[compiz] Compiz porting plan, for help

[Zhu, Jack]

David & All,
As you might have heard, Intel recently introduced a new low-power device called a Mobile Internet Device (MID).  We're working in Intel's Open source Technology Center on the Linux Desktop UI.  Given the small screen we're planning on using a stack-based window manager where each application runs full-screen (think Matchbox).  We think it would be very cool to get a rotation effect like the compiz wm, but with a single applications per screen.  

Who can give us some suggestion on our Compiz porting plan and give help on my block issues?  I am a newer on Compiz, thank you for all your help.

From: Zhu, Jack 
Sent: 2007年6月11日 17:11
To: Shen, Cathy; Spencer, Bob; Zhang, Danny; Li, Horace; Wei, Donald
Subject: status of Compiz

After investing, I tried the following two methods as Bob’s suggestions.
The following is my status:
Method 1.  Just use Matchbox with Compiz feature added.
Steps:
1. Read source code to understand how to use compiz plugins without compiz windows manager.
2. Write a simple application on FC6, call compiz plugin API, to show effections such as cube, 3D. just link plugin .so file,  without compiz window manager.
3. Write two applications, switch to each other, just use compiz plugins and gnome default window manager: metacity.
4. if 3 success,  then most likely  solution : Metacity with compiz features added can work 
5 . if 4 success,  then most likely,  solution: Matchbox with compiz features added also can work
If possible, we can step over 4. direct from 3 to 5.
Status:  still blocked on how to use compiz plugin API in GTK programs. 
1. Without doc, It is difficult to understand how to use compiz plugin, API independently, what’s the parameter means, how to use it in GTK program.
2. Matchbox can add plugins as easily as compiz window manager? Its design has not consider extensibility to add different plugins easily.
Probably need write a adaptor layer to connect matchbox window manager and compiz plugin.

Method 2.  Just try to enable Compiz on MID 
Steps:
1.	Compile Compiz on MID, install some devel libs.
2.	Run Compiz on MID,  install some run time libs
3.	Compiz window manager can manager hildon-applications, port Compiz window manager from Gnome to Hildon desktop, need much efforts.
4.	Compiz plugins can work, especially on applications switch.
Status:  still blocked on step 2.
Run error: 
compiz: No GLXFBConfig for default depth, this isn't going to work.
compiz: Failed to manage screen: 0
compiz: No manageable screens found on display 0:0
Root cause: 
1.	Lack some user libs should been installed? 
	need yum install more libs: Xorg, dri, drm, glx, xgl? Tried to install all these packages with these key words.
	I installed all the packages of xorg/dri/drm/xgl/ same as FC6, FC6 can work, but MID can not.
2.  Lack some kernel modules?
	xgl  depends on kernel module drivers: drm.ko and i915.ko,  I insmod the two modules in MID by hand,  Compiz still fails.
3.	Do not support default depth, default 16 or 24,  how to support it? 
4.	Need add or modify configure files?
I add /etc/drirc file as google search’s result.  fail
	Modify X11/xorg.conf to add some script to load xgl? fail
_____________________________________________
From: Spencer, Bob s
Sent: 2007年5月25日 10:32
To: Li, Horace; Zhu, Jack; Wei, Donald
Subject: Matchbox or Compiz?


I've been thinking about Compiz vs. Matchbox.  I think using Matchbox wm is faster than using Compiz, but I'm not convinced that is the right thing to do for the long run.  

Pros / Cons
If we use Matchbox (w/Compiz feature added)
	- We get all matchbox stuff.  No change to Hildon
	- Theming works as designed
	- We have to add compiz code
	- End features:  we can rotate applications 

If we use Compiz (w/Matchbox feature added)
	- We have to implement all Matchbox features
	- We have to modify Hildon
	- We have to recreate the themes
	- End features:
		- application rotation
		- show all running apps on single screen
		- magnify screen zoom in/out
		- all future compiz features free

I wonder if Horace can 
	- try to get Hildon working on compiz window manager
	- identify all the features that we need to implement in Compiz to make it behave like Matchbox. 
		- stack-based app
		- dialogs behave correctly
		- theming
	- figure out what Hildon code depends on Matchbox
	- figure out how to make Compiz look like Matchbox (configuration files at least)
	- give this information to Jack/Donald.

What do you guys think?
Bob



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