Functionality

The POSE technology is used for exactly and totally recording and later or simultaneous playback of X11 sessions or individual applications, optionally together with audio, video, or arbitrary binary data streams. The recording may be converted to video formats, too.

The recording functionality is implemented in two flavors: on the one hand as a stand-alone product X-POSE-X-RECORD and on the other hand as POSE option of the X-META-X product.

For later or simultaneous playback and video conversion the separate product X-POSE-X-PLAY is used.

The functionality of all three products can be enhanced by additional options.

X-POSE-X-RECORD provides a virtual X Window server for establishing a virtual, invisible X11 session, which can be transferred to a real X Window server.

X Window proxy

X-POSE-X-RECORD is not a stand-alone X Window server. The X-POSE-X-RECORD proxy is stacked between the X Window server of the workstation and the X Window clients via inter-process communication. It is executed instead of the X Window server and calls the server.

This is totally transparent for any X Window server. X-POSE-X-RECORD flawlessly cooperates with workstation or terminal vendor supplied servers as well as with many specialized servers. Furthermore, clients cannot detect any differences to the standard X Window server. Thus, you may use the usual window managers.

X11 protocol and protocol extensions

X-POSE-X-RECORD is based on the META technology for decoding and encoding of the X11 protocol. The software supports the complete X11R6 protocol.

X-POSE-X-RECORD supports the protocol extensions BIG-REQUESTS, DOUBLE-BUFFER, DPMS, GLX (OpenGL, Version 1.2 with some additional requests of version 1.3), HPExtension, MIT-SCREEN-SAVER, MIT-SHM, Multi-Buffering, SCREEN-SAVER, SHAPE, SUN_ALLPLANES, SYNC, XC-MISC, XPRINT, and XTEST. The protocol extension MIT-SHM is always offered to the X Window clients, even if the controlled X Window server does not support it. In this case the extension requests are translated into the corresponding X11 core protocol requests automatically. The protocol extension XTEST is always offered to the X Window clients.

The software implements the additional protocol extension X-SOFTWARE POSE.

X-POSE-X-RECORD supports the X Display Manager Control Protocol (XDMCP) as well as the authorization methods host access control, MIT-MAGIC-COOKIE-1, and XDM-AUTHORIZATION-1.

Options

The functionality of the X-POSE-X-RECORD base product may be enhanced by additional options.

The option CHANNEL increases the maximum number of output channels - screens or POSE connections - supported by the X-POSE-X-RECORD proxy by an arbitrary number of channels. Without option the proxy supports not more than three channels.

The option MULTIMEDIA allows to capture, transport, store, and replay audio, video, or arbitrary binary data streams simultaneously and synchronously to the POSE data stream.

Configuration

The X-POSE-X-RECORD proxy is configurable from the command line and through configuration files. The product can be integrated in X Window environments very easily.

X-POSE-X-RECORD includes the configuration tool X-POSE-X-TOOL, which is used to create configuration files or to configure and control recording, playback, and conversion - through the graphical user interface or scriptable from the command line.

Improvements and enhancements of version 7.0

The overall performance of the X-POSE-X-RECORD proxy and of the X-POSE-X-TOOL program was further improved.

The number of supported protocol extensions were increased and the version levels were updated.

X-POSE-X-RECORD supports up to three screens and POSE connections. Additional screens or connections can be licensed using the option CHANNEL. This allowed to lower the price of the base product significantly.

The statement workarounds glx13 implements a few important requests of version 1.3 of the GLX protocol extension.

The graphical user interface of the configuration tool X-POSE-X-TOOL is completely new.

The tracing of state changes - besides the improved signal control - allows direct monitoring of the xposextool program by other programs or scripts.

Introducing snapshots together with new hot keys makes positioning during playback more comfortable.

The option MULTIMEDIA of X-POSE-X-RECORD and X-POSE-X-PLAY allows to capture, transport, store, and replay audio, video, or arbitrary binary data streams simultaneously and synchronously to the POSE data stream. This option may also be used to convert a POSE recording into any video format by use of an external video codec.

The option SECURE allows to protect the communication between the X-POSE-X-RECORD proxy and the recording or displaying program xposextool by an efficient encryption.

Improvements and enhancements of version 7.1

The overall performance of the X-POSE-X-RECORD proxy and of the X-POSE-X-TOOL program was further improved.

The number of supported protocol extensions were increased and the version levels were updated.

X-POSE-X-RECORD now provides a virtual X Window server for establishing a virtual, invisible X11 session, which can be transferred to a real X Window server.

Supported architectures

X-POSE-X-RECORD is available for the following operating systems:

• Hewlett-Packard HP-UX (PA-RISC) 11,
• Hewlett-Packard Tru64 UNIX (Digital UNIX, DEC OSF/1, Compaq Tru64, Alpha) from 3.2 on,
• IBM AIX (PowerPC) from 4.3 on,
• Linux (x86 from Pentium Pro on),
• SGI IRIX (Mips) from 6.2 on,
• Sun Solaris 7, 8, 9, 10 (SPARC from V7+ on),
• Sun Solaris 7, 8, 9, 10 (x86 from Pentium Pro on).

Order Information

The software can be downloaded from the SMART ALEC DOWNLOAD TRAY server.

A license key allows to use the software either on one individual computer (node-locked) or overall in a local network (floating). It unlocks the base functionality and possibly additional options. License keys can be requested by e-mail, fax, or phone.

Without a license key the X-POSE-X-RECORD proxy runs in evaluation mode with full functionality and all options enabled. However, it terminates after 30 minutes at least with a warning message. Data recorded by X-POSE-X-RECORD in evaluation mode can be replayed within one day only.

There are two ways for updating to the current version. With the update product you get the license key for the current version once, whereas the maintenance plan entitles you to receive the license key for the then current version during one year.

Please address your orders to <xposexrecord-sales@x-software.com>.