nanogui: Thread: status of nano-X/microwindows project

Hi guys -

It's been quite a while since I've communicated about what's
happening with our nano-X/Microwindows project and development
plans.  As many know, other than having moved to a git repository
earlier this year, the website hadn't been updated in five years.
Prior to the beginning of this year, I had been involved in other
endeavours, and hadn't had time for new development, hardly
enough time to apply the many patches that have been received
(thank you for all of them!)

The good news is that there have been quite a few changes
in the last six months, and they're finally to the point that
they will be very useful and relevant for everybody using the
project.  I have been working very hard daily the
last three months and have applied very many of the patches
received that can be tested, and have achieved some great
new enhancements.  All of this is now checked into git, and
available on the current microwindows-src-snapshot.tar.gz tarball.

While my initial plan (for years) was just to get all the patches applied
and ship them as v0.92, there have been some nagging concerns with
the underlying implementation, and I've finally decided that it
would be far better to release something with major benefits, rather
than effectively a patch release.  We are finally ready to consider
releasing a much improved nano-X/Microwindows, that I think
everyone will want to upgrade to.

I have made big architectural changes to some lower level algorithms
and data structures, in the engine and driver layers.  The new driver
architecture is not fully completed, but it is working.  There have
only been patches applied to the nano-X and win32 API layers,
so all programs should continue to run.  Below I give an
overview of these new features, with followup emails if requested
with more detail on each.  Enjoy!

*Cool new features

o huge speed improvements in image drawing and font glyph drawing
    (10x faster, no inner loop procedure calls or if statements, drawing
    directly to framebuffer, with clipping at upper level)

o new fast convblit architecture supports builtin, PCF, FNT, Freetype 2,
    and Adobe Type 1 fonts for all rotations (normal, right, left, down)
    on all bpp (1,2,4,8,15,16,24,32) for non-aliased text drawing, and
    full anti-aliasing for FT2 and T1 fonts on 15,16,24 and 32bpp (other
    drivers possible, just not written).  This allows truetype font display
    on all resolutions, including 1bpp.

o fast blit is used for all RGB and RGBA images (with SRCOVER
    alpha compositing) in all rotations.  PNG, TIFF and PNM images,
    and some JPG are currently converted internally to RGB/RGBA format.
    Other image decoder conversion coming.

o fallback support to old code when new driver conversion blit
    not available.  Images or display formats not supported or
    written/tested with the new architecture fall back to using
    the older code and drawing pixel-by-pixel (w/alpha).

o endian-neutral blits, with explicit support for 32bpp BGRA,
    24bpp BGR, and RGB 565/555 framebuffer formats.  32bpp
    ARGB and any other combination easily possible with small
    changes in new conversion blit infrastructure.  Pixels are always
    laid out in proper byte order regardless of processor endianness,
    without #ifdefs.

o Freetype 2/Adobe T1 driver rewrites - scaleable width now also
    specifiable, and full caching and cmap cache for FT2, using v2.3.12.
    Nagging PCF font issues fixed.

o FBE - Framebuffer emulator.  Emulates 1,2,4,8,15,16,24 and 32bpp
    on X11 to display nano-X server drawing to mmap'd framebuffer.
    Great for debugging or seeing a different pixel format than your
    desktop. Display is completed, need to add support for X11
    mouse and keyboard.

o major driver cleanup - deprecate/combine stretchblits, fold drawarea
    into new blit architecture.  Still working on GdArea/GdBlit
    consolidation.  I will write an article on this new architecture. 
Drivers
    are simpler as the conversion blits are handled at the engine layer
    using macros and inline procedures, near-duplicated code isn't
    spread out across each driver.

o support for upcoming compositing engine with very fast SRCOVER
    alpha blending in all blits, all rotations.  Macros are used for all
    blending, for understandability and testing.

o minor items: 64-bit compatibility, Sony PSP, Blackfin, RTEMS, eCos
    and tomtom ports. Win32 dialog, messagebox and control enhancements.
    MWROP changes/simplification.  Most all 0.92 patches applied.
    Builtin window manager for LINK_APP_INTO_SERVER.

o deprecate Freetype v1

o near-completed: fonts.alias/fonts.dir and multiple directory XLFD
    font lookup and matching for PCF, Truetype and T1 fonts.

o coming: gamma correction for alpha-blending

*Needed

o Documentation update (doxygen created PDF, HTML version also
    with updated architecture articles).  Integration of Gary James'
    old documentation site.

o Website redesign and update

Please feel free to try it out or comment.

Have fun!

Greg

Hi,Greg Haerr,

	Good news for us!Thank you!

Best regards,
 
phil song
2010-06-25
======= 2010-06-25 10:13:12 The letter which you wrote before:=======

>Hi guys -
>
>It's been quite a while since I've communicated about what's
>happening with our nano-X/Microwindows project and development
>plans.  As many know, other than having moved to a git repository
>earlier this year, the website hadn't been updated in five years.
>Prior to the beginning of this year, I had been involved in other
>endeavours, and hadn't had time for new development, hardly
>enough time to apply the many patches that have been received
>(thank you for all of them!)
>
>The good news is that there have been quite a few changes
>in the last six months, and they're finally to the point that
>they will be very useful and relevant for everybody using the
>project.  I have been working very hard daily the
>last three months and have applied very many of the patches
>received that can be tested, and have achieved some great
>new enhancements.  All of this is now checked into git, and
>available on the current microwindows-src-snapshot.tar.gz tarball.
>
>While my initial plan (for years) was just to get all the patches applied
>and ship them as v0.92, there have been some nagging concerns with
>the underlying implementation, and I've finally decided that it
>would be far better to release something with major benefits, rather
>than effectively a patch release.  We are finally ready to consider
>releasing a much improved nano-X/Microwindows, that I think
>everyone will want to upgrade to.
>
>I have made big architectural changes to some lower level algorithms
>and data structures, in the engine and driver layers.  The new driver
>architecture is not fully completed, but it is working.  There have
>only been patches applied to the nano-X and win32 API layers,
>so all programs should continue to run.  Below I give an
>overview of these new features, with followup emails if requested
>with more detail on each.  Enjoy!
>
>*Cool new features
>
>o huge speed improvements in image drawing and font glyph drawing
>    (10x faster, no inner loop procedure calls or if statements, drawing
>    directly to framebuffer, with clipping at upper level)
>
>o new fast convblit architecture supports builtin, PCF, FNT, Freetype 2,
>    and Adobe Type 1 fonts for all rotations (normal, right, left, down)
>    on all bpp (1,2,4,8,15,16,24,32) for non-aliased text drawing, and
>    full anti-aliasing for FT2 and T1 fonts on 15,16,24 and 32bpp (other
>    drivers possible, just not written).  This allows truetype font display
>    on all resolutions, including 1bpp.
>
>o fast blit is used for all RGB and RGBA images (with SRCOVER
>    alpha compositing) in all rotations.  PNG, TIFF and PNM images,
>    and some JPG are currently converted internally to RGB/RGBA format.
>    Other image decoder conversion coming.
>
>o fallback support to old code when new driver conversion blit
>    not available.  Images or display formats not supported or
>    written/tested with the new architecture fall back to using
>    the older code and drawing pixel-by-pixel (w/alpha).
>
>o endian-neutral blits, with explicit support for 32bpp BGRA,
>    24bpp BGR, and RGB 565/555 framebuffer formats.  32bpp
>    ARGB and any other combination easily possible with small
>    changes in new conversion blit infrastructure.  Pixels are always
>    laid out in proper byte order regardless of processor endianness,
>    without #ifdefs.
>
>o Freetype 2/Adobe T1 driver rewrites - scaleable width now also
>    specifiable, and full caching and cmap cache for FT2, using v2.3.12.
>    Nagging PCF font issues fixed.
>
>o FBE - Framebuffer emulator.  Emulates 1,2,4,8,15,16,24 and 32bpp
>    on X11 to display nano-X server drawing to mmap'd framebuffer.
>    Great for debugging or seeing a different pixel format than your
>    desktop. Display is completed, need to add support for X11
>    mouse and keyboard.
>
>o major driver cleanup - deprecate/combine stretchblits, fold drawarea
>    into new blit architecture.  Still working on GdArea/GdBlit
>    consolidation.  I will write an article on this new architecture. 
>Drivers
>    are simpler as the conversion blits are handled at the engine layer
>    using macros and inline procedures, near-duplicated code isn't
>    spread out across each driver.
>
>o support for upcoming compositing engine with very fast SRCOVER
>    alpha blending in all blits, all rotations.  Macros are used for all
>    blending, for understandability and testing.
>
>o minor items: 64-bit compatibility, Sony PSP, Blackfin, RTEMS, eCos
>    and tomtom ports. Win32 dialog, messagebox and control enhancements.
>    MWROP changes/simplification.  Most all 0.92 patches applied.
>    Builtin window manager for LINK_APP_INTO_SERVER.
>
>o deprecate Freetype v1
>
>o near-completed: fonts.alias/fonts.dir and multiple directory XLFD
>    font lookup and matching for PCF, Truetype and T1 fonts.
>
>o coming: gamma correction for alpha-blending
>
>*Needed
>
>o Documentation update (doxygen created PDF, HTML version also
>    with updated architecture articles).  Integration of Gary James'
>    old documentation site.
>
>o Website redesign and update
>
>Please feel free to try it out or comment.
>
>Have fun!
>
>Greg
>
>
>
>
>
>---------------------------------------------------------------------
>To unsubscribe, e-mail: ####@####.####
>For additional commands, e-mail: ####@####.####
>

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
			

I have a problem while compiling...

Compiling engine/font_freetype2.c ...
/home/lukasz/CIRRUS/microwin/src/engine/font_freetype2.c: In function
‘freetype2_createfont_internal’:
/home/lukasz/CIRRUS/microwin/src/engine/font_freetype2.c:623: warning:
assignment from incompatible pointer type
/home/lukasz/CIRRUS/microwin/src/engine/font_freetype2.c:635: error:
‘FT_CharMapRec’ has no member named ‘face_id’
/home/lukasz/CIRRUS/microwin/src/engine/font_freetype2.c:636: error:
‘FT_CharMapRec’ has no member named ‘type’
/home/lukasz/CIRRUS/microwin/src/engine/font_freetype2.c:636: error:
‘FTC_CMAP_BY_ENCODING’ undeclared (first use in this function)
/home/lukasz/CIRRUS/microwin/src/engine/font_freetype2.c:636: error:
(Each undeclared identifier is reported only once
/home/lukasz/CIRRUS/microwin/src/engine/font_freetype2.c:636: error: for
each function it appears in.)
/home/lukasz/CIRRUS/microwin/src/engine/font_freetype2.c:637: error:
‘FT_CharMapRec’ has no member named ‘u’
/home/lukasz/CIRRUS/microwin/src/engine/font_freetype2.c: In function
‘freetype2_get_char_size’:
/home/lukasz/CIRRUS/microwin/src/engine/font_freetype2.c:1017: warning:
passing argument 2 of ‘FTC_CMapCache_Lookup’ from incompatible pointer
type
/home/lukasz/CIRRUS/microwin/src/engine/font_freetype2.c:1017: error:
too few arguments to function ‘FTC_CMapCache_Lookup’
/home/lukasz/CIRRUS/microwin/src/engine/font_freetype2.c: In function
‘freetype2_drawtext’:
/home/lukasz/CIRRUS/microwin/src/engine/font_freetype2.c:1262: warning:
passing argument 2 of ‘FTC_CMapCache_Lookup’ from incompatible pointer
type
/home/lukasz/CIRRUS/microwin/src/engine/font_freetype2.c:1262: error:
too few arguments to function ‘FTC_CMapCache_Lookup’
/home/lukasz/CIRRUS/microwin/src/engine/font_freetype2.c:1359: warning:
passing argument 2 of ‘FTC_CMapCache_Lookup’ from incompatible pointer
type
/home/lukasz/CIRRUS/microwin/src/engine/font_freetype2.c:1359: error:
too few arguments to function ‘FTC_CMapCache_Lookup’
/home/lukasz/CIRRUS/microwin/src/engine/font_freetype2.c: In function
‘freetype2_gettextsize_rotated’:
/home/lukasz/CIRRUS/microwin/src/engine/font_freetype2.c:1484: warning:
passing argument 2 of ‘FTC_CMapCache_Lookup’ from incompatible pointer
type
/home/lukasz/CIRRUS/microwin/src/engine/font_freetype2.c:1484: error:
too few arguments to function ‘FTC_CMapCache_Lookup’
/home/lukasz/CIRRUS/microwin/src/engine/font_freetype2.c: In function
‘freetype2_gettextsize_fast’:
/home/lukasz/CIRRUS/microwin/src/engine/font_freetype2.c:1622: warning:
passing argument 2 of ‘FTC_CMapCache_Lookup’ from incompatible pointer
type
/home/lukasz/CIRRUS/microwin/src/engine/font_freetype2.c:1622: error:
too few arguments to function ‘FTC_CMapCache_Lookup’


Łukasz Wójcicki 


  

2.3.5

Łukasz Wójcicki 


  



Dnia 2010-06-25, pią o godzinie 12:14 -0700, Greg Haerr pisze:
> The new FT2 driver requires v2.3.9 or later. What do you have installed?
> 
> Greg 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone
> 
> On Jun 25, 2010, at 10:45 AM, Łukasz Wójcicki ####@####.#### wrote:
> 
> > I have a problem while compiling...
> > 
> > Compiling engine/font_freetype2.c ...
> > /home/lukasz/CIRRUS/microwin/src/engine/font_freetype2.c: In function
> > ‘freetype2_createfont_internal’:
> > /home/lukasz/CIRRUS/microwin/src/engine/font_freetype2.c:623: warning:
> > assignment from incompatible pointer type
> > /home/lukasz/CIRRUS/microwin/src/engine/font_freetype2.c:635: error:
> > ‘FT_CharMapRec’ has no member named ‘face_id’
> > /home/lukasz/CIRRUS/microwin/src/engine/font_freetype2.c:636: error:
> > ‘FT_CharMapRec’ has no member named ‘type’
> > /home/lukasz/CIRRUS/microwin/src/engine/font_freetype2.c:636: error:
> > ‘FTC_CMAP_BY_ENCODING’ undeclared (first use in this function)
> > /home/lukasz/CIRRUS/microwin/src/engine/font_freetype2.c:636: error:
> > (Each undeclared identifier is reported only once
> > /home/lukasz/CIRRUS/microwin/src/engine/font_freetype2.c:636: error: for
> > each function it appears in.)
> > /home/lukasz/CIRRUS/microwin/src/engine/font_freetype2.c:637: error:
> > ‘FT_CharMapRec’ has no member named ‘u’
> > /home/lukasz/CIRRUS/microwin/src/engine/font_freetype2.c: In function
> > ‘freetype2_get_char_size’:
> > /home/lukasz/CIRRUS/microwin/src/engine/font_freetype2.c:1017: warning:
> > passing argument 2 of ‘FTC_CMapCache_Lookup’ from incompatible pointer
> > type
> > /home/lukasz/CIRRUS/microwin/src/engine/font_freetype2.c:1017: error:
> > too few arguments to function ‘FTC_CMapCache_Lookup’
> > /home/lukasz/CIRRUS/microwin/src/engine/font_freetype2.c: In function
> > ‘freetype2_drawtext’:
> > /home/lukasz/CIRRUS/microwin/src/engine/font_freetype2.c:1262: warning:
> > passing argument 2 of ‘FTC_CMapCache_Lookup’ from incompatible pointer
> > type
> > /home/lukasz/CIRRUS/microwin/src/engine/font_freetype2.c:1262: error:
> > too few arguments to function ‘FTC_CMapCache_Lookup’
> > /home/lukasz/CIRRUS/microwin/src/engine/font_freetype2.c:1359: warning:
> > passing argument 2 of ‘FTC_CMapCache_Lookup’ from incompatible pointer
> > type
> > /home/lukasz/CIRRUS/microwin/src/engine/font_freetype2.c:1359: error:
> > too few arguments to function ‘FTC_CMapCache_Lookup’
> > /home/lukasz/CIRRUS/microwin/src/engine/font_freetype2.c: In function
> > ‘freetype2_gettextsize_rotated’:
> > /home/lukasz/CIRRUS/microwin/src/engine/font_freetype2.c:1484: warning:
> > passing argument 2 of ‘FTC_CMapCache_Lookup’ from incompatible pointer
> > type
> > /home/lukasz/CIRRUS/microwin/src/engine/font_freetype2.c:1484: error:
> > too few arguments to function ‘FTC_CMapCache_Lookup’
> > /home/lukasz/CIRRUS/microwin/src/engine/font_freetype2.c: In function
> > ‘freetype2_gettextsize_fast’:
> > /home/lukasz/CIRRUS/microwin/src/engine/font_freetype2.c:1622: warning:
> > passing argument 2 of ‘FTC_CMapCache_Lookup’ from incompatible pointer
> > type
> > /home/lukasz/CIRRUS/microwin/src/engine/font_freetype2.c:1622: error:
> > too few arguments to function ‘FTC_CMapCache_Lookup’
> > 
> > 
> > Łukasz Wójcicki 
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > ---------------------------------------------------------------------
> > To unsubscribe, e-mail: ####@####.####
> > For additional commands, e-mail: ####@####.####
> > 
> > 

GREAT !!!!!

Thanks a lot !

Does some of this help with / influence using VNC on real and/or virtual
framebuffers ? Does the new architecture define a more solid  interface
for VNC to use with mouse and keyboard events ?

-Michael

On 06/28/2010 04:44 PM, Greg Haerr wrote:
> the new blit structure will speed up screen display
> immensely, as well as display to offscreen pixmaps
> and virtual framebuffers.
>   
GREAT !
> Have you or are you using nano-X as a VNC server?
>   
Not yet, but we are planning to build a series of "headless" embedded
Linux systems (supposedly on a homebrew ARM based PCB) that should be
manageable "somehow" via TCP/IP. Here a quite easy way is to use VNC.
Maybe theses Systems will use nano-X instead of a full featured PC-like
X-stuff.
> I found some compilation issues with the latest release
> that were incompatible with current versions of VNC
> that would be nice to look into.
>   
Once I have the hardware I am very interested in this and might even be
able to help with this issue,.
> No, there haven't been many changes in this area.  However,
> I'd be more than happy to help you in this area. Let
> me know in more detail what you're lacking here.
>   
I'm still in a planning phase with this project (in fact since quite a
long time). I already did some investigations on this (and here I found
that managing mouse and keyboard events might be difficult) and did some
tests (with a NIOS processor) and here I found that transferring
graphical data did work fin.

Thanks a lot for your offer !

-Michael

Great news!
I had a long standing issue related to framebuffer drawing so I will plan on revisiting it with this new code.


> -----Original Message-----
> From: ####@####.####
> Sent: Thu, 24 Jun 2010 20:27:55 -0600
> To: ####@####.####
> Subject: [nanogui] status of nano-X/microwindows project
> 
> Hi guys -
> 
> It's been quite a while since I've communicated about what's
> happening with our nano-X/Microwindows project and development
> plans.  As many know, other than having moved to a git repository
> earlier this year, the website hadn't been updated in five years.
> Prior to the beginning of this year, I had been involved in other
> endeavours, and hadn't had time for new development, hardly
> enough time to apply the many patches that have been received
> (thank you for all of them!)
> 
> The good news is that there have been quite a few changes
> in the last six months, and they're finally to the point that
> they will be very useful and relevant for everybody using the
> project.  I have been working very hard daily the
> last three months and have applied very many of the patches
> received that can be tested, and have achieved some great
> new enhancements.  All of this is now checked into git, and
> available on the current microwindows-src-snapshot.tar.gz tarball.
> 
> While my initial plan (for years) was just to get all the patches applied
> and ship them as v0.92, there have been some nagging concerns with
> the underlying implementation, and I've finally decided that it
> would be far better to release something with major benefits, rather
> than effectively a patch release.  We are finally ready to consider
> releasing a much improved nano-X/Microwindows, that I think
> everyone will want to upgrade to.
> 
> I have made big architectural changes to some lower level algorithms
> and data structures, in the engine and driver layers.  The new driver
> architecture is not fully completed, but it is working.  There have
> only been patches applied to the nano-X and win32 API layers,
> so all programs should continue to run.  Below I give an
> overview of these new features, with followup emails if requested
> with more detail on each.  Enjoy!
> 
> *Cool new features
> 
> o huge speed improvements in image drawing and font glyph drawing
>     (10x faster, no inner loop procedure calls or if statements, drawing
>     directly to framebuffer, with clipping at upper level)
> 
> o new fast convblit architecture supports builtin, PCF, FNT, Freetype 2,
>     and Adobe Type 1 fonts for all rotations (normal, right, left, down)
>     on all bpp (1,2,4,8,15,16,24,32) for non-aliased text drawing, and
>     full anti-aliasing for FT2 and T1 fonts on 15,16,24 and 32bpp (other
>     drivers possible, just not written).  This allows truetype font
> display
>     on all resolutions, including 1bpp.
> 
> o fast blit is used for all RGB and RGBA images (with SRCOVER
>     alpha compositing) in all rotations.  PNG, TIFF and PNM images,
>     and some JPG are currently converted internally to RGB/RGBA format.
>     Other image decoder conversion coming.
> 
> o fallback support to old code when new driver conversion blit
>     not available.  Images or display formats not supported or
>     written/tested with the new architecture fall back to using
>     the older code and drawing pixel-by-pixel (w/alpha).
> 
> o endian-neutral blits, with explicit support for 32bpp BGRA,
>     24bpp BGR, and RGB 565/555 framebuffer formats.  32bpp
>     ARGB and any other combination easily possible with small
>     changes in new conversion blit infrastructure.  Pixels are always
>     laid out in proper byte order regardless of processor endianness,
>     without #ifdefs.
> 
> o Freetype 2/Adobe T1 driver rewrites - scaleable width now also
>     specifiable, and full caching and cmap cache for FT2, using v2.3.12.
>     Nagging PCF font issues fixed.
> 
> o FBE - Framebuffer emulator.  Emulates 1,2,4,8,15,16,24 and 32bpp
>     on X11 to display nano-X server drawing to mmap'd framebuffer.
>     Great for debugging or seeing a different pixel format than your
>     desktop. Display is completed, need to add support for X11
>     mouse and keyboard.
> 
> o major driver cleanup - deprecate/combine stretchblits, fold drawarea
>     into new blit architecture.  Still working on GdArea/GdBlit
>     consolidation.  I will write an article on this new architecture.
> Drivers
>     are simpler as the conversion blits are handled at the engine layer
>     using macros and inline procedures, near-duplicated code isn't
>     spread out across each driver.
> 
> o support for upcoming compositing engine with very fast SRCOVER
>     alpha blending in all blits, all rotations.  Macros are used for all
>     blending, for understandability and testing.
> 
> o minor items: 64-bit compatibility, Sony PSP, Blackfin, RTEMS, eCos
>     and tomtom ports. Win32 dialog, messagebox and control enhancements.
>     MWROP changes/simplification.  Most all 0.92 patches applied.
>     Builtin window manager for LINK_APP_INTO_SERVER.
> 
> o deprecate Freetype v1
> 
> o near-completed: fonts.alias/fonts.dir and multiple directory XLFD
>     font lookup and matching for PCF, Truetype and T1 fonts.
> 
> o coming: gamma correction for alpha-blending
> 
> *Needed
> 
> o Documentation update (doxygen created PDF, HTML version also
>     with updated architecture articles).  Integration of Gary James'
>     old documentation site.
> 
> o Website redesign and update
> 
> Please feel free to try it out or comment.
> 
> Have fun!
> 
> Greg
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ---------------------------------------------------------------------
> To unsubscribe, e-mail: ####@####.####
> For additional commands, e-mail: ####@####.####

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