Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!umich!yale!cs.utexas.edu!swrinde!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!rpi!crdgw1!ge-dab!tarpit!ucf-cs!tslvax!mike
From: mike@tslvax.UUCP (Michael J. Tobias)
Newsgroups: comp.windows.x
Subject: Questions about (possible extensions) to X
Keywords: two input devices, double buffering, graphics overlays
Message-ID: <353@tslvax.UUCP>
Date: 15 Feb 90 15:23:44 GMT
Organization: Tech Source Laboratories, Altamonte Springs
Lines: 40

I have a few questions relating to the functionality of X Windows.
I would like to hear from others who may be facing similar problems.
Can somebody in the know please let me where to get more information
or respond to the following questions.

1.  Can an X server work with two pointing devices and a keyboard?
    If so, do any of the toolkits support this or would we need to
    write directly to Xlib.
    If not, can this be made an extension?

2.  Can an X server be written to handle color systems with overlay
    planes which will contain much more than a cursor.  We make a
    graphics controller with 8 image planes and 8 overlay planes and
    also one with 24 image planes and 8 overlay planes.  How can we
    switch between drawing in the image to drawing in the overlay?
    Do we just say we are 16 (8+8) or 32 (24+8) bits per pixel?

3.  Is it possible to change the screen upon which a window appears
    in a multi-screen server.  We have boards that can drive up to
    four independent displays.  I can create windows on each display,
    but do not know how to move them from one to the other.  Any
    suggestions at all on this will help.

4.  Can we take advantage of using a system which really does
    double buffering in hardware?  Our double buffer systems allow
    writing in buffer A or B or both and displaying from either A
    or B.  I don't see how copying pixmaps to drawable windows
    really takes advantage of this feature.

5.  Is there anybody else interested in seeing any of these features
    becoming an extension if they do not already exist?

By the way, great job on speeding up X11R4.


Michael Tobias				UUNET: uunet!ucf-cs!tslvax!mike
Tech-Source, Inc.
442 S. North Lake Blvd.  Suite 1008
Altamonte Springs, FL  32701
(407) 830-8301