hw/kdrive/ephyr/README

   1 Xephyr README
   2 =============
   3
   4
   5 What Is It ?
   6 ============
   7
   8 Xephyr is a a kdrive server that outputs to a window on a pre-existing
   9 'host' X display. Think Xnest but with support for modern extensions
  10 like composite, damage and randr.
  11
  12 Unlike Xnest which is an X proxy, i.e.  limited to the
  13 capabilities of the host X server, Xephyr is a real X server which
  14 uses the host X server window as "framebuffer" via fast SHM XImages.
  15
  16 It also has support for 'visually' debugging what the server is
  17 painting.
  18
  19
  20 How To Use
  21 ==========
  22
  23 You probably want to run like;
  24
  25 Xephyr :1 -ac -screen 800x600 &
  26
  27 Then set DISPLAY=:1 and run whatever X apps you like.
  28
  29 Use 'xrandr' to change to orientation/size.
  30
  31 There is a '-parent' switch which works just like Xnests ( for use
  32 with things like matchbox-nest - http://matchbox.handhelds.org ).
  33
  34 There is also a '-host-cursor' switch to set 'cursor acceleration' -
  35 The host's cursor is reused. This is only really there to aid
  36 debugging by avoiding server paints for the cursor. Performance
  37 improvement is negiable.
  38
  39 Send a SIGUSR1 to the server ( eg kill -USR1 `pidof Xephyr` ) to
  40 toggle the debugging mode. In this mode red rectangles are painted to
  41 screen areas getting painted before painting the actual content. The
  42 delay between this can be altered by setting a XEPHYR_PAUSE env var to
  43 a value in micro seconds.
  44
  45
  46 Caveats
  47 =======
  48
  49  - Depth is limited to being the same as the host.
  50    *Update* As of 8/11/2004. Xephyr can now do 8bpp & 16bpp
  51             on 24bpp host.
  52
  53  - Rotated displays are currently updated via full blits. This
  54    is slower than a normal oprientated display. Debug mode will
  55    therefor not be of much use rotated.
  56
  57  - The '-host-cursor' cursor is static in its appearence.
  58
  59  - The build gets a warning about 'nanosleep'. I think the various '-D'
  60    build flags are causing this. I havn't figured as yet how to work
  61    round it. It doesn't appear to break anything however.
  62
  63  - Keyboard handling is basic but works.
  64
  65  - Mouse button 5 probably wont work.
  66
  67
  68
  69
  70
  71 Matthew Allum <mallum@o-hand.com> 2004
  72
  73