[Query] ethtool cumbersome timestamping options

["Russell King (Oracle)" <linux@armlinux.org.uk>]

While spending some time with PTP stuff, specifically my Marvell PTP
library, and getting mv88e6xxx converted to it, etc, I was trying
out the timestamping related ethtool options:

        ethtool [ FLAGS ] -T|--show-time-stamping DEVNAME       Show time stamping capabilities
                [ index N qualifier precise|approx ]
        ethtool [ FLAGS ] --get-hwtimestamp-cfg DEVNAME Get selected hardware time stamping
        ethtool [ FLAGS ] --set-hwtimestamp-cfg DEVNAME Select hardware time stamping
                [ index N qualifier precise|approx ]

and I'm finding them particularly cumbersome and irritating to use.

Typing:

  ethtool -T eth0 index 0 qualifier precise

or

  ethtool -T eth0 index 1 qualifier precise

is quite annoying, especially when the man page states:

           qualifier precise|approx
                  Qualifier of the ptp hardware clock. Mainly "precise" the de‐
                  fault one is for IEEE 1588 quality and "approx" is  for  NICs
                  DMA point.

Note "the default one". That implies if it isn't given, this is what
will be used if it isn't specified, but this isn't so, you have to
type the whole "qualifier precise" thing out each and every time.
So, it isn't a default at all.

Either the man page needs to be fixed, or ethtool needs to actually
default to the value stated in the man page.

Alternatively, in this age of AI, I'd suggest changing the -- options
for timestamping to be:

ethtool --please-would-you-be-so-kind-as-to-change-the-timestamping-device-to
...

and

ethtool --please-show-me-the-current-timestamping-device-information

and similar, because with AI giving the commands to be executed, it
no longer matters how verbose command options are today. :D (I
suspect there will be some who will have a humour failure with that
suggestion...)

Thanks.

-- 
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