Dummy vt for XFree86 ?

Dummy vt for XFree86 ?

[xerces8]

Hi!

Is there a way to prevent VT switching for XFree86 ?

I have two gfx cards and want to start an X server on the secondary
card, while leaving the VTs on the primary card active.

So I need XFree86 not to allocate and cause a switch to a new VT.
Since I know of no way to make XFree86 do that, I wonder if I can
give XFree86 some fake vt on its command line, like :

X :0 vt_dummy

Is this possible with a 2.6.x series kernel ?

Any other way to prevent X taking away "focus" from the primary card ?

( please ignore any possible issues with the keyboard, that may arise
when having X and text VT active at the same time )

Regards,
David Balazic

Re: Dummy vt for XFree86 ?

[Helge Hafting]

xerces8 wrote:

>Hi!
>
>Is there a way to prevent VT switching for XFree86 ?
>
>I have two gfx cards and want to start an X server on the secondary
>card, while leaving the VTs on the primary card active.
>
>So I need XFree86 not to allocate and cause a switch to a new VT.
>Since I know of no way to make XFree86 do that, I wonder if I can
>give XFree86 some fake vt on its command line, like :
>
>X :0 vt_dummy
>
>Is this possible with a 2.6.x series kernel ?
>
>Any other way to prevent X taking away "focus" from the primary card ?
>
>( please ignore any possible issues with the keyboard, that may arise
>when having X and text VT active at the same time )
>  
>
The keyboard is very much the issue - your typing either goes into
the VT on the primary card - or into the X session.  There is no other way
the computer can know what you mean.  I guess you're going to
run an X session that won't use kbd input at all, given the question you 
ask?

The stock 2.6.x can't do it, but take a look at the ruby patch.
Ruby is really meant for hooking up several keybaords, so you can have one
keboard for the VT's on your first card and another kbd for the X session.
This lets several users work at the same time, using only one pc.

If you don't need the scondary keyboard - don't plug one in.  Ruby can still
give you a dummy VT where no input or output happens, and X can use that VT.

Boot the ruby-patched 2.6.x kernel with the "dumbcon=1" parameter to get one
dummy console, and let X use VT17 which will be that dummy.

Helge Hafting

Re: Dummy vt for XFree86 ?

[xerces8]

From: Helge Hafting <helge.hafting@aitel.hist.no>

> The keyboard is very much the issue - your typing either goes into

No, it isn't. I have the keyboard under control. Forget that keyboards
even exist ;-) Trust me.

I know the ruby patch, but I'm trying to make this work with an unpatched
kernel. And the VT switching is the only remaining problem.

At the end I will run 2 X servers ( yes, I am doing a multi-head (or is
it multi-seat ?) system).
Currently when I start the second one, it will perform a VT switch and thereby
"turn off" the first one (it is still running, just not visible).

What if I recompile the kernel with no VT support ?
(that is my next try anyway)

> the VT on the primary card - or into the X session.  There is no other way
> the computer can know what you mean.  I guess you're going to
> run an X session that won't use kbd input at all, given the question you 
> ask?
> 
> The stock 2.6.x can't do it, but take a look at the ruby patch.
> Ruby is really meant for hooking up several keybaords, so you can have one
> keboard for the VT's on your first card and another kbd for the X session.
> This lets several users work at the same time, using only one pc.
> 
> If you don't need the scondary keyboard - don't plug one in.  Ruby can still
> give you a dummy VT where no input or output happens, and X can use that VT.
> 
> Boot the ruby-patched 2.6.x kernel with the "dumbcon=1" parameter to get one
> dummy console, and let X use VT17 which will be that dummy.
> 
> Helge Hafting

Re: Dummy vt for XFree86 ?

[Roland Dreier]

    xerces8> Hi!  Is there a way to prevent VT switching for XFree86 ?

    xerces8> I have two gfx cards and want to start an X server on the
    xerces8> secondary card, while leaving the VTs on the primary card
    xerces8> active.

Take a look at the novtswitch and sharevts patches for X.org (I
believe Ubuntu Hoary ships with these, and they may actually be in the
X.org mainline CVS already).  Do these do what you want?

 - R.