.3.6

[Kevin_Hendricks]

Hi,

>So is the Rqge 128 driver stuff already in 3.9.16 ?
>

According to the list of Xservers given on the XFree86 org page, it is NOT 
included.  They have completely restructured Xservers for that release.  Now 
they all start with the base Xserver while calls up various shared-libraries to 
handle driver specifics / acceleration, etc.

Given XFree86 policy of not releasing source, (according to their website they 
specifically request that people *not* join just to get access to pre-release 
source).  I hope SuSE simply just posts the source.  

This whole process simply makes no sense.  Why give development source only to a 
body that can not release it for others?  Not exactly using the strength of the 
free software movement?

I guess I shouldn't complain, Sun won't let me release the JDK source to others 
(just diffs).

Kevin

--
Kevin B. Hendricks
Associate Professor of Operations and Information Technology
Richard Ivey School of Business, University of Western Ontario
London, Ontario  N6A-3K7  CANADA   
khendricks@ivey.uwo.ca, (519) 661-3874, fax: 519-661-3959


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Re: SuSE Rage 128 Xserver Source and XFree 3.3.6

[Geert Uytterhoeven]

On Thu, 21 Oct 1999, Kevin_Hendricks wrote:
> >So is the Rqge 128 driver stuff already in 3.9.16 ?
> 
> According to the list of Xservers given on the XFree86 org page, it is NOT 
> included.  They have completely restructured Xservers for that release.  Now 
> they all start with the base Xserver while calls up various shared-libraries to 
> handle driver specifics / acceleration, etc.
> 
> Given XFree86 policy of not releasing source, (according to their website they 
> specifically request that people *not* join just to get access to pre-release 
> source).  I hope SuSE simply just posts the source.  

In this case people don't join `just to get access to pre-release source', but
`to port it to PPC'. That's real development, so I see no problems with joining
XFree86.

> This whole process simply makes no sense.  Why give development source only to a 
> body that can not release it for others?  Not exactly using the strength of the 
> free software movement?

Those can make time-limited beta binaries.

I don't like it that much neither, and many agree with the not-liking. That's
why there exist 3.9.x snapshots...

Greetings,
--
Geert Uytterhoeven -- Linux/{m68k~Amiga,PPC~CHRP} -- geert@linux-m68k.org

In personal conversations with technical people, I call myself a hacker. But
when I'm talking to journalists I just say "programmer" or something like that.
							    -- Linus Torvalds


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