Re: [PATCH] make: add modules_update target

[Sam Ravnborg <sam@ravnborg.org>]

On Sat, Apr 15, 2006 at 11:02:08AM -0400, Theodore Ts'o wrote:
> On Sat, Apr 15, 2006 at 10:40:58AM +0200, Sam Ravnborg wrote:
> > The problem to be solved is the long time it takes to do
> > "make modules_install" when working on a single module.
> > Instead of bringing in more or less complex solutions what about
> > extending "make dir/module.ko" to include the installation of the
> > module.
> > 
> > Something like:
> > "make MI=1 dir/module.ko"
> > where MI=1 tells us to install the said module.
> 
> Um, wouldn't that imply that either (a) the compile is being done as
> root, or (b) the /lib/modules/* is writeable by a non-root userid?  I
> suppose the install command could be prefixed by sudo, but that seems
> awkward (and not everyone uses sudo).

kbuild has support for the above scenario already - I just forgot.
Say you are hacking ext3.
Do a successfull make and install all modules.
Manually remove the ext3 module from /lib/modules/...
And use the external module support in kbuild like this:

# Got to relevant directory
$> cd fs/ext3

# To build the module:
$> make -C ../.. M=`pwd`

# To install the module:
$> make -C ../.. M=`pwd` modules_install

	Sam