can dependency on CONFIG_NET be dropped for

can dependency on CONFIG_NET be dropped for

[Robert P. J. Day]

  based on a discussion on another mailing list, it would appear that
this dependency in kernel/sysctl.c is overkill:

#if defined(CONFIG_HOTPLUG) && defined(CONFIG_NET)
        {
                .procname       = "hotplug",
                .data           = &uevent_helper,
                .maxlen         = UEVENT_HELPER_PATH_LEN,
                .mode           = 0644,
                .proc_handler   = proc_dostring,
        },
#endif

  as someone else explained, there is no need for that CONFIG_NET
dependency anymore, is there?  as i read it, you'll already have
hotplug support -- all the above gives you is the
/proc/sys/kernel/hotplug file that allows you to override the default
setting of /sbin/hotplug, yes?

  in the simple case, if it's feasible, one could just drop that
second dependency.  or if you wanted to make the proc file a truly
separate config choice, just invent a new Kconfig variable like, say,
HOTPLUG_PROC_FILE which depends on HOTPLUG.

  thoughts?

rday

p.s.  the poster on the other list referred to these links:

http://article.gmane.org/gmane.linux.kernel/363682
http://article.gmane.org/gmane.linux.kernel/402057

by way of explanation.

-- 

====================================
Robert P. J. Day                               Waterloo, Ontario, CANADA

            Linux Consulting, Training and Kernel Pedantry.

Web page:                                          http://crashcourse.ca
Twitter:                                       http://twitter.com/rpjday
====================================

Re: can dependency on CONFIG_NET be dropped for

[Greg KH]

On Mon, Jun 07, 2010 at 07:53:19AM -0400, Robert P. J. Day wrote:
> 
>   based on a discussion on another mailing list, it would appear that
> this dependency in kernel/sysctl.c is overkill:
> 
> #if defined(CONFIG_HOTPLUG) && defined(CONFIG_NET)
>         {
>                 .procname       = "hotplug",
>                 .data           = &uevent_helper,
>                 .maxlen         = UEVENT_HELPER_PATH_LEN,
>                 .mode           = 0644,
>                 .proc_handler   = proc_dostring,
>         },
> #endif
> 
>   as someone else explained, there is no need for that CONFIG_NET
> dependency anymore, is there?

Try changing it and building, I think there is a dependancy resolution
problem if it is removed.  Look at the commit history for the lines for
details.

> as i read it, you'll already have hotplug support -- all the above
> gives you is the /proc/sys/kernel/hotplug file that allows you to
> override the default setting of /sbin/hotplug, yes?

Yes.  Which is pretty obsolete these days anyway.

>   in the simple case, if it's feasible, one could just drop that
> second dependency.  or if you wanted to make the proc file a truly
> separate config choice, just invent a new Kconfig variable like, say,
> HOTPLUG_PROC_FILE which depends on HOTPLUG.
> 
>   thoughts?

Is it really worth the change?

thanks,

greg k-h