Re: [PATCH] USB speedtouch: better proc info

[Duncan Sands <baldrick@wanadoo.fr>]

Hi Oliver,

On Tuesday 25 February 2003 21:54, Oliver Neukum wrote:
> > Hi Oliver, thanks for your comments.  While I agree with you in
> > principle, I disagree in practice.  The driver exports the following
> > information in /proc/net/atm/speedtch:
> >
> > (1) name and location of the USB device
> > (2) MAC address (serial number)
> > (3) AAL5 transmission statistics
> > (4) Line status
> > (5) Modem status
> >
> > (1) is needed in order to work out which modem corresponds to
> > which ATM device.  This should be dealt with using sysfs, however
> > the ATM layer has not yet been ported to sysfs.  Until it is, this
> > seems like the best way to export this information.
>
> For the time being I agree.
>
> > (2) and (3) are redundant - they are published by the ATM layer
> > in other proc files.  I thought about removing them, but decided
> > against it because (a) it can be convenient having everything in
> > one proc file, and (b) it is backwards compatible with the 2.4
> > out-of-kernel driver.  They could go.
>
> As long as you have a proc file at all, you may as well print them, IMHO.
>
> > You suggested (in a private mail) using netif_carrier_on/off to
> > export (4).  The ATM layer already has a method for reporting this,
> > and I use it: set the ATM_PHY_SIG_FOUND/LOST bits in
> > atm_dev->signal.  The problem is that the ATM layer doesn't do
> > anything with this info (like export it to user space).  So I think
> > it is fair enough to export it in the proc file while waiting for the
> > ATM layer to be fixed.
>
> Yes, but I think that you should notify the network layer too.
> I see no reason any network driver shouldn't report this directly.
> There's nothing specific to ATM in losing signal.
> It's purely physical thing low level drivers should deal with.

I can't notify the network layer because there is no net_device I can
get hold of.

> > As for (5), this could be exported using sysfs.  Since it is a
> > USB matter, I guess I could do this now.  So this could also go.
>
> Yes.

Shall I ask Greg to apply the patch?

All the best,

Duncan.