[HOWTO][WIP] Run Xorg on your Kobo + full-blown Firefox - Page 2

NiMa · 01-05-2021, 09:16 AM

Hi,
Today I'm asking for help. After hours of trying to get pure Xorg working (because if it does, the speed will be incredibly increased) without the need to take screenshots, hence displaying directly to the framebuffer, I don't know what to do. I've tried several methods, experienced with my Libra's framebuffer with pickel (showpic) and... even that didn't work, it returned a distorted image on my screen. I also did

Code:

cat /dev/urandom | /usr/local/Kobo pickel showpic

That worked. But it just prints a bunch of noise and I can't know if it is properly scaled or not.
If you want, please, I'd like help. Just post your ideas below! (or should I start a Git repo?)

Thanks, any suggestion is much appreciated.

Elektron · 01-05-2021, 10:16 PM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w_eO...icolasMailloux
NiMa has released a video!

geek1011 · 01-06-2021, 05:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NiMa

Hi,
Today I'm asking for help. After hours of trying to get pure Xorg working (because if it does, the speed will be incredibly increased) without the need to take screenshots, hence displaying directly to the framebuffer, I don't know what to do.)

You're going to have to write at least a small amount of C (or Rust or Go) code. I haven't looked into the existing options, but if I were to do it from scratch, I'd do it with FBInk.

One way would be to compile parts of Xorg from source with some modifications to use the fb.

Another way would be to use tigervnc+libvnc+FBInk to display the current screen. libx11+fbink would be another option, but although the code may be easier to work with, you might need to deal with damage tracking and optimization manually.

NiMa · 01-06-2021, 08:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by geek1011

You're going to have to write at least a small amount of C (or Rust or Go) code. I haven't looked into the existing options, but if I were to do it from scratch, I'd do it with FBInk.

One way would be to compile parts of Xorg from source with some modifications to use the fb.

Another way would be to use tigervnc+libvnc+FBInk to display the current screen. libx11+fbink would be another option, but although the code may be easier to work with, you might need to deal with damage tracking and optimization manually.

I thought of all of those options... Recompiling Xorg would be the best, but... Still I have to get myself in touch with C/C++... Well maybe I'll try...

Another idea that I had this morning waking up was that I could (maybe) write a script (ex./dev/fb1) which would "divert" xf86-video-fbdev to output there instead. This script would point to (maybe) FBInk displaying the raw stream.

Speaking of raw stream, do you know how to print one with FBInk? I saw Python scripts to print raw RGBA images and it worked, but what I'd really need is just a "framebuffer" at /dev/fb1 which could act exactly if it was real...

Thanks!

NiLuJe · 01-06-2021, 10:56 AM

Err, you *did* look at that link, did you not?

Quote:

Originally Posted by NiLuJe

Looking at the Kindle Alpine images might be of some help... (hint).

NiMa · 01-06-2021, 11:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NiLuJe

Err, you *did* look at that link, did you not?

Yeah, sure... I didn't quite understand the code though...

Elektron · 01-06-2021, 11:02 AM

I've attached a picture of the output.

Code:

[root@pixie root]# uname -p
unknown

Whaaaa?

NiMa · 01-06-2021, 11:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Elektron

I've attached a picture of the output.

Code:

[root@pixie root]# uname -p
unknown

Whaaaa?

That's ... strange. And

Code:

uname -a

instead?

Edit: just did this on my Libra. Reported unknown too. Definitely change this to

Code:

uname -a

2nd EDIT: I think we're not on the right thread

Elektron · 01-06-2021, 11:05 AM

I've attached a screenshot of the output.

NiMa · 01-06-2021, 11:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Elektron

I've attached a screenshot of the output.

Ok, this is more like it. You effectively have an armv7l processor. Therefore, the armv7 minirootfs should work no problem with you.

NiMa · 01-06-2021, 11:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NiMa/NiLuJe

Yeah, sure... I didn't quite understand the code though...

Ok now I *kind of* understand what it does. If I'm correct: this watches for Xorg to update a window's content (xdamage) and then prints it to the screen with FBInk.
Then I *might* be able to do that with an existing X server, might I?

geek1011 · 01-06-2021, 11:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by geek1011

You're going to have to write at least a small amount of C (or Rust or Go) code. I haven't looked into the existing options, but if I were to do it from scratch, I'd do it with FBInk.

...

Another way would be to use tigervnc+libvnc+FBInk to display the current screen. libx11+fbink would be another option, but although the code may be easier to work with, you might need to deal with damage tracking and optimization manually.

Quote:

Originally Posted by NiMa

I thought of all of those options... Recompiling Xorg would be the best, but... Still I have to get myself in touch with C/C++... Well maybe I'll try...

Quote:

Originally Posted by NiLuJe

Err, you *did* look at that link, did you not?

I must have missed that when skimming the thread. Thanks for reminding us before we went and started reinventing the wheel!

Quote:

Originally Posted by NiMa

Yeah, sure... I didn't quite understand the code though...

Any specific part, or just where to start?

NiMa · 01-06-2021, 11:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by geek1011

I must have missed that when skimming the thread. Thanks for reminding us before we went and started reinventing the wheel!

Any specific part, or just where to start?

If you look at my last post (before this one), you'll see I have *some* idea of what it does. Still though, I absolutely have *no* idea how to apply it in my context, since I'm a total noob in C/C++ and it's barely if I'm capable of debugging "make/gcc/g++" errors.
If someone could maybe guide me or if a similar Python method exists, that would be awesome!
Thanks!

geek1011 · 01-06-2021, 11:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NiMa

Ok now I *kind of* understand what it does. If I'm correct: this watches for Xorg to update a window's content (xdamage) and then prints it to the screen with FBInk.
Then I *might* be able to do that with an existing X server, might I?

Yes, basically. You would run this on an existing X server (e.g. tigervnc, Xvfb, etc), and it would use XDAMAGE to watch for changes and pass them to FBInk. You'd still need to deal with input, though.

NiMa · 01-06-2021, 11:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by geek1011

Yes, basically. You would run this on an existing X server (e.g. tigervnc, Xvfb, etc), and it would use XDAMAGE to watch for changes and pass them to FBInk. You'd still need to deal with input, though.

I think input is a closed concern for the moment. I managed to watch for input events with evtest and with a small Python program, pass the x/y coordinates to xdotool. You can check the .py file in the main post to see the code. Pretty simple and reliable. No multi-touch, but better than nothing...
Thanks for the explanation, I think I am nearing even further my goal.

Any idea how to set this up in Python? Is it possible?
Thanks

01-05-2021, 09:16 AM	#16
NiMa Evangelist Posts: 469 Karma: 2390534 Join Date: Jun 2020 Location: Somewhere in the Universe Device: Kobo Libra, Glo HD, Touch C/B, Mini, Glo, Aura SE, Clara HD, KT	Hi, Today I'm asking for help. After hours of trying to get pure Xorg working (because if it does, the speed will be incredibly increased) without the need to take screenshots, hence displaying directly to the framebuffer, I don't know what to do. I've tried several methods, experienced with my Libra's framebuffer with pickel (showpic) and... even that didn't work, it returned a distorted image on my screen. I also did Code: cat /dev/urandom \| /usr/local/Kobo pickel showpic That worked. But it just prints a bunch of noise and I can't know if it is properly scaled or not. If you want, please, I'd like help. Just post your ideas below! (or should I start a Git repo?) Thanks, any suggestion is much appreciated.

01-06-2021, 11:02 AM	#22
Elektron Banned Posts: 2,296 Karma: 5300240 Join Date: Jun 2020 Location: Edmonton, AB Device: Kobo Aura H2O Edition 2 (mark 7), Kobo Mini	I've attached a picture of the output. Code: [root@pixie root]# uname -p unknown Whaaaa? Attached Thumbnails

01-06-2021, 11:05 AM	#24
Elektron Banned Posts: 2,296 Karma: 5300240 Join Date: Jun 2020 Location: Edmonton, AB Device: Kobo Aura H2O Edition 2 (mark 7), Kobo Mini	I've attached a screenshot of the output. Attached Thumbnails

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01-05-2021, 10:16 PM	#17
Elektron Banned Posts: 2,296 Karma: 5300240 Join Date: Jun 2020 Location: Edmonton, AB Device: Kobo Aura H2O Edition 2 (mark 7), Kobo Mini	https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w_eO...icolasMailloux NiMa has released a video!

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