Bug#209301: modconf: on module installation failure, suggest isa-pnp.o to the user

[Ryan Underwood <nemesis@icequake.net>]

Hi,

On Mon, Sep 15, 2003 at 09:45:02AM +0200, Eduard Bloch wrote:
> #include <hallo.h>
> * Ryan Underwood [Sun, Sep 14 2003, 10:27:40PM]:
> 
> > > > If the module itself is aware of isa-pnp, then yes, this is the case.
> > > > However, consider this scenario:  The card is a PnP card, the driver is
> > > > not PnP aware and would like to know the I/O and IRQ resources when
> > > > loaded.  The card must first be configured by loading isa-pnp, and then
> > > > the other driver can be loaded based on the resources that the card is
> > > > assigned.
> > > 
> > > Nonsense, pure nonsence. Please read the isapnp_init function of isapnp.c
> > > before claiming such thing. Then show me the place where random cards
> > > are configured to random ressources by isa-pnp and the users gets
> > > information about the ressources.
> > 
> > Please refer to linux/Documentation/isapnp.txt:
> > 
> > Write commands:
> > ---------------
> > 
> > With the write interface you can activate or modify the configuration of
> > ISA Plug & Play devices.  It is mainly useful for drivers which have not
> > been rewritten to use the ISA Plug & Play kernel support yet.
> 
> Sorry, what is your point?

Please go outside and get some fresh air.  For your own good.

> First, you tell us that isa-pnp module configures the cards when
> loaded. Now, you show a way to *configure the ressources manually* via
> the proc interface.

No, I didn't say that.  (Please quote me instead of paraphrasing.)

My contention is that without isa-pnp loaded, the user could not use
modules that do not support ISA-PnP configuration themselves when the
card is not in a configured state.  In the case of a new user, they see
only a failure when inserting the module for their hardware which is
clearly installed in the system, and have no idea where to proceed.

> Just for the case that you missed it, we do already include
> isapnptools for pre-2.4 kernels. And pnpdump&isapnp are a way more
> user-friendly and better documented than the proc interface.

The user was installing from bf2.4.  Is isapnptools included in that
case?  If so, then this "wishlist" bug is in error and you may ignore
it.  If it is not, then I stand by my statement that there must be a
documented way for the user to configure the ISA-PnP cards, or there is
a good chance of significant confusion occurring during an installation.

Thanks,

-- 
Ryan Underwood, <nemesis at icequake.net>, icq=10317253