Xorg running in grayscale?

dve · 09-07-2007, 04:38 AM

Hello.
I have this (bizarre) request to see my system in grayscale. Is it possible to do it?
Can it be achieved by editing xorg.conf or rather by installing some software?
I use Dell Inspiron laptop with ATI's fglrx drivers, and using the built-in configurations and tweaking panels I am able to edit things like gamma correction and so on.

I know that in xorg.conf there are sections responsible for modes, but I don't know how to edit my file in order to 'go grayscale' with as many shades as possible.

Can it be done?

Thanks

(PS. I know this is a strange question...)

Simon Bridge · 09-07-2007, 08:52 PM

Can you not turn off the color on your monitor?

farslayer · 09-07-2007, 10:56 PM

http://www.x.org/archive/X11R6.8.0/doc/xorg.conf.5.html

Quote:

Display subsection
Visual "visual-name"
This optional entry sets the default root visual type. This may also be specified from the command line (see the Xserver(1x) man page). The visual types available for depth 8 are (default is PseudoColor):

StaticGray
GrayScale
StaticColor
PseudoColor
TrueColor
DirectColor

The visual type available for the depths 15, 16 and 24 are (default is TrueColor):

TrueColor
DirectColor

Not all drivers support DirectColor at these depths.

The visual types available for the depth 4 are (default is StaticColor):

StaticGray
GrayScale
StaticColor
PseudoColor

The visual type available for the depth 1 (monochrome) is StaticGray.

dve · 09-08-2007, 02:59 AM

Sure, thanks. At the moment, I've got

Code:

Section "Screen"
	Identifier	"aticonfig-Screen[0]"
	Device		"aticonfig-Device[0]"
	Monitor		"aticonfig-Monitor[0]"
	Defaultdepth	24
	SubSection "Display"
		Viewport	0	0
		Depth	4
		Visual "GrayScale"
	EndSubSection
EndSection

(And the

Code:

Visual "Grayscale"

is ignored by the system).
I understand that I need to have 8bpp mode, so I changed

Code:

Defaultdepth 24

to

Code:

Defaultdepth 8

- but with this modification my X won't start.

How should I write it then?

farslayer · 09-08-2007, 08:34 PM

Looks like you are pretty close, but you put GrayScale in the 4 Bit display section not 8...

Code:

Section "Screen"
        Identifier      "Default Screen"
        Device          "nVidia Corporation NV40 [GeForce 6800]"
        Monitor         "Generic Monitor"
        DefaultDepth    8
        SubSection "Display"
                Depth           1
                Modes           "1280x1024" "1024x768"
        EndSubSection
        SubSection "Display"
                Depth           4
                Modes           "1280x1024" "1024x768"
        EndSubSection
        SubSection "Display"
                Visual "GrayScale"
                Depth           8
                Modes           "1280x1024" "1024x768"
        EndSubSection
        SubSection "Display"
                Depth           15
                Modes           "1280x1024" "1024x768"
        EndSubSection
        SubSection "Display"
                Depth           16
                Modes           "1280x1024" "1024x768"
        EndSubSection
        SubSection "Display"
                Depth           24
                Modes           "1280x1024" "1024x768"
        EndSubSection
EndSection

Other than that minor discrepancy it looks right..
Check your /var/log/Xorg.0.log for errors if X doesn't start, see if it gives a clue why..

cat /var/log/Xorg.0.log | grep EE

I haven't tried running GrayScale, so I can't confirm if this is entirely correct, but it looks right according to the docs..

dve · 09-10-2007, 02:53 PM

Yeah, it didn't work, I'll post the log tail in the next thread...

dve · 09-11-2007, 04:13 AM

Well, I guess it can not be done. The reason is that I use flgrx driver, which implies impossibility of using 8bpp displays.

Namely, the log tail looks like:

(EE) fglrx (0): Given depth (8) is not supported by fglrx driver.
(EE) fglrx (0): PostInitVisual failed.

and on...

Thanks for help anyway!

Best

farslayer · 09-11-2007, 09:14 AM

Bummer. .

Well I had to try it, to see for myself. I made the change to the default depth, and the visual line and restarted X and it worked. if you want to shoot an email to farslayer at netzero.net (junk e-mail account) I'll send you a grayscale screen shot so you can at least see what it looks like.

reply here if you send an email since I don't normally check that account.

dve · 09-14-2007, 05:33 AM

Quite nice, man, but I can as well take a screenshot of my own desktop and
then make it grayscale using Gimp

I believe you, no need for proving anything.

However, my situation, as you've seen from xorg log is quite different.

Simon Bridge · 09-14-2007, 08:11 AM

ATI cards using fglrx can only use 24 bit color. Change to the free radeon driver, switch the monitor to monochrome, or use another card.

dve · 09-20-2007, 02:43 AM

Won't go for changing monitor or switching it to anything - I'm using a laptop. As for free drivers, that's an option. I'll have to think about it.

Thanks.

Simon Bridge · 09-20-2007, 09:20 AM

Quote:

As for free drivers, that's an option. I'll have to think about it.

You'll actually try fiddling the modelines in xorg.conf but you have to "think about" changing "fglrx" to "radeon"?? You realize you already have the free driver right?

<mutter>

dve · 09-21-2007, 04:29 PM

As far as I remember, changing it (which I've already done quite a few times) causes X to crash.