Re: SIOCDEVICE ?

[Francois Romieu]

Jeff Garzik <[e-mail]> :
> On Sat, Feb 02, 2002 at 03:44:24PM +0100, Francois Romieu wrote:
> > Your patch doesn't apply against 2.5.3. I did a quick update and noticed the
> > patch is the sole user of SIOCDEVICE (with dscc4) and SIOCDEVPRIVATE.
> 
> SIOCDEVPRIVATE is verboten in 2.5.x, it doesn't pass through ioctl
> translation layers like that which exists on sparc64 and ia64; they are
> untyped awful interfaces.
> 
> The correction would perhaps define a real command as needed...

Yes, I've seen the big fat comment in include/linux/sockios.h for
SIOCDEVPRIVATE. I can only infer that SIOCDEVICE isn't allowed any more
as it seems it sneakly escaped from the kernel sources. 

<executive summary of Krzysztof Halasa's update>
The struct hdlc_device_struct offers under an union the protocol specific 
(raw hdlc, frame relay, cisco, pppsync (1)) parameters of the interface. 
Those are set from userspace through ifreq.ifr_settings.data and an 
ifreq.ifr_settings.type of IF_PROTO_{HDLC/CISCO/FR/X25},... resp. which 
specifies the size of the expected data (2).
You retrieve it from userspace with IF_GET_PROTO.
Once an interface is configured for frame-relay, pvc creation/deletion is
done with IF_PROTO_FR_{ADD/DEL}_PVC.

(1) Let's forget pppsync and it's revolting games with net_device.priv for now.
(2) ifr->ifr_settings.data_length checking duplication should be avoided imho.

</summary>

As this question was postponed until 2.5, I'd like someone to state what the 
accepted api will be.

Let's hope it's not too much on-topic. :o)

-- 
Ueimor