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2001 FREENIX Track Technical Program - Abstract
The X Resize and Rotate Extension - RandR
Jim Gettys, Compaq Computer Corporation, and Keith Packard, XFree86 Core Team, SuSE Inc.
Abstract
The X Window System protocol, Version 11, was deliberately
designed to be extensible, to provide for both anticipated and
unanticipated needs. The X11 core did not anticipate that the
properties of X server screens might need to change dynamically, as
occurs frequently with desktops, laptops and hand held computers not
envisioned in the 1980's.
The Resize and Rotate extension (RandR) is a very small set of client and
server extensions designed to allow clients to modify the size, accelerated
visuals and rotation of an X screen. RandR also has provisions for informing
clients when screens have been resized or rotated and it allows clients to
discover which visuals have hardware acceleration available.
RandR needs to be discussed in concert with recent developments in X server
implementation and the new Render extension to understand the implications
of the aggregate. In isolation, RandR seems to provide a limited but useful
improvement, but together with the Render extension and reimplementation of
the X server rendering code, RandR provides part of a key change in X Window
System capabilities. We believe this will enable much easier migration and
replication of applications between X servers for pervasive computing. This
paper also describes this vision.
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Technical Program