XFree86
Section: User Commands (1)
Updated: Version 3.3.3
NAME
XFree86 - X11R6 for UNIX on x86 platforms
DESCRIPTION
XFree86 is a collection of X servers for UNIX-like OSs on Intel x86 platforms.
This work is derived from
X386 1.2
which was contributed to X11R5 by Snitily Graphics Consulting Service.
CONFIGURATIONS
XFree86
operates under the following operating systems:
-
-- SVR3.2: SCO 3.2.2, 3.2.4, ISC 3.x, 4.x
-- SVR4.0: ESIX, Microport, Dell, UHC, Consensys, MST, ISC, AT&T, NCR, PANIX
-- SVR4.2: Consensys, Univel (UnixWare)
-- Solaris (x86) 2.1, 2.4, 2.5, 2.5.1, 2.6
-- FreeBSD 2.0.5, 2.1, 2.1.5, 2.1.6, 2.1.7, 2.1.7.1, 2.2, 2.2.1, 2.2.2, 2.2.5, 2.2.6, 3.0-current
-- NetBSD 1.0, 1.1, 1.2, 1.2.1, 1.3 (i386 port only)
-- OpenBSD 2.0, 2.1
-- BSD/386 version 1.1 and BSD/OS 2.0
-- Mach (from CMU)
-- Linux
-- Amoeba version 5.1
-- Minix-386vm version 1.6.25.1
-- LynxOS AT versions 2.2.1, 2.3.0 and 2.4.0, LynxOS microSPARC 2.4.0
NETWORK CONNECTIONS
XFree86 supports connections made using the following reliable
byte-streams:
- Local
-
XFree86 supports local connections via Streams pipe via various mechanisms,
using the following paths (n represents the display number):
/dev/X/server.n (SVR3 and SVR4)
/dev/X/Nserver.n (SVR4)
/dev/XnS and /dev/XnR (SCO SVR3)
On SVR4.0.4, if the Advanced Compatibility Package
is installed, and in SVR4.2, XFree86 supports local connections
from clients for SCO XSight/ODT, and (with modifications to the binary)
clients for ISC SVR3.
- Unix Domain
-
XFree86 uses /tmp/.X11-unix/Xn as the filename for the socket,
where n is the display number.
- TCP/IP
-
XFree86 listens on port htons(6000+n), where n is the display
number.
- Amoeba RPC
-
This is the default communication medium used under native Amoeba.
Note that under Amoeba, the server should be started
with a ``hostname:displaynumber'' argument.
ENVIRONMENT VARIABLES
For operating systems that support local connections other than Unix Domain
sockets (SVR3 and SVR4), there is a compiled-in list specifying the order
in which local connections should be attempted. This list can be overridden by
the XLOCAL environment variable described below. If the display name
indicates a best-choice connection should be made (e.g. :0.0), each
connection mechanism is tried until a connection succeeds or no more
mechanisms are available. Note: for these OSs, the Unix Domain socket
connection is treated differently from the other local connection types.
To use it the connection must be made to unix:0.0.
The XLOCAL environment variable should contain a list of one more
more of the following:
NAMED
PTS
SCO
ISC
which represent SVR4 Named Streams pipe, Old-style USL
Streams pipe, SCO XSight Streams pipe, and ISC Streams pipe, respectively.
You can select a single mechanism (e.g. XLOCAL=NAMED), or an ordered
list (e.g. XLOCAL="NAMED:PTS:SCO"). This variable overrides the
compiled-in defaults. For SVR4 it is recommended that NAMED be
the first preference connection. The default setting is
PTS:NAMED:ISC:SCO.
To globally override the compiled-in defaults, you should define (and
export if using sh or ksh) XLOCAL globally. If you
use startx/xinit, the definition should be at the top of
your .xinitrc file. If you use xdm, the definitions should be
early on in the <XRoot>/lib/X11/xdm/Xsession script.
OPTIONS
In addition to the normal server options described in the Xserver(1)
manual page, XFree86 accepts the following command line switches:
- vtXX
-
XX specifies the Virtual Terminal device number which
XFree86 will use. Without this option, XFree86 will pick the first
available Virtual Terminal that it can locate. This option applies only
to SVR3, SVR4, Linux, and BSD OSs with the `syscons' or `pcvt' driver.
- -crt /dev/ttyXX
-
SCO only. This is the same as the vt option, and is provided for
compatibility with the native SCO X server.
- -probeonly
-
Causes the server to exit after the device probing stage. The XF86Config file
is still used when this option is given, so information that can be
auto-detected should be commented out.
- -quiet
-
Suppress most informational messages at startup.
- -bpp n
-
Set number of bits per pixel. The default is 8. Legal values are
8, 15, 16, 24, 32. Not all servers support all values.
- -weight nnn
-
Set RGB weighting at 16 bpp. The default is 565. This applies
only to those servers which support 16 bpp.
- -flipPixels
-
Swap the default values for the black and white pixels.
- -disableVidMode
-
Disable the the parts of the VidMode extension used by the xvidtune client
that can be used to change the video modes.
- -allowNonLocalXvidtune
-
Allow the xvidtune client to connect from another host. By default non-local
connections are not allowed.
- -disableModInDev
-
Disable dynamic modification of input device settings.
- -allowNonLocalModInDev
-
Allow changes to keyboard and mouse settings from non-local clients.
By default, connections from non-local clients are not allowed to do this.
- -allowMouseOpenFail
-
Allow the server to start up even if the mouse device can't be opened or
initialised.
- -gamma value
-
Set the gamma correction. value must be between 0.1 and 10. The
default is 1.0
This value is applied equally to the R, G and B values. Not all servers
support this.
- -rgamma value
-
Set the red gamma correction. value must be between 0.1 and 10. The
default is 1.0
Not all servers support this.
- -ggamma value
-
Set the green gamma correction. value must be between 0.1 and 10. The
default is 1.0
Not all servers support this.
- -bgamma value
-
Set the blue gamma correction. value must be between 0.1 and 10. The
default is 1.0
Not all servers support this.
- -showconfig
-
Print out the server version, patchlevel, and a list of screen drivers
configured in the server.
- -verbose
-
Multiple occurrences of this flag increase the amount of information printed on
stderr (more than the default).
- -version
-
Same as -showconfig.
- -xf86config file
-
Read the server configuration from file. This option is only available
when the server is run as root (i.e, with real-uid 0).
- -keeptty
-
Prevent the server from detaching its initial controlling terminal. This
option is only useful when debugging the server.
KEYBOARD
Multiple key presses recognized directly by XFree86 are:
- Ctrl+Alt+Backspace
-
Immediately kills the server -- no questions asked. (Can be disabled by
specifying "DontZap" in the ServerFlags section of the XF86Config file.)
- Ctrl+Alt+Keypad-Plus
-
Change video mode to next one specified in the configuration file,
(increasing video resolution order).
- Ctrl+Alt+Keypad-Minus
-
Change video mode to previous one specified in the configuration file,
(decreasing video resolution order).
- Ctrl+Alt+F1...F12
-
For BSD systems using the syscons driver and Linux, these keystroke
combinations are used to switch to Virtual
Console 1 through 12.
SETUP
XFree86
uses a configuration file called XF86Config for its initial setup.
Refer to the
XF86Config(4/5)
manual page for more information.
FILES
- <XRoot>/bin/XF86_SVGA
-
The color SVGA X server
- <XRoot>/bin/XF86_Mono
-
The monochrome X server for VGA and other mono cards
- <XRoot>/bin/XF86_S3
-
The accelerated S3 X server
- <XRoot>/bin/XF86_Mach8
-
The accelerated Mach8 X server
- <XRoot>/bin/XF86_Mach32
-
The accelerated Mach32 X server
- <XRoot>/bin/XF86_Mach64
-
The accelerated Mach64 X server
- <XRoot>/bin/XF86_P9000
-
The accelerated P9000 X server
- <XRoot>/bin/XF86_AGX
-
The accelerated AGX X server
- <XRoot>/bin/XF86_W32
-
The accelerated ET4000/W32 and ET6000 X server
- <XRoot>/bin/XF86_8514
-
The accelerated 8514/A X server
- /etc/XF86Config
-
Server configuration file
- <XRoot>/lib/X11/XF86Config.hostname
-
Server configuration file
- <XRoot>/lib/X11/XF86Config
-
Server configuration file
- <XRoot>/bin/*
-
Client binaries
- <XRoot>/include/*
-
Header files
- <XRoot>/lib/*
-
Libraries
- <XRoot>/lib/X11/fonts/*
-
Fonts
- <XRoot>/lib/X11/rgb.txt
-
Color names to RGB mapping
- <XRoot>/lib/X11/XErrorDB
-
Client error message database
- <XRoot>/lib/X11/app-defaults/*
-
Client resource specifications
- <XRoot>/man/man?/*
-
Manual pages
- /etc/Xn.hosts
-
Initial access control list for display n
Note: <XRoot> refers to the root of the X11 install tree.
SEE ALSO
X(1), Xserver(1), xdm(1), xinit(1), XF86Config(4/5), xf86config(1),
XF86_SVGA(1), XF86_VGA16(1), XF86_Mono(1), XF86_Accel(1), xvidtune(1)
AUTHORS
For X11R5, XF86 1.2 was provided by:
- Thomas Roell, roell@informatik.tu-muenchen.de
-
TU-Muenchen: Server and SVR4 stuff
- Mark W. Snitily, mark@sgcs.com
-
SGCS: SVR3 support, X Consortium Sponsor
... and many more people out there on the net who helped with ideas and
bug-fixes.
XFree86 was integrated into X11R6 by the following team:
Stuart Anderson anderson@metrolink.com
Doug Anson danson@lgc.com
Gertjan Akkerman akkerman@dutiba.twi.tudelft.nl
Mike Bernson mike@mbsun.mlb.org
Robin Cutshaw robin@XFree86.org
David Dawes dawes@XFree86.org
Marc Evans marc@XFree86.org
Pascal Haible haible@izfm.uni-stuttgart.de
Matthieu Herrb Matthieu.Herrb@laas.fr
Dirk Hohndel hohndel@XFree86.org
David Holland davidh@use.com
Alan Hourihane alanh@fairlite.demon.co.uk
Jeffrey Hsu hsu@soda.berkeley.edu
Glenn Lai glenn@cs.utexas.edu
Ted Lemon mellon@ncd.com
Rich Murphey rich@XFree86.org
Hans Nasten nasten@everyware.se
Mark Snitily mark@sgcs.com
Randy Terbush randyt@cse.unl.edu
Jon Tombs tombs@XFree86.org
Kees Verstoep versto@cs.vu.nl
Paul Vixie paul@vix.com
Mark Weaver Mark_Weaver@brown.edu
David Wexelblat dwex@XFree86.org
Philip Wheatley Philip.Wheatley@ColumbiaSC.NCR.COM
Thomas Wolfram wolf@prz.tu-berlin.de
Orest Zborowski orestz@eskimo.com
The XFree86 enhancement package was provided by:
- David Dawes, dawes@XFree86.org
-
Release coordination, administration of FTP repository and mailing lists.
Source tree management
and integration, accelerated server integration, fixing, and coding.
- Glenn Lai, glenn@cs.utexas.edu
-
The SpeedUp code for ET4000 based SVGA cards, and ET4000/W32 accelerated
server.
- Jim Tsillas, jtsilla@ccs.neu.edu
-
Many server speedups from the fX386 series of enhancements.
- David Wexelblat, dwex@XFree86.org
-
Integration of the fX386 code into the default server,
many driver fixes, and driver documentation, assembly of the VGA
card/monitor database, development of the generic video mode listing.
Accelerated server integration, fixing, and coding.
- Dirk Hohndel, hohndel@XFree86.org
-
Linux shared libraries and release coordination. Accelerated server
integration and fixing. Generic administrivia and documentation.
- Amancio Hasty Jr., hasty@netcom.com
-
Porting to 386BSD version 0.1 and XS3 development.
- Rich Murphey, rich@XFree86.org
-
Ported to 386BSD version 0.1 based on the original port by Pace Willison.
Support for 386BSD, FreeBSD, and NetBSD.
- Robert Baron, Robert.Baron@ernst.mach.cs.cmu.edu
-
Ported to Mach.
- Orest Zborowski, orestz@eskimo.com
-
Ported to Linux.
- Doug Anson, danson@lgc.com
-
Ported to Solaris x86.
- David Holland, davidh@use.com
-
Ported to Solaris x86.
- David McCullough, davidm@stallion.oz.au
-
Ported to SCO SVR3.
- Michael Rohleder, michael.rohleder@stadt-frankfurt.de
-
Ported to ISC SVR3.
- Kees Verstoep, versto@cs.vu.nl
-
Ported to Amoeba based on Leendert van Doorn's original Amoeba port of
X11R5.
- Marc Evans, Marc@XFree86.org
-
Ported to OSF/1.
- Philip Homburg, philip@cs.vu.nl
-
Ported to Minix-386vm.
- Thomas Mueller, tmueller@sysgo.de
-
Ported to LynxOS.
- Jon Tombs, tombs@XFree86.org
-
S3 server and accelerated server coordination.
- Harald Koenig, koenig@tat.physik.uni-tuebingen.de
-
S3 server development.
- Bernhard Bender, br@elsa.mhs.compuserve.com
-
S3 server development.
- Kevin E. Martin, martin@cs.unc.edu
-
Overall work on the base accelerated servers (ATI and 8514/A), and Mach64
server.
- Rik Faith, faith@cs.unc.edu
-
Overall work on the base accelerated servers (ATI and 8514/A).
- Tiago Gons, tiago@comosjn.hobby.nl
-
Mach8 and 8514/A server development
- Hans Nasten, nasten@everyware.se
-
Mach8, 8514/A, and S3 server development and BSD/386 support
- Mike Bernson, mike@mbsun.mlb.org
-
Mach32 server development.
- Mark Weaver, Mark_Weaver@brown.edu
-
Mach32 server development.
- Craig Groeschel, craig@metrolink.com
-
Mach32 server development.
- Henry Worth, Henry.Worth@amail.amdahl.com
-
AGX server.
- Erik Nygren, nygren@mit.edu
-
P9000 server.
- Harry Langenbacher harry@brain.jpl.nasa.gov
-
P9000 server.
- Chris Mason, mason@mail.csh.rit.edu
-
P9000 server.
- Henrik Harmsen harmsen@eritel.se
-
P9000 server.
- Simon Cooper, scooper@vizlab.rutgers.edu
-
Cirrus accelerated code (based on work by Bill Reynolds).
- Harm Hanemaayer, hhanemaa@cs.ruu.nl
-
Cirrus accelerated code, and ARK driver.
- Thomas Zerucha, zerucha@shell.portal.com
-
Support for Cirrus CL-GD7543.
- Leon Bottou, bottou@laforia.ibp.fr
-
ARK driver.
- Mike Tierney, floyd@eng.umd.edu
-
WD accelerated code.
- Bill Conn, conn@bnr.ca
-
WD accelerated code.
- Brad Bosch, brad@lachman.com
-
WD 90C24A support.
- Alan Hourihane, alanh@fairlite.demon.co.uk
-
Trident SVGA driver, SiS SVGA driver and DEC 21030 server.
- Marc La France, Marc.La-France@ualberta.ca
-
ATI vgawonder SVGA driver
- Steve Goldman, sgoldman@encore.com
-
Oak 067/077 SVGA driver.
- Jorge Delgado, ernar@dit.upm.es
-
Oak SVGA driver, and 087 accelerated code.
- Bill Conn, conn@bnr.ca
-
WD accelerated code.
- Paolo Severini, lendl@dist.dist.unige.it
-
AL2101 SVGA driver
- Ching-Tai Chiu, cchiu@netcom.com
-
Avance Logic ALI SVGA driver
- Manfred Brands, mb@oceonics.nl
-
Cirrus 64xx SVGA driver
- Randy Hendry, randy@sgi.com
-
Cirrus 6440 support in the cl64xx SVGA driver
- Frank Dikker, dikker@cs.utwente.nl
-
MX SVGA driver
- Regis Cridlig, cridlig@dmi.ens.fr
-
Chips & Technologies driver
- Jon Block, block@frc.com
-
Chips & Technologies driver
- Mike Hollick, hollick@graphics.cis.upenn.edu
-
Chips & Technologies driver
- Nozomi Ytow
-
Chips & Technologies driver
- Egbert Eich, Egbert.Eich@Physik.TH-Darmstadt.DE
-
Chips & Technologies driver
- David Bateman, dbateman@ee.uts.edu.au
-
Chips & Technologies driver
- Xavier Ducoin, xavier@rd.lectra.fr
-
Chips & Technologies driver
- Peter Trattler, peter@sbox.tu-graz.ac.at
-
RealTek SVGA driver
- Craig Struble, cstruble@acm.vt.edu
-
Video7 SVGA driver
- Gertjan Akkerman, akkerman@dutiba.twi.tudelft.nl
-
16 colour VGA server, and XF86Config parser.
- Davor Matic, dmatic@Athena.MIT.EDU
-
Hercules driver.
- Pascal Haible, haible@izfm.uni-stuttgart.de
-
Banked monochrome VGA support, Hercules support, and mono frame buffer
support for dumb monochrome devices
- Martin Schaller,
-
- Geert Uytterhoeven,Geert.Uytterhoeven@cs.kuleuven.ac.be
-
Linux/m68k Frame Buffer Device driver
- Andreas Schwab, schwab@issan.informatik.uni-dortmund.de
-
Linux/m68k Frame Buffer Device driver
- Guenther Kelleter, guenther@Pool.Informatik.RWTH-Aachen.de
-
Linux/m68k Frame Buffer Device driver
- Frederic Lepied, epied@XFree86.Org
-
XInput extension integration. Wacom, joystick and extended mouse drivers.
- Patrick Lecoanet, ecoanet@cena.dgac.fr
-
Elographics touchscreen driver.
- Steven Lang, iger@tyger.org
-
SummaSketch tablet driver.
... and many more people out there on the net who helped with beta-testing
this enhancement.
XFree86 source is available from the FTP server
ftp.XFree86.org, among others. Send email to
XFree86@XFree86.org for details.