Re: [PATCH 3/3] mpc52xx/wdt: WDT uses GPT api

[Wim Van Sebroeck <wim@iguana.be>]

Hi All,

>> Can the WDT functionality just be merged entirely into
>> arch/powerpc/platforms/52xx/mpc52xx_gpt.c, eliminating the need for
>> this file entirely?  I think I'd rather have all the GPT "built in"
>> behaviour handled by a single driver.
>
> I also thought about it, as it has IMHO the cleaner code, and it would have the extra benefit that the gpt-wdt api doesn't need to be public.
>
> However, the reasons I hesitated to do so are:
> - I don't want to remove a file someone else wrote (even it doesn't work);
> - WDT code is shifted from drivers/watchdog to arch/powerpc/platforms/52xx which might not be the "logical" place from the directory layout's pov;
> - a file living in arch/powerpc/platforms/52xx depends upon config options set from drivers/watchdog/Kconfig which may be confusing.
>
> You see these are more political/cosmetical questions, so I would prefer to leave the decision to the maintainers (i.e. you and Wim).  Preparing a fully merged driver is actually a matter of minutes!

My opinion: it is harder to maintain the watchdog code if it is being moved away from drivers/watchdog.
I need to check the code before I comment any further on this, but my first thought is: why don't you do it with platform resources like other devices are doing? This way you can keep the platform code under arch and the watchdog itself under drivers/watchdog/. You can look at the following drivers as an example: adx_wdt.c ar7_wdt.c at32ap700x_wdt.c coh901327_wdt.c davinci_wdt.c mpcore_wdt.c mv64x60_wdt.c nuc900_wdt.c omap_wdt.c pnx4008_wdt.c rc32434_wdt.c s3c2410_wdt.c txx9wdt.c .

Kind regards,
Wim.