searching for a missing driver

searching for a missing driver

[Hugo Lefeuvre]

Hi,

I've been reading documentation about linux drivers development for
quite a while now, but never did anything really useful of it. Lack of
time, but most importantly lack of projects to apply this knowledge.
Now I've got some spare time ahead of me, and it seems to be the
right moment to start a kernel driver project.

... but I don't know exactly what kind of device driver I want to
write, and what kind of device I want to work on.

I think I could have fun working on usb drivers, expecially after
reading this blog post[0], but I don't know if it's the best for a
first driver project.

Is there a place where I can find a list of devices missing kernel
drivers ? Can you recommend me a type of device I should opt for, given
that this is going to be my first driver project ? A specific device ?

Having to reverse engineer stuff isn't much of a problem for me, as long
as it doesn't get too far into the "black magic" land. ;)

Also, if you have any kind of advices for people starting their first
driver project, I'd be glad to hear them.

Thanks !

Cheers,
 Hugo

[0] http://matthias.vallentin.net/blog/2007/04/writing-a-linux-kernel-driver-for-an-unknown-usb-device/

-- 
             Hugo Lefeuvre (hle)    |    www.owl.eu.com
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searching for a missing driver

[Greg KH]

On Tue, May 22, 2018 at 10:25:51PM -0400, Hugo Lefeuvre wrote:
> Hi,
> 
> I've been reading documentation about linux drivers development for
> quite a while now, but never did anything really useful of it. Lack of
> time, but most importantly lack of projects to apply this knowledge.
> Now I've got some spare time ahead of me, and it seems to be the
> right moment to start a kernel driver project.
> 
> ... but I don't know exactly what kind of device driver I want to
> write, and what kind of device I want to work on.

It's best to find a device you care about, that does not work on Linux,
to do something like this, as you are going to be working on it for a
while.

But the problem is, as you are finding out, that almost everything
already "just works" in Linux.  Turns out Linux supports more hardware
than any other operating system, sorry :)

Try digging around in shops that sell "odd hardware", that might be the
best way to find something like this.

good luck!

greg k-h

searching for a missing driver

[Ozgur Kara]

23.05.2018, 09:06, "Greg KH" <greg@kroah.com>:
> On Tue, May 22, 2018 at 10:25:51PM -0400, Hugo Lefeuvre wrote:
>> ?Hi,
>>
>> ?I've been reading documentation about linux drivers development for
>> ?quite a while now, but never did anything really useful of it. Lack of
>> ?time, but most importantly lack of projects to apply this knowledge.
>> ?Now I've got some spare time ahead of me, and it seems to be the
>> ?right moment to start a kernel driver project.
>>
>> ?... but I don't know exactly what kind of device driver I want to
>> ?write, and what kind of device I want to work on.
>
> It's best to find a device you care about, that does not work on Linux,
> to do something like this, as you are going to be working on it for a
> while.
>
> But the problem is, as you are finding out, that almost everything
> already "just works" in Linux. Turns out Linux supports more hardware
> than any other operating system, sorry :)

:) 

I think seen the drivers/staging section in the kernel source. 
you can find a driver in the development phase.
for example, some new generation embedded modules and electronic devices don't work on Linux.

ps = raspian

Regards

Ozgur

> Try digging around in shops that sell "odd hardware", that might be the
> best way to find something like this.
>
> good luck!
>
> greg k-h

searching for a missing driver

[Greg KH]

On Wed, May 23, 2018 at 09:26:31AM +0300, Ozgur Kara wrote:
> I think seen the drivers/staging section in the kernel source. 

Yes, starting out with drivers/staging/*/TODO is always a good idea.

> for example, some new generation embedded modules and electronic devices don't work on Linux.

Really?  Like what?

thanks,

greg k-h

searching for a missing driver

[Ozgur Kara]

23.05.2018, 09:48, "Greg KH" <greg@kroah.com>:
> On Wed, May 23, 2018 at 09:26:31AM +0300, Ozgur Kara wrote:
>> ?I think seen the drivers/staging section in the kernel source.
>
> Yes, starting out with drivers/staging/*/TODO is always a good idea.
>
>> ?for example, some new generation embedded modules and electronic devices don't work on Linux.
>
> Really? Like what?

For example kernel's no have drivers for some sensors, I also couldn't identify the PCI card for automation and no driver in the kernel.

CP-168U RS232 PCI Card
Wireless Nozzle Reader MTI125
NXP MPU6050
MPU6050

I hope I'm not wrong :)

Regards

Ozgur

> thanks,
>
> greg k-h

searching for a missing driver

[Greg KH]

On Wed, May 23, 2018 at 10:01:49AM +0300, Ozgur Kara wrote:
> 
> 
> 23.05.2018, 09:48, "Greg KH" <greg@kroah.com>:
> > On Wed, May 23, 2018 at 09:26:31AM +0300, Ozgur Kara wrote:
> >> ?I think seen the drivers/staging section in the kernel source.
> >
> > Yes, starting out with drivers/staging/*/TODO is always a good idea.
> >
> >> ?for example, some new generation embedded modules and electronic devices don't work on Linux.
> >
> > Really? Like what?
> 
> For example kernel's no have drivers for some sensors, I also couldn't identify the PCI card for automation and no driver in the kernel.
> 
> CP-168U RS232 PCI Card

Odss are, this "just works" if it is a normal serial port card.  If not,
it should be trivial to get working.

> Wireless Nozzle Reader MTI125
> NXP MPU6050
> MPU6050
> 
> I hope I'm not wrong :)

We have loads of iio drivers in the kernel, try digging based on the PCI
id values.  For example, look at drivers/iio/imu/inv_mpu6050/ :)

But yes, sensors are a great way to get involved in driver writing, they
are usually pretty simple and all they need are to be hooked up to the
iio interface.  A data sheet is usually needed to determine the units
and values the sensors provide, but those should not be hard to come by.

good luck!

greg k-h

searching for a missing driver

[Hugo Lefeuvre]

Hi Greg and Ozgur,

> But yes, sensors are a great way to get involved in driver writing, they
> are usually pretty simple and all they need are to be hooked up to the
> iio interface.  A data sheet is usually needed to determine the units
> and values the sensors provide, but those should not be hard to come by.

Thanks for your answers. I'm going to take a look at TODO entries in
staging, and at sensor drivers then. You might see me come back later
with questions. :)

Happy hacking !

Regards,
 Hugo

-- 
             Hugo Lefeuvre (hle)    |    www.owl.eu.com
4096/ 9C4F C8BF A4B0 8FC5 48EB 56B8 1962 765B B9A8 BACA