From: Pekka Paalanen <pekka.paalanen@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> Specify how the atomic state is maintained between userspace and kernel, plus the special case for async flips. Signed-off-by: Pekka Paalanen <pekka.paalanen@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> Signed-off-by: André Almeida <andrealmeid@xxxxxxxxxx> --- v7: - add a note that drivers can make exceptions for ad-hoc prop changes - add a note about flipping the same FB_ID as a no-op --- Documentation/gpu/drm-uapi.rst | 47 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 1 file changed, 47 insertions(+) diff --git a/Documentation/gpu/drm-uapi.rst b/Documentation/gpu/drm-uapi.rst index 632989df3727..34bd02270ee7 100644 --- a/Documentation/gpu/drm-uapi.rst +++ b/Documentation/gpu/drm-uapi.rst @@ -570,3 +570,50 @@ dma-buf interoperability Please see Documentation/userspace-api/dma-buf-alloc-exchange.rst for information on how dma-buf is integrated and exposed within DRM. + +KMS atomic state +================ + +An atomic commit can change multiple KMS properties in an atomic fashion, +without ever applying intermediate or partial state changes. Either the whole +commit succeeds or fails, and it will never be applied partially. This is the +fundamental improvement of the atomic API over the older non-atomic API which is +referred to as the "legacy API". Applying intermediate state could unexpectedly +fail, cause visible glitches, or delay reaching the final state. + +An atomic commit can be flagged with DRM_MODE_ATOMIC_TEST_ONLY, which means the +complete state change is validated but not applied. Userspace should use this +flag to validate any state change before asking to apply it. If validation fails +for any reason, userspace should attempt to fall back to another, perhaps +simpler, final state. This allows userspace to probe for various configurations +without causing visible glitches on screen and without the need to undo a +probing change. + +The changes recorded in an atomic commit apply on top the current KMS state in +the kernel. Hence, the complete new KMS state is the complete old KMS state with +the committed property settings done on top. The kernel will try to avoid +no-operation changes, so it is safe for userspace to send redundant property +settings. However, not every situation allows for no-op changes, due to the +need to acquire locks for some attributes. Userspace needs to be aware that some +redundant information might result in oversynchronization issues. No-operation +changes do not count towards actually needed changes, e.g. setting MODE_ID to a +different blob with identical contents as the current KMS state shall not be a +modeset on its own. As a special exception for VRR needs, explicitly setting +FB_ID to its current value is not a no-op. + +A "modeset" is a change in KMS state that might enable, disable, or temporarily +disrupt the emitted video signal, possibly causing visible glitches on screen. A +modeset may also take considerably more time to complete than other kinds of +changes, and the video sink might also need time to adapt to the new signal +properties. Therefore a modeset must be explicitly allowed with the flag +DRM_MODE_ATOMIC_ALLOW_MODESET. This in combination with +DRM_MODE_ATOMIC_TEST_ONLY allows userspace to determine if a state change is +likely to cause visible disruption on screen and avoid such changes when end +users do not expect them. + +An atomic commit with the flag DRM_MODE_PAGE_FLIP_ASYNC is allowed to +effectively change only the FB_ID property on any planes. No-operation changes +are ignored as always. Changing any other property will cause the commit to be +rejected. Each driver may relax this restriction if they have guarantees that +such property change doesn't cause modesets. Userspace can use TEST_ONLY commits +to query the driver about this. -- 2.42.0
