[U-Boot] U-Boot Graphics Library?

[Alexander Holler]

Am 16.01.2013 20:46, schrieb Wolfgang Denk:
> 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?

Yes. Sounds nice at first, but there will be no end of features people 
would want afterwards. Next will be video tutorials and fancy sound. ;)

And I think too that all this can be handled by adding a kernel (e.g. 
with integrated minimal initramfs) to u-boot. At least that is how I 
have handled such in the past.

Regards,

Alexander