Re: [Qemu-devel] Config file support

[Paul Brook <paul@codesourcery.com>]

> >> >> > I've been considering a machine config file for a while, but
> >> >> > haven't come up with a coherent way of representing everything yet.
> >>
> >>    I'm glad this discussion was brought up on the list. And I'd like
> >> to also bring back another related issue - what about providing
> >> "plugin" system for device (chip) implementation, in addition to
> >> flexible-format machine config allowing to construct "virtual boards"
> >> out of them?
> >
> > IMHO we already have a fairly good device model, and it's not hard to add
> > new devices.
>
>   Maybe. But where are new chips in qemu? 

You mean like m68k I just committed, and sh4 that got added not so long ago?

Or the LSI SCSI emulation? Or the PCnet and rtl8139 NIC emulation?

>   Why there're still only 2 ARM boards?

It's actually 3 (another with 2 minor variants of those boards), and there are 
at least 3 other (incomplete) ports have been posted on the list but not 
merged.

> How do I "stick" wi-fi card in one of them?

Huh? Same way you add any other device. Call the init function and get it to 
register its resources.

> So the concern  
> is not just if it's easy to add new devices or not, but if there're means
> to actually support appearance and growth of device library. Plugin system
> would be a "decree" that there's a stable API to define devices and
> welcome for 3rd-party developers to develop them.
>
>   And well, patching source is not really that easy a way to "add new
> devices".

I don't believe that. Adding 2 lines to a Makefile is probably easier than 
building an independent plugin.

Paul