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Console Drivers | ||
=============== | ||
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The linux kernel has 2 general types of console drivers. The first type is | ||
assigned by the kernel to all the virtual consoles during the boot process. | ||
This type will be called 'system driver', and only one system driver is allowed | ||
to exist. The system driver is persistent and it can never be unloaded, though | ||
it may become inactive. | ||
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The second type has to be explicitly loaded and unloaded. This will be called | ||
'modular driver' by this document. Multiple modular drivers can coexist at | ||
any time with each driver sharing the console with other drivers including | ||
the system driver. However, modular drivers cannot take over the console | ||
that is currently occupied by another modular driver. (Exception: Drivers that | ||
call take_over_console() will succeed in the takeover regardless of the type | ||
of driver occupying the consoles.) They can only take over the console that is | ||
occupied by the system driver. In the same token, if the modular driver is | ||
released by the console, the system driver will take over. | ||
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Modular drivers, from the programmer's point of view, has to call: | ||
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take_over_console() - load and bind driver to console layer | ||
give_up_console() - unbind and unload driver | ||
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In newer kernels, the following are also available: | ||
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register_con_driver() | ||
unregister_con_driver() | ||
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If sysfs is enabled, the contents of /sys/class/vtconsole can be | ||
examined. This shows the console backends currently registered by the | ||
system which are named vtcon<n> where <n> is an integer fro 0 to 15. Thus: | ||
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ls /sys/class/vtconsole | ||
. .. vtcon0 vtcon1 | ||
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Each directory in /sys/class/vtconsole has 3 files: | ||
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ls /sys/class/vtconsole/vtcon0 | ||
. .. bind name uevent | ||
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What do these files signify? | ||
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1. bind - this is a read/write file. It shows the status of the driver if | ||
read, or acts to bind or unbind the driver to the virtual consoles | ||
when written to. The possible values are: | ||
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0 - means the driver is not bound and if echo'ed, commands the driver | ||
to unbind | ||
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1 - means the driver is bound and if echo'ed, commands the driver to | ||
bind | ||
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2. name - read-only file. Shows the name of the driver in this format: | ||
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cat /sys/class/vtconsole/vtcon0/name | ||
(S) VGA+ | ||
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'(S)' stands for a (S)ystem driver, ie, it cannot be directly | ||
commanded to bind or unbind | ||
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'VGA+' is the name of the driver | ||
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cat /sys/class/vtconsole/vtcon1/name | ||
(M) frame buffer device | ||
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In this case, '(M)' stands for a (M)odular driver, one that can be | ||
directly commanded to bind or unbind. | ||
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3. uevent - ignore this file | ||
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When unbinding, the modular driver is detached first, and then the system | ||
driver takes over the consoles vacated by the driver. Binding, on the other | ||
hand, will bind the driver to the consoles that are currently occupied by a | ||
system driver. | ||
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NOTE1: Binding and binding must be selected in Kconfig. It's under: | ||
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Device Drivers -> Character devices -> Support for binding and unbinding | ||
console drivers | ||
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NOTE2: If any of the virtual consoles are in KD_GRAPHICS mode, then binding or | ||
unbinding will not succeed. An example of an application that sets the console | ||
to KD_GRAPHICS is X. | ||
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How useful is this feature? This is very useful for console driver | ||
developers. By unbinding the driver from the console layer, one can unload the | ||
driver, make changes, recompile, reload and rebind the driver without any need | ||
for rebooting the kernel. For regular users who may want to switch from | ||
framebuffer console to VGA console and vice versa, this feature also makes | ||
this possible. (NOTE NOTE NOTE: Please read fbcon.txt under Documentation/fb | ||
for more details). | ||
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Notes for developers: | ||
===================== | ||
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take_over_console() is now broken up into: | ||
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register_con_driver() | ||
bind_con_driver() - private function | ||
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give_up_console() is a wrapper to unregister_con_driver(), and a driver must | ||
be fully unbound for this call to succeed. con_is_bound() will check if the | ||
driver is bound or not. | ||
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Guidelines for console driver writers: | ||
===================================== | ||
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In order for binding to and unbinding from the console to properly work, | ||
console drivers must follow these guidelines: | ||
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1. All drivers, except system drivers, must call either register_con_driver() | ||
or take_over_console(). register_con_driver() will just add the driver to | ||
the console's internal list. It won't take over the | ||
console. take_over_console(), as it name implies, will also take over (or | ||
bind to) the console. | ||
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2. All resources allocated during con->con_init() must be released in | ||
con->con_deinit(). | ||
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3. All resources allocated in con->con_startup() must be released when the | ||
driver, which was previously bound, becomes unbound. The console layer | ||
does not have a complementary call to con->con_startup() so it's up to the | ||
driver to check when it's legal to release these resources. Calling | ||
con_is_bound() in con->con_deinit() will help. If the call returned | ||
false(), then it's safe to release the resources. This balance has to be | ||
ensured because con->con_startup() can be called again when a request to | ||
rebind the driver to the console arrives. | ||
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4. Upon exit of the driver, ensure that the driver is totally unbound. If the | ||
condition is satisfied, then the driver must call unregister_con_driver() | ||
or give_up_console(). | ||
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5. unregister_con_driver() can also be called on conditions which make it | ||
impossible for the driver to service console requests. This can happen | ||
with the framebuffer console that suddenly lost all of its drivers. | ||
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The current crop of console drivers should still work correctly, but binding | ||
and unbinding them may cause problems. With minimal fixes, these drivers can | ||
be made to work correctly. | ||
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========================== | ||
Antonino Daplas <adaplas@pol.net> | ||
|
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