Re: DEVFS_FL_AUTO_DEVNUM on block devices

[Richard Gooch <rgooch@ras.ucalgary.ca>]

taral@taral.net writes:
> 
> --HlL+5n6rz5pIUxbD
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Please fix your mailer to not send this junk.

> I'm trying to write a device driver that dynamically creates block
> devices (kind of like loop does). I'd like to use DEVFS_FL_AUTO_DEVNUM,
> but it looks like devfs doesn't initialize the block queues in any
> useful way. Does anyone have any code that I can use? If so, Cc: me on
> replies. Thanks!

Devfs isn't supposed to manage your block queues. That's not what it's
designed for. Devfs is just a way of managing your device nodes.

Block queue management can be done by the "generic" block I/O layer
(or you can write your own management code, but that's not
practical). This layer requires that you have a major number for your
driver, so that certain information can be shoved into some static
arrays (yes, it's butt-ugly, and it will change in 2.5).

You can use the devfs_alloc_major() function to grab a major number
that won't conflict with another driver. Then use that major when
calling devfs_register().

				Regards,

					Richard....
Permanent: rgooch@atnf.csiro.au
Current:   rgooch@ras.ucalgary.ca