1Xephyr README
2=============
3
4
5What Is It ?
6============
7
8Xephyr is a a kdrive server that outputs to a window on a pre-existing
9'host' X display. Think Xnest but with support for modern extensions
10like composite, damage and randr.
11
12Unlike Xnest which is an X proxy, i.e.  limited to the
13capabilities of the host X server, Xephyr is a real X server which
14uses the host X server window as "framebuffer" via fast SHM XImages.
15
16It also has support for 'visually' debugging what the server is
17painting.
18
19
20How To Use
21==========
22
23You probably want to run like;
24
25Xephyr :1 -ac -screen 800x600 &
26
27Then set DISPLAY=:1 and run whatever X apps you like.
28
29Use 'xrandr' to change to orientation/size.
30
31There is a '-parent' switch which works just like Xnest's ( for use
32with things like matchbox-nest - http://matchbox.handhelds.org ).
33
34There is also a '-host-cursor' switch to set 'cursor acceleration' -
35The host's cursor is reused. This is only really there to aid
36debugging by avoiding server paints for the cursor. Performance
37improvement is negligible.
38
39Send a SIGUSR1 to the server ( eg kill -USR1 `pidof Xephyr` ) to
40toggle the debugging mode. In this mode red rectangles are painted to
41screen areas getting painted before painting the actual content. The
42delay between this can be altered by setting a XEPHYR_PAUSE env var to
43a value in microseconds.
44
45
46Caveats
47=======
48
49 - Depth is limited to being the same as the host.
50   *Update* As of 8/11/2004. Xephyr can now do 8bpp & 16bpp
51            on 24bpp host.
52
53 - Rotated displays are currently updated via full blits. This
54   is slower than a normal oprientated display. Debug mode will
55   therefore not be of much use rotated.
56
57 - The '-host-cursor' cursor is static in its appearance.
58
59 - The build gets a warning about 'nanosleep'. I think the various '-D'
60   build flags are causing this. I haven't figured as yet how to work
61   around it. It doesn't appear to break anything however.
62
63 - Keyboard handling is basic but works.
64
65 - Mouse button 5 probably won't work.
66
67
68
69
70
71Matthew Allum <mallum@o-hand.com> 2004
72