5 Known Problems and Workarounds
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1. Introduction
The X Window System is a device-independent, network-
transparent window system developed at MIT. It runs on a
wide range of computing and graphics systems. The X window
server mediates all access to the graphics display and
allows it to be shared by both 2D and 3D applications.
Note: Packaged with your software is a separate sheet that
contains the Software License Agreement. This
software is provided to you solely under the terms
and conditions of the Software License Agreement.
Please take a few moments to review the Agreement.
This document contains the following chapters:
1. Introduction
2. Installation Information
3. Changes and Additions
4. Bug Fixes
5. Known Problems and Workarounds
1.1 Release_Identification_Information
Following is the release identification information for X
Window System:
Version 4.0
Product Code SC4-W4D-6.0
System Software Requirements IRIX 6.0
1.2 Online_Release_Notes
After you install the online documentation for a product
(the relnotes subsystem), you can view the release notes on
your screen.
If you have a graphics system, select ``Release Notes'' from
the Help submenu of the Toolchest. This displays the
grelnotes(1) graphical browser for the online release notes.
Refer to the grelnotes(1) reference page for information on
options to this command.
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If have a nongraphics system, you can use the relnotes
command. Refer to the relnotes(1) reference page for
accessing the online release notes.
1.3 Product_Support
Silicon Graphics, Inc., provides a comprehensive product
support maintenance program for its products.
If you are in the U.S or Canada and would like support for
your Silicon Graphics-supported products, contact the
Technical Assistance Center at 1-800-800-4SGI.
If you are outside these areas, contact the Silicon Graphics
subsidiary or authorized distributor in your country.
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2. Installation_Information
This chapter lists supplemental information to the IRIS
Software Installation Guide. The information listed here is
product-specific; use it with the Installation Guide to
install this product.
2.1 X_Window_System_Subsystems
The X software includes these subsystems:
x_eoe.sw.Server This is the X window server. You
must install this if you want to
use any graphics on your system.
The font server is also contained
in this subsystem.
x_eoe.sw.eoe This subsystem must be installed to
run any X clients. This is a set
of necessary tools for managing
your X11 window server.
x_eoe.sw.eoe64 This subsystem must be installed to
run any 64-bit X clients. This is
a set of necessary tools for
managing your X11 window server.
x_eoe.sw.Xfonts These are the font data files used
by most X applications. Most
applications do not work without
these.
x_eoe.sw.Xoptfonts A set of optional X fonts. Most
applications can work without these
fonts.
x_eoe.sw.Xapps These are useful applications
programs written using the X Window
System.
x_eoe.sw.Xgifts These applications programs are
written using the X Window System.
They are not supported by Silicon
Graphics, but are provided on an
``as is'' basis.
x_eoe.sw.pex The dynamically loaded PEX X Window
System extension and PEX fonts.
x_eoe.man.eoe Reference pages for the
applications provided in the eoe
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subsystem.
x_eoe.man.Xapps Reference pages for the
applications provided in the Xapps
subsystem.
x_eoe.man.Xgifts Reference pages for the
applications provided in the Xgifts
subsystem.
x_eoe.man.Server Reference pages for the X11R5
window server.
x_eoe.man.relnotes These release notes.
x_eoe.sw.xdps The dynamically loaded Display
PostScriptr X server extension.
2.2 X_Window_System_Subsystem_Disk_Space_Requirements
This section lists the subsystems (and their sizes) of the X
Window System software.
If you are installing this software for the first time, the
subsystems marked ``default'' are the ones that are
installed if you use the ``go'' menu item. To install a
different set of subsystems, use the ``install,''
``remove,'' ``keep,'' and ``step'' commands in inst to
customize the list of subsystems to be installed, then
select the ``go'' menu item.
Note: The listed subsystem sizes are approximate. Refer to
the IRIS Software Installation Guide for information
on finding exact sizes.
Subsystem Name Subsystem Size
(512-byte blocks)
x_eoe.sw.Server (default) 8038
x_eoe.sw.eoe (default) 19259
x_eoe.sw.eoe64 7229
x_eoe.sw.Xfonts (default) 8608
x_eoe.sw.Xoptfonts 3144
x_eoe.sw.Xapps 3422
x_eoe.sw.Xgifts 2438
x_eoe.sw.pex 2585
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x_eoe.sw.xdps 10883
x_eoe.man.eoe (default) 794
x_eoe.man.Xapps 582
x_eoe.man.Xgifts 253
x_eoe.man.Server (default) 131
x_eoe.man.relnotes(default) 20
2.3 Installation_Method
All of the subsystems for X can be installed using IRIX.
You do not need to use the miniroot. Refer to the IRIS
Software Installation Guide for complete installation
instructions.
2.4 Prerequisites
To Install... You Must Also Install...
x_eoe.sw.Xgifts or x_eoe.sw.eoe
x_eoe.sw.Xapps
x_eoe.sw.Xfonts x_eoe.sw.Server
x_eoe.sw.Xoptfonts x_eoe.sw.Server
x_eoe.sw.Server x_eoe.sw.eoe
x_eoe.sw.pex x_eoe.sw.Server
x_eoe.sw.xdps x_eoe.sw.Server, dps_eoe.sw.dpsfonts
2.5 Configuration_Files
The X Window System and its applications are highly
configurable. Please refer to the manual pages for xdm(1)
or the application you wish to configure.
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3. Changes_and_Additions
o The X11 libraries shipped with Irix 6.0 are based on
the X11 R6 release. Irix 5.2 libraries were based on
the X11 R5 release.
o Irix 6.0 includes support for 64-bit X applications,
with the x_dev.sw.eoe64 subsystem. This subsystem
installs 64-bit versions of the libraries in
/usr/lib64.
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4. Bug_Fixes
o The performance of windowing operations when some
windows are in the overlay planes has been improved
substantially.
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5. Known_Problems_and_Workarounds
o The X Display PostScript extension is now working in
IRIX 6.0. Note that it is a prerequisite for the IRIS
Impressario product. If you wish to run Impressario on
your system, be sure to install:
dps_eoe.sw.dps * 246+ DPS Base Execution Environment
dps_eoe.sw.dpsfonts * 2212+ DPS Base Execution Environment Support
Otherwise, dps_eoe is not required to run X.
o If you are getting your password via NIS and the NIS
server fails, xlock may crash. At that point, your
system is unlocked. A possible work-around is to keep
a copy of the password file on your local machine.
o xstdcmap does not work properly, nor do the colormap
utilities in libXmu. The X server creates the standard
colormap properties by default at startup. They work
properly if not accessed through libXmu.
o IRIS GL overlay windows are not clipped properly when
obscured by a window in the overlays.
o libXt assumes that time always moves forward. If you
turn the system clock backwards, applications built
with libXt behave improperly and often consume too much
of the system CPU. You must stop and restart these
applications.
o If a device is already grabbed, subsequent calls to
XSetDeviceValuators hang the application.
o The X server does not yet support the large request
mechanism. Protocol requests are limited to 64K words
(262,144 bytes) in length. This applies to the core X
protocol as well as to extension protocols such as PEX.
o The PEX extension does not support texture mapping or
antialiasing.
o PEX applications should use PEXMatchRenderingTargets to
determine which visual to use. The SGI PEX
implementation advertises a single PEX-capable
TrueColor visual supporting depth buffering via
PEXMatchRenderingTargets.