[U-Boot] dtb vs. kernel command line arguments
Hello -
I want to pass a number of arguments from u-boot to the booted kernel. The arguments are needed by user space applications, not the kernel.
I can think of two ways:
1. append args by setting "bootargs". 2. add nodes to the dtb before booting.
Is there a preferred way to pass information like this?
Like I said the arguments are not needed by the kernel device drivers, but by user space applications.
I like the structure of nodes in the dtb.
Cheers, Curt
On Mon, 4 Mar 2013 10:30:45 -0800 Curt Brune curt@cumulusnetworks.com wrote:
Hello -
I want to pass a number of arguments from u-boot to the booted kernel. The arguments are needed by user space applications, not the kernel.
I can think of two ways:
- append args by setting "bootargs".
- add nodes to the dtb before booting.
Is there a preferred way to pass information like this?
Like I said the arguments are not needed by the kernel device drivers, but by user space applications.
I like the structure of nodes in the dtb.
please don't dual-purpose device trees as a mechanism of getting arguments through the kernel into userspace - device trees strictly describe the hardware.
btw, this question would be more appropriately posted on devicetree-discuss (in case you have more).
Kim
Hi Kim,
On Mon, Mar 4, 2013 at 4:03 PM, Kim Phillips kim.phillips@freescale.com wrote:
On Mon, 4 Mar 2013 10:30:45 -0800 Curt Brune curt@cumulusnetworks.com wrote:
Hello -
I want to pass a number of arguments from u-boot to the booted kernel. The arguments are needed by user space applications, not the kernel.
I can think of two ways:
- append args by setting "bootargs".
- add nodes to the dtb before booting.
Is there a preferred way to pass information like this?
Like I said the arguments are not needed by the kernel device drivers, but by user space applications.
I like the structure of nodes in the dtb.
please don't dual-purpose device trees as a mechanism of getting arguments through the kernel into userspace - device trees strictly describe the hardware.
That's certainly the primary purpose, but it is also true that the device tree is a convenient way to pass things to the kernel. It is in fact becoming the only way on ARM systems. We certainly use it to pass general information to the kernel, for example the command line.
Regards, Simon
btw, this question would be more appropriately posted on devicetree-discuss (in case you have more).
Kim
U-Boot mailing list U-Boot@lists.denx.de http://lists.denx.de/mailman/listinfo/u-boot
On Tue, Mar 05, 2013 at 11:16:17AM -0800, Simon Glass wrote:
Hi Kim,
On Mon, Mar 4, 2013 at 4:03 PM, Kim Phillips kim.phillips@freescale.com wrote:
On Mon, 4 Mar 2013 10:30:45 -0800 Curt Brune curt@cumulusnetworks.com wrote:
Hello -
I want to pass a number of arguments from u-boot to the booted kernel. The arguments are needed by user space applications, not the kernel.
I can think of two ways:
- append args by setting "bootargs".
- add nodes to the dtb before booting.
Is there a preferred way to pass information like this?
Like I said the arguments are not needed by the kernel device drivers, but by user space applications.
I like the structure of nodes in the dtb.
please don't dual-purpose device trees as a mechanism of getting arguments through the kernel into userspace - device trees strictly describe the hardware.
That's certainly the primary purpose, but it is also true that the device tree is a convenient way to pass things to the kernel. It is in fact becoming the only way on ARM systems. We certainly use it to pass general information to the kernel, for example the command line.
And there, historically, is the answer. You pass it in via the command line and parse that at run-time. So you can use that existing part of the device tree.
Dear Simon,
In message CAPnjgZ3APwSJZV7zPe+b8A58zu-dxHdRGLcyiWHCm6dqQyFH3g@mail.gmail.com you wrote:
please don't dual-purpose device trees as a mechanism of getting arguments through the kernel into userspace - device trees strictly describe the hardware.
That's certainly the primary purpose, but it is also true that the device tree is a convenient way to pass things to the kernel. It is in fact becoming the only way on ARM systems. We certainly use it to pass general information to the kernel, for example the command line.
I think Kim is right in pointing out that this was given the name DEVICE tree for a reason - it's not being called "general purpose information tree".
You may be right that it's a convenient way to pass information to the kernel - ut note that the original question said: "The arguments are needed by user space applications, not the kernel." I think using the kernel command line here ins more appropriate.
Best regards,
Wolfgang Denk
On Mon, 4 Mar 2013 18:03:23 -0600, Kim Phillips kim.phillips@freescale.com wrote:
On Mon, 4 Mar 2013 10:30:45 -0800 Curt Brune curt@cumulusnetworks.com wrote:
Hello -
I want to pass a number of arguments from u-boot to the booted kernel. The arguments are needed by user space applications, not the kernel.
I can think of two ways:
- append args by setting "bootargs".
- add nodes to the dtb before booting.
Is there a preferred way to pass information like this?
Like I said the arguments are not needed by the kernel device drivers, but by user space applications.
I like the structure of nodes in the dtb.
please don't dual-purpose device trees as a mechanism of getting arguments through the kernel into userspace - device trees strictly describe the hardware.
Why not? The chosen node in particular is for software configuration. I don't have any problem with passing U-Boot extra data through the chosen node. Just don't go crazy and please document it.
g.
participants (6)
-
Curt Brune -
Grant Likely -
Kim Phillips -
Simon Glass -
Tom Rini -
Wolfgang Denk