[ltp] Re: RFC: removal of video output switching from thinkpad-acpi

[Henrique de Moraes Holschuh]

On Tue, 19 Feb 2008, Paul Fox wrote:
> henrique de moraes holschuh wrote:
>  > On Tue, 19 Feb 2008, Paul Fox wrote:
>  > > well, i've explored xrandr, and i understand how i could make
>  > > that work.  but the hotkey does nothing when at the console --
>  > > how can it, when the script that acpi invokes is /bin/true?  i'm
>  > > willing to change the script, but if the /proc node doesn't work
>  > > (and if henrique is thinking of pulling support for it in any
>  > > case), what should the hotkey's acpi script do when the console
>  > > is active?  
>  > 
>  > The answer to this is not very nice :-(
>  > 
>  > If X.org is the only thing that knows how to properly drive the video
>  > hardware, you need it running.
>  > 
>  > Teaching the kernel how to do it would work as well, of course.  But the
>  > kernel framebuffer drivers typically are three-four years behind X.org
>  > drivers, and a major source of bitrot.  That might change, as there is a lot
>  > less resistence against proper video drivers in the kernel nowadays.
>  > 
>  > One could also get the output switch stuff from the X.org driver, and make
>  > it into a console-mode utility, I suppose.
>  > 
>  > The question is: does the video output stuff in thinkpad-acpi works well
>  > enough in the X41 to justify its continued existence?
> 
> well, it at least lets me switch from one screen to the other
> with video_switch.  i know of no other way to enable the CRT.
> is there?

ACPI video, in some thinkpads.  But since most ACPI firmwares are completely
and utterly broken on that area, upstream removed that function from ACPI
video very recently.

It looks like I will have to work on thinkpad-acpi video control, and port
it to sysfs :(

-- 
  "One disk to rule them all, One disk to find them. One disk to bring
  them all and in the darkness grind them. In the Land of Redmond
  where the shadows lie." -- The Silicon Valley Tarot
  Henrique Holschuh