DirectFB:First Step

From DirectFBWiki

This article describes first steps to get accustomed with DirectFB.

Table of contents

1 The ByzantineOS way (XDirectFB) 2 The Debian way (DirectVNC) 2.1 Step-by-step guide 2.1.1 Install DirectVNC 2.1.2 Make sure that your kernel has Linux framebuffer support 2.1.3 Set the framebuffer resolution 2.1.4 Check /dev/fb0 2.1.5 Start DirectVNC 2.1.6 Hints 2.2 Trouble shooting 2.2.1 Can you access the VNC server from others? 2.2.2 Does the SVGA console appear? 2.2.3 Understand the port num issue? 2.2.4 Tips

The ByzantineOS way (XDirectFB)

ByzantineOS uses XDirectFB. It starts from CD. I guess you have to burn the OS to a CD, boot from it and have luck.

The Debian way (DirectVNC)

If you run Debian (http://www.us.debian.org/), testing DirectVNC is easy.

Step-by-step guide

Install DirectVNC

• Run

# apt-get install directvnc

Make sure that your kernel has Linux framebuffer support

• Check /boot/config-* (or /proc/config.gz) stuff. If it has CONFIG_FB_*=y or such, it is Okay. The current Debian kernel uses the Linux framebuffer.

Set the framebuffer resolution

• Hit "e" in the grub boot loader menu, to edit the boot parameters. Add "vga=791" (which will set the Framebuffer resolution to 1024x768 at 16 bits) or select the wanted resolution representation from VGA modes. Or use "vga=ask".

Check /dev/fb0

If you use udev (and current debian does), it appears automatically. If not, maybe you need to do "mknod". And, you also check /proc/fb and do # fbset .

Start DirectVNC

This is not DirectFB but VNC issue. In VNC, a port number starts from zero. In TCP, it starts 5900. In other word, VNC port num = TCP port num + 5900.

Hints

• "fbset" is your friend.

# apt-get fbset

Trouble shooting

Can you access the VNC server from others?

• Check firewall, IP address blocking etc.

• telnet yourserver 5900 would help

Does the SVGA console appear?

Understand the port num issue?

• Try both zero or 5900

Tips

• check /proc/fb /proc/fusion /proc/mtrr /dev/fb* /dev/fusion

• try

# fbset

• edit /etc/directfbrc, especially FirectFB screen is 640x480. Change this to 1024x768.

• see /etc/fb.modes (but usually you don't have to edit it).

• Use dfb* tools, especially dfbinfo / dfbdump / dfblayer. They come from libdirectfb-bin. Try

# apt-cache search directfb

• If you make --multi enabled and insmod fusion.ko, do

# dfbspy