Re: Directfb Backend

[Mike Emmel <mike emmel gmail com>]

On 1/4/06, Matthias Clasen <mclasen redhat com> wrote:
> On Thu, 2005-12-29 at 11:50 -0600, Mike Emmel wrote:
> > Hi all  I would like to integrate the directfb gtk back end into the
> > main gtk tree. There is now enough interest in the project to ensure
> > that it will be maintained for the foreseeable future.
> >
> >
> > I just recently integrated the cairo directfb back end into the main
> > cairo cvs so that's done.
> >
> >
>
> Thanks for your effort with this.
> Can you give a quick summary of the status of this work ?
> - How complete is it compared to a) the suppported backends (X11/win32)
>   and b) compared to the old framebuffer backend ?
Fairly complete there are a few unimplemented functions like for example
gdk_drag_drop,clipboard  and about 20 misc functions.
The main things missing are clipboard and drag and drop.
Its currently being used by the debian installer.

> - Is it good enough to run large applications with it, e.g. the Gimp ?
No it does most of gtktest and gtkdemo.
I've not even tried Gimp.

> - What build requirements does it have ? Does it run everywhere where
>   the old framebuffer backend would ?
>
It requires DirectFB a library on top of the frambuffer so no it does
not run everywhere the framebuffer would in the sense it needs the
framebuffer driver plus the directfb library, but on the same hand
DirectFB has multi-application support or it can run in single
application mode. The old framebuffer port probably would never have
this ability.
Thus the DirectFB backend provides a real application environment at
the same level as X11.

As far as target market goes. Its suited for use in mobile
computers,thin clients, kiosks, set-top boxes, graphical installers,
rescue disks,usb or portable distro's etc. Its currently used by the
debian graphical installer.

Mike

>
> Regards, Matthias
>
>