Messages in this thread | | | Date | Fri, 14 Dec 2007 11:00:28 -0800 | From | "H. Peter Anvin" <> | Subject | Re: [PATCH -mm -v3] x86 boot : export boot_params via sysfs |
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H. Peter Anvin wrote: > Greg KH wrote: >> >> But it ignored the fact that I said I didn't want this binary file in >> sysfs :) >> >> Please take Eric's suggestion and split it up into the different pieces. >> Some of the fields can be binary files, as they come directly from the >> firmware, but the others should be text. >> > > But PLEASE include the full structure as a ready-to-eat object. PLEASE. >
I should clarify this.
By all means go ahead and provide broken-out fields where it makes sense. However:
- this *IS* a structure defined by protocol, and which, for all users except the 16-bit entry, comes from outside the kernel (bootloader or firmware.)
- a newer kernel version can add fields to this structure, but can never remove them. This would cause a potential information loss if the current kernel doesn't have all fields available.
- the binary structure is the format that the majority of users will need.
This is directly analogous to how we treat identity information in IDE, or PCI configuration space -- some fields are pre-digested, but the entire raw information is also available.
-hpa
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