view vidix/README.dha @ 30920:570e001f2e53

Convert asm keyword to __asm__. Neither the asm() nor the __asm__() keyword is part of the C99 standard, but while GCC accepts the former in C89 syntax, it is not accepted in C99 unless GNU extensions are turned on (with -fasm). The latter form is accepted in any syntax as an extension (without requiring further command-line options). Sun Studio C99 compiler also does not accept asm() while accepting __asm__(), albeit reporting warnings that it's not valid C99 syntax.

lidbha - Direct Hardware Access library
=======================================

This library was designed for providing direct hardware access under different
OS'es and architectures, so it's platform- and os-independent.

The main project on the top of libdha is Vidix. It provides userspace
video drivers for Matrox, Ati, 3Dlabs, Trident (and it's still evolving).

For the full list of supported OS'es read the sources, anyway here's a 'reported
as working' list (these platforms are used daily):
 Linux/x86
 FreeBSD/x86
 NetBSD/x86
 Linux/PPC

There are different ways to access the hardware, normally only ROOT can do that.
With root privileges libdha will run fine, but there are some others ways
to use it as a normal user:
1, set the SUID bit on the binary (in this way it runs with root privileges)
2, use svgalib kernel helper (please read the comment in the Makefile)
3, use dhahelper (not yet finished)

The library is based on XFree86 and gfxdump (a utility from the GATOS project)
sources.

Original import and design by Nick Kurshev and Alex Beregszaszi.
Current maintenance and dhahelper by Alex Beregszaszi.
Svgalib kernelhelper support by Matan Ziv-Av.
(for the e-mail addresses see the AUTHORS file in MPlayer)