Micro-X -- an X server for DOS
Copyright (C) 1998 StarNet Communications Corp.

HISTORY

In 1989, after the release of X11R3, a few guys, who later founded
StarNet, got together to write an X server for PCs.  Using only
DOS 4.0, a 16-bit Microsoft C compiler, and TCP/IP code from NCSA,
they wrote an X server that ran in 256 colors on a SVGA card in
640 kbytes on an 80286 processor.  Development on this project was
finished in 1991.

The 32-bit version of Micro-X was made possible by the increased use
of the 80386 CPU and 32-bit compilers.  This happened about the time
of the release of X11R4.

When X11R5 was released, work was started to upgrade Micro-X, but the
popularity of Windows pushed that to the back burner, never to be
completed.

REQUIREMENTS

All MAKEFILEs are written to use UMAKE.EXE, the Unix make from PC-tools.
This is no longer sold, but there are plenty of makes out there that
should work as well.

The 286 version, and parts of the 386 version, use Microsoft C,
version 5.1 or 6.0.  Visual C will not work, as far as we know.

The 386 version uses Watcom C version 10.0.

LAYOUT

The following describes the 386 directory, since my memory isn't clear
enough to remember the 286 version.

The directories under the SERVER directory contain source to libraries.
You must run make in the subdirectories before running make in the
SERVER directories.  This should make two executables: x3m.exe and x3c.exe.
X3m.exe is the monochrome version.  It runs faster than the 256-color
version, x3c.exe.

To run the X server, several support programs are required:

*  BDFTOSNF.EXE, from the 286 directory, compiles fonts into the required
   SNF format.  No, you can't use SNF files from any other product.
*  MKFONTDI.EXE scans a font directory and makes a FONTS.DIR file.
*  RGB.EXE converts RGB.TXT to RGB.BIN.
*  A "*.KBD" file.  These are compiled in the directory
   386\server\ddx\ibm\keymap.  The most popular is "US.KBD".
   By the way, these are the same KBD files that are used by
   X-Win and X-Win32 version 3.
*  A "*.NET" file.  These are the drivers that interface to the various
   TCP/IP stacks available for DOS.  They are compiled in the
   386\net\generic directory.  By default, Micro-X looks for a file
   named "NET.NET" but this can be overridden with a command-line option.
   The one named "SNTCP.NET" is a stand-alone TCP/IP implementation based
   on the NCSA code.
*  A "*.DRV" file.  These are the drivers that interface to the various
   Super VGA cards.  They are compiled in the directory
   386\server\ddx\ibm\vgadrvr.

The DOS variable "X11" needs to be set to a directory which contains
RGB.BIN, *.DRV, *.KBD, *.NET, and a "FONTS" directory which contains
the directories "100DPI", "75DPI", and "MISC".

You will also need "DOS4GW.EXE" (included with Watcom C/386) or "DOS4G.EXE"
(from Rational Systems) in your path.  If you want to use a mouse you need
a mouse driver installed.

RUNNING X-DOS

Run x3m.exe or x3c.exe.  If everything is working you will get the X
tile background and a mouse cursor.  At this point your X server is just
sitting there waiting for an X client to connect.  To shut it down, press
CTRL-ALT-ESC.

One way to get a client started is to create a BAT file that runs rsh or
rexec, then starts the X server.  The rsh or rexec should start a shell
script on the Unix system which sleeps for a few seconds to allow the X
server to start, then runs a client such as xterm.

Another way is to connect using XDMCP by giving the "-query" or "-broadcast"
arguments.

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Micro-X -- an X server for DOS
Copyright (C) 1998 StarNet Communications Corp.

This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or
modify it under the terms of the GNU General Public License
as published by the Free Software Foundation; either version 2
of the License, or (at your option) any later version.

This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
GNU General Public License for more details.

You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
along with this program; if not, write to the Free Software
Foundation, Inc., 59 Temple Place - Suite 330, Boston, MA  02111-1307, USA.
 
StarNet Communications Corp.
550 Lakeside Dr. #3
Sunnyvale CA 94086 US
http://www.starnet.com
x-dos@starnet.com
