Re: [PATCH v1] arm64: dts: imx8qm: add ethernet aliases

[Krzysztof Kozlowski <krzk@kernel.org>]

On 25/04/2025 18:39, Krzysztof Kozlowski wrote:
> On 25/04/2025 18:36, Krzysztof Kozlowski wrote:
>> On 22/04/2025 12:02, Francesco Dolcini wrote:
>>> From: Francesco Dolcini <francesco.dolcini@toradex.com>
>>>
>>> Add ethernet aliases, they are used by the firmware to set the MAC
>>> address and by systemd to rename network interfaces to predictable
>>> interface names, e.g. end0 and end1.
>>>
>>> Signed-off-by: Francesco Dolcini <francesco.dolcini@toradex.com>
>>> ---
>>>  arch/arm64/boot/dts/freescale/imx8qm.dtsi | 2 ++
>>>  1 file changed, 2 insertions(+)
>>>
>>> diff --git a/arch/arm64/boot/dts/freescale/imx8qm.dtsi b/arch/arm64/boot/dts/freescale/imx8qm.dtsi
>>> index 6fa31bc9ece8..eccd0087efa7 100644
>>> --- a/arch/arm64/boot/dts/freescale/imx8qm.dtsi
>>> +++ b/arch/arm64/boot/dts/freescale/imx8qm.dtsi
>>> @@ -17,6 +17,8 @@ / {
>>>  	#size-cells = <2>;
>>>  
>>>  	aliases {
>>> +		ethernet0 = &fec1;
>>> +		ethernet1 = &fec2;
>> Can't they be disabled (e.g. because MAC is external?) on actual board?
>> IOW, aliases for exposed interfaces are properties of boards, not SoC.
>>
>> What's more, I cannot find these in this DTSI, so how can you add alias
>> to non-existing node?
> 
> I found them (terrible design by NXP) but they are disabled so that's
> the point - adding aliases to disabled nodes is clear sign you are doing
> it wrong.

I'll fix existing NXP boards because this pattern of adding aliases for
disabled (thus non-existing) interface is in multiple places.

Best regards,
Krzysztof