Re: linux kernel config converter

[Jeff Garzik]

Roman Zippel wrote:
> At http://www.xs4all.nl/~zippel/lkcc.tar.gz there is a small program which
> converts the config files into an alternative format. The tool expects a
[...]
> The current output looks like this:
> 
> config: ULTRIX_PARTITION
>   define_bool
>     default: y
>     dep: ((!PARTITION_ADVANCED?) && DECSTATION=y)
>   bool
>     prompt:   Ultrix partition table support
>     dep: PARTITION_ADVANCED?
>   help:
>   Say Y here if you would like to be able to read the hard disk
>   partition table format used by DEC (now Compaq) Ultrix machines.
>   Otherwise, say N.
[...]
> What am I missing now, that we can't convert the current configs into
> something like above and add new features later to it?

Interesting...

FWIW a much better transition path is very close to what your tool does,
and is a suggestion made by mec (kbuild maintainer) near the end of the
recent flamewar:  convert config.in files one at a time, like we did the
old makefiles.

That would imply a rewrite of make [old]config, and an updating of make
menu|xconfig, to handle the new format...

As it happened with the conversion to new-style Makefiles, Linus may say
"bah" when the conversion 80% there, and remove support for the old
config format completely.  :)

	Jeff

-- 
Jeff Garzik      | "Why is it that attractive girls like you
Building 1024    |  always seem to have a boyfriend?"
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