Mesa on unix without Xwin?

I’m only interested in 3d programming, I have limited space and I don’t need xwindows at all.

Is there any way to use Mesa on unix without installing xwindows?
If so, how?
If not, what would need to be done in order to do this?

Hello,

x-windows is the graphics front-end to the unix kernel. Since it is so ubiquitous, I think you’d be hardpressed to come up with a solution that doesn’t use it.

svgalib is the only interface that I can think of that doesn’t use X: http://unixhelp.ed.ac.uk/CGI/man-cgi?svgalib+7

I’m not entirely sure how accurate that statement is: I strongly suspect it doesn’t use X. I’ve only ever run an svgalib program once in my life, tho’). You’d have to port Mesa to svgalib.

Maybe Allergro works with svgalib too…

I’d seriously, SERIOUSLY consider installing X. It’d make your life easier.

cheers
John

I’ve never tried this, but the easiest way under Linux might be Mesa on Glide on a Voodoo2 if you can get your hands on one.

Various links here:
http://mlug.missouri.edu/~blewis/

You could also use OSMesa (off screen Mesa)and display the result using your interface of choice (maybe a low level Linux VGA library), or write the output to a file. No hardware acceleration, but you’d be able to support most hardware.

This may be automatically supported somehow for all I know.

For example you might want to look at using Mesa with the SDL, http://www.libsdl.org/ even if it’s just for the blit from memory to display. I think SDL includes OpenGL now, I’m not familiar with the details check the tutorials http://www.libsdl.org/tutorials.html I dunno if this requires X on Linux for example.

I also agree with the earlier comment install X, even if you don’t use it directly. You can use something like GLUT to avoid having to write for X or just use some free code on the web.

Installing X will at least allow Mesa to display the image using software and emulate GLX, but it will more likely give you hardware acceleration, which you won’t get any other way (with the exception of the glide option).

[This message has been edited by dorbie (edited 05-08-2002).]

svgalib worked; running Mesa with no XWindows at all.

Mesa already works with svgalib. All we have to do is compile Mesa with the correct options which are in the svgalib docs.