Flickering with XCursor extension (XFree86 4.3+)

[bearoso]

I've had this issue since XFree86 4.3 was released and I'd hoped it would be fixed eventually, but since I haven't heard of many others with the problem, I thought I'd post something about it.

Whenever the new XCursor subsystem is enabled in X, the cursors have a tendency to flicker. It is less noticeable when the cursor is static, and very noticeable when using animated cursors. There seems to be some sort of pattern with it flickering for a few seconds every 30 seconds. I've tried setting HWCursor off, changing the render acceleration settings, using both AGP systems, and nothing has fixed this problem for me.

The problem has persisted from all 4x.xx driver releases, and because 3x.xx locks up with 4.3, that's not a possibility. I'm running an original Geforce 3.

So here's the question: Does anyone else have this problem or had this problem and fixed it? If the flickering is widespread, then would someone on the driver team like to fix it?

[RenderMan]

I suppose i've got the same problem...

Driver: 1.0-4496
XFree86 4.3.0 (RH9)

Seems to be some bug in driver since many folks say there was nothing wrong with 3xxx series. I suppose the driver needs more testing on 4.3.x....

[pii350mmxpc100]

Originally posted by RenderMan
I suppose i've got the same problem...

Driver: 1.0-4496
XFree86 4.3.0 (RH9)

Seems to be some bug in driver since many folks say there was nothing wrong with 3xxx series. I suppose the driver needs more testing on 4.3.x....

Just a report...

I've built my own Linux system, and have not had any problems with X in any way with the lastest drivers.

My Card is a Geforce FX 5900 Ultra from Leadtek.

[RenderMan]

I've built my own Linux system, and have not had any problems with X in any way with the lastest drivers.

Then you got my congratulations....
Have a machine fast enough so that flicker is hardly visible (but still present)? But i dont...

btw what version of X, kernel, drivers etc. you have installed?

[pii350mmxpc100]

Originally posted by RenderMan
Then you got my congratulations....
Have a machine fast enough so that flicker is hardly visible (but still present)? But i dont...

btw what version of X, kernel, drivers etc. you have installed?

System:
Athlon-xp 2500+ 333 (Barton core)
NForce2 400 Ultra (Epox)
2X256MB PC 3200
Gforce FX 9500 Ultra (Leadtek)

linux-2.4.22 (un-patched) kernel
gcc-3.3.1
binutils-2.14
glibc-2.3.2
XFree86-4.3.0.1 (un-patched, apart for the minor update)
Nvidia-drivers: 1.0-4496 (IA-32)
Nforce AGP is set up in the kernel as well.

No problems on the Samsung 710s 17" Monitor @ 60 Hz and up no mater what the resoluton is.



I also have a second system as well. And it is alittle older but here is the specs:

System:
Athlon-xp 2000+
KT4 Ultra (MSI)
2X256MB PC 2400
Gforce 4 Ti 4200 64MB


linux-2.4.20 (un-patched) kernel
gcc-3.2.2
binutils-2.13.2
glibc-2.3.1
XFree86-4.3.0 (un-patched)
Nvidia-drivers: 1.0-4496 (IA-32)

Resolution: 1024x768 @75Hz on a LG Flatron F700B 17".
(pic dose fliker if under 61 Hz)
I think the monitor is at fault here. I have Another Linux OS installed on the same hard drive, with the latest XFree86-4.3.0.1. And the results is no different.

No problems on any of the two systems for me with the cursor other wise.

This is just a report.

UPDATE:

I forgot to say that I have gcc-2.95.3 installed on the Athlon-xp 2500+ (Barton core) PC, as well as gcc-3.3.1. As the kernel is meant to be built against that version of gcc. So the Nvidia driver is also compiled with gcc-2.95.3.

The older system (athlon-xp 2000+), dose not have gcc-2.95.3. So everything is complied with gcc-3.2.2 on that PC.

[RenderMan]

The older system (athlon-xp 2000+), dose not have gcc-2.95.3. So everything is complied with gcc-3.2.2 on that PC.

Myself:

Linux CIA.localdomain 2.4.20 #2 Mon Aug 18 00:30:09 EEST 2003 i686 unknown

GNU libc 2.3.2

XFree86 Version 4.3.0 (Red Hat Linux release: 4.3.0-2)
Release Date: 27 February 2003
X Protocol Version 11, Revision 0, Release 6.6
Build Operating System: Linux 2.4.20-3bigmem i686 [ELF]

gcc version 3.2.2 20030222 (Red Hat Linux 3.2.2-5)

But i'm not sure it is gcc's fault (i've compiled my kernel/nvidia driver using the same version of gcc -- and i'm still using it. Is it your case?

System: Celeron400/GeForce2MX ManLi/SDRAM 128M PC133
Monitor: LG520Si@85Hz

Are you using ANIMATED cursors or static? I mean flicker is visible only on former ones.
Anyway your machine is much faster and probably that's the clue

[pii350mmxpc100]

Originally posted by RenderMan
Myself:

But i'm not sure it is gcc's fault (i've compiled my kernel/nvidia driver using the same version of gcc -- and i'm still using it. Is it your case?


Are you using ANIMATED cursors or static? I mean flicker is visible only on former ones.
Anyway your machine is much faster and probably that's the clue

I dont think that gcc is to blame here.

And for the Cursor type... No i'm not useing animated cursors.

I just dont think that the Nvidia driver is at falut here, and is more than likely to do with XFree86. I could be wrong, but I like learning the hard way

Here is the end of the XFree86 log file which has given me an Idea:

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


(II) NVIDIA(0): AGP 4X successfully initialized
(II) NVIDIA(0): Setting mode "1024x768"
(II) NVIDIA(0): Using the NVIDIA 2D acceleration architecture
(==) NVIDIA(0): Backing store disabled
(==) NVIDIA(0): Silken mouse enabled
(II) Loading extension NV-GLX
(II) Loading extension NV-CONTROL
(==) RandR enabled
(II) Initializing built-in extension MIT-SHM
(II) Initializing built-in extension XInputExtension
(II) Initializing built-in extension XTEST
(II) Initializing built-in extension XKEYBOARD
(II) Initializing built-in extension LBX
(II) Initializing built-in extension XC-APPGROUP
(II) Initializing built-in extension SECURITY
(II) Initializing built-in extension XINERAMA
(II) Initializing built-in extension XFree86-Bigfont
(II) Initializing built-in extension RENDER
(II) Initializing built-in extension RANDR
(II) [GLX]: Initializing GLX extension
(**) Option "Protocol" "IMPS/2"
(**) Mouse1: Protocol: "IMPS/2"
(**) Option "CorePointer"
(**) Mouse1: Core Pointer
(**) Option "Device" "/dev/input/mice"
(**) Option "Buttons" "5"
(**) Mouse1: Emulate3Buttons, Emulate3Timeout: 50
(**) Option "ZAxisMapping" "4 5"
(**) Mouse1: ZAxisMapping: buttons 4 and 5
(**) Mouse1: Buttons: 5
(II) Keyboard "Keyboard1" handled by legacy driver
(II) XINPUT: Adding extended input device "Mouse1" (type: MOUSE)
(II) XINPUT: Adding extended input device "NVIDIA Event Handler" (type: Other)
(II) Mouse1: ps2EnableDataReporting: succeeded
(II) 3rd Button detected: disabling emulate3Button
---------------------------------------------------------------

As you can see, I've got a USB (Logitech) mouse( which is wireless). I've setup the mouse device in the XFree86 config file, to point to the /dev/input/mice device node. And the mouse protocol I am useing is "IMPS/2".

Now my Idea was to see if you can use a different mouse protocol.

XFree86 has a allot of them:

SysMouse
MouseSystems
PS/2
Microsoft
Busmouse
IMPS/2
ExplorerPS/2
GlidePointPS/2
MouseManPlusPS/2
NetMousePS/2
NetScrollPS/2
ThinkingMousePS/2
AceCad
GlidePoint
IntelliMouse
Logitech
MMHitTab
MMSeries
MouseMan
ThinkingMouse

It is just an Idea, you never know your luck.

In the mean time I'm going to set up my own Animated Xcursor.

Whiteglass

[RenderMan]

And for the Cursor type... No i'm not useing animated cursors.

Well there's nothing left to say...

Now my Idea was to see if you can use a different mouse protocol.

The answer is NO. My mouse is currently Gerius netscroll+ and it runs only on IMPS/2.

But how a mouse protocol can help eliminate flickering???

[ReedWood]

Hi all,
today I found this problem on my computer too. I changed my resolution from 1024x768 ot 1280x1024 and now my animated cursor flickers. This thread does not have a solution, I think. So I am interessted if someone know who is the one to blame for this (nvidia or xfree) and if someone know if this will be fixed some times.
Thank you - W. Mader

[Spyke]

Disable hardware cursor.

[MamiyaOtaru]

That does fix the flickering (which has been around forever it seems, and is still here woth x.org 6.8.most recent and nVidia's 7667 drivers).

Unfortunately, last time I tried disabling hardware cursor with Composite enabled (shadows and transparency) it caused some nasty hard locks. That was a driver or so ago, I'll give it another shot when nothing important is running, but last I checked there was no way to have transparency, and an animated cursor that doesn't flicker at the same time. Does anyone know if this is no longer true?