The AIX X server has been enhanced to support the X Virtual Frame Buffer technology. The X Virtual Frame Buffer (XVFB) allows the X server to initialize and run without the presence of any physical graphics adapter. In the past, the X server required one or more graphics adapters in order to run and would exit with an error if none were present.

Pasted from <http://publib.boulder.ibm.com/infocenter/systems/topic/com.ibm.aix.aixwnpgd/doc/aixwnpgd/xvfb.htm>

The XVFB for AIX 5.X is installed from the AIX 5.X product CDs. Install the following filesets substituting the X with the actual version number:

  • OpenGL.OpenGL_X.dev – OpenGL Virtual Frame Buffer Support
  • X11.vfb – Virtual Frame Buffer Software for AIXWindows

Once the filesets have installed successfully, verify that they have installed correctly by using the following command:

lppchk -v

then run:

lslpp -L | grep vfb

The two filesets you installed should now be listed…

To start the X Server with the XVFB and proper extensions :

/usr/bin/X11/X -force -vfb -x abx -x dbe -x GLX :99 >/dev/null

To restart the X Server automatically at the next reboot, add an entry to the /etc/inittab file :

mkitab “xvfb:2:respawn:/usr/bin/X11/X -force -vfb -x abx -x dbe -x GLX :99 >/dev/null”

Set DISPLAY by adding the following line to .profile:

DISPLAY=`hostname`:99.0 ;export DISPLAY

Pasted from <http://unix.ittoolbox.com/groups/technical-functional/ibm-aix-l/x-virtual-frame-buffer-xvfb-1260801>