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#71

Virtualization / Updated VBoxVideo driver for V...

Last post by jeffburg - Sep 20, 2025, 04:34 AM

Originally posted 2025/01/02 - https://www.nextcomputers.org/forums/index.php?topic=5841.0

Hey, for anyone using VirtualBox to run their OpenStep/NextStep/Rhapsody VM, I updated the VBoxVideo driver to support widescreen resolutions. So if you are running it a modern modern or laptop, these new resolutions should make it a closer fit for the screen.

I tested all the resolutions in the list (bold are widescreen):

Code Select Expand

"Height:1080 Width:1920 Refresh: 60Hz ColorSpace: RGB:888/32";
"Height:1050 Width:1680 Refresh: 60Hz ColorSpace: RGB:888/32";
"Height: 900 Width:1440 Refresh: 60Hz ColorSpace: RGB:888/32";
"Height: 800 Width:1280 Refresh: 60Hz ColorSpace: RGB:888/32";
"Height: 768 Width:1366 Refresh: 60Hz ColorSpace: RGB:888/32";
"Height:1200 Width:1600 Refresh: 60Hz ColorSpace: RGB:888/32";
"Height:1024 Width:1280 Refresh: 60Hz ColorSpace: RGB:888/32";
"Height: 864 Width:1152 Refresh: 60Hz ColorSpace: RGB:888/32";
"Height: 768 Width:1024 Refresh: 60Hz ColorSpace: RGB:888/32";
"Height: 600 Width: 800 Refresh: 60Hz ColorSpace: RGB:888/32";
"Height: 480 Width: 640 Refresh: 60Hz ColorSpace: RGB:888/32";
"Height: 768 Width:1024 Refresh: 60Hz ColorSpace: RGB:555/16";
"Height: 600 Width: 800 Refresh: 60Hz ColorSpace: RGB:555/16";
"Height: 480 Width: 640 Refresh: 60Hz ColorSpace: RGB:555/16";

I tried to make it run at 1920x1200 but it booted a blue screen. Same with 2560x1440. So I think 1920x1080 is the highest we will get out of the VirtualBox VGA emulation. If you want to try it yourself (and let me know if something goes terribly wrong ) then you can find the compiled version here: https://github.com/jeffreybergier/VBoxVideo/blob/mac-resolutions/build/VBoxVideo-1.1.config.tar

I am not sure if the owner of this repo is open to pull requests or even still around for these things, but if they are, I created a PR at this URL: https://github.com/vcarosadev/VBoxVideo/pull/1

-Jeff,

Also, Happy New Year!

#72

Software / Re: Window Maker Live 12.12

Last post by jeffburg - Sep 20, 2025, 01:52 AM

Yeah, I think it's pretty optional because it's a niche use case. But I mention it because in normal debian it works out of the box. It appears that its related to this package

https://packages.debian.org/bookworm/qemu-guest-agent

#73

Software / Re: Window Maker Live 12.12

Last post by wmlive - Sep 19, 2025, 03:22 PM

ah sorry. I mean copying and pasting between the QEMU virtual machine and host machine.

I fear there is nothing i could do about this as this is outside of wmlive's scope.
I assume this to be rather a matter of the underlying virtualization environment.

#74

Software / Re: Window Maker Live 12.12

Last post by jeffburg - Sep 19, 2025, 02:34 PM

ah sorry. I mean copying and pasting between the QEMU virtual machine and host machine.

#75

Software / Re: Window Maker Live 12.12

Last post by wmlive - Sep 19, 2025, 02:14 PM

There is one more thing that is not working. Which is copy and paste (and possibly other QEMU VM services).

Please define what context for "copy and paste" is meant. Copying a text selection and pasting it to another writable location (editor, terminal)? Using the mouse or keyboard shortcuts? Restricted to within the VM environment or rather between the VM and your host system?

Apparently you are referring to something that might be obvious to you but not necessarily for me. Therefore i need a more explicit description to enable me to reproduce it.

#76

Software / Re: Window Maker Live 12.12

Last post by jeffburg - Sep 19, 2025, 01:52 PM

There is one more thing that is not working. Which is copy and paste (and possibly other QEMU VM services). This works on this preconfigured UTM Debian download. That said, I am not sure how they got it to work because when I use a fresh VM and install Debian manually it does not work for me. But if I keep reusing this VM config and just reinstall fresh debian it does work so I am not sure what magic is going on to make that work.

https://mac.getutm.app/gallery/debian-12

#77

Software / Re: Window Maker Live 12.12

Last post by jeffburg - Sep 19, 2025, 01:50 PM

That would be awesome! I will try the new installer and let you know how it goes!

#78

Software / Re: Window Maker Live 12.12

Last post by wmlive - Sep 19, 2025, 01:16 PM

@wmlive those extra packages did it! thanks!

Thanks for the confirmation and for helping to sort this out!

In the meantime i found out how to force using the graphical installer frontend also on the ARM64 variant of the wmlive ISO. This finally removes the need for bothering with a serial console.

A new ISO including the complete range of avahi packages has been built and currently undergoes some  testing. If successful, it will be uploaded to replace the currently available experimental ARM64 ISO on sourceforge.

#79

Software / Re: Window Maker Live 12.12

Last post by jeffburg - Sep 19, 2025, 12:42 PM

@wmlive those extra packages did it! thanks!

[Databases]

#80

Software / Re: Sybase SQL Server 4.0.1 on...

Last post by ptek - Sep 18, 2025, 03:54 AM

I was wondering why the Sybase database was not showing up in Interface Builder. Here is why from the following documentation. https://www.nextop.de/NeXTstep_3.3_Developer_Documentation/Concepts/DatabaseKit/03_Models.htmld/index.html

Chapter 3 - Database Models

Model Files
    There are two types of model files:

        Archive models are in a binary format and have the extension ".dbmodel".
        ASCII models are in ASCII and have the extension ".dbmodela".

    Only archive models can be used in your application--ASCII models must be converted to archive format before they can be used.  However, the conversion from ASCII to archive is done automatically when you compile your application.  (As described in the next chapter, ASCII models can be used in Interface Builder.)

You can store your model files in the Databases subdirectory of a Library directory, or you can copy them into your application's project directory (this is described in a later chapter).  When the Database Kit searches for a model, it does so by the model's name--in other words without reference to the file's path or extension.  Models in the project directory precede those in the library directories.  The search through the libraries is done in the usual order:  ~/Library, /LocalLibrary, /NextLibrary.

Example Models

Example model files (in archive format) can be found in the directory /NextDeveloper/Examples/DatabaseKit/Models.  The OracleDemo.dbmodel model uses the entities and properties defined by the Oracle adaptor; the SybaseDemo.dbmodel model uses the Sybase adaptor.

Two different emulators which are NOT talking to each other, the reason is I went to take a screenshot on the old Previous0.5 and it PrtScr just rebooted the NeXT emulated machine so I quickly redesigned the basic app in VirtualBox. It's an old buggy version of Previous 

I'm getting better and improving with Sybase \o/ even though it's only basic stuff LOL.