Date:   Wed, 25 Oct 2017 14:46:01 +0200
From:   Max Staudt <mstaudt@...e.de>
To:     b.zolnierkie@...sung.com, linux-fbdev@...r.kernel.org
Cc:     mstaudt@...e.de, tiwai@...e.com, oneukum@...e.com, msrb@...e.com,
        sndirsch@...e.com, michal@...kovi.net, linux-kernel@...r.kernel.org
Subject: [RFC 13/14] bootsplash: Add main documentation

Signed-off-by: Max Staudt <mstaudt@...e.de>
Reviewed-by: Oliver Neukum <oneukum@...e.com>
---
 Documentation/fb/bootsplash.txt | 169 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
 1 file changed, 169 insertions(+)
 create mode 100644 Documentation/fb/bootsplash.txt

diff --git a/Documentation/fb/bootsplash.txt b/Documentation/fb/bootsplash.txt
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..e2b7c956e6c2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Documentation/fb/bootsplash.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,169 @@
+What is the Linux bootsplash?
+==============================
+
+The Linux bootsplash is a graphical replacement for the 'quiet' boot option,
+typically showing a logo and a spinner animation as the system starts.
+
+Currently, it is a part of the Framebuffer Console support, and can be found
+as CONFIG_BOOTSPLASH in the kernel configuration. This means that as long as
+it is enabled, it hijacks fbcon's output and draws a splash screen instead.
+
+
+
+Motivation
+===========
+
+- The 'quiet' boot option only suppresses most messages during boot, but
+  errors are still shown.
+
+- A user space implementation can only show a logo once user space has been
+  initialized far enough to allow this. A kernel splash can display a splash
+  immediately as soon as fbcon can be displayed.
+
+- Implementing a splash screen in user space (e.g. Plymouth) is problematic
+  due to resource conflicts.
+
+  For example, if Plymouth is holding /dev/fb0 (provided via vesafb/efifb)
+  open, then most DRM drivers can't replace it because the address space is
+  still busy - thus leading to a VRAM reservation error.
+
+  See: https://bugzilla.opensuse.org/show_bug.cgi?id=980750
+
+
+
+Hooks - how the bootsplash is integrated
+=========================================
+
+drivers/video/fbdev/core/fbcon.c
+
+  fbcon_init() calls bootsplash_init(), which loads the default bootsplash
+  file or the one specified on the kernel command line.
+
+  fbcon_switch() draws the bootsplash when it's active, and is also one of
+  the callers of set_blitting_type().
+
+  set_blitting_type() calls fbcon_set_dummyops() when the bootsplash is
+  active, overriding the text rendering functions.
+
+  fbcon_cursor() will call bootsplash_disable() when an oops is being
+  printed in order to make a kernel panic visible.
+
+drivers/video/fbdev/core/dummyblit.c
+
+  This contains the dummy text rendering functions used to suppress text
+  output while the bootsplash is shown.
+
+drivers/tty/vt/keyboard.c
+
+  kbd_keycode() can call bootsplash_disable() when the user presses ESC
+  or F1-F12 (changing VT). This is to provide a built-in way of disabling
+  the splash manually at any time.
+
+drivers/tty/vt/vt_ioctl.c
+
+  vt_ioctl() will call bootsplash_disable() when a graphical application
+  such as the X server is started (i.e. when setting the VT to KD_GRAPHICS).
+
+
+
+Command line arguments
+=======================
+
+bool	bootsplash.enable	Whether to show a splash screen during boot
+				(default: off)
+
+string	bootsplash.filename	Which file in the initrd to load
+				(default: /bootsplash)
+
+
+
+sysfs run-time configuration
+=============================
+
+bool	/sys/devices/platform/bootsplash.0/enabled	Enable/disable
+
+trigger	/sys/devices/platform/bootsplash.0/drop_splash	Unload splash data
+							and free memory
+
+
+Kconfig
+========
+
+bool	BOOTSPLASH		Whether to compile in bootsplash support
+				(depends on fbcon compiled in, i.e.
+				 FRAMEBUFFER_CONSOLE=y)
+
+string	BOOTSPLASH_FILE		Which file in the initrd to load
+				(default: /bootsplash)
+
+
+
+Bootsplash file format
+=======================
+
+A file specified in the kernel configuration as CONFIG_BOOTSPLASH_FILE or
+specified on the command line as bootsplash.filename will be loaded and
+displayed as soon as fbcon is initialized.
+
+
+There are 3 main blocks in each file:
+
+  - one File header
+  -   n Picture headers
+  -   m (Blob header + payload) blocks
+
+
+The structures are defined in drivers/video/fbdev/core/bootsplash_file.h
+and represent these blocks:
+
+  - struct splash_file_header
+
+    Represents the file header, with splash-wide information including:
+     -> The magic string "Linux bootsplash"
+     -> The file format version (for incompatible updates, hopefully never)
+     -> The background color
+     -> Number of picture and blob blocks
+     -> Animation speed (we only allow one speed for all animations)
+
+    The file header is followed by the first picture header.
+
+
+  - struct splash_picture_header
+
+    Represents an object (picture) drawn on screen, including its immutable
+    properties:
+     -> Width, height
+     -> Positioning relative to screen corners or in the center
+     -> Animation, if any
+     -> Animation type
+     -> Number of blobs
+
+    The picture header is followed by another picture header, up until n
+    picture headers (as defined in the file header) have been read. Then,
+    the (blob header, payload) pairs follow.
+
+
+  - struct splash_blob_header
+    (followed by payload)
+
+    Represents one raw data stream. So far, only picture data is defined.
+
+    The blob header is followed by a payload, then padding to n*16 bytes,
+    then (if further blobs are defined in the file header) a further blob
+    header.
+
+
+A note about alignment:
+
+The bootsplash file is designed to be loaded into memory as-is (plus
+performing an endianness conversion before further processing).
+
+All structures are a multiple of 16 bytes long, all elements therein are
+aligned to multiples of their length, and the payloads are always padded
+up to multiples of 16 bytes. This is to allow aligned accesses in all
+cases while still simply mapping the structures over an in-memory copy of
+the bootsplash file.
+
+
+Please see drivers/video/fbdev/core/bootsplash_file.h for further details and
+possible values in the file.
-- 
2.12.3

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