gtk2/docs/reference/gtk/framebuffer.sgml

<refentry id="gtk-framebuffer" revision="1 Jan 2002">
<refmeta>
<refentrytitle>Using GTK+ on the Framebuffer</refentrytitle>
<manvolnum>3</manvolnum>
<refmiscinfo>GTK Library</refmiscinfo>
</refmeta>

<refnamediv>
<refname>Using GTK+ on the Framebuffer</refname>
<refpurpose>
Linux framebuffer aspects of using GTK+
</refpurpose>
</refnamediv>

<refsect1>
<title>GTK+ for the Linux Framebuffer</title>

<note><para>
The linux-fb GDK target is unmaintained and may not work or even
compile. The information below may still be helpful; also there are
several patches in bugzilla which may help with making the linux-fb
code compilable.
</para></note>

<para>
The linux-fb port of GTK+, also known as GtkFB is an implementation of
GDK (and therefore GTK+) that runs on the Linux framebuffer. It runs in
a single process that doesn't need X. It should run most GTK+ programs
without any changes to the source.
</para>

<refsect2><title>Build requirements</title>
<para>
You need GTK+ 2.0; the 1.2.x series does not have framebuffer support.
To compile GTK+ with framebuffer support you will need FreeType 2; we
recommend FreeType 2.0.1 or later, as there was some problems with
<command>freetype-config</command> in 2.0.  Make sure that you install 
FreeType before Pango, since Pango also needs it. FreeType can be found at
<ulink url="ftp://ftp.freetype.org">ftp://ftp.freetype.org</ulink>.  You also
need fontconfig in order to properly use the FreeType 2 backend in Pango.
Fontconfig depends on FreeType as well. Fontconfig can be found at
<ulink url="http://fontconfig.org">http://fontconfig.org</ulink>.
</para>
</refsect2>

<refsect2><title>Hardware requirements</title>
<para>
You need a graphics card with an available framebuffer driver that can
run in 8, 16, 24 or 32 bpp, such as matroxfb or vesafb.  You also need
a supported mouse. GTK+ currently supports the ps2 mouse, ms serial
mouse and fidmour touchscreen. Additional hardware support should 
be simple to add.
</para>
</refsect2>

<refsect2><title>Building and installing</title>
<para>
First build and install GLib, ATK and Pango as usual, in that order.

Then configure GTK+ by running <command>configure</command> (or 
<command>autogen.sh</command> if running from
CVS) with <option>--with-gdktarget=linux-fb</option>.
</para>

<para>Then compile as usual: <command>make; make install</command></para>
</refsect2>

<refsect2><title>Fonts</title>
<para>
Since GtkFB uses FreeType 2 to render fonts it can render TrueType and
Postscript type 1 antialiased fonts.
</para>

<para>
GtkFB uses fontconfig for configuration of font information, including
directories and aliases. Make sure that you have your fonts.conf file
configured with where your TrueType and Type1 fonts are. Please refer to the
fontconfig documentation for more information.
</para>
</refsect2>

<refsect2><title>Running</title>
<para>
To run a program you should only need to start it, but there are some
things that can cause problems, and some things that can be controlled
by environment variables. Try <application>gtk-demo</application> distributed 
with GTK+ to test if things work.
</para>

<para>
If you use a ps2 mouse, make sure that <filename>/dev/psaux</filename> is 
readable and writable.
</para>

<para>Make sure <command>gpm</command> is not running.</para>

<para>If you don't specify anything GtkFB will start up in the current
virtual console in the current resolution and bit-depth. This can be
changed by specifying environment variables:
</para>

<para id="fb-envar">
<programlisting>
<envar>GDK_VT</envar>:
 unset means open on the current VT.
 0-9: open on the specified VT. Make sure you have read/write rights
      there.
 new: Allocate a new VT after the last currently used one.

<envar>GDK_DISPLAY_MODE</envar>:
 Specifies the name of a mode in <filename>/etc/fb.modes</filename> that you 
 want to use.

<envar>GDK_DISPLAY_DEPTH</envar>:
 Specify the desired bit depth of the framebuffer.
 
<envar>GDK_DISPLAY_WIDTH</envar>:
 Specify the desired width of the framebuffer.
 
<envar>GDK_DISPLAY_HEIGHT</envar>:
 Specify the desired height of the framebuffer.

<envar>GDK_DISPLAY</envar>:
 Specify the framebuffer device to use. Default is <filename>/dev/fb0</filename>.

<envar>GDK_MOUSE_TYPE</envar>:
 Specify mouse type. Currently supported is:
  ps2 - PS/2 mouse
  imps2 - PS/2 intellimouse (wheelmouse)
  ms - Microsoft serial mouse
  fidmour - touch screen
 Default is ps2.

<envar>GDK_KEYBOARD_TYPE</envar>:
 Specify keyboard type. Currently supported is
  xlate - normal tty mode keyboard.
    Quite limited, cannot detect key up/key down events. Doesn't
    handle ctrl/alt/shift for all keys. This is the default driver,
    but should not be used in "production" use.
  raw - read from the tty in RAW mode.
    Sets the keyboard in RAW mode and handles all the keycodes. This
    gives correct handling of modifiers and key up/down events. You
    must be root to use this. If you use this for development or
    debugging it is recommended to enable magic sysrq handling in the
    kernel. Then you can use ALT-SysRQ-r to turn the keyboard back to
    normal mode.
 Default is xlate.
</programlisting>
</para>
</refsect2>

<refsect2><title>Debug features</title>
<para>Pressing Ctrl-Alt-Return repaints the whole screen.
Unfortunately this cannot be pressed when using the xlate keyboard
driver, so instead you can use shift-F1 instead when using this
driver.
</para>

<para>Pressing Ctrl-Alt-BackSpace kills the GtkFB program. (This can't be
pressed in the xlate driver, so instead you can use shift-F8.)</para>
</refsect2>

</refsect1>

</refentry>