Author: eilemann@gmail.com
State: Implemented
The configuration file format for the Equalizer server is described below. The examples directory does contain some example configuration files. The configuration tool automatically creates some standard configuration files.
The file format is not described in detail here. Please refer to the Programming Guide in general, and to the changes section below for individual feature specifications. The actual implementation may differ slightly from this specification, but we try to keep it up to date. The loader implementation is the reference for the file format, look at src/server/loader.y, if you understand lex/yacc code.
Note that this format is the representation for the server's low-level scalable rendering engine. Eventually this file format will be replaced by a higher-level format or API, and may even be partially hidden from the user. Automatic configuration and load balancing are not yet implemented, hence the need to have these low-level configuration files.
All Equalizer units are in meters. This applies currently to the wall coordinates and the eye base, as well as the head matrix supplied programmatically.
Global values have useful default parameters, which can be overriden with
environment variables of the same name. For enumeration values,
e.g., EQ_COMPOUND_IATTR_STEREO_MODE, the corresponding integer
value has to be used. The global values in the config file override these
defaults, and are in turn overriden by the corresponding attributes sections
of the associated entities.
global
{
EQ_CONNECTION_SATTR_HOSTNAME string
EQ_CONNECTION_SATTR_LAUNCH_COMMAND string
EQ_CONNECTION_CATTR_LAUNCH_COMMAND_QUOTE 'character'
EQ_CONNECTION_IATTR_TYPE TCPIP | SDP
EQ_CONNECTION_IATTR_TCPIP_PORT unsigned
EQ_CONNECTION_IATTR_LAUNCH_TIMEOUT unsigned
EQ_CONFIG_FATTR_EYE_BASE float
EQ_PIPE_IATTR_HINT_THREAD OFF | ON
EQ_WINDOW_IATTR_HINT_STEREO OFF | ON | AUTO
EQ_WINDOW_IATTR_HINT_DOUBLEBUFFER OFF | ON | AUTO
EQ_WINDOW_IATTR_HINT_DECORATION OFF | ON
EQ_WINDOW_IATTR_HINT_FULLSCREEN OFF | ON
EQ_WINDOW_IATTR_HINT_SWAPSYNC OFF | ON // AGL, WGL only
EQ_WINDOW_IATTR_HINT_DRAWABLE window | pbuffer
EQ_WINDOW_IATTR_HINT_STATISTICS OFF | FASTEST [ON] | NICEST
EQ_WINDOW_IATTR_PLANES_COLOR unsigned
EQ_WINDOW_IATTR_PLANES_ALPHA unsigned
EQ_WINDOW_IATTR_PLANES_DEPTH unsigned
EQ_WINDOW_IATTR_PLANES_STENCIL unsigned
EQ_WINDOW_IATTR_PLANES_ACCUM unsigned
EQ_WINDOW_IATTR_PLANES_ACCUM_ALPHA unsigned
EQ_WINDOW_IATTR_PLANES_SAMPLES unsigned
EQ_CHANNEL_IATTR_HINT_STATISTICS OFF | FASTEST [ ON ] | NICEST
EQ_COMPOUND_IATTR_STEREO_MODE QUAD | ANAGLYPH
EQ_COMPOUND_IATTR_STEREO_ANAGLYPH_LEFT_MASK [ RED GREEN BLUE ]
EQ_COMPOUND_IATTR_STEREO_ANAGLYPH_RIGHT_MASK [ RED GREEN BLUE ]
EQ_COMPOUND_IATTR_UPDATE_FOV HORIZONTAL [ON] | VERTICAL | OFF
}
server
{
connection // 0-n times, listening connections of the server
{
type TCPIP | SDP
TCPIP_port unsigned
hostname string
}
config // 1-n times, currently only the first one is used by the server
{
latency int // # of frames pipes may fall behind application
attributes
{
eye_base float // distance between left and right eye
}
(node|appNode) // 1-n times, a system in the cluster
// 0|1 appNode: launches render thread within app process
{
name string
connection // 0-n times, possible connections to this node
{
type TCPIP | SDP
TCPIP_port unsigned
hostname string
command string // render client launch command
command_quote 'character' // launch command argument quote char
timeout unsigned // timeout in milliseconds for launch
}
pipe // 1-n times
{
name string
port unsigned // X server number or ignored
device unsigned // graphics adapter number
viewport [ viewport ] // default: autodetect
attributes
{
hint_thread OFF | ON // default ON
}
window // 1-n times
{
name string
viewport [ viewport ] // wrt pipe, default full screen
attributes
{
hint_stereo OFF | ON | AUTO
hint_doublebuffer OFF | ON | AUTO
hint_decoration OFF | ON
hint_fullscreen OFF | ON
hint_swapsync OFF | ON // AGL, WGL only
hint_drawable window | pbuffer
hint_statistics off | fastest [on] | nicest
planes_color unsigned
planes_alpha unsigned
planes_depth unsigned
planes_stencil unsigned
planes_accum unsigned
planes_accum_alpha unsigned
planes_samples unsigned
}
channel // 1-n times
{
name string
viewport [ viewport ] //wrt window, default full window
attributes
{
hint_statistics OFF | FASTEST [ON] | NICEST
}
}
}
}
}
compound // 1-n times
{
name string
channel string // where the compound's tasks are executed
task [ CLEAR DRAW READBACK ASSEMBLE ] // CULL later
buffer [ COLOR DEPTH ] // default COLOR
viewport [ viewport ] // wrt parent compound, sort-first
range [ float float ] // DB-range for sort-last
pixel [ int int ] // pixel decomposition (step size)
eye [ CYCLOP LEFT RIGHT ] // monoscopic or stereo view
loadBalancer
{
mode [ 2D | DB | VERTICAL | HORIZONTAL ]
}
attributes
{
stereo_mode QUAD | ANAGLYPH // default QUAD
stereo_anaglyph_left_mask [ RED GREEN BLUE ] // default red
stereo_anaglyph_right_mask [ RED GREEN BLUE ] // df green blue
update_FOV HORIZONTAL [ON] | VERTICAL | OFF
}
wall // frustum description
{
bottom_left [ float float float ]
bottom_right [ float float float ]
top_left [ float float float ]
}
projection // alternate frustum description, last one wins
{
origin [ float float float ]
distance float
fov [ float float ]
hpr [ float float float ]
}
child-compounds
swapbarrier // compounds with the same barriername sync swap
{
name string
}
outputframe
{
name string
buffer [ COLOR DEPTH ]
}
inputframe
{
name string // corresponding output frame
}
}
}
}
global
{
EQ_WINDOW_IATTR_PLANES_ACCUM unsigned
EQ_WINDOW_IATTR_PLANES_ACCUM_ALPHA unsigned
EQ_WINDOW_IATTR_PLANES_SAMPLES unsigned
}
window
{
attributes
{
planes_accum unsigned
planes_accum_alpha unsigned
planes_samples unsigned
}
}
compound
{
loadBalancer
{
mode [ 2D | DB | VERTICAL | HORIZONTAL ]
}
}
global
{
EQ_WINDOW_IATTR_HINT_STATISTICS off | fastest [on] | nicest
}
window
{
attributes
{
hint_statistics off | fastest [on] | nicest
}
}
global
{
EQ_WINDOW_IATTR_HINT_DRAWABLE window | pbuffer
}
window
{
attributes
{
hint_drawable window | pbuffer
}
}
global
{
EQ_CONNECTION_CATTR_LAUNCH_COMMAND_QUOTE 'character'
}
node
{
connection // 0-n times, possible connections to this node
{
type TCPIP | SDP
TCPIP_port unsigned
hostname string
command string // render client launch command
command_quote 'character' // launch command argument quote char
timeout unsigned // timeout in milliseconds for launch
}
}
compound
{
pixel [ int int ] // pixel decomposition (step size)
}
global
{
EQ_COMPOUND_IATTR_UPDATE_FOV HORIZONTAL [ON] | VERTICAL | OFF
}
compound
{
attributes
{
update_FOV HORIZONTAL [ON] | VERTICAL | OFF
}
}
global
{
EQ_PIPE_IATTR_HINT_THREAD off | on
}
pipe
{
attributes
{
hint_thread off | on
}
}
global
{
EQ_COMPOUND_IATTR_STEREO_MODE QUAD | ANAGLYPH
EQ_COMPOUND_IATTR_STEREO_ANAGLYPH_LEFT_MASK [ RED GREEN BLUE ]
EQ_COMPOUND_IATTR_STEREO_ANAGLYPH_RIGHT_MASK [ RED GREEN BLUE ]
}
compound // 1-n times
{
attributes
{
stereo_mode QUAD | ANAGLYPH // default QUAD
// enable visible color components
stereo_anaglyph_left_mask [ RED GREEN BLUE ] // default red
stereo_anaglyph_right_mask [ RED GREEN BLUE ] // df green blue
}
}
global
{
EQ_CONFIG_FATTR_EYE_BASE float
EQ_WINDOW_IATTR_HINT_STEREO OFF | ON | AUTO
}
config // 1-n times, currently only the first one is used by the server
{
attributes
{
eye_base float // distance between left and right eye
}
}
window
{
attributes
{
hint_stereo off | on | auto
}
}
compound
{
eye [ CYCLOP LEFT RIGHT ] // monoscopic or stereo view
}
global
{
EQ_CHANNEL_IATTR_HINT_STATISTICS off | fastest [on] | nicest
}
channel
{
attributes
{
hint_statistics off | fastest [on] | nicest
}
}
global
{
EQ_COMPOUND_*
}
compound // 1-n times
{
...
}