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From: Thomas Zimmermann <tzimmermann@suse.de>
To: gregkh@linuxfoundation.org, jirislaby@kernel.org, deller@gmx.de,
	James.Bottomley@HansenPartnership.com, simona@ffwll.ch
Cc: linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org, linux-serial@vger.kernel.org,
	linux-fbdev@vger.kernel.org, linux-parisc@vger.kernel.org,
	sashiko-reviews@lists.linux.dev,
	Thomas Zimmermann <tzimmermann@suse.de>
Subject: [PATCH v3 0/7] vt: Simplify console-blanking interface
Date: Fri, 23 Oct 2026 15:16:10 +0200	[thread overview]
Message-ID: <20261023132448.115747-1-tzimmermann@suse.de> (raw)

Update con_blank from struct consw to use enum vesa_blank_mode according
to its intended semantics. Handle unblanking in the separate new callback
con_unblank. Update all consoles.

Some background: the vt subsystem calls con_blank with what at first
appears to be nonsensical arguments: the blank value and the type of the
blank parameter do not match. con_blank mixes up console blank state and
monitor DPMS levels for power saving in the same argument. The
implementation of con_blank in various consoles suffers from a similar
problem: their interpretation of the given blank value often disagrees
with what the value's type suggests.

Patch 1 adds a new helper con_unblank, which handles all unblanking. This
allows for changing con_blank to only handle blanking. There's support
for both semantics while consoles are being converted.

Patches 2 to 6 implement con_unblank for the individual consoles. With
this, con_blank changes to its new semantics. Each console gets a single
callback for blanking and a single callback for unblanking.

With all consoles updated, patch 7 removes the old semantics and the
mode_switch parameter.

Tested with vgacon on a SiS 6202 VGA and with fbcon on a Matrox G200
VGA device. The latter also ran fbcon via DRM fbdev emulation. It's easy
to test this with setterm, like this:

  setterm --blank force          # blank
  setterm --blank poke           # unblank
  setterm --powersave powerdown  # set VESA DPMS level 3
  setterm --blank force          # blank and turn off monitor
  setterm --blank poke           # unblank

Blanking and unblanking still works in all tested cases.

Newport and sticon are built-only, due to a lack of test equipment.

Future directions: console blanking helper currently handle switching a
console between text and graphics mode. The mode_switch parameter indicates
this to the console. As suggested in earlier reviews, a later series might
rework the mode switching entirely.

v3:
- avoid possible regressions by adding back mode_switch
v2:
- rewrite series with con_unblank (GregKH)
- drop mode_switch from console implementations

Thomas Zimmermann (7):
  vt: Add con_unblank callback to struct consw
  dummycon: Implement struct consw.con_unblank
  fbcon: Implement struct consw.con_unblank
  newport_con: Implement struct consw.con_unblank
  sticon: Implement struct consw.con_unblank
  vgacon: Implement struct consw.con_unblank
  vt: Remove old-style con_blank

 drivers/tty/vt/vt.c                 | 11 +++---
 drivers/video/console/dummycon.c    | 12 +++++++
 drivers/video/console/newport_con.c | 24 +++++++------
 drivers/video/console/sticon.c      | 20 ++++++-----
 drivers/video/console/vgacon.c      | 46 +++++++++++++-----------
 drivers/video/fbdev/core/fbcon.c    | 55 ++++++++++++++++++++---------
 include/linux/console.h             | 10 ++++--
 7 files changed, 114 insertions(+), 64 deletions(-)


base-commit: 5b9ee97c47574138633a1cb70a32d118b6860a43
-- 
2.56.0


             reply	other threads:[~2026-10-23 13:24 UTC|newest]

Thread overview: 9+ messages / expand[flat|nested]  mbox.gz  Atom feed  top
2026-10-23 13:16 Thomas Zimmermann [this message]
2026-10-23 13:16 ` [PATCH v3 1/7] vt: Add con_unblank callback to struct consw Thomas Zimmermann
2026-10-23 13:16 ` [PATCH v3 2/7] dummycon: Implement struct consw.con_unblank Thomas Zimmermann
2026-10-23 13:16 ` [PATCH v3 3/7] fbcon: " Thomas Zimmermann
2026-10-23 13:16 ` [PATCH v3 4/7] newport_con: " Thomas Zimmermann
2026-10-23 13:16 ` [PATCH v3 5/7] sticon: " Thomas Zimmermann
2026-10-23 13:16 ` [PATCH v3 6/7] vgacon: " Thomas Zimmermann
2026-10-23 13:16 ` [PATCH v3 7/7] vt: Remove old-style con_blank Thomas Zimmermann
2026-10-23 13:37   ` Greg KH

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