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diff --git a/Documentation/fb/cyblafb/usage b/Documentation/fb/cyblafb/usage new file mode 100644 index 000000000000..e627c8f54211 --- /dev/null +++ b/Documentation/fb/cyblafb/usage @@ -0,0 +1,206 @@ +CyBlaFB is a framebuffer driver for the Cyberblade/i1 graphics core integrated +into the VIA Apollo PLE133 (aka vt8601) south bridge. It is developed and +tested using a VIA EPIA 5000 board. + +Cyblafb - compiled into the kernel or as a module? +================================================== + +You might compile cyblafb either as a module or compile it permanently into the +kernel. + +Unless you have a real reason to do so you should not compile both vesafb and +cyblafb permanently into the kernel. It's possible and it helps during the +developement cycle, but it's useless and will at least block some otherwise +usefull memory for ordinary users. + +Selecting Modes +=============== + + Startup Mode + ============ + + First of all, you might use the "vga=???" boot parameter as it is + documented in vesafb.txt and svga.txt. Cyblafb will detect the video + mode selected and will use the geometry and timings found by + inspecting the hardware registers. + + video=cyblafb vga=0x317 + + Alternatively you might use a combination of the mode, ref and bpp + parameters. If you compiled the driver into the kernel, add something + like this to the kernel command line: + + video=cyblafb:1280x1024,bpp=16,ref=50 ... + + If you compiled the driver as a module, the same mode would be + selected by the following command: + + modprobe cyblafb mode=1280x1024 bpp=16 ref=50 ... + + None of the modes possible to select as startup modes are affected by + the problems described at the end of the next subsection. + + Mode changes using fbset + ======================== + + You might use fbset to change the video mode, see "man fbset". Cyblafb + generally does assume that you know what you are doing. But it does + some checks, especially those that are needed to prevent you from + damaging your hardware. + + - only 8, 16, 24 and 32 bpp video modes are accepted + - interlaced video modes are not accepted + - double scan video modes are not accepted + - if a flat panel is found, cyblafb does not allow you + to program a resolution higher than the physical + resolution of the flat panel monitor + - cyblafb does not allow xres to differ from xres_virtual + - cyblafb does not allow vclk to exceed 230 MHz. As 32 bpp + and (currently) 24 bit modes use a doubled vclk internally, + the dotclock limit as seen by fbset is 115 MHz for those + modes and 230 MHz for 8 and 16 bpp modes. + + Any request that violates the rules given above will be ignored and + fbset will return an error. + + If you program a virtual y resolution higher than the hardware limit, + cyblafb will silently decrease that value to the highest possible + value. + + Attempts to disable acceleration are ignored. + + Some video modes that should work do not work as expected. If you use + the standard fb.modes, fbset 640x480-60 will program that mode, but + you will see a vertical area, about two characters wide, with only + much darker characters than the other characters on the screen. + Cyblafb does allow that mode to be set, as it does not violate the + official specifications. It would need a lot of code to reliably sort + out all invalid modes, playing around with the margin values will + give a valid mode quickly. And if cyblafb would detect such an invalid + mode, should it silently alter the requested values or should it + report an error? Both options have some pros and cons. As stated + above, none of the startup modes are affected, and if you set + verbosity to 1 or higher, cyblafb will print the fbset command that + would be needed to program that mode using fbset. + + +Other Parameters +================ + + +crt don't autodetect, assume monitor connected to + standard VGA connector + +fp don't autodetect, assume flat panel display + connected to flat panel monitor interface + +nativex inform driver about native x resolution of + flat panel monitor connected to special + interface (should be autodetected) + +stretch stretch image to adapt low resolution modes to + higer resolutions of flat panel monitors + connected to special interface + +center center image to adapt low resolution modes to + higer resolutions of flat panel monitors + connected to special interface + +memsize use if autodetected memsize is wrong ... + should never be necessary + +nopcirr disable PCI read retry +nopciwr disable PCI write retry +nopcirb disable PCI read bursts +nopciwb disable PCI write bursts + +bpp bpp for specified modes + valid values: 8 || 16 || 24 || 32 + +ref refresh rate for specified mode + valid values: 50 <= ref <= 85 + +mode 640x480 or 800x600 or 1024x768 or 1280x1024 + if not specified, the startup mode will be detected + and used, so you might also use the vga=??? parameter + described in vesafb.txt. If you do not specify a mode, + bpp and ref parameters are ignored. + +verbosity 0 is the default, increase to at least 2 for every + bug report! + +vesafb allows cyblafb to be loaded after vesafb has been + loaded. See sections "Module unloading ...". + + +Development hints +================= + +It's much faster do compile a module and to load the new version after +unloading the old module than to compile a new kernel and to reboot. So if you +try to work on cyblafb, it might be a good idea to use cyblafb as a module. +In real life, fast often means dangerous, and that's also the case here. If +you introduce a serious bug when cyblafb is compiled into the kernel, the +kernel will lock or oops with a high probability before the file system is +mounted, and the danger for your data is low. If you load a broken own version +of cyblafb on a running system, the danger for the integrity of the file +system is much higher as you might need a hard reset afterwards. Decide +yourself. + +Module unloading, the vfb method +================================ + +If you want to unload/reload cyblafb using the virtual framebuffer, you need +to enable vfb support in the kernel first. After that, load the modules as +shown below: + + modprobe vfb vfb_enable=1 + modprobe fbcon + modprobe cyblafb + fbset -fb /dev/fb1 1280x1024-60 -vyres 2662 + con2fb /dev/fb1 /dev/tty1 + ... + +If you now made some changes to cyblafb and want to reload it, you might do it +as show below: + + con2fb /dev/fb0 /dev/tty1 + ... + rmmod cyblafb + modprobe cyblafb + con2fb /dev/fb1 /dev/tty1 + ... + +Of course, you might choose another mode, and most certainly you also want to +map some other /dev/tty* to the real framebuffer device. You might also choose +to compile fbcon as a kernel module or place it permanently in the kernel. + +I do not know of any way to unload fbcon, and fbcon will prevent the +framebuffer device loaded first from unloading. [If there is a way, then +please add a description here!] + +Module unloading, the vesafb method +=================================== + +Configure the kernel: + + <*> Support for frame buffer devices + [*] VESA VGA graphics support + <M> Cyberblade/i1 support + +Add e.g. "video=vesafb:ypan vga=0x307" to the kernel parameters. The ypan +parameter is important, choose any vga parameter you like as long as it is +a graphics mode. + +After booting, load cyblafb without any mode and bpp parameter and assign +cyblafb to individual ttys using con2fb, e.g.: + + modprobe cyblafb vesafb=1 + con2fb /dev/fb1 /dev/tty1 + +Unloading cyblafb works without problems after you assign vesafb to all +ttys again, e.g.: + + con2fb /dev/fb0 /dev/tty1 + rmmod cyblafb + |