[RFC PATCH 1/3] build: deprecate kernel dir option

[Bruce Richardson <bruce.richardson@intel.com>]

The kernel_dir option does nothing, so it can be deprecated and removed
in future.

Signed-off-by: Bruce Richardson <bruce.richardson@intel.com>
---
 doc/guides/rel_notes/deprecation.rst | 4 ++++
 meson_options.txt                    | 2 +-
 2 files changed, 5 insertions(+), 1 deletion(-)

diff --git a/doc/guides/rel_notes/deprecation.rst b/doc/guides/rel_notes/deprecation.rst
index 17f90a6352..ed1dda6008 100644
--- a/doc/guides/rel_notes/deprecation.rst
+++ b/doc/guides/rel_notes/deprecation.rst
@@ -17,6 +17,10 @@ Other API and ABI deprecation notices are to be posted below.
 Deprecation Notices
 -------------------
 
+* build: The following meson build options are deprecated and will be removed in a future release:
+
+  - ``kernel_dir``: option unused as Linux kernel drivers are in a separate ``dpdk-kmods`` repository.
+
 * kvargs: The function ``rte_kvargs_process`` will get a new parameter
   for returning key match count. It will ease handling of no-match case.
 
diff --git a/meson_options.txt b/meson_options.txt
index e28d24054c..7bd5ebc084 100644
--- a/meson_options.txt
+++ b/meson_options.txt
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ option('ibverbs_link', type: 'combo', choices : ['static', 'shared', 'dlopen'],
 option('include_subdir_arch', type: 'string', value: '', description:
        'subdirectory where to install arch-dependent headers')
 option('kernel_dir', type: 'string', value: '', description:
-       'Path to the kernel for building kernel modules. Headers must be in $kernel_dir or $kernel_dir/build. Modules will be installed in /lib/modules.')
+       '[Deprecated] Value unused. Previously, path to the kernel for building kernel modules.')
 option('machine', type: 'string', value: 'auto', description:
        'Alias of cpu_instruction_set.')
 option('max_ethports', type: 'integer', value: 32, description:
-- 
2.53.0