README for XFree86 4.0 on OpenBSD
Matthieu Herrb
Last modified on: 20 February 2000
1. What and Where is XFree86?
XFree86 is a port of X11R6.4 that supports several versions of Intel-based
Unix. It is derived from X386 1.2, which was the X server distributed with
X11R5. This release consists of many new features and performance improve-
ments as well as many bug fixes.
See the Copyright Notice.
The sources for XFree86 4.0 are available by anonymous ftp from:
ftp://ftp.XFree86.org/pub/XFree86/4.0
Binaries for OpenBSD/i386 2.6 and later are available from:
ftp://ftp.XFree86.org/pub/XFree86/4.0/binaries/OpenBSD
A list of mirror sites is provided by ftp://ftp.XFree86.org/pub/XFree86/MIR-
RORS
XFree86 also builds on other OpenBSD architectures. See section Building on
other architectures (section 8.2, page 1) for details.
2. Bug Reports for This Document
Send email to <herrb@xfree86.org> (Matthieu Herrb) or <XFree86@XFree86.org>
if you have comments or suggestions about this file and we'll revise it.
3. New OS dependent features
See the Release Notes for non-OS dependent new features in XFree86 4.0.
3.1 New OS dependent features in 4.0
o Multi-thread safe libraries are built by default on OpenBSD 2.6 and
later,
o Preliminary APM support.
3.2 New OS dependent features in 3.9.18
o Support for USB mices has been added on OpenBSD.
o Soft-booting secondary cards through the int10 BIOS interface is now
possible using the x86emu real mode emulator.
3.3 New OS dependent features in 3.9.17
o Silken mouse is supported for serial mices, and, under post 2.6 OpenBSD-
current for PS/2 mices.
o MTRR Write Combining is enabled under post 2.6 OpenBSD-current.
4. Installing the Binaries
Refer to the Installation Document for detailed installation instructions.
5. Configuring X for Your Hardware
The /etc/XF86Config file tells the X server what kind of monitor, video card
and mouse you have. You must create it to tell the server what specific
hardware you have.
You'll need info on your hardware:
o Your mouse type, baud rate and its /dev entry.
o The video card's chipset (e.g. ET4000, S3, etc).
o Your monitor's sync frequencies.
For details about the XF86Config file format, refer to the XF86Config(5) man-
ual page.
Once you've set up a XF86Config file, you can fine tune the video modes with
the xvidtune utility.
5.1 About mouse configuration
If your serial mouse does not work try using kermit or tip to connect to the
mouse serial port and verify that it does indeed generate characters.
The OpenBSD pms driver provides both ``raw'' and ``cooked'' (translated)
modes. ``raw'' mode does not do protocol translation, so XFree86 would use
the PS/2 protocol for talking to the device in that mode. ``Cooked'' mode is
the old BusMouse translation. The driver runs in ``raw'' mode when using the
/dev/psm0 device name.
See README.mouse for general instruction on mouse configuration in XFree86.
6. Running X
6.1 Starting xdm, the display manager
To start the display manager, log in as root on the console and type: ``xdm
-nodaemon''.
You can start xdm automatically on bootup by changing the line
xdm_flags=NO # for normal use: xdm_flags=""
to:
xdm_flags="" # for normal use: xdm_flags=""
in /etc/rc.conf.
Note that the binary distributions of XFree86 for OpenBSD on ftp.xfree86.org
and its mirrors don't include support for the XDM-AUTHORIZATION-1 protocol,
because of the US export rules.
6.2 Running X without the display manager
The easiest way for new users to start X windows is to type: ``startx >&
startx.log''. Error messages are lost unless you redirect them because the
server takes over the screen.
To get out of X windows, type: ``exit'' in the console xterm. You can cus-
tomize your X by creating .xinitrc, .xserverrc, and .twmrc files in your home
directory as described in the xinit and startx man pages.
7. Kernel Support for X
To make sure X support is enabled under OpenBSD, the following line must be
in your config file in /sys/arch/i386/conf:
option XSERVER
option APERTURE
7.1 Console drivers
The server supports the two standard OpenBSD/i386 console drivers: pcvt and
pccons. They are detected at runtime and no configuration of the server
itself is required.
The pcvt console driver is the default in OpenBSD. It offers several virtual
consoles and international keyboard support.
7.2 Aperture Driver
By default OpenBSD includes the BSD 4.4 kernel security feature that disable
access to the /dev/mem device when in multi-users mode. But the XFree86
server require linear access to the display memory in most cases.
OpenBSD now requires the aperture driver to be enabled for all X servers,
because the aperture driver also controls access to the I/O ports of the
video boards.
To enable the aperture driver, once included in the kernel, set
machdep.allowaperture=1
in /etc/sysctl.conf.
Another (less recommended) way to enable linear memory and I/O ports access
is to disable the kernel security feature by adding ``option INSECURE'' in
your kernel configuration file and build a new kernel. You will also need to
comment out the line initializing securelevel to 1 in /etc/rc.securelevel.
Caveat: the aperture driver only allows one access at a time (so
that the system is in the same security state once X is launched).
This means that if you run multiple servers on multiples VT, only
the first one will have linear memory access. Use 'option INSE-
CURE' if you need more that one X server at a time.
7.3 MIT-SHM
OpenBSD supports System V shared memory. If XFree86 detects this support in
your kernel, it will support the MIT-SHM extension.
To add support for system V shared memory to your kernel add the lines:
# System V-like IPC
options SYSVMSG
options SYSVSEM
options SYSVSHM
to your kernel config file.
8. Rebuilding the XFree86 Distribution
The server developer's kit allow you to rebuild just the X server with a min-
imum amount of disk space. Just unpack it, make the appropriate changes to
the xf86site.def, type ``./mkmf'' and ``make'' to link the server. See
/usr/X11R6/lib/Server/README for more info.
You should configure the distribution by editing xc/config/cf/host.def
before compiling. To compile the sources, invoke ``make World'' in the xc
directory.
8.1 Console drivers
XFree86 has a configuration option to select the console drivers to use in
xf86site.def:
o if you're using pccons only put:
#define XFree86ConsoleDefines -DPCCONS_SUPPORT
o if you're using pcvt only put:
#define XFree86ConsoleDefines -DPCVT_SUPPORT
If you don't define XFree86ConsoleDefines in xf86site.def the pccons and pcvt
drivers will be supported.
8.2 Building on other architectures
XFree86 should also compiles on other OpenBSD architectures. However, please
note that 3.9.x snapshots have only been tested on the i386 for now.
9. Building New X Clients
The easiest way to build a new client (X application) is to use xmkmf if an
Imakefile is included in the sources. Type ``xmkmf -a'' to create the Make-
files, check the configuration if necessary and type ``make''. Whenever you
install additional man pages you should update whatis.db by running ``make-
whatis /usr/X11R6/man''.
10. Thanks
Many thanks to all people who contributed to make XFree86 work on *BSD, in
particular, David Dawes, Pace Willison, Amancio Hasty, Christoph Robitschko,
Nate Williams, Rod Grimes, Jack Velte and Michael Smith.
Generated from XFree86: xc/programs/Xserver/hw/xfree86/doc/sgml/OpenBSD.sgml,v 1.10 2000/03/03 21:28:10 dawes Exp $