Re: NetBSD on a PowerBook G4

[Michael Lorenz <macallan%netbsd.org@localhost>]

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Hello,

On Jun 8, 2008, at 06:17, Peter Bex wrote:

> On Sat, Jun 07, 2008 at 08:09:56PM -0400, Michael Lorenz wrote:
> > > It is supported since at least 4.0. To make use of this, you'll need
> > > to add a number of terminal entries to /etc/ttys (set status to
> > > 'on' except for the console)
> >
> > Should be there by default.
>
> It's been a while since I last installed and I wasn't sure :)

Macppc has been using wscons for ages, I only addes virtual console  
support a while ago.

> > > The keys to switch ttys are Alt+Apple+F1 through F5 if you have 5
> > > entries.
> >
> > It's Command-F(1..5) unless you have a USB keyboard.
>
> Ah, you're right.  I don't use it so often because it doesn't work
> when you're in X and want to switch to a text terminal. What is the
> reason that doesn't work, by the way?

We can't guarantee that the console would be usable. Either X needs  
to restore whatever video mode it found - this works only with a  
handful drivers like atimisc, or we ned to re-initialize the console  
in a native driver, currently we can do that only with radeonfb,  
voodoofb and machfb.

> > > However, the default kernel requires you to hold the "Fn" key
> > > while pressing one of the function keys to get it interpreted as a
> > > function key. If you don't press the Fn key, it sees the keypress as
> > > one of the media keys (brightness, volume control, numlock and  
> > > eject)
> >
> > This has nothing to do with the kernel - MacOS X actually reprograms
> > the keyboard controller, you can change that setting in MacOS X's
> > Preferences.
>
> I don't have OS X installed. Is there a way to do that from NetBSD?

No, I have no idea what kind of voodoo to sent to the PMU to make  
that happen. If someone knows I'll add it.

> > > This swaps the meaning of a function keypress while holding "Fn"
> > > and without holding it, so you can just press Alt+Apple+F1, for
> > > example. (don't know why this isn't the default,
> > > as it is much saner)
> >
> > Actually it's much uglier - it reinterprets keystroke from the ADB
> > button device the Fn keys are posing as into ADB scancodes and feeds
> > them to the keyboard driver. Change the hotkey setting on OSX is the
> > sane thing to do.
>
> Thanks for the info, I had no idea that's how it worked. Now it makes
> perfect sense that FORCE_FUNCTION_KEYS isn't the default. IMHO one of
> the docs could include a bit of text that explains the situation.

The new ADB subsystem in -current doesn't have FORCE_FUNCTION_KEYS  
anymore, it's just too ugly and relies on never more than one ADB  
keyboard device being present. The new ADB code supports as many  
instances as there are ADB addresses. So far the adbbt driver sends  
PMF hotkey events but it can easily attach a wskbd and send function  
key codes. That would almost make it work like FORCE_FUNCTION_KEYS -  
almost because the adbbt 'keyboard' wouldn't have any shift or other  
modifier keys so its usefulness would be rather limited.
On the other hand the old code won't go away if you really want it.

> I'll at least add it to the macppc wiki page.

Please do that.

have fun
Michael

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