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| -rw-r--r-- | Documentation/console/console.txt | 127 |
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diff --git a/Documentation/console/console.txt b/Documentation/console/console.txt new file mode 100644 index 00000000000..4f3f2850776 --- /dev/null +++ b/Documentation/console/console.txt @@ -0,0 +1,127 @@ +Console Drivers +=============== + +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. + +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. + +Modular drivers, from the programmer's point of view, has to call: + + take_over_console() - load and bind driver to console layer + give_up_console() - unbind and unload driver + +In newer kernels, the following are also available: + + register_con_driver() + unregister_con_driver() + +If sysfs is enabled, the contents of /sys/class/tty/console/backend can be +examined. This shows the console drivers currently registered by the system. On +an x86 system with the framebuffer console enabled, the contents of this +attribute may be like this: + +cat /sys/class/tty/console/backend +0 S: VGA+ +1 B: frame buffer device + +The first line shows the VGA console driver, while the second line shows +the framebuffer console driver. + +The leftmost numeric character is the driver ID. The middle character with +the colon describes the status of the driver. + + S: - system driver (binding unspecified) + B: - bound modular driver + U: - unbound modular driver + +The last column is the description of the driver. + +Under /sys/class/tty/console are two other attributes, 'bind' and +'unbind'. What does these 2 attributes do? As their name implies, echo'ing the +driver ID to 'bind' will bind an unbound modular driver, and to 'unbind' will +unbind a bound modular driver. Echo'ing the ID of a system driver to either +attribute will do nothing. + +Thus: + +echo 1 > /sys/class/tty/console/unbind +cat /sys/class/tty/console/backend +0 S: VGA+ +1 U: frame buffer device + +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. + +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). + +Notes for developers: +===================== + +take_over_console() is now broken up into: + + register_con_driver() + bind_con_driver() - private function + +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. + +Guidelines for console driver writers: +===================================== + +In order for binding to and unbinding from the console to properly work, +console drivers must follow these guidelines: + +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. + +2. All resources allocated during con->con_init() must be released in + con->con_deinit(). + +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. + +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(). + +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. + +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. + +========================== +Antonino Daplas <adaplas@pol.net> + |