Syslinux - Dec 2014 - vesamenu back to text before booting

> On Wed, Dec 3, 2014 at 1:30 PM, Geert Stappers <stappers at
stappers.nl> wrote:
> > H. Peter Anvin wrote:
> > } Thorsten Glaser wrote:
> > } } When I have an environment that uses vesamenu, for example on PXE,
> > } } how do I configure it so that, for some of the menu entries, it
> > } } switches back to the text mode (03h) before handing off to the
next
> > } } bootloader / kernel?
> > }
> > } depends on the image type.  We should reset for an NBP though.
> > }
> >
> > How to keep "state" during the reset?
> 
> Where should the decision to reset the screen lie?  Should it be
> forced by the core/ldlinux or perhaps allow the menu/user to dictate
> if it's reset?  I agree the default should be to reset the screen but
> at the same time, I could see use cases for not clearing the screen
> (including with chain.c32 and pxechn.c32).
> 
> -- 
> -Gene
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> 
This is starting to be confusing to me.

Why should this depend on which kernel/module (type) is launched?

Are we still talking about vesamenu.c32 only?

The MENU CLEAR directive (and [Ctrl+L]) is supposed to move the cursor 
to home and clear the text on the screen before launching the selected 
menu entry, while leaving the background (image) for as long as the 
screen remains in graphics mode. In Syslinux 6.xx, MENU CLEAR is 
already failing to complete its goal (it only moves the cursor to home, 
so this is a bug).

Perhaps there should be a new MENU-type directive, so to force the 
screen to text mode (as opposed to leaving it in graphics mode for as 
long as it can be)? Perhaps this could also be useful when exiting a 
vesamenu to Syslinux CLI?

FWIW, the DISPLAY files already have the possibility of adding ASCII 25 
(force text mode) and part of the ASCII 16-23 (select output mode). 
These are only useful after exiting the DISPLAY file, but perhaps there 
is some similar logic to be applied to vesamenu.c32 (new directive?).

Or maybe this is too-much a complication (considering the current 
resources available for development) and the answer should be "just use 
menu.c32 and/or CLI instead of (or in addition to) vesamenu"?

I hope I am not introducing too much noise in the discussion.

Regards,
Ady.

On Thu, 4 Dec 2014, Ady wrote:
> Perhaps there should be a new MENU-type directive, so to force the 
> screen to text mode (as opposed to leaving it in graphics mode for as 
> long as it can be)? Perhaps this could also be useful when exiting a 
> vesamenu to Syslinux CLI?
Yes, please. To make this dependent *only* on the configuration of
the menu entry started is, IMHO, the only way to go.

bye,
//mirabilos
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> On Thu, 4 Dec 2014, Ady wrote:
> 
> > Perhaps there should be a new MENU-type directive, so to force the 
> > screen to text mode (as opposed to leaving it in graphics mode for as 
> > long as it can be)? Perhaps this could also be useful when exiting a 
> > vesamenu to Syslinux CLI?
> 
> Yes, please. To make this dependent *only* on the configuration of
> the menu entry started is, IMHO, the only way to go.
> 
 
If you want a per-label behavior, you could try adding a new menu 
entry:

LABEL change2menu
COM32 menu.c32

And replace your 'UI vesamenu.c32' with 'DEFAULT vesamenu.c32'
(instead
of your prior 'DEFAULT lunatics', and the LABEL lunatics should be 
placed as the first menu entry in your configuration file).

With these changes, your default behavior is vesamenu, with the option 
to reload the same menu but using menu.c32.

It is possible that these changes would allow you to launch the kernel 
as you wanted, without waiting for further developments.

Regards,
Ady.

On 12/04/2014 05:23 AM, Thorsten Glaser wrote:
> On Thu, 4 Dec 2014, Ady wrote:
> 
>> Perhaps there should be a new MENU-type directive, so to force the 
>> screen to text mode (as opposed to leaving it in graphics mode for as 
>> long as it can be)? Perhaps this could also be useful when exiting a 
>> vesamenu to Syslinux CLI?
> 
> Yes, please. To make this dependent *only* on the configuration of
> the menu entry started is, IMHO, the only way to go.
> 
It can't.  We don't want c32 modules to switch modes (they can do it
themselves), and they may not process the "quiet" option.

However, NBPs (.0's) definitely should do the mode reset, just like
kernels without the "quiet" option.

	-hpa