Date: Mon, 4 Jun 2007 23:37:01 -0400 From: "Jim Capozzoli" <saltmiser@gmail.com> To: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org Subject: re: X11 & console setup Message-ID: <37f72b1f0706042037y6b84ff5drfe74ede445ab22f6@mail.gmail.com> In-Reply-To: <37f72b1f0706042036n43340d1cid0e121af137ae410@mail.gmail.com> References: <37f72b1f0706021126g3347c683u37a87d3145e6e571@mail.gmail.com> <37f72b1f0706040829l338c4c7fr5229e8807705daed@mail.gmail.com> <37f72b1f0706040830g3f3414cet30ea686e0a325c9@mail.gmail.com> <200706041424.37437.lists@jnielsen.net> <37f72b1f0706042036n43340d1cid0e121af137ae410@mail.gmail.com>
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On 6/4/07, John Nielsen <lists@jnielsen.net> wrote: > On Monday 04 June 2007 11:30:03 am Jim Capozzoli wrote: > > On 6/4/07, John Nielsen <lists@jnielsen.net> wrote: > > > On Saturday 02 June 2007 04:00:57 pm Kevin Kinsey wrote: > > > > Jim Capozzoli wrote: > > > > > Hello list, > > > > > > > > > > I have 3 monitors and 3 video cards. However, one videocard and > > > > > monitor isn't very "X11 friendly." (X11 barely starts on it). I was > > > > > wondering if it would be possible to have X11 running on two of the > > > > > monitors, and then have a full screen console (like a ttyv0) on the > > > > > third monitor (so I could constantly leave top or something sweet > > > > > running on there :D). This is all with FreeBSD 6.2/i386 and Xorg 6.9 > > > > > or 7.2. Any suggestions? Thanks. > > > > > > > > It should do "do-able", perhaps somewhat easily. > > > > /usr/ports/x11-servers/x2x is what comes to mind --- IIRC, Greg > > > > "groggy" Lehey of "The Complete FreeBSD" fame uses this for several > > > > displays, and has notes on his setup in her personal pages at > > > > www.lemis.com. > > > > > > That link is here: http://www.lemis.com/grog/hardware.html > > > > > > However, I'm not sure x2x is relevant to the OP--It can be used to allow > > > one mouse and keyboard to be used on multiple X servers, but doesn't have > > > anything to do with console mode. > > > > > > I don't know if the setup the OP wants is possible or not, but here are > > > some notes: > > > > > > The FreeBSD console always runs on the "primary" display as determined by > > > the BIOS. Most systems give you a choice between using AGP or PCI as the > > > primary display. If you have multiple PCI cards it is usually the first > > > one on the bus (physically this is often the one closest to the CPU). Not > > > sure how ISA figures in. You will want to make your "bad" videocard and > > > monitor the primary display. > > > > > > Once you have that, I'd just run an "Xorg -configure" to get started. If > > > X comes up at all using the config generated from that then it will be a > > > good starting point. Try commenting out the device and screen sections > > > (and possibly also a line under ServerLayout) for your "bad" display and > > > see if X comes up on the other two. By default it expects to be running > > > on the console so I'm not sure what will happen here. You also want it to > > > grab the keyboard and mouse unless you have a second keyboard. Some trial > > > and error and further research are probably required. Play with startx vs > > > xdm, see what happens when you press ctrl-alt-f1, etc. I'm assuming > > > you'll want to use Xinerama to join the two X displays and allow > > > window-dragging between them, etc. > > > > > > If you don't get acceptable results using your original plan, you can > > > always hack together your own "console" to run on the weakest display > > > under X (using the vesa driver if necessary). If possible (not sure it > > > is), don't make it part of your Xinerama display. Then don't run a window > > > manager on it. Use xsetroot as part of your X init script to control > > > what's on the background. This will apply to your entire display but the > > > WM will probably take over once it starts on the "good" screens. You > > > could make one or more scripts to run things on your "bad" screen by > > > doing something like this: > > > > > > #!/bin/sh > > > DISPLAY=:0.1 #might also be :0.2 or :0.0 > > > export DISPLAY > > > xterm -r -geometry 120x60 /usr/bin/top > > > > > > Experiment with the geometry settings to see what fills your screen > > > appropriately. You might also want to get a nice bitmap font to give the > > > xterm more of a terminal "feel". I have one I stole from bochs or > > > somewhere that's not bad (I use it for Nethack). E-mail me off-list if > > > you want it. > > > > > > That should just about do it. Do write back to the list to tell us what > > > you learn and what works the best. > > > > > > JN > > > > I like the not making it a part of the Xinerama display..that would be > > interesting, because I'm sure a very basic X11 background with a xterm > > would work on there. If X starts on there, then yeah great but the > > problem is I don't ever recall getting it to work properly. > > If the card functions at all then I'm sure you could get the vesa driver > running at 800x600x8 at least.. > > > What I had in mind however, is say having the weak monitor/card as the > > 'default' display that the BIOS picks up, and then leaving a console > > on there BUT having X11 on the two other monitors. Then I'd run top > > on it or something, so I"d have a command like... > > > > $ startxfce4 & top -s 1 > > > > And then on the 'default' BIOS chosen display, you would see top > > running in console mode, and then pretty xfce with nice 1280x1024 ver > > monitor resolution on the other two (using Xinerama). I wouldn't need > > to have keyboard/mouse control on the 'default' console then, I'd just > > look at it to see which process is eating the machine, load averages, > > etc. > > My suggestion for running the weak display under X was conditional on not > getting results you liked with your original idea. Re-read the first part of > my first reply. > > JN > Ah yes you're right, it managed to start what looks like 640x480...of course the only problem now is I lost 24 bit color but I can live without that. :P Thanks for all the help guys. -- Jim Capozzoli D6499626857801B6065013E3645A6B75
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