[LinuxBIOS] VGA support for Geode GX1/CS5530

Juergen Beisert juergen127 at kreuzholzen.de
Mon Oct 8 09:59:07 CEST 2007


Hi Uwe,

On Sunday 07 October 2007 23:13, Uwe Hermann wrote:
> > Visit my BCOM WINNET100 Tutorial, scroll to the buttom of this document
> > and download the Board Support Package. Extract it, you will need some
> > patches to use the VGA console feature within Linux. Also for the Linux
> > kernel you will need a specific console driver for the GX1, as the
> > generic driver expects some help from the SMM. See
> > patches/linux-2.6.22/generic for the whole patch stack, apply it to a
> > fresh 2.6.22 kernel and build it with the
> > igel316-kernelconfig.target as its .config. Also if you like to run X on
> > it,
>
> Is this scheduled to go into the mainline kernel one day? Would be great!

I think "no". Last time I tried, I got this answer:

> On Friday 24 November 2006 12:41, Alan wrote:
>>[...]
>> Given the choice between LinuxBIOS and the rest of the world then the
>> rest of the world needs to win. The 5530 is absent from the IRQ routing
>> table because it varied by system what the right answer was.
>>[...]

Everything I do for GX1 is too specific for ways to old hardware (and mainline 
expects a real BIOS, not LinuxBIOS).

> > you will need a special driver. You can find it in the BSP in the
> > local_src/xf86-video-geode_gx1 directory.
>
> Same here, will it be merged into xorg?

I'm not an Xorg expert. So this code is unfinished and more of type "works for 
me". But on the other hand same as with the kernel: Too specific for ways to 
old hardware...

> > > > +/*
> > > > + * Support for a few basic video modes
> > > > + * Note: all modes only for CRT. The flatpanel feature is
> > > > + * not supported here (due to the lack of hardware to test)
> > > > + */
> > > > +struct video_mode {
> > > > +	int pixel_clock;		/*<< pixel clock in Hz */
> > >
> > > What is the '/*<<' supposed to mean?
> >
> > Doxygen style. I like it, but I was not sure if it will be accepted in
> > LBv2. But it seems I forgot it to remove...
>
> Ah, so another way to write /** Foo */ ? If so, let's please use the
> standard /** Foo */ notation as in the rest of the code.

I will create a patch. I only know the /*<< notation for structure members. 
Does the /** really works for structure members?

> > > > Index: LinuxBIOSv2/src/southbridge/amd/cs5530/bitmap.c
> > > > ===================================================================
> > > > --- /dev/null
> > > > +++ LinuxBIOSv2/src/southbridge/amd/cs5530/bitmap.c
> > > > @@ -0,0 +1,304 @@
> > > > +/* do not edit
> > > > +This is an image of size 51 x 60 with 234 colours */
> > >
> > > How was this image generated? What's the source format?
> > >
> > > Please also attach a license to it if you created it. If you didn't we
> > > must get permission from the author, I guess (and/or state the license
> > > which applies to it).
> >
> > Gimmick only. This graphic file is autogenerated with a small program
> > that converts xpm into C code.
>
> Doesn't gimp have a similar option, too? If your code could handle the
> output of that gimp plugin (it's shipped per default, I think) that
> would be a great and easy way for users to create their own icons
> without requiring extra command line tools.

Sorry, I don't know Gimp and its many features. Can you generate such a Gimp 
output from a small picture and send it offline? I will create a patch to 
supports Gimp's output.
But on the other hand this should be more generic as it is not a GX1 special 
feature to show a splash screen.

Juergen




More information about the coreboot mailing list