Re: Third-Party Software Needs Non-Debian Format for Kernel Version
On 22/02/14 13:35, Jerry Stuckle wrote:
> On 2/21/2014 9:20 PM, Thomas Vaughan wrote:
>>>>> isn't supported per se. But when [the software], or the makefiles,
>>>>> parse the string
>>>>> 3.12-1-amd64
>>>>> they don't get the expected result. If the uname -r were the string
>>>>> 3.12.9-1
>>>>> then parsing it would yield the expected result.
>>>>> ---END QUOTE FROM VENDOR---
>>>>>
>>>>> Is the reported kernel-version string, "3.12-1-amd64", something
>>>>> that I could change by compiling a custom kernel?
>>>>
>>>> Might a shell script that output the expected string work?
>>>
>>> Or sed?
>>> Or export?
>>> Or, um, more information about what Debian release is being used and the
>>> "third-party" software. :)
>>
>> If the compiled program calls the uname() system call,
Good point. I should have given that more than a few seconds thought -
and I suspect Jerry has pointed out a simpler way than intercepting sys
calls.
Is the name of the third-party software a secret?
>> then
>> script-related fixes
>> won't work. I don't have the source to the compiled program.
>>
>> I'm running Debian testing (jessie).
>>
>>> Kind regards
>>
>> And kind regards to you for replying so promptly to my plea for help!
>>
>> What I'm wondering is whether I can get uname to return the desired
>> format by somehow compiling a custom kernel.
>>
>> If so, then any help doing that properly would be appreciated.
>>
>
> I'm not sure if it will work or not - I'm far from a Debian kernel
> expert.
Likewise.
http://kernel-handbook.alioth.debian.org/ch-versions.html:-
"Kernel version
This is the version that appears in kernel messages, filenames,
package names and the output of 'uname -r'. In official kernel packages
it follows the format upstreamversion[-abiname][-featureset]-flavour. It
is not changed for every new package version. The abiname is changed as
explained below.
Many programs parse the kernel version string reported by the uname
system call or command and expect to find at least 3 version components
separated by dots. For compatibility, the official kernel packages
currently add '.0' to the upstream version, but this will be dropped in
wheezy+1."
So it appears to be possible.
> But one thing to consider: are there any packages which require
> the correct Debian format?
abiname shouldn't change.... should it?
> If so, what would happen to them if you
> changed it in the kernel?
>
> Jerry
>
>
Kind regards
Reply to: