Re: [PATCH] ax25.h unsigned long type for ax25 timers

[Al <awvger@sunnyside.com>]

Actually on closer inspection, the items are reordered, which would 
break existing compiled programs, so I'll have to reverse myself on this.
Sorry for the distraction.
Al

Al wrote:
> David
> My impression was that the proposed change did NOT change binary 
> interfaces to the kernel, but correctly labeled fields for the first 
> time specifically as "long" instead of the fuzzy definition as "int".
> While it's true that a non-386 system where "int" is not a "long" 
> would be adversely affected, there appear not to be any of those 
> (rare) systems running this software, so the point seems entirely moot.
> The proposed change improves strict type checking and makes a cleaner 
> definition.
> I say let it in.
> Al
>
> David Miller wrote:
>> From: Bernard Pidoux <bpidoux@free.fr>
>> Date: Tue, 17 Jun 2008 15:04:38 +0200
>>
>>  
>>> In linux/include/linux/ax25.h
>>> ax25_info_struct timers types remain unsigned
>>>
>>> struct ax25_info_struct {
>>>     unsigned int    n2, n2count;
>>>     unsigned int    t1, t1timer;
>>>     unsigned int    t2, t2timer;
>>>     unsigned int    t3, t3timer;
>>>     unsigned int    idle, idletimer;
>>>         .....
>>> };
>>>
>>> while in linux/include/net/ax25.h timers are unsigned long according
>>> to kernel 2.6 timers.
>>>
>>> typedef struct ax25_cb {
>>>         .....
>>>         struct timer_list       t1timer, t2timer, t3timer, idletimer;
>>>         unsigned long           t1, t2, t3, idle, rtt;
>>>         ....
>>>
>>> Although ax25_info_struct is not much used it is refered at least
>>> into libax25 and xfbb BBS application program.
>>>
>>> It seems thus reasonable to make the change.
>>>
>>> Signed-off-by: Bernard Pidoux <f6bvp@amsat.org>
>>>     
>>
>> Unfortunately this datastructure is exported to userspace,
>> and therefore we cannot change the structure layout without
>> breaking userspace.
>>
>> We cannot, as a result, make this change.
>>
>> The only way to fix this is to make a new fixed structure, and add new
>> ax25 calls that accept this new structure.
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