from __future__ import * 22.1.2004

strings-ing CoreGraphics

I was poking around to see if it was possible to run a separate virtual WindowServer (for non-root daemons to use without a logged in user). Of course, this isn't supposed to be possible, and certainly doesn't seem to be.

However, I did find some interesting things:

• WindowServer is just a bootstrap binary, it calls a single function in the CoreGraphics framework to start up.

• Probably has libpng, libz, libjpeg statically linked (and something to read LZW, but I'm not familiar with those headers).

• These might be possible command line options:

  • ServerEnvironment

  • -debug

  • console

  • -daemon

  • -exit

  • -virtual

  • -virtualonly

• All of that -psn and CFM launching garbage has to do with CoreGraphics (I see 'Joy!' and '-psn' in here)

• It has a reason to check to see if the CoreGraphics server and client have the same endian (maybe a remote mach port on the LAN?)

• It can probably log a whole bunch of fun debugging stuff to /tmp (probably with -debug)

• Somehow there's a reason to have the string "Photoshop 3.0" in there?