NAME
savetextmode, textmode - save or restore the complete SVGA status for
textmode.
SYNOPSIS
savetextmode
textmode
DESCRIPTION
These are simple scripts to save the SVGA register state when in
textmode to the files /etc/vga/fontdata and /etc/vga/textregs
($HOME/.vga/fontdata and $HOME/.vga/textregs if directory /etc/vga is
not writeable) or to restore it from these files.
The actual utilities used are restorefont(1), restoretextmode(1), and
restorepalette(1).
The purpose of these scripts program is usually to recover from a
crashed console due to an svgalib, Xfree or other program bug.
You do this by being a smart guy and running savetextmode right after
booting of your machine, prior to any problems. Then, in case the SVGA
state is hosed and you sit in front of a blank or useless console,
change VC (maybe login) to get to a shell. Or exist the currently
running program with <Ctrl>-C, <Ctrl>-<Alt>-<Backspace>, or whatever
applies. Once you got a shell, run textmode and it will hopefully
render your console useable again.
To make it clear: You do all this while not seeing anything on your
console screen, you enter this information blindly or after logging in
from a network. Also, if the keyboard is left in raw mode, nothing can
really help you as you cannot enter anything which a shell will
understand.
FILES
/etc/vga/fontdata or $HOME/.vga/fontdata
/etc/vga/textregs or $HOME/.vga/textregs
SEE ALSO
svgalib(7), vgagl(7), libvga.config(5), dumpreg(1), convfont(1),
fix132x43(1), restorefont(1), restoretextmode(1), restorepalette(1),
runx(1), setmclk(1),
AUTHOR
This manual page was edited by Michael Weller <eowmob@exp-math.uni-
essen.de>. The exact source of the referenced utility as well as of the
original documentation is unknown.
It is very likely that both are at least to some extent are due to Harm
Hanemaayer <H.Hanemaayer@inter.nl.net>.
Occasionally this might be wrong. I hereby asked to be excused by the
original author and will happily accept any additions or corrections to
this first version of the svgalib manual.