Re: [PATCH 5/5] ACPI, APEI, Document for APEI

Pavel Machek
2010-01-07T07:34:25Z

> On Thu, 2010-01-07 at 15:12 +0800, Pavel Machek wrote:
> > On Wed 2010-01-06 15:21:43, Huang Ying wrote:
> > > On Wed, 2010-01-06 at 15:16 +0800, Pavel Machek wrote:
> > > > > > +The user interface of EINJ is in debug file system, under the
> > > > > > +directory apei/einj. The following files are provided.
> > > > > > +
> > > > > > +- available_error_type
> > > > > > + Read this file will return the error injection capability of the
> > > > > > + platform, that is, which error types are supported. The error type
> > > > > > + definition is as follow, the left field is the error type value, the
> > > > > > + right field is error description.
> > > > > > +
> > > > > > + 0x00000001 Processor Correctable
> > > > > > + 0x00000002 Processor Uncorrectable non-fatal
> > > > > > + 0x00000004 Processor Uncorrectable fatal
> > > > > > + 0x00000008 Memory Correctable
> > > > > > + 0x00000010 Memory Uncorrectable non-fatal
> > > > > > + 0x00000020 Memory Uncorrectable fatal
> > > > > > + 0x00000040 PCI Express Correctable
> > > > > > + 0x00000080 PCI Express Uncorrectable fatal
> > > > > > + 0x00000100 PCI Express Uncorrectable non-fatal
> > > > > > + 0x00000200 Platform Correctable
> > > > > > + 0x00000400 Platform Uncorrectable non-fatal
> > > > > > + 0x00000800 Platform Uncorrectable fatal
> > > > > > +
> > > > > > + The format of file contents are as above, except there are only the
> > > > > > + available error type lines.
> > > >
> > > > Strange interface. Why not simply pass single integer -- the bit mask?
> > > > Bit meanings are not going to change, anyway.
> > >
> > > I have used bit mask in previous versions. But I think this version has
> > > better readability.
> >
> > Better usability for humans, but kernel interfaces are not for
> > humans. Please revert to bit mask.
>
> I think this interface is for humans too. Maybe we can provide both bit
> mask and human readable explanation as now.

It sucks as a kernel interface. If you want nice interface for humans,
create a script.
Pavel
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