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1 <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?> |
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2 <!-- Copyright (c) 2007-2010 Nokia Corporation and/or its subsidiary(-ies) All rights reserved. --> |
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3 <!-- This component and the accompanying materials are made available under the terms of the License |
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4 "Eclipse Public License v1.0" which accompanies this distribution, |
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5 and is available at the URL "http://www.eclipse.org/legal/epl-v10.html". --> |
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6 <!-- Initial Contributors: |
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7 Nokia Corporation - initial contribution. |
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8 Contributors: |
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9 --> |
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10 <!DOCTYPE concept |
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11 PUBLIC "-//OASIS//DTD DITA Concept//EN" "concept.dtd"> |
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12 <concept id="GUID-2C443E6F-BC3D-5252-8098-9F850AA88A35" xml:lang="en"><title>Window |
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13 Server Component Overview</title><shortdesc>The Window Server manages the use of the screen and input devices |
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14 by applications and controls and co-ordinates access. </shortdesc><prolog><metadata><keywords/></metadata></prolog><conbody> |
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15 <section id="GUID-4BE363E2-E630-462D-A958-721B3636792E"><title>Architecture</title> <p>The |
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16 architecture of the Window Server varies depending on whether you are using |
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17 the <xref href="GUID-D93978BE-11A3-5CE3-B110-1DEAA5AD566C.dita">ScreenPlay (NGA)</xref> or <xref href="GUID-F64E6551-670E-5E12-8103-DE504D3EC94F.dita">non-ScreenPlay</xref> variant. |
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18 However, with a few exceptions, the client-side API is the same in both variants. |
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19 Both variants use an improved version of the Window Server, sometimes known |
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20 as <codeph>WSERV2</codeph>, which was introduced in Symbian^2 (Symbian OS |
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21 v9.4). </p> <p>The following diagram provides an overview of the Window Server |
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22 architecture in ScreenPlay. </p> <fig id="GUID-80DA5DEB-019E-5CE3-812E-496A1D713FFB"> |
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23 <title> The Window Server in ScreenPlay </title> |
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24 <image href="GUID-1635E243-BDC9-55D8-8913-0D2DB622B22C_d0e192309_href.png" placement="inline"/> |
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25 </fig> <p>Below we list some of the key features of the Window Server, including |
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26 differences between the two architectures. The term <b>surface</b> is used |
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27 in ScreenPlay for a hardware-independent memory buffer for holding an image |
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28 or part of a scene. The <b>UI surface</b> is a special surface onto which |
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29 the Window Server renders all of the UI content. It is created automatically |
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30 during system start up. An <b>external surface</b> is any other surface—for |
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31 example, a surface that holds a video or to which OpenGL ES content is rendered. </p> <ul> |
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32 <li id="GUID-A56D68E9-99E0-528A-9DDD-977BECE50A45"><p>The Window Server has |
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33 a render stage framework, which enables the last stage of the Window Server |
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34 rendering to be customizable through plug-ins called <b> render stages</b>. |
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35 These can be chained to form a rendering pipeline, which takes the drawing |
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36 operations that are produced by the Window Server and ultimately passes them |
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37 to the UI surface. Render stages can selectively filter, modify, or redirect |
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38 the draw operation stream, as required—for example, to perform transition |
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39 effects (TFX). </p> </li> |
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40 <li id="GUID-A6589F28-B8B5-5FBA-B241-6E526D6A9BF1"><p>In ScreenPlay, composition |
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41 takes place in two stages. First, the render stages render the drawing to |
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42 the UI surface. Then the composition engine combines the UI surface and any |
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43 external surfaces into elements (sometimes called <b>layers</b>) and composes |
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44 them to the screen. This enables the composition to be performed in software |
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45 or hardware accelerator chips. </p> </li> |
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46 <li id="GUID-BA8D10A1-F0CB-56F7-817B-F1425AC1DA56"><p>In the non-ScreenPlay |
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47 variant, the concept of surfaces is not used and the Window Server composes |
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48 directly onto the <b>frame buffer</b> which is then displayed on the screen. </p> </li> |
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49 <li id="GUID-FC88013B-E5A4-5DD6-9906-A526D137CF43"><p>There are differences |
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50 in the plug-in framework APIs in the two architectures. In addition, in ScreenPlay, |
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51 fading effects are implemented by using render stages, whereas when ScreenPlay |
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52 is not enabled they are implemented by using a separate fader plug-in type |
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53 (not shown on the diagram). </p> </li> |
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54 <li id="GUID-86A8FB36-B9DF-50F2-AE0B-798D717899A6"><p>In ScreenPlay, the Window |
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55 Server provides advanced pointer features, such as support for multiple pointers |
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56 and proximity and pressure coordinates. The non-ScreenPlay variant does not |
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57 provide this support. </p> </li> |
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58 <li id="GUID-46123A93-AF91-5FAB-995E-CDEAE9C8B961"><p>ScreenPlay provides |
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59 support for externally connected displays, such as TV-out. The non-ScreenPlay |
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60 variant considers the size of each display to be fixed. However, for High-Definition |
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61 Multimedia Interface (HDMI) and composite video connectors, there are a range |
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62 of resolutions that can change dynamically. ScreenPlay provides an optional |
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63 feature that supports switching between resolutions at runtime and notifications |
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64 to Window Server clients when there are changes to the resolution and connectedness. </p> </li> |
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65 </ul> </section> |
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66 <section id="GUID-2459A480-EC83-4595-97AA-D090331C9A88"><title>Building the |
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67 ScreenPlay and non-ScreenPlay variants</title> <p>To build the ScreenPlay |
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68 version of the Window Server components, declare the following macros in the <filepath>Symbian_OS.hrh</filepath> file. </p><codeblock xml:space="preserve">SYMBIAN_BUILD_GCE |
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69 SYMBIAN_GRAPHICS_BUILD_OPENWF_WSERV |
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70 </codeblock><p>This causes the ScreenPlay versions of the components in the |
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71 Graphics package to be built in addition to the non-ScreenPlay components. |
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72 Specifically the <codeph>SYMBIAN_BUILD_GCE</codeph> macro causes the ScreenPlay |
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73 version of the Window Server to be built. This means that the <filepath>w32_nga.mmp</filepath> and <filepath>wserv_nga.mmp</filepath> files |
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74 are built. These define a second macro, <codeph>SYMBIAN_GRAPHICS_GCE</codeph>, |
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75 which causes the ScreenPlay Window Server classes to be built. </p> <p>To include the ScreenPlay versions when building |
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76 ROM, use the <codeph>SYMBIAN_GRAPHICS_USE_GCE</codeph> flag. </p> </section> |
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77 <section id="GUID-BEBE7D33-06C7-4B07-837E-9E67633EEFBF"><title>Selecting the |
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78 ScreenPlay variant in the emulator</title><p>To select the ScreenPlay version |
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79 of the component in the emulator, add the following line to the <filepath>epoc.ini</filepath> file: </p> <codeblock id="GUID-E0A64D1F-19B8-5002-8031-06E58AAE0055" xml:space="preserve">SYMBIAN_GRAPHICS_USE_GCE ON</codeblock></section> |
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80 <section id="GUID-F13720C7-A6E1-4A3F-ACAF-10BEF6D2229F"><title>Executables</title> <p>This |
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81 section lists the main Window Server executables. For clarity, these are divided |
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82 into three groups. </p> <p><b>Window Server executable and client-side libraries </b> </p> <table id="GUID-E68F0783-FE52-55F3-8140-0FD527E91775"> |
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83 <tgroup cols="3"><colspec colname="col0"/><colspec colname="col1"/><colspec colname="col2"/> |
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84 <thead> |
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85 <row> |
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86 <entry>Executable</entry> |
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87 <entry>LIB</entry> |
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88 <entry>Description</entry> |
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89 </row> |
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90 </thead> |
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91 <tbody> |
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92 <row> |
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93 <entry><p> <filepath>wserv_nga.exe</filepath> </p> </entry> |
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94 <entry><p> </p> </entry> |
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95 <entry><p>The ScreenPlay version of the Window Server. </p> </entry> |
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96 </row> |
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97 <row> |
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98 <entry><p> <filepath>wserv_nonnga.exe</filepath> </p> </entry> |
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99 <entry><p> </p> </entry> |
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100 <entry><p>The non-ScreenPlay version of the Window Server. </p> </entry> |
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101 </row> |
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102 <row> |
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103 <entry><p> <filepath>ws32_nga.dll</filepath> </p> </entry> |
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104 <entry><p> <filepath>ws32.lib</filepath> </p> </entry> |
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105 <entry><p>The Window Server client-side API library for the ScreenPlay variant. |
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106 See <xref href="GUID-DC5E8C7D-D697-53E8-87F4-344301430E61.dita">Window Server Client-Side |
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107 Library</xref>. </p> </entry> |
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108 </row> |
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109 <row> |
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110 <entry><p> <filepath>ws32_nonnga.dll</filepath> </p> </entry> |
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111 <entry><p> <filepath>ws32.lib</filepath> </p> </entry> |
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112 <entry><p>The Window Server client-side API library for the non-ScreenPlay |
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113 variant. See <xref href="GUID-DC5E8C7D-D697-53E8-87F4-344301430E61.dita">Window |
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114 Server Client-Side Library</xref>. </p> </entry> |
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115 </row> |
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116 <row> |
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117 <entry><p> <filepath>wsgraphicdrawer_nga.dll</filepath> </p> </entry> |
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118 <entry><p> <filepath>wsgraphicdrawer.lib </filepath> </p> </entry> |
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119 <entry><p>The server-side base classes for Window Server plug-ins in the ScreenPlay |
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120 variant. The plug-ins include graphic drawer plug-ins (which are also known |
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121 as Content Rendering Plug-ins or CRPs) and render stage plug-ins. </p> </entry> |
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122 </row> |
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123 <row> |
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124 <entry><p> <filepath>wsgraphicdrawer_nonnga.dll</filepath> </p> </entry> |
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125 <entry><p> <filepath>wsgraphicdrawer.lib </filepath> </p> </entry> |
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126 <entry><p>The server-side base classes for Window Server plug-ins in the non-ScreenPlay |
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127 variant. The plug-ins include graphic drawer plug-ins (which are also known |
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128 as Content Rendering Plug-ins or CRPs) and render stage and fader plug-ins. </p> </entry> |
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129 </row> |
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130 <row> |
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131 <entry><p> <filepath>remotegc_nga.dll </filepath> </p> </entry> |
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132 <entry><p> <filepath>remotegc.lib </filepath> </p> </entry> |
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133 <entry><p>The client-side API library for remote graphic contexts in ScreenPlay. |
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134 Remote graphic contexts store draw operations so that they can be played back |
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135 later. It is "remote" because the draw operations are generally played back |
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136 in a different location from where they are stored. For example, the draw |
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137 operations are frequently stored on the client side and then a transformation |
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138 engine uses them on the server side to make an effect. </p> </entry> |
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139 </row> |
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140 <row> |
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141 <entry><p> <filepath>remotegc_nonnga.dll </filepath> </p> </entry> |
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142 <entry><p> <filepath>remotegc.lib </filepath> </p> </entry> |
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143 <entry><p>The client-side API library for remote graphic contexts in the non-ScreenPlay |
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144 variant. This has a similar role as in ScreenPlay. </p> </entry> |
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145 </row> |
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146 <row> |
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147 <entry><p> <filepath>profilerkeys.dll </filepath> </p> </entry> |
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148 <entry/> |
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149 <entry><p>Window Server profiling hotkeys library in both ScreenPlay and non-ScreenPlay |
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150 variants. </p> </entry> |
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151 </row> |
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152 </tbody> |
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153 </tgroup> |
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154 </table> <p><b>Logging libraries </b> </p> <table id="GUID-C233B864-B909-5C00-B90A-7C78F3D02AFC"> |
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155 <tgroup cols="2"><colspec colname="col0"/><colspec colname="col1"/> |
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156 <thead> |
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157 <row> |
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158 <entry>Executable</entry> |
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159 <entry>Description</entry> |
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160 </row> |
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161 </thead> |
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162 <tbody> |
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163 <row> |
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164 <entry><p> <filepath>dlog.dll </filepath> </p> </entry> |
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165 <entry><p>On-screen logging library </p> </entry> |
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166 </row> |
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167 <row> |
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168 <entry><p> <filepath>dlogfl.dll </filepath> </p> </entry> |
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169 <entry><p>File logging library </p> </entry> |
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170 </row> |
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171 <row> |
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172 <entry><p> <filepath>dlogrd.dll </filepath> </p> </entry> |
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173 <entry/> |
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174 </row> |
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175 <row> |
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176 <entry><p> <filepath>dlogsr.dll </filepath> </p> </entry> |
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177 <entry><p>Serial logging library </p> </entry> |
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178 </row> |
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179 </tbody> |
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180 </tgroup> |
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181 </table> <p><b>Plug-ins </b> </p> <table id="GUID-E71B0099-14D9-5C44-99FA-1DDB535EB7BF"> |
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182 <tgroup cols="3"><colspec colname="col0"/><colspec colname="col1"/><colspec colname="col2"/> |
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183 <thead> |
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184 <row> |
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185 <entry>Executable</entry> |
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186 <entry>Variant</entry> |
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187 <entry>Description</entry> |
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188 </row> |
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189 </thead> |
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190 <tbody> |
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191 <row> |
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192 <entry><p> <filepath>10281922.dll</filepath> </p> </entry> |
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193 <entry><p>Both </p> </entry> |
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194 <entry><p>This is a standard reference CRP. This type of plug-in is called |
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195 a <i>CWsGraphics</i> ECOM plug-in. Device creators can replace this component. </p> </entry> |
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196 </row> |
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197 <row> |
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198 <entry><p> <filepath>2001b70b.dll</filepath> </p> </entry> |
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199 <entry><p>Non-ScreenPlay </p> </entry> |
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200 <entry><p>This is a prototype reference render stage ECOM plug-in for the |
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201 non-ScreenPlay variant. This type of plug-in is called a <i>CWsPlugin</i>. </p> <p>Note: |
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202 The ScreenPlay render stage ECOM plug-in is delivered in the Window Server |
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203 Plugins component. </p> </entry> |
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204 </row> |
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205 <row> |
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206 <entry><p> <filepath>10285c4a.dll </filepath> </p> </entry> |
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207 <entry><p>ScreenPlay </p> </entry> |
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208 <entry><p>This is a reference ScreenPlay surface-based CRP. Device creators |
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209 can replace this component. </p> </entry> |
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210 </row> |
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211 <row> |
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212 <entry><p> <filepath>samplegraphicsurface.dll </filepath> </p> </entry> |
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213 <entry><p>ScreenPlay </p> </entry> |
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214 <entry><p>Sample ScreenPlay CRP (<i>CWsGraphics</i>) that demonstrates placing |
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215 a surface. </p> </entry> |
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216 </row> |
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217 <row> |
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218 <entry><p> <filepath>w32stdgraphic.dll </filepath> </p> </entry> |
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219 <entry><p>Both </p> </entry> |
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220 <entry><p>Sample CRP (<i>CWsGraphics</i>). </p> </entry> |
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221 </row> |
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222 </tbody> |
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223 </tgroup> |
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224 </table> </section> |
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225 <section id="GUID-439B39AD-4184-4928-BF35-ABAB94A89400"><title>Typical uses</title> <ul> |
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226 <li id="GUID-BF47989B-D205-5ED8-BBCF-44B099E15C97"><p>Application developers |
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227 use the <xref href="GUID-DC5E8C7D-D697-53E8-87F4-344301430E61.dita">client-side |
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228 library</xref> to control windows in their applications and respond to key |
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229 and pointer events. </p> </li> |
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230 <li id="GUID-51A64C2E-C689-5765-8455-02C6350E4E88"><p>Testers and application |
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231 developers use the <xref href="GUID-6E8807F5-9CC0-5A70-8182-22230D43AA9E.dita">logging |
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232 mechanism</xref> to log Window Server events when developing and testing their |
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233 code. </p> </li> |
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234 <li id="GUID-139581CB-1185-569E-878D-58088230CCE8"><p>Device creators create |
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235 Content Rendering Plug-ins (CRPs) for showing customized content on the screen. </p> </li> |
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236 <li id="GUID-75EE03DE-0F78-5114-BCB9-8DD648A7C3A3"><p>Device creators who |
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237 use ScreenPlay, can create render stage plug-ins. These enable the output |
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238 of the Window Server to be combined with auxiliary software subsystems (such |
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239 as a transition effect engine) and hardware-accelerated drawing (for example, |
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240 using OpenVG). </p> </li> |
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241 <li id="GUID-E712A357-5797-5291-829E-C054463FD286"><p>Device creators use |
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242 the <xref href="GUID-1D529BDC-6665-58E2-AB3F-7023D8A84F69.dita">wsini.ini file</xref> to |
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243 configure the Window Server to suit the specific requirements of the particular |
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244 device. </p> </li> |
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245 </ul> </section> |
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246 </conbody><related-links> |
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247 <link href="GUID-0C4B86B5-530A-5839-86C1-46E7ABE281E0.dita"><linktext>Window Server |
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248 Component</linktext></link> |
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249 |
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250 |
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251 </related-links></concept> |