From: hlu@phys1.physics.wsu.edu (Hongjiu Lu)
Subject: FAQ about X386
Date: 1 Jun 92 21:28:37 GMT


You may want to know this. Please save it if you want to use X386 under Linux.
BTW, only X11R5 (X386 1.2) is supported by Linux.

H.J.
===================

From serval!news.u.washington.edu!ogicse!uwm.edu!cs.utexas.edu!utgpu!
news-server.ecf!steve Mon Jun  1 14:17:06 1992
Article: 21523 of comp.unix.sysv386
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news-server.ecf!steve
From: steve@ecf.toronto.edu (Steve Kotsopoulos)
Newsgroups: comp.unix.sysv386
Subject: Frequently Asked Questions About X386 (with answers)
Message-ID: <1992Jun1.161246.8764@ecf.toronto.edu>
Date: 1 Jun 92 16:12:46 GMT
Article-I.D.: ecf.1992Jun1.161246.8764
Expires: Wed, 1 Jul 1992 03:00:00 GMT
Organization: University of Toronto, Engineering Computing Facility
Lines: 222

[Last changed: 3 Apr 1992]

If you have anything to add or change on the FAQ just let me know.
Send changes to steve@ecf.toronto.edu, please put 'X386' somewhere
in the subject line so that my mail filter will put it in the correct
mail folder.

        Frequently Asked Questions About X386 (with answers)
        ----------------------------------------------------

1. What is X386?

        X386 is the port of the X11 server to System V/386 that was
        done by Thomas Roell (roell@informatik.tu-muenchen.de).
        It supports a wide variety of VGA boards.

        There are 2 major versions: X386 1.1 is based on X11R4,
        X386 1.2 is included in MIT's X11R5 distribution (ie. you
        don't need to patch it into the MIT source anymore).

2a. Where can I get X386 1.2 (X11R5)?

        The X386 1.2 sources are available at any site that distributes
        the X11R5 source (too numerous to list here, but includes
        export.lcs.mit.edu)

        The version 1.2 binaries are available at:
                ftp.physics.su.oz.au       in  Esix_4/x11r5/Binaries
                nic.funet.fi               in  pub/unix/386ix/svr4/x11r5
                ftp.win.tue.nl             in  pub/X11R5-esix

2b. Where can I get X386 1.1 (X11R4)?

        X386 1.1 is available both as a binary release or as source
        patches (apply patches to MIT's X11R4 source tree).
        The fonts are available separately, since they are common
        for all operating systems.

        The official ftp site is flop.informatik.tu-muenchen.de
        (131.159.8.35), /pub/i386/X11R4
                 808424 bytes X386.1.1b.tar.Z           source patches
                3566993 bytes X386core.SVR4.tar.Z       binaries for SVR4
                7348521 bytes X11R4core.tar.Z           1.1a binaries
                 395521 bytes X386.1.1b.isc.Z           1.1b server binary
                3307520 bytes X11R4fonts.tar            fonts 

        It is also available on the following machines:

        - piggy.ucsb.edu (128.111.72.50), /pub/X386.
                 808424 bytes X386.1.1b.tar.Z           source patches
                3566993 bytes X386core.SVR4.tar.Z       binaries for SVR4
                3307520 bytes X11R4fonts.tar            fonts
          Please use after 6pm Pacific, as these are large files.

        - ftp.win.tue.nl:/pub/X11R4_386

        - NSTAR Public Access Unix 219-289-0287
          {larry@news.rn.com, ..!uunet!news.rn.com!larry}

3. What operating systems does it run under?
        X386 will run on following Unix operating systems:
        - Dell SVR4
        - Interactive 386/ix, 2.0.2 or later
        - ESIX
        - SCO Unix (release 3.2v2.0)
        - AT&T SVR4 and SVR3.2
        - Microport SVR4
        - MST SVR4

4. What VGA boards are supported?

        ET3000                  (for ex. GENOA 5300/5400)
        ET4000                  (Tricom, STB PWR Graph, Sigma Legend, etc.)
        GVGA                    (Genoa 6400)
        PVGA1A                  (Paradise VGA Professional)
        WD90C00                 (Paradise VGA 1024)

5. Why won't my xterm run properly?

        If your kernel is not built with the consem module, you should define
        CONSEM=no in you enviornment. Otherwise xterm won't run.
        csh users should use 'setenv CONSEM no'

6. I can't compile X programs. Am I missing a library?

        you must include the BSD (Sockets) API by including -linet in your link
        list. Also, for anything that uses the /dev/ptmx 'clone' devices,
        use -lpt. 
        SCO Unix uses -lsocket for the socket library.

        In summary, add '-linet -lpt'
        after the -lX11. (It won't work if it is not AFTER the -lX11)

        Or use instead -linet '/usr/lib/X11/X386/etc/inetemul.o' which
        includes some dummy functions, which always will return an error,
        but are *very* good for linking.

7. Everything works fine if I use xinit, but I can't use xdm.
   It gives me an error that it can't open the mouse.
   Why would the server work fine under xinit, but not xdm?
   How do I fix it? (I am using the Xque* drivers under SVR4)

        This is caused by a bug with the Xque drivers in SVR4.
        Dell's SVR4 has fixed this problem (which exists only
        with X386 1.1, not X386 1.2).

        dwex@mtgzfs3.att.com (David E Wexelblat) is using the following
        xdm (X11R4pl18) patch successfully:

                *** Save/util.c Tue Nov 12 20:24:17 1991
                --- util.c      Tue Nov 12 20:25:37 1991
                ***************
                *** 165,175 ****
                --- 165,177 ----
                
                CleanUpChild ()
                {
                + #ifndef SYSV386
                #ifdef SYSV
                        setpgrp ();
                #else
                        setpgrp (0, getpid ());
                        sigsetmask (0);
                + #endif
                #endif
                #ifdef SIGCHLD
                        (void) signal (SIGCHLD, SIG_DFL);

8. How do I find out what clock frequencies are on my VGA board?

        X386 1.1 includes a DOS program, /usr/lib/X11/X386/etc/clock.exe, that
        you can run (under DOS of course!). It will report all the clock
        frequencies that it can find. You can then use this information
        when setting up your Xconfig file.
        X386 1.2 will automatically find this information when it boots.

        David E Wexelblat (dwex@mtgzfs3.att.com) maintains a database of known
        clock settings for VGA cards and monitor settings.  This database is
        available from him (for the latest copy), and is kept on
        export.lcs.mit.edu in ~/contrib/X386.modeDB.Z, which is updated
        occasionally.  Obtain a copy of this database.  It just might have the
        settings you need.  If you create new settings, please send them to
        David for inclusion in the database.

8a. OK.  I have my VGA clocks, and my monitor specifications.  How do I
    generate mode lines for Xconfig?

        First check out the mode database described for question 8.  It has lots
        of monitor timings contributed by X386 users.  It also has the VESA
        standard definitions.  If the database does not have definitions for
        your monitor, try the VESA timings.

        If neither of these options work, the CONFIG file with the X386 contains
        a tutorial on how to come up with these timings.  It may be helpful to
        start with setting that almost work, and use this description to get
        them right.  When you do, send the information to David Wexelblat for
        inclusion in the database.

9. How do I switch session under SCO? The normal sequence does not work.

        Try ALT-CTL-F{n}

10. I can't get my bus mouse to work!

        I had a lot of trouble too! So far, the only way I could get a
        bus mouse to work (on SVR4) was to use the Xque drivers and set
        up my /usr/lib/mousetab for a bus mouse 'vt00   bmse'.
        (This involved re-installing the mouse driver for bus mouse)

        People running ISC have reported that using an Xconfig of
        'Busmouse "/dev/logi"' works too.

11. Any tips on compiling X11R5?

        1. You will need lots of disk space (around 150Meg for the MIT core).

        2. If using the standard C compiler, make sure that you don't have
           /usr/ucb before /bin in your path.

        3. Follow the advice of Steve Hite (shite@sinkhole.unf.edu):
           "DON'T use the C shell on Esix 4.0.3a.  The X library is HUGE and
            csh complains about too long of an argument list.  The Korn shell
            will work just dandy."

        4. Look at mit/server/ddx/x386/README and follow any instructions
           for your particular platform.

        5. Change the line in server/Imakefile that reads:
                SYSLIBS = -lm /usr/ucblib/libucb.a
           to read:
                SYSLIBS = -lm -lc /usr/ucblib/libucb.a

           This ensures that the directory reading routines from libc.a are
           used intead of the ones in libucb.a (BSD version of readdir).

           You might want to extract ndbm.o, bcopy.o and bcmp.o from
           libucb.a (ar x) into a private library instead (or use GNUdbm).


        6. There is an unofficial bug fix for the polygon drawing routine,
           it is available for ftp from:

                ftp.win.tue.nl:/pub/X11R5/fixes/unofficial-X386fix
                ftp.physics.su.oz.au:/Esix_4/x11r5/Unofficial_x386_fill_patch.Z

        7. You may want to disable building the PEX stuff, since it
           runs miserably slow on most machines.

        --------------------------------------------------

Please send me anything else you want added to this FAQ.
(especially if you had a problem that someone else was able to help you with)

Please do not send me questions that are not answered in the FAQ.  Instead,
post your question to the net, and send me the answer when you get it.

Thanks to all the people who already sent me corrections or additions.
-- 
Steve Kotsopoulos                   mail:   steve@ecf.toronto.edu
Systems Analyst                     bitnet: steve@ecf.UTORONTO.BITNET
Engineering Computing Facility      uucp:   uunet!utai!ecf!steve
University of Toronto               phone:  (416) 978-5898