Re: [PATCH] scripts/config: properly report and set string options

["Yann E. MORIN" <yann.morin.1998@free.fr>]

Jonathan, All,

On Tuesday 10 April 2012 15:57:53 Jonathan Nieder wrote:
> Yann E. MORIN wrote:
> >   - it breaks the build for users that tweak the kernel configuration from
> >     an upper-layer (aka 'integrated') build-system, using this script which
> >     is bundled with the kernel in the first place.
> 
> The questions I have are, did using special characters like this work
> before or is support for values with quotes inside just a new feature?

2.6.29 (first that had this script) allows for escaped double-quotes.
The oldest I tested, 2.6.20, also allowed escaped double-quotes.

> Or is there some wrapper around the linux makefile that automatically
> uses values with quotes on them, making it effectively impossible for
> some class of people to run some versions of Linux?

The scenario involves an upper-layer build system that:
  - is responsible for settings the kernel options based on global
    configuration (eg. the same kernel build for different boards)
    and/or options set by users (eg. I want USB camera support)
  - uses scripts/config to set/unset options rather than implementing
    its own logic
  - in this case the version string can be set to include the user's
    name, which may contain double-quotes (eg. John "Ripper" Smith)

For projects that decided to go with a stable version as the development
base (and won't update for the foreseeable future), then this is a (minor)
inconvenience (although the fix is easily back-ported).

> I don't expect this patch to cause problems for people, but it is a
> good practice to explain what scenario justifies backporting a patch
> to the stable series, if only because it keeps the volume of patches
> to search through when there is a new bug down.

From what I understand from Greg's reply, this patch will be dropped from
stable (and I do understand his position and your concerns).

Regards,
Yann E. MORIN.

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