Re: Common debconf variables for serial console?

[Petter Reinholdtsen <pere@hungry.com>]

[Joey Hess]
>>   Template: debian-installer/console/serial
>>   Template: debian-installer/console/serial/port
>>   Template: debian-installer/console/serial/speed
> 
> I am wary about making debconf questions whose names are the same as the
> "directory" other debconf questions are in. The spec currently allows it
> and it will work with all (perl) debconf database backends, but I can
> think of useful debconf extensions that would break questions with such
> names.

OK.  I'll avoid that.

[Geert Stappers]
>  Template: debian-installer/console/serial/character
>  Type: string
>  Default: 8N1
>  Description: Number of databits, parity and stopbits for the serial console.

Good idea.

> Please design the code for the test on console type
> to support also telnet and ssh. 
> 
>    Template: debian-installer/console/type
>    Type: string
>    Default: framebuffer
>    Default[s390]: serial
>    Description: What type of console will be used during installation

Even better idea.

I'll try to come up with a design that make this possible.  I believe
rootskel is the correct place to put it.

If we remove the debian-installer/framebuffer template, and use an
debian-installer/console/type template instead, it might be easier to
extend.

  Template: debian-installer/console/type
  Type: string
  Default: framebuffer
  Default[s390]: serial
  Description: What type of console will be used during installation
    This is used to set the environment variable CONSOLE_TYPE
    .
    Usual it is 'framebuffer' with the video hardware and keyboard, but
    you can use 'serial' for systems without console hardware.  To avoid
    pluging of serial cables, use 'telnet' or 'ssh'.

  Template: debian-installer/console/serial/port
  Type: string
  Default: ttyS0
  Description: Device name (in /dev/) of serial console device

  Template: debian-installer/console/serial/speed
  Type: string
  Default: 9600
  Description: Speed of serial console?

  Template: debian-installer/console/serial/character
  Type: string
  Default: 8N1
  Description: Number of databits, parity and stopbits for the serial console.

One question is which console types to accept.  serial and framebuffer
is given.  Virtual console without framebuffer could be called
'virtual'.  I believe these are the options we currently should
handle.  New types will have to be added later.

Looking in debian-installer.d/, I see TERM, TERM_TYPE,
TERM_FRAMEBUFFER TERM_UTF8.  I guess the values of most of these
should be available in the debconf database.  I've noticed these
values:

  TERM              dumb,  linux
  TERM_TYPE         serial, virtual
  TERM_FRAMEBUFFER  yes, no
  TERM_UTF8         yes, no

I plan to copy / merge code from lilo-installer and the other udebs
currently detecting serial console.