[Search for users] [Overall Top Noters] [List of all Conferences] [Download this site]

Conference bulova::decwindows

Title:DECWINDOWS
Notice:DECwindows Motif V1.2-4 SSB kits: note 5519
Moderator:GRIM::MESSENGER
Created:Wed Nov 28 1990
Last Modified:Fri Jun 06 1997
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:5861
Total number of notes:24081

5635.0. "OpenVMS & New Desktop (CDE) Blurs/Smudges Icons ?" by COMICS::SUMNERC (OpenVMS Counter Intelligence) Thu Aug 15 1996 11:31

T.RTitleUserPersonal
Name
DateLines
5635.1Same than note 5603ZUR01::JAUNINwww2000: click and dispairFri Aug 16 1996 03:379
5635.2COMICS::SUMNERCOpenVMS Counter IntelligenceFri Aug 16 1996 05:0865
5635.3COMICS::SUMNERCOpenVMS Counter IntelligenceMon Aug 19 1996 05:055
5635.4Disabling Saveunders works, but disabling DMA Writes is betterCSC32::M_KETERMike Keter, Customer Support Center/CSMon Mar 31 1997 16:36242
THIS REPLY SUPERCEDES THE REPLY IN 5635.2 AND THE ARTICLE THEREIN.

After this problem was elevated to engineering, the article referenced  in *.2
was rewritten at the suggestion of engineering. Unlike the previous suggestion
to disable the functionality of  saveunders, simply disabling DMA "writes"
allows them to keep  the functionality, without the corruption problem.

Here is the updated article as of 01-NOV-1996:

Mike

---------------

[Motif] Icons Redrawn Wrong After Occluded on System with PowerStorm

     Any party granted access to the following copyrighted information
     (protected under Federal Copyright Laws), pursuant to a duly executed
     Digital Service Agreement may, under the terms of such agreement copy
     all or selected portions of this information for internal use and
     distribution only. No other copying or distribution for any other
     purpose is authorized.
Copyright (c) Digital Equipment Corporation 1996.  All rights reserved.

PRODUCTS:   DECwindows Motif[R] for OpenVMS, Version 1.2-3
            DEC Open3D for OpenVMS AXP, Version 3.2
            AlphaStation 255 (with a PowerStorm (PBXGB-AA) Graphics
               Controller)

OP/SYS:     OpenVMS Alpha, Version 6.2-1H2
            Digital UNIX[R], Versions 3.2, 4.0

COMPONENT:  Servers

SOURCE:     Digital Equipment Corporation


SYMPTOM:

An AlphaStation 255 with a PBXGB-AA (PowerStorm 3D30) Graphics
Controller is incorrectly redrawing occluded icon pixmaps and other
occluded areas.

The icons of several applications are arranged top to bottom on the
right hand side of the screen.  When the icons are occluded by a
MWM Workspace Menu and then redrawn, the icon image pixmaps are
corrupted.

After clicking and holding on the HELP push button from the Menu Bar
of a DECterm, and moving off the menu and releasing the mouse button,
the area of the display that was occluded by the menu is redrawn
incorrectly.


EXAMPLE:
                                                          
To demonstrate this problem, do the following:

     o Configure or verify that the configuration of the Motif Window
       Manager is as follows:

            Workspace Icon Options Dialog window:

                 Display Icon Box = Disable
                 Place Icons: Right of Screen, Bottom to Top.
                 Icon Size: Medium
                 Icon Decorations: Active Icon Label = Enable
                                   Icon Label = Enable
                                   Icon Image = Enable

            NOTE:   This window is available from the Options pulldown
                    menu in the Workspace Menu of the Motif Window
                    Manager.

     o Start several X applications.

     o Iconify the X applications.

     o Position the Mouse Cursor approximately �" to the left of the 
       topmost icon on the display.

     o Click and hold MB3 on the root window to activate the MWM 
       Workspace pop-up menu.  This menu occludes several of the
       icons.

     o Move the mouse off the menu and release MB3. (NOTE: This does
       not select any item from the Workspace menu).  The icons are
       redisplayed incorrectly.  The images (pixmaps) are corrupted. 

       NOTE:  If the MWM Workspace Menu is displayed again, the
              corruption becomes more severe.


DIGITAL RESPONSE:

This problem has been reviewed by Engineering and has been determined 
to be a design failure.  It has been escalated into the Engineering 
Product cycle for consideration into a future release of the product.  
The appendix of the release notes will identify if the solution has 
been incorporated.


WORKAROUND:

Disable DMA writes on OpenVMS using the following steps:

1) Define the system wide logical "DECW$FFBDODMA".

     $ DEFINE/SYSTEM DECW$FFBDODMA 4

2) Restart the DECwindows XSERVER.  This can be done by performing
   a system reboot, or by restarting the server using the following
   command:

     $ SYS$MANAGER:DECW$STARTUP RESTART

   NOTE:  This ends the current DECwindows Session and returns the 
          system to the Digital Login Box.


Disable DMA writes on Digital UNIX using the following steps:

Use either:

     /usr/lib/X11/xdm/Xservers    [for the standard xdm desktop]

or:

     /etc/dt/config/Xservers      [for the CDE desktop]

For CDE, /usr/dt/config/Xservers is a factory-default file and will be 
unconditionally overwritten upon subsequent installations.  Before making 
changes to the file, copy it to the configuration directory, /etc/dt/config.

The following disables DMA writes:

     :0   Local local@console /usr/bin/X11/X :0 -I -ffbDoDMA 4

\
\
\
\ ENGINEERING RESPONSE:
\
\ Provided by Engineering, 11-OCT-1996:
\
\ We have recently seen an example of a similar problem.  In that 
\ case, the solution was to turn off the DMA "writes" under VMS.  
\
\ The following information is NOT to be made available to customers
\ (per the technical resource providing the information):
\
\ The legal values for DECW$FFBDODMA are:
\
\    0: DMANEVER: never use DMA.  Tests SIMPLE mode for mem->scr transfers
\       and COPY mode for scr->mem transfers.
\
\    1: DMALOCKEDONLY: use DMA only to locked-down page.  Uses DMA only for
\       scr->mem transfers.  DMA to the permanently locked page and copy
\       from there.
\
\    2: DMACOMPARE: Use DMA if code thinks affected area is big enough
\       (default).  Use DMA by locking and unlocking pages if the area is
\       big enough.  Use DMA for scr->mem transfers to locked page.
\
\    3: DMAALWAYS: Use DMA as much as possible.  Always use DMA by locking
\       and unlocking pages, no matter how big or small the transfer size is.
\
\    4: DMANOWRITE: This bit or'ed in with any value disables DMA writes.
\
\
\ NOTE:
\
\  A value of "7" is "3" OR'ed with "4".  Looks like "3" is winning.
\  Using "7" is not a reasonable combination it seems, since "3" and
\  "4" are contradictory!
\
\
\ ANALYSIS:
\
\ Suspected problem with Save Under XSERVER software module(s) for the
\ PBXGB-AA (PowerStorm) Graphics Controller.
\
\
\ TESTING INFORMATION:
\
\ Has this issue been reproduced on CSC lab systems? YES
\     Explain: AlphaServer 1000 with OpenVMS V6.2-1H2, PBXGB-AA,
\     Motif V1.2-3.
\
\ Is this issue consistently reproducible at the customer site? YES
\     Explain: AlphaStation 255, PBXGB-AA, OpenVMS V6.2-1H2,
\              Motif V1.2-3, Open3D V3.2.
\
\ Include the exact steps to reproduce the behavior, including any
\ programs, if the information is not already included above.
\
\ - Login on a system with a PBXGB-AA (PowerStorm) Graphics Card.
\
\ - Configure or verify the configuration of the Motif Window Manager is
\   as follows:
\
\   Motif Window Manager -> Workspace -> Options -> Icons
\
\   Workspace Icon Options Dialog window:
\
\             Display Icon Box = Disable
\             Place Icons: Right of Screen, Bottom to Top.
\             Icon Size: Medium
\             Icon Decorations: Active Icon Label = Enable
\                               Icon Label = Enable
\                               Icon Image = Enable
\
\ - Start, and then Iconify several X applications on the display.
\
\ - Position the Mouse Cursor approximately �" to the left of the topmost
\   Icon on the display.
\
\ - Click and hold MB3 on the root window to activate the MWM Workspace
\   pop-up menu which should now occlude several of the Icons.
\
\ - Release MB3 (not selecting anything) to redisplay the Icons.  The Icon
\   Image (Pixmaps) should now be corrupted. If the MWM Workspace Menu is
\   posted several more times, the corruption gets worse.
\
\
\ REFERENCES:
\
\ Escalations reported on this problem:
\
\     CHAMP/CSC Service Request (SRQ) #: C960514-284, C960514-2551,
\                                        C960425-4784
\     Field Service Log #: HPXQ57954, HPXQ57DCD, HPAQ53C60
\     QARs: SPR_VMS_V5 #05700
\

[R]  Motif is a registered trademark of the Open Software Foundation,
     Inc.

[R]  UNIX is a registered trademark of UNIX System Laboratories, Inc.

     All other product names referenced herein are trademarks of their
     respective companies.
5635.5KERNEL::AUSTINTue May 06 1997 11:2610
Hi,

Can anyone provide details on whether this problem is seen under later revisions
of VMS, such as V7.1. I have a customer who would like to know whether upgrading
will resolve the issue.

Thanks in advance,

Simon Austin
5635.6you need a newer Open3D kitWRKSYS::RICHARDSONTue May 06 1997 13:299
    You need to install a new version of the Open3D kit.  That will get you
    a workaround for this problem - it is a hardware bug in the Powerstorm
    3D30 (TGA2 8-plane) graphics card that only shows up on EV4-based
    systems.  (The software workaround simply sets DECW$FFBDODMA to 4 inside
    the Xserver; you'll get the same effect if you set that system logical
    name before the Xserver starts up.)  The problem does not exist on the
    PowerStorm 4D20 (24-plane TGA2) or other graphics cards.
    
    /Charlotte
5635.7Thanks,KERNEL::AUSTINWed May 07 1997 05:334
Thanks very much for quick reply,

Simon