Linux: Building X.org Kdrive Server Xfbdev on Debian Wheezy

Kdrive is a minimal X11 server that runs as a single executable with little dependencies. I use Kdrive for my Web-only/Rescue Linux systems. Before compiling Kdrive, I installed the following packages on my box running Debian Sid — which will be eventually rolled into Wheezy release:

• bison


• g++-4.7


• libexpat1-dev


• libpciaccess-dev


• libpixman-1-dev


• libssl-dev


• libudev-dev
  
• libxdamage-dev


• libxfont-dev


• libxi-dev


• libxkbfile-dev


• libxmu-dev


• libxxf86vm-dev


• make


• pkg-config


• x11proto-bigreqs-dev


• x11proto-composite-dev


• x11proto-randr-dev


• x11proto-render-dev


• x11proto-resource-dev


• x11proto-scrnsaver-dev


• x11proto-video-dev


• x11proto-xcmisc-dev


• x11proto-xf86dga-dev


• x11proto-xinerama-dev


• xkb-data

Installing X Protocol Headers

The current RandR protocol headers from Debian didn't meet the required version, so I had to download the latest one from freedesktop.org. I installed randrproto like this.

tar xjvf randrproto-1.4.0.tar.bz2
cd randrproto-1.4.0
./configure --prefix=/usr
make install

Compiling Xfbdev

I got the latest X.org release from freedesktop.org. The following commands will build Xfbdev:

tar xjf xorg-server_1.13.0.tar.bz2

cd xorg-server-1.13.0/

./configure --prefix=/usr --disable-xorg --enable-kdrive --enable-kdrive-evdev --enable-config-udev --disable-aiglx --disable-glx --disable-dri --disable-dri2 --disable-drm --disable-record --with-xkb-path=/usr/share/X11/xkb --with-xkb-output=/var/lib/xkb --with-xkb-bin-directory=/usr/bin --with-default-xkb-rules=xorg --with-default-xkb-model=pc105 --with-default-xkb-layout=us

make

make install

Installed Files

The following files are installed after successfully building a Kdrive server.

/usr/bin/Xfbdev

/usr/bin/Xnest

/usr/bin/Xvfb

/usr/lib/xorg/protocol.txt

/usr/share/man/man1/Xnest.1

/usr/share/man/man1/Xserver.1

/usr/share/man/man1/Xvfb.1

/var/lib/xkb/README.compiled

To Use Xfbdev

An executable file Xfbdev will be created in /usr/bin. To be able to use the Xfbdev server, framebuffer video must be enabled either in the kernel or as a module. If CONFIG_FB_VESA option was enabled in the kernel, you can use the syslinux bootloader in the following way to boot Linux into a framebuffer video mode:

LABEL minimal
KERNEL vmlinuz-2.6.31.5
INITRD initramfs.lzma
APPEND vga=0x314 video=vesafb:mtrr

Once the framebuffer video has been activated, Xfbdev can be started in the following way:

Xfbdev :0 vt7 dpms -ac -br +bs -dpi 96 -mouse evdev,5,device=/dev/input/event2 -2button -keybd evdev,,device=/dev/input/event3 -fp /usr/local/share/fonts,/usr/share/fonts/X11/Type1,/usr/share/fonts/truetype/ttf-dejavu -nolisten TCP

Download my X.org build 1.13.0

Here you can obtain my compiled binaries Xfbdev, Xnest and Xvfb:

• Xfbdev


• Xnest
  
• Xvfb
  

Also Read:

• Logging Into Linux Desktop with Xming, Xnest and Putty
  
• Linux: X.org Kdrive Server on Debian 6.0 Squeeze

Setting the Background with xsetbg

This is just my 2 cents on setting the wallpaper on your X Windows desktop. There are many tools for setting the background — technically called the root window. If you use KDE or GNOME, setting up the background is automatic as it is done by the friendly GUI. However, if you are one of those people — including me — who prefer light and minimalist X-Windows environment, you'll put a command in your .xsession file to set your background.

Here, I introduce you to a nice nifty tool called xsetbg. It belongs to a package called xloadimage. I find it attractive just because it doesn't have many dependencies. This is how I use xsetbg in my .xsession file to place my lotus wallpaper on the desktop:

/usr/bin/xsetbg -center -xzoom 115 -yzoom 128 /usr/share/pixmaps/5469_G.jpg

The nice thing about it is that it lets you zoom the width and height separately and center the image at the same time. Pratically, this feature allows you to hide unwanted edges from the screen. For example, the picture below has unnecessary edges around it.

The following command sets this image as the desktop wallpaper without the unwanted edges (assuming your screen is in 800x600 resolution). Change the zoom percentages as necessary for your screen resolution.

xsetbg -center -xzoom 67 -yzoom 85 Sanctuary.jpg