[U-Boot] U-Boot Graphics Library?

Wolfgang Denk wd at denx.de
Wed Jan 16 20:46:30 CET 2013


Dear Simon Glass,

In message <CAPnjgZ12psS6sOnsuMU-VrrXWxS04Zb+grqqGUKNw2DTzBupag at mail.gmail.com> you wrote:
> 
> We are currently using a very rudimentary graphics features attached
> to U-Boot. It can only display bitmap images. We use this in Chromium
> to composite a display for the various screens we need to display in
> U-Boot. Unfortunately the graphics screens get quite large when using
> multiple languages since they are pre-rendered.
> 
> Is there any interest in a simply graphics library in U-Boot, that can
> display things on the screen? We already have bitmap support, but
> could perhaps add outline font support (e.g. freetype) as well. This
> might allow display of simple boot menus or booting information. A
> board could create a structure containing a list of things to display
> (text, bitmaps) and pass it to the graphics library for rendering
> using existing functions and the new font support.

This sounds like a nice feature.  Initially.  Then I start wondering
if this really belongs into a boot loader.  Instead of doing fancy
graphics stuff, we should IMO rather focus on booting the OS of your
choice really fast, and let this do the fancy GUIs.  Or?

Best regards,

Wolfgang Denk

-- 
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