[Setup-tool-hackers] New tool for configuring X

[Tambet Ingo <tambet ximian com>]

Hello,

So,

what exactly this tool is about? What should it do? for XFree 3.x or
4.x? both?

I will try SaX (SuSe X configurator) later today when I have installed
suse (it's for X3.6 and suse file locations, it's easier to install suse
to other hdd than modify everything just to look what it does). I have
read the source code for it and it seems VERY unproffesional (it's NOT
made by Keith Packard :) ). For example it uses C++ out of blue (no
objects, just couple of LOOONG functions). Actually it uses C++ and C
only for parsing config files, build new Modelines from data (which
should be much easier in perl) and access X extensions (xf86vmode). All
gui is written in generated tcl/tk. What it seems to be able to do is:

1.) Detect Videocard (XServer actually) by running nested xservers. That
means You have to have all required X servers installed (not sure yet
how it works with XFree 4.0.x).

2.) xvidtune functionality. You can move the picture on Your screen and
make it bigger/smaller etc etc... The problem with xvidtne itself is
that it doesn't modify your XF86Config. It just modifies running
parameters of current session. That's why sax is better. But: xvidtune
gives huge warning on run, that it can damage your monitor and/or video
card... How serious is that? I've played with it a lot and never heard
of anyone damaging their hardware...

3.) Generate new Modelines (resolutions). Do we even need that with
XFree 4.0.x? But, as I remembered, you have to restart X to get the
settings in effect.


We can do such thing easily, only problems would be doing it for both
major versions of XFrees... What should we improve (add)? I haven't seen
it running yet, but it doesn't impress me at all :)

Tambet

_______________________________________________
setup-tool-hackers maillist  -  setup-tool-hackers@helixcode.com
http://lists.helixcode.com/mailman/listinfo/setup-tool-hackers