Conference turris::digital_unix

10052.0. "To edit isa_option_data.c or not???" by MUFFIT::helen (Helen Pratt) Thu Jun 05 1997 11:46

I am not familiar with device drivers, however I have got a partner with
a query about conflicting information.  The device driver manuals and
indeed some notes in this notesfile say that for an ISA driver you
need to add an entry to the ISA bus options table in 
/usr/sys/data/isa_option_data.c

Now so far OK, but when you look at the contents of the file, it contains
the following message:

/*************************** Warning!!! ************************************/
/*                                                                         */
/*    This table is not used to support device drivers in the 4.0          */
/*    release. It exists as a Notbinary entry in the alpha/files file      */
/*    for the 4.0 release in order to support older device driver kits.    */
/*    It will be made Notbinary and remain in the kernel build in the      */
/*    5.0 release at the descression of the individual bus developers.     */
/*                                                                         */
/***************************************************************************/

So - do you have to update the file or not?  If you do, can someone explain
the message?

Apologies if I've missed something,

Thanks in advance,

Helen.

    
    Hi, Helen.
    
    Starting with V4.0 of Digital UNIX many device drivers can now
    be dynamically loaded. The older method was to place a static entry 
    in isa_option_data.c  - this will still work for now but probably 
    won't in a future version - i.e. Steele. 
    
    Here is an example sysconfigtab entry for an ISA device :
    
       ISA_Option =  Board_Id - Null, Function_Name - 'KBD,MOUSE',
    Driver_Name - gpc, Int_Aft_Attach - 1, Type - C, Adpt_Config - N
    
    This must be one continuous line. You can use either method for
    now but I'd recommend the sysconfigtab method. 
    
    This is documented in the "Writing EISA and ISA Bus Device Drivers"
    manual. 
    
    Hth,
    
    Lee
    

    

Lee,

Thanks for the information - it certainly clarifies the picture!

Helen.