Xephyr README
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=============
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What Is It ?
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============
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Xephyr is a a kdrive server that outputs to a window on a pre-existing
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'host' X display. Think Xnest but with support for modern extensions
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like composite, damage and randr.
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Unlike Xnest which is an X proxy, i.e. limited to the
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capabilities of the host X server, Xephyr is a real X server which
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uses the host X server window as "framebuffer" via fast SHM XImages.
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It also has support for 'visually' debugging what the server is
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painting.
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How To Use
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==========
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You probably want to run like;
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Xephyr :1 -ac -screen 800x600 &
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Then set DISPLAY=:1 and run whatever X apps you like.
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Use 'xrandr' to change to orientation/size.
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There is a '-parent' switch which works just like Xnests ( for use
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with things like matchbox-nest - http://matchbox.handhelds.org ).
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There is also a '-host-cursor' switch to set 'cursor acceleration' -
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The host's cursor is reused. This is only really there to aid
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debugging by avoiding server paints for the cursor. Performance
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improvement is negiable.
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Send a SIGUSR1 to the server ( eg kill -USR1 `pidof Xephyr` ) to
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toggle the debugging mode. In this mode red rectangles are painted to
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screen areas getting painted before painting the actual content. The
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delay between this can be altered by setting a XEPHYR_PAUSE env var to
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a value in micro seconds.
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Caveats
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=======
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- Depth is limited to being the same as the host.
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*Update* As of 8/11/2004. Xephyr can now do 8bpp & 16bpp
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on 24bpp host.
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- Rotated displays are currently updated via full blits. This
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is slower than a normal oprientated display. Debug mode will
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therefor not be of much use rotated.
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- The '-host-cursor' cursor is static in its appearence.
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- The build gets a warning about 'nanosleep'. I think the various '-D'
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build flags are causing this. I havn't figured as yet how to work
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round it. It doesn't appear to break anything however.
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- Keyboard handling is basic but works.
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- Mouse button 5 probably wont work.
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Matthew Allum <mallum@o-hand.com> 2004
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