Subject: Re: Format of "files" file ?
To: Bill Studenmund <wrstuden@nas.nasa.gov>
From: Colin Wood <cwood@ichips.intel.com>
List: tech-kern
Date: 02/15/1999 23:50:42
Bill Studenmund wrote:
> On Mon, 15 Feb 1999, Colin Wood wrote:
> 
> > davem@eastcoast.co.za wrote:
> > > For e.g. what does "needs-flag" mean. 
> > 
> > from what i've managed to determine (and i'm probably managing to miss
> > it's real purpose), the "needs-flag" makes sure that you have a file
> > created by config named <device>.h, where <device>  is the name of the
> > device which appears before the "needs-flag" qualifier.  this file will
> > contain a line like:
> > 
> > #define N<DEVICE>	<num>
> > 
> > where <DEVICE> is the name of the device in all caps, and <num> is the
> > number of devices configured into the kernel.  you can then wrap all of
> > your device driver files by a sequence like:
> 
> I think that's what needs-count does. needs-flag should do almost the same
> thing, but you get a define which is set if any such devices are
> configured and cleared otherwise (i.e. it's a binary flag).

Ah!  That would make a little more sense (and explain the meaning of flag
in the context).

Thanks Dr. Bill!

Later,

Colin