path: root/xc/programs/Xserver/hw/xfree86/doc/sgml/SOLX86.sgml

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<title>Information for Solaris for x86 Users
<author>David Holland
<date>13 December 1994

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<!--Contents
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	1) What is XFree86 3.1.1
	2) Solaris versions on which XFree86 has been tested.
	3) The VT-switching sub-system in Solaris x86
	4) Various notes for building XFree86 on Solaris x86
	5) Known bugs, and work arounds.
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<sect>What is XFree86 3.1.1<p>

	XFree86 3.1.1 is a port of X11R6 that supports several versions of 
	Intel-based Unix.  It is derived from X386 1.2 which was the X server 
	distributed with X11R5.  this release consists of many new features 
	and 
	performance improvements as well as many bug fixes.  The release is 
	available as source patches against the X Consortium code, as well as 
	binary distributions for many architectures.
<p>
The sources for XFree86 are available by anonymous ftp from:
<quote>
	<url name="ftp.XFree86.org:/pub/XFree86/current"
	url="ftp://ftp.XFree86.org/pub/XFree86/current">
</quote>
Solaris binaries for XFree86 are available for anonymous ftp from:
<quote>
	<url name="ftp.XFree86.org:/pub/XFree86/current/binaries/Solaris"
	url="ftp://ftp.XFree86.org/pub/XFree86/current/binaries/Solaris"><p>
	<url name="abode.ccd.bnl.gov:/pub/XFree86"
	url="ftp://abode.ccd.bnl.gov/pub/XFree86">
</quote>
Many thanks to <bf/Jerry Whelan/ for making the space available for these 
binaries.

<sect> Solaris for x86, versions on which XFree86 3.1.1 has been tested<p>

XFree86 3.1.1 has been actively tested on:
<itemize>
<item>Solaris 2.1 for x86
<item>Solaris 2.4 EA1 for x86
<item>Solaris 2.4 for x86 FCS
</itemize>
And is expected to run under:
<itemize>
<item>Solaris 2.4 EA2 for x86
</itemize>

<sect>The VT-switching sub-system in Solaris x86<p>

	The virtual terminal sub-system is a undocumented, and unsupported 
	feature of Solaris x86. Therefore if you use Virtual Terminals, you 
	do so at <bf>YOUR OWN RISK</bf>.<p>

	The virtual terminals of Solaris work basically the same way as 
	most other Intel based SVR4 VT sub-systems.  However, there are a 
	number of limitations documented below.<p>

	First, if you are running a Solaris 2.4 x86 system, and you want VT's, 
	you will have to create the necessary devices first, so become root.<p>

	First verify the chanmux device driver's major number is 100:<p>
<tscreen><verb>
	# grep -i chanmux /etc/name_to_major
	chanmux 100
	#
</verb></tscreen>
	If the number after 'chanmux' is anything but 100, I would suggest 
	you immediately abort your attempt to create virtual terminals, and 
	learn to live without them.<p> 

	However, if it is 100, then as root type the following commands to 
	create the maximum allowable number of virtual terminals.<p>
<tscreen><verb>
	# cd /dev
	# mknod vt01 c 100 1
	# mknod vt02 c 100 2 
	# mknod vt03 c 100 3
	# mknod vt04 c 100 4
	# mknod vt05 c 100 5
	# mknod vt06 c 100 6
	# mknod vt07 c 100 7
</verb></tscreen>
	There is no need for a reconfiguration boot.<p>

	Secondly, for both 2.1, and 2.4 x86 systems, add a few lines to the 
	<tt/inittab/ to enable logins on them.<p>

(<bf>Note</bf>, do <bf>NOT</bf> make a mistake here, you could 
lock yourself out of the system)<p>
<verb>
--------------------->Snip Snip<-----------------------------------------------
v1:234:respawn:/usr/lib/saf/ttymon -g -h -p "`uname -n` VT01 login: " -T AT386 -d /dev/vt01 -l console
v2:234:respawn:/usr/lib/saf/ttymon -g -h -p "`uname -n` VT02 login: " -T AT386 -d /dev/vt02 -l console
v3:234:respawn:/usr/lib/saf/ttymon -g -h -p "`uname -n` VT03 login: " -T AT386 -d /dev/vt03 -l console
v4:234:respawn:/usr/lib/saf/ttymon -g -h -p "`uname -n` VT04 login: " -T AT386 -d /dev/vt04 -l console
---------------------->End Here<----------------------------------------------- 
</verb>
	These four lines enable four VT's on Alt-SysReq-F1 through 
	Alt-SysReq-F4.<p>

	Then execute the command '<tt>init q</tt>' to immediately 
	enable the virtual 
	terminals.<p>

The keys used for VT switching are as follows:<p>

<quote>
	<tt>Alt-SysReq-F1</tt> through <tt>Alt-SysReq-F7</tt> 
	enable VT screens 1-7 respectively 
	(if the VT is active).<p>
	<tt>Alt-SysReq-n</tt> enables the next active VT screen.<p>
	<tt>Alt-SysReq-p</tt> enables the previous active VT screen.<p>
	<tt>Alt-SysReq-h</tt> returns to the console.<p>
</quote>
	If you are using virtual terminals, you must leave at least one free 
	for use by the Xserver.<p>


Limitations of the virtual terminal sub-system under Solaris x86:<p>

	There are only a total of 8 available VT's (7 normal VT's + 1 console) 
	not the usual 15. If you have all 8 allocated, and you attempt to 
	allocate a additional VT you will panic the system. (This bug is 
	worked around in the Solaris XFree86 Xserver.)<p>

	From a programming stand point, they work pretty much as documented in 
	the AT&amp;T Unix System V/386 Release 4 Integrated Software 
	Development 
	Guide, however a number of <tt>ioctl()</tt> calls are broken.<p>


<sect>Notes for building XFree86 on Solaris x86<p>

<enum>
<item>	The majority of all modifications you will need to make are now in 
	<tt>~xc/config/cf/xf86site.def</tt>, 
	except one. You will need to set OSName, 
	and OSMinorVersion correctly in <tt>~xc/config/cf/sun.cf</tt>.


Under Solaris 2.1 for x86, <tt>sun.cf</tt> needs to read 
(near the top of the file)

<verb>	#ifdef SVR4Architecture
	#ifdef i386Architecture
	#define OSName			SunOS 5.1 x86
	XCOMM operating system:  OSName
	#define OSMajorVersion		5
	#define OSMinorVersion		1
</verb>

Under Solaris 2.4 for x86, <tt>sun.cf</tt> needs to read 
(near the top of the file)

<verb>	#ifdef SVR4Architecture
	#ifdef i386Architecture
	#define OSName			SunOS 5.4 x86
	XCOMM operating system:  OSName
	#define OSMajorVersion		5
	#define OSMinorVersion		4
</verb>

<item>	Both Gcc, and ProWorks are supported by XFree86. Gcc-2.5.8 is 
	suggested, Gcc-2.6.0 is known not to work.  You also need to set 
	HasGcc2 correctly in <tt>~xc/config/cf/xf86site.def</tt>, and 
	use CC=gcc on 
	your <tt>'make World'</tt> command.<p>

	You will also need to either create a link from gcc to cc, or
	comment out the CC=cc line in 
<tt>~xc/config/imake/Makefile.ini</tt>.
<p>


<item>	If your are using ProWorks to compile the XFree86 distribution, you 
	need to modify your PATH appropriately so the ProWorks tools are 
	available.<p>


<item>	You <bf>MUST</bf> put <tt>/usr/ccs/bin</tt>
 	at the front of your PATH. There are known 
	problems with some GNU replacements for the utilities found there. So 
	the <tt>/usr/ccs/bin</tt> versions of these programs 
must be found before any 
	other possible GNU versions. (Most notably GNU '<tt/ar/' does not work 
	during the build).<p>

<item>	If you wish to use the "memory aperture" feature of the S3, and Mach32 
	servers, you need to compile, and install the Solaris x86 aperture 
	driver for memory mapped I/O support.  This driver is <bf>REQUIRED</bf>
	for the P9000 server.<p>

	The source for this driver is included in 
	<tt>~xc/programs/Xserver/hw/xfree86/etc/apSolx86.shar</tt>.  
	Building, and 
	installing the driver is relatively straight forward. Please read 
	its accompanying README file.<p>

	You also need to set HasSolx86apertureDrv to YES in 
	<tt>~xc/config/cf/xf86site.def</tt>.<p>


<item>	The BOOTSTRAPCFLAGS for Solaris x86 is:<p>
<tscreen><verb>
		"-Dsun -Di386 -DSVR4"
</verb></tscreen>

</enum>
<sect> Notes for running XFree86 on Solaris x86<p>

<enum>
<item>	If you have not made the Virtual Terminal devices, you will need to 
	specify the terminal device to run the Xserver on.  The correct 
	device is vt00 so your <tt>xinit</tt> command would look like so:<p>
<tscreen><verb>
		xinit -- vt00
</verb></tscreen>
	If you have made the virtual terminal devices you do not need to 
	specify the VT to run the Xserver on.<p>


<item>	For Solaris you will probably want to set your LD_LIBRARY_PATH to 
	<tt>/usr/X11R6/lib:/usr/openwin/lib</tt>.  
	Including <tt>/usr/X11R6/lib</tt> in your 
	LD_LIBRARY_PATH is probably not necessary, however it doesn't hurt. :)
<p>
	Including <tt>/usr/openwin/lib</tt> in the LD_LIBRARY_PATH is 
	recommended 
	because some Sun supplied binaries were not compiled with LD_RUN_PATH 
	set properly at compile time.<p>


<item>	Xqueue is <bf>NOT</bf> supported under Solaris. 
	The includes necessary for 
	Xqueue are available, however the driver does not seem to be in the 
	kernel. (Go figure)<p>


<item>	If you want to use xdm with Solaris, extract the files from the shar 
	file in <tt>/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/etc/XdmConf.svr4</tt> into a temporary 
	directory. The <tt>README</tt> file tells where 
	the individual files need to 
	be installed.  Be sure to read through each file and make any 
	site-specific changes that you need.<p>

</enum>

<sect> Known bugs, and work arounds with Solaris x86<p>

<enum>
<item>	Wabi tickles a obscure bug in the Mach32 hardware cursor code. The 
	hardware cursor shows up as a multicolored square while inside of 
	Wabi windows.<p>


	The work around, add:
<tscreen><verb>
		Option "sw_cursor"
</verb></tscreen>
	to you XF86Config.<p>


<item>	The Solaris 2.1 for x86 OpenWindows filemgr does not work against a 
	X11R5 Xserver, it probably will also not work against a X11R6 
Xserver.  
	Attempting to 'Drag and Drop' a file causes the filemgr to abort 
	with a 'X error'<p>

	Solaris 2.4 does not have this problem.<p>

	There is no known work around.<p>
</enum>
<sect> Bug Notification<p>

	Bug reports need to be sent to <bf/XFree86@Xfree86.org/, or posted to 
	the comp.windows.x.i386unix newsgroup.  Questions or comments about 
	the Solaris support, or the Solaris distribution need to be made to 
	<it/davidh@use.com/, or <it/danson@lgc.com./<p>


<verb>
$XConsortium: SOLX86.sgml,v 1.2 95/01/16 13:17:48 kaleb Exp $
$XFree86: xc/programs/Xserver/hw/xfree86/doc/sgml/SOLX86.sgml,v 3.2 1995/01/15 10:34:23 dawes Exp $
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