---
name: "XF86_FBDev"
section: "1x"
platform: "linux"
package: "xserver-fbdev"
version: "3.3.6-44"
release: "Debian 3.0 (Woody)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/XF86_FBDev"
---

# XF86\_FBDev(1x)

X Window System server for the Linux frame buffer device

## NAME

XF86\_FBDev - X Window System server for the Linux frame buffer device

## SYNOPSIS

**XF86\_FBDev** \[:displaynumber\] \[ option \] ...

## DESCRIPTION

*XF86\_FBDev* is a generic server for a frame buffer device.

The server uses the **/dev/fb\*** special device nodes for connection to the hardware. The **/dev/fb\*** node to use can be set via an environment variable, or if this is absent, **/dev/fb0** is used.

## CONFIGURATIONS

The servers currently support the following pixel formats:

- mfb:

  Monochrome,

- iplan2p{2\|4\|8}:

  Interleaved planes with 2 bytes interleave and 2, 4 or 8 planes (Atari),

- ilbm:

  Interleaved bitplanes (Amiga),

- afb:

  Normal bitplanes (Amiga),

- cfb8:

  Packed Pixels with 8 bits per pixel,

- cfb16:

  Packed Pixels with 16 Bits per pixel,

- cfb24:

  Packed Pixels with 24 bits per pixel (little endian platforms only),

- cfb32:

  Packed Pixels with 32 bits per pixel.

## OPTIONS

In addition to the normal server options described in the *[Xserver(1)](/Xserver/1.md)* manual page, *XF86\_FBDev* accept some more command line switches, as described in the  *XFree86-v3(1)* manpage.

## SETUP

*XFree86* uses a configuration file called **XF86Config** for its initial setup. See the *XF86Config-v3(5)* manpage for general details. Here only the *XF86\_FBDev* specific parts are explained.

Normally the X server will use videomodes as defined in the **Modes** section, unless you specify the special videomode \`**default**'. In that case the X server will use the video mode that is associated with the used framebuffer device node, and mode switching will be disabled. You still have to specify the display depth (**Depth** keyword) and virtual resolution (**Virtual** keyword) though.

The environment variable **FRAMEBUFFER** holds the filename for the framebuffer to use. If it isn't set, /dev/fb0 is used as default. /dev/ should contain at least the following file: (major and minor number in parentheses)

- fb0 (29,0): The first frame buffer device

  ## FILES

- \<XRoot\>/bin/XF86\_FBDev

  The X server for a generic Frame Buffer Device

- /etc/X11/XF86Config

  Server configuration file

- \<XRoot\>/lib/X11/XF86Config

  Server configuration file (secondary location)

- /dev/fb\*

  The files which represents frame buffer devices

- \<XRoot\>/lib/X11/doc/README.fbdev

  Extra documentation about the frame buffer device

Note: \<XRoot\> refers to the root of the X11 install tree.

## SEE ALSO

X(1), [Xserver(1)](/Xserver/1.md), XFree86-v3(1), XF86Config-v3(5), xf86config-v3(1), [xdm(1)](/xdm/1.md), [xinit(1)](/xinit/1.md), [fbset(8)](/fbset/8.md)

Note: \<linux\> refers to the location of the Linux source tree.

## AUTHORS

In addition to the authors of *XFree86* the following people contributed major work to this server:

```
Martin Schaller
```

Developed the concept of the frame buffer device and wrote the support for Atari.

```
Geert Uytterhoeven, Geert.Uytterhoeven@cs.kuleuven.ac.be
```

Wrote the support for Amiga and created the generic server.

```
Martin Schaller
Geert Uytterhoeven, Geert.Uytterhoeven@cs.kuleuven.ac.be
Andreas Schwab,     schwab@issan.informatik.uni-dortmund.de
Guenther Kelleter,  guenther@Pool.Informatik.RWTH-Aachen.de
```

Development and improvement of the frame buffer device specific code.

```
Gary Henderson      gary@daniver.demon.co.uk
```

Wrote Xdaniver, on which afb is based and from which ilbm is derived.

See also the *XFree86-v3(1)* manual page.

## BUGS

The support for visuals other than monochrome, pseudocolor and truecolor/directcolor is incomplete.

The drivers for interleaved and normal planes are slow.

The ilbm code has problems with chunky-to-planar conversions.

## CONTACT INFO

*XFree86* source is available from the FTP server *ftp.XFree86.org*. Send email to *XFree86@XFree86.org* for details.

Xdaniver is Copyright (c) 1995 by Daniver Limited.