# ./README_alphax

    *
    * README for IBM Visualization Data Explorer for DEC 3000 APX
    *
    *
    *

    The information contained in this file consists of hints for using the
    system, help with functions that may not be apparent, and last minute updates
    to the existing documentation.  It is advisable to review this file any time
    Data Explorer updates are applied.

    ========================================================================

    CONTENTS

        To go directly to an item, search for the item number beginning
        at the left margin.

        1. System Configuration
           A. Keyboard Mappings
           B. X warnings during drag and drop
        2. Hardware Rendering Considerations
           A. Shared Library Support for Hardware Rendering
           B. Hardware Rendering Not Available Message
           C. Transparency not enabled on the PXG adaptor family

    ========================================================================

    1. System Configuration

    A. Keyboard Mappings
    The DEC Alpha may issue a warning message when dx is started.  The message
    complains about an illegal mnemonic character that it could not do a
    keysym to keycode conversion on.  The offending key is the "End" key.  The
    solution is use the xmodmap facility to "change the keycaps" on the DEC
    keyboard.  The Alpha executes a file called .X11Startup in your home
    directory when you log in.  Place the following line of code in the
    .X11Startup in your home directory:

        xmodmap -e "keycode 0x74 = End"

    This will cause the F14 key on the DEC LK401 (American) keyboard to
    behave like the "End" key.

    This will handle the case where you log into the DEC Alpha.  If you are
    running from another workstation and displaying to the DEC Alpha, you
    should execute the following commands (in order):

        1. export DISPLAY=alpha_system_name:0 (ksh) or
           setenv DISPLAY alpha_system_name:0 (csh)
        2. xmodmap -e "keycode 0x74 = End"
        3. dx

                                     /-----|
        Data Explorer interpets the <   X  |  above the Return key as "Delete".
                                     \-----|

    B. X warnings during drag and drop
    The X server on OSF/1 V2 can exhaust its resources during drag and drop
    operations.  If you see several Xlib warnings on stderr while dragging
    several nodes in the Visual Program Editor, then the following change
    to /usr/lib/X11/xdm/Xservers will solve the problem:

    before:
    :0 local /usr/bin/X11/X

    after:
    :0 local /usr/bin/X11/X -bs -su

    This disables backing store and save unders.  After making this
    change the X server must be restarted, this is most easily accomplished
    with the following (as root):

    /sbin/init.d/xdm stop
    /sbin/init.d/xdm start

    2. Hardware Rendering Considerations

    A. Shared Library Support for Hardware Rendering
    When hardware rendering is requested for the first time, the executive
    dynamically loads /usr/local/dx/bin_alphax/DXhwddOGL.o and the OpenGL shared
    libraries.  If one of these is not present then hardware rendering will
    be disabled.

    B. Hardware Rendering Not Available Message
    When the message 'Hardware rendering not available: /usr/lib/libGL.a not
    found' appears, then OpenGL shared library or run-time support has
    not been installed.

    C. Transparency not enabled on the PXG adaptor family
    When using hardware rendering, transparency is not enabled on the
    PXG family of graphic adaptors because of performance reasons.
    However, the existance of the environment variable DX_PXG_TRANSPARENCY
    will enable the use of transparency on that adaptor.

    ----------------------------------------------------------------------

    The following trademarks apply to this information:

    DEC 3000 APX is a registered trademark of Digital Equipment Corp.
    IBM is a registered trademark of International Business Machines Corporation.
    IBM Visualization Data Explorer is a trademark of International
        Business Machines Corporation.
    Motif, OSF, and OSF/Motif are trademarks of Open Software Foundation, Inc.
    OpenGL is a trademark of Silicon Graphics, Inc.