[U-Boot-Users] Using 'ver' env var

[U-Boot-Users] Using 'ver' env var

[Zach Sadecki]

I would like to be able to identify the u-boot version from linux.  At
first this seemed straight-forward, simply enable
CONFIG_VERSION_VARIABLE and use fw_printenv in linux.

This, of course, doesn't work, as 'ver' is not saveenv'ed and
fw_printenv just pulls the info from flash (or whereever).  Writing a
routine in the board init file (last_stage_init) doesn't help, as 'ver'
is set after that is run and therefore the stored version string is the
old one (if an update occurs).

So this is a 2 part question...  What good is the 'ver' env var?  It's
apparently only useful in u-boot itself and u-boot already has a
'version' command that gives you the same info.  And second, I'm sure
I'm not the first person to want to see u-boot version in linux, so how
have other accomplished this?

Thanks,
  Zach

[U-Boot-Users] Using 'ver' env var

[Wolfgang Denk]

In message <5CBE65F7D9232C47861CB09B0954861C66A911@MAIL.infinitychannel.local> you wrote:
> 
> This, of course, doesn't work, as 'ver' is not saveenv'ed and

What makes you think so? saveenv does not do any filtering to exclude
any variable, so of course it gets saved, too.

> So this is a 2 part question...  What good is the 'ver' env var?  It's

To print the U-Boot version without need to reset the board.

> apparently only useful in u-boot itself and u-boot already has a
> 'version' command that gives you the same info.  And second, I'm sure
> I'm not the first person to want to see u-boot version in linux, so how
> have other accomplished this?

Just read the "ver" variable.

Best regards,

Wolfgang Denk

-- 
DENX Software Engineering GmbH,     MD: Wolfgang Denk & Detlev Zundel
HRB 165235 Munich, Office: Kirchenstr.5, D-82194 Groebenzell, Germany
Phone: (+49)-8142-66989-10 Fax: (+49)-8142-66989-80 Email: wd at denx.de
Es ist nicht genug zu wissen, man mu? auch anwenden; es ist nicht ge-
nug zu wollen, man mu? auch tun.   -- Goethe, Maximen und Reflexionen

[U-Boot-Users] Using 'ver' env var

[Zach Sadecki]

> > 
> > This, of course, doesn't work, as 'ver' is not saveenv'ed and
> 
> What makes you think so? saveenv does not do any filtering to exclude
> any variable, so of course it gets saved, too.

It does, but only if you explicitly call 'saveenv'...  It does not store
on it's own.

> 
> > So this is a 2 part question...  What good is the 'ver' env 
> var?  It's
> 
> To print the U-Boot version without need to reset the board.

But you can print it using 'version', too...  And unless you explictly
save it,
the 'ver' env var does nothing more for you than the 'version' command,
as it 
Can't be accessed anywhere other then from the u-boot command prompt...

> 
> > apparently only useful in u-boot itself and u-boot already has a
> > 'version' command that gives you the same info.  And 
> second, I'm sure
> > I'm not the first person to want to see u-boot version in 
> linux, so how
> > have other accomplished this?
> 
> Just read the "ver" variable.

If you don't explicitly 'saveenv' there is no 'ver' variable to read
from linux...
And it can't be good for the flash to force u-boot to save on every
boot.

So if I update (from linux for example) 'ver' doesn't get updated unless
u-boot is
doing a saveenv on every boot...

Thanks,
	Zach

[U-Boot-Users] Using 'ver' env var

[Wolfgang Denk]

In message <5CBE65F7D9232C47861CB09B0954861C66A93C@MAIL.infinitychannel.local> you wrote:
> 
> > What makes you think so? saveenv does not do any filtering to exclude
> > any variable, so of course it gets saved, too.
> 
> It does, but only if you explicitly call 'saveenv'...  It does not store
> on it's own.

Of course. U-Boot usually does only what you tell it.

> > To print the U-Boot version without need to reset the board.
> 
> But you can print it using 'version', too...  And unless you explictly
> save it,
> the 'ver' env var does nothing more for you than the 'version' command,

You  can  use  the  variable  in  commands,  like  for   implementing
version-dependent things, or test it, or ...

> Can't be accessed anywhere other then from the u-boot command prompt...

It is a normal environment variable like any other. It  can  be  used
whenever  and  whererver  other variables can get used. This includes
saving to flash and reading the flash from Linux.

> If you don't explicitly 'saveenv' there is no 'ver' variable to read
> from linux...
> And it can't be good for the flash to force u-boot to save on every
> boot.

It's not needed to save this on every boot. It's perfectly sufficient
to save it once after you've installed and booted a  new  version  of
U-Boot.

> So if I update (from linux for example) 'ver' doesn't get updated unless
> u-boot is
> doing a saveenv on every boot...

Not on every boot. It's sufficient to perform this on the first boot.

Best regards,

Wolfgang Denk

-- 
DENX Software Engineering GmbH,     MD: Wolfgang Denk & Detlev Zundel
HRB 165235 Munich, Office: Kirchenstr.5, D-82194 Groebenzell, Germany
Phone: (+49)-8142-66989-10 Fax: (+49)-8142-66989-80 Email: wd at denx.de
'What shall we do?' said Twoflower.  'Panic?'  said  Rincewind  hope-
fully. He always held that panic was the best means of survival; back
in  the  olden days, his theory went, people faced with hungry sabre-
toothed tigers could be divided very simply in those who panicked and
those who stood there saying 'What a magnificent  brute!'  or  'Here,
pussy.'                      - Terry Pratchett, _The Light Fantastic_

[U-Boot-Users] Using 'ver' env var

[Ulf Samuelsson]

> If you don't explicitly 'saveenv' there is no 'ver' variable to read
> from linux...
> And it can't be good for the flash to force u-boot to save on every
> boot.
> 
> So if I update (from linux for example) 'ver' doesn't get updated unless
> u-boot is
> doing a saveenv on every boot...

Maybe saving the environment (with ver) should be forced if "ver" is not
the same as the U-Boot version.

Best Regards
Ulf Samuelsson

[U-Boot-Users] Using 'ver' env var

[Zach Sadecki]

Ulf, 
  I was thinking this already..  I just thought that I was missing
something which is why I asked the questions.  I'll send a patch to
the group for review later.

Zach

> > If you don't explicitly 'saveenv' there is no 'ver' variable to read
> > from linux...
> > And it can't be good for the flash to force u-boot to save on every
> > boot.
> > 
> > So if I update (from linux for example) 'ver' doesn't get 
> updated unless
> > u-boot is
> > doing a saveenv on every boot...
> 
> Maybe saving the environment (with ver) should be forced if 
> "ver" is not
> the same as the U-Boot version.
> 
> Best Regards
> Ulf Samuelsson
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 

[U-Boot-Users] PATCH: save 'ver' env var on update

[Zach Sadecki]

diff --git a/common/main.c b/common/main.c
index 379695c..429d367 100644
--- a/common/main.c
+++ b/common/main.c
@@ -326,10 +326,11 @@ void main_loop (void)
 #endif  /* CONFIG_MODEM_SUPPORT */

 #ifdef CONFIG_VERSION_VARIABLE
+       extern char version_string[];
+       if (strcmp(getenv("ver"), version_string))
        {
-               extern char version_string[];
-
                setenv ("ver", version_string);  /* set version variable
*/
+               run_command("saveenv", 0);
        }
 #endif /* CONFIG_VERSION_VARIABLE */



> -----Original Message-----
> From: u-boot-users-bounces at lists.sourceforge.net 
> [mailto:u-boot-users-bounces at lists.sourceforge.net] On Behalf 
> Of Zach Sadecki
> Sent: Monday, August 13, 2007 4:25 PM
> To: ulf at atmel.com
> Cc: u-boot-users at lists.sourceforge.net; wd at denx.de
> Subject: Re: [U-Boot-Users] Using 'ver' env var
> 
> Ulf, 
>   I was thinking this already..  I just thought that I was missing
> something which is why I asked the questions.  I'll send a patch to
> the group for review later.
> 
> Zach
> 
> > > If you don't explicitly 'saveenv' there is no 'ver' 
> variable to read
> > > from linux...
> > > And it can't be good for the flash to force u-boot to 
> save on every
> > > boot.
> > > 
> > > So if I update (from linux for example) 'ver' doesn't get 
> > updated unless
> > > u-boot is
> > > doing a saveenv on every boot...
> > 
> > Maybe saving the environment (with ver) should be forced if 
> > "ver" is not
> > the same as the U-Boot version.
> > 
> > Best Regards
> > Ulf Samuelsson
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > 
> 
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[U-Boot-Users] PATCH: save 'ver' env var on update

[Zach Sadecki]

Let's try this again, with a signed off by line.

Signed-off-by: Zach Sadecki <zach.sadecki@ripcode.com>
 

diff --git a/common/main.c b/common/main.c
index 379695c..429d367 100644
--- a/common/main.c
+++ b/common/main.c
@@ -326,10 +326,11 @@ void main_loop (void)
 #endif  /* CONFIG_MODEM_SUPPORT */

 #ifdef CONFIG_VERSION_VARIABLE
+       extern char version_string[];
+       if (strcmp(getenv("ver"), version_string))
        {
-               extern char version_string[];
-
                setenv ("ver", version_string);  /* set version variable*/
+               run_command("saveenv", 0);
        }
 #endif /* CONFIG_VERSION_VARIABLE */



> -----Original Message-----
> From: u-boot-users-bounces at lists.sourceforge.net 
> [mailto:u-boot-users-bounces at lists.sourceforge.net] On Behalf 
> Of Zach Sadecki
> Sent: Monday, August 13, 2007 4:25 PM
> To: ulf at atmel.com
> Cc: u-boot-users at lists.sourceforge.net; wd at denx.de
> Subject: Re: [U-Boot-Users] Using 'ver' env var
> 
> Ulf, 
>   I was thinking this already..  I just thought that I was missing
> something which is why I asked the questions.  I'll send a patch to
> the group for review later.
> 
> Zach
> 
> > > If you don't explicitly 'saveenv' there is no 'ver' 
> variable to read
> > > from linux...
> > > And it can't be good for the flash to force u-boot to 
> save on every
> > > boot.
> > > 
> > > So if I update (from linux for example) 'ver' doesn't get 
> > updated unless
> > > u-boot is
> > > doing a saveenv on every boot...
> > 
> > Maybe saving the environment (with ver) should be forced if 
> > "ver" is not
> > the same as the U-Boot version.
> > 
> > Best Regards
> > Ulf Samuelsson
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > 
> 
> --------------------------------------------------------------
> -----------
> This SF.net email is sponsored by: Splunk Inc.
> Still grepping through log files to find problems?  Stop.
> Now Search log events and configuration files using AJAX and 
> a browser.
> Download your FREE copy of Splunk now >>  http://get.splunk.com/
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> U-Boot-Users at lists.sourceforge.net
> https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/u-boot-users
> 

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[U-Boot-Users] PATCH: save 'ver' env var on update

[Wolfgang Denk]

In message <5CBE65F7D9232C47861CB09B0954861C2FD901@MAIL.infinitychannel.local> you wrote:
> 
> Let's try this again, with a signed off by line.
> 
> Signed-off-by: Zach Sadecki <zach.sadecki@ripcode.com>

Still NAK for the known reasons.

And please don't top post / full quote.

Best regards,

Wolfgang Denk

-- 
DENX Software Engineering GmbH,     MD: Wolfgang Denk & Detlev Zundel
HRB 165235 Munich, Office: Kirchenstr.5, D-82194 Groebenzell, Germany
Phone: (+49)-8142-66989-10 Fax: (+49)-8142-66989-80 Email: wd at denx.de
... The things love can drive a man to -- the  ecstasies,  the  mise-
ries,  the broken rules, the desperate chances, the glorious failures
and the glorious victories.
	-- McCoy, "Requiem for Methuselah", stardate 5843.7

[U-Boot-Users] PATCH: save 'ver' env var on update

[Wolfgang Denk]

In message <5CBE65F7D9232C47861CB09B0954861C66A986@MAIL.infinitychannel.local> you wrote:
> 
> diff --git a/common/main.c b/common/main.c
> index 379695c..429d367 100644
> --- a/common/main.c
> +++ b/common/main.c
> @@ -326,10 +326,11 @@ void main_loop (void)
>  #endif  /* CONFIG_MODEM_SUPPORT */
> 
>  #ifdef CONFIG_VERSION_VARIABLE
> +       extern char version_string[];
> +       if (strcmp(getenv("ver"), version_string))
>         {
> -               extern char version_string[];
> -
>                 setenv ("ver", version_string);  /* set version variable
> */
> +               run_command("saveenv", 0);
>         }
>  #endif /* CONFIG_VERSION_VARIABLE */

As mentioned before, I reject this patch.

U-Boot is not supposed to do such things like writing  to  the  flash
"automagically".

If you need this function, please implement it as a script.

[And BTW: is there a special reason why you did not call do_saveenv()
directly?]

Best regards,

Wolfgang Denk

-- 
DENX Software Engineering GmbH,     MD: Wolfgang Denk & Detlev Zundel
HRB 165235 Munich, Office: Kirchenstr.5, D-82194 Groebenzell, Germany
Phone: (+49)-8142-66989-10 Fax: (+49)-8142-66989-80 Email: wd at denx.de
In an infinite universe all things are possible, including the possi-
bility that the universe does not exist.
                        - Terry Pratchett, _The Dark Side of the Sun_

[U-Boot-Users] Using 'ver' env var

[Wolfgang Denk]

In message <5CBE65F7D9232C47861CB09B0954861C66A961@MAIL.infinitychannel.local> you wrote:
>
>   I was thinking this already..  I just thought that I was missing
> something which is why I asked the questions.  I'll send a patch to
> the group for review later.

Don't bother to do that. I will not accept patches that automatically
save the environment. U-Boot shall only act  on  user's  request  and
never to any magical things behind my back.

If you want this function,  it  can  be  implemented  using  U-Boot's
scripting capabilities, so there is no need for a patch.

Thanks.

Best regards,

Wolfgang Denk

-- 
DENX Software Engineering GmbH,     MD: Wolfgang Denk & Detlev Zundel
HRB 165235 Munich, Office: Kirchenstr.5, D-82194 Groebenzell, Germany
Phone: (+49)-8142-66989-10 Fax: (+49)-8142-66989-80 Email: wd at denx.de
It is a good thing for an uneducated man to read books of quotations.
                        - Sir Winston Churchill _My Early Life_ ch. 9

[U-Boot-Users] Using 'ver' env var

[Ulf Samuelsson]

> In message <5CBE65F7D9232C47861CB09B0954861C66A961@MAIL.infinitychannel.local> you wrote:
>>
>>   I was thinking this already..  I just thought that I was missing
>> something which is why I asked the questions.  I'll send a patch to
>> the group for review later.
> 
> Don't bother to do that. I will not accept patches that automatically
> save the environment. U-Boot shall only act  on  user's  request  and
> never to any magical things behind my back.
> 
> If you want this function,  it  can  be  implemented  using  U-Boot's
> scripting capabilities, so there is no need for a patch.
> 

You assume that there is no users request, but there is.
If you, from Linux, are upgrading the U-Boot, you could
*if you wanted to*, interpret this as an indirect
request to update the "ver" variable.

This should only happen right after boot and before the user has any chance to
update anything else, so that only the "ver" variable is updated by this save. 

The drawback of this is that a user will not be able to have a ver variable
which differs from the version. As soon as a user does

setenv ver <whatever>

U-Boot will revert that at the next change.

----------------
If U-Boot supported a read only environment area (generated at compile time)
then there would be no need for  doing things behind your back.

If that is not acceptable, then the only way forward I see
is that Linux writes a new version of the bootcmd to the environment
so that the request is made explicit.

This requires that the user can write the current version to "ver"
from a command.


> Thanks.
> 
> Best regards,
> 
> Wolfgang Denk
> 
> -- 


Best Regards
Ulf Samuelsson

[U-Boot-Users] Using 'ver' env var

[Wolfgang Denk]

In message <007401c7de59$7124a0f0$dcc4af0a@atmel.com> you wrote:
>
> 
> This requires that the user can write the current version to "ver"
> from a command.

This will not work. No matter what the user sets "ver" to, it ill be
overwritten when U-Boot boots.

Best regards,

Wolfgang Denk

-- 
DENX Software Engineering GmbH,     MD: Wolfgang Denk & Detlev Zundel
HRB 165235 Munich, Office: Kirchenstr.5, D-82194 Groebenzell, Germany
Phone: (+49)-8142-66989-10 Fax: (+49)-8142-66989-80 Email: wd at denx.de
You cannot propel yourself forward by patting yourself on the back.

[U-Boot-Users] Using 'ver' env var

[Ulf Samuelsson]

tis 2007-08-14 klockan 15:39 +0200 skrev Wolfgang Denk:
> In message <007401c7de59$7124a0f0$dcc4af0a@atmel.com> you wrote:
> >
> > 
> > This requires that the user can write the current version to "ver"
> > from a command.

> This will not work. No matter what the user sets "ver" to, it ill be
> overwritten when U-Boot boots.
> 

If such a command exist, You can read the version from 
your bootcmd, and send it as a parameter.

Yet another alternative:

A command "sync_version"
1) checks if "ver" and 'version' are identical
2) sets "ver" to version, if not the same.
3) saves the environment

With this, the user can select if/when to sync

Ideally this should be in a script "reboot_cmd" which
gets executed at every reboot before anything else
is executed.

Is there such a facility?


> Best regards,
> 
> Wolfgang Denk
> 

[U-Boot-Users] Using 'ver' env var

[Wolfgang Denk]

In message <1187102431.13869.7.camel@elrond.sweden.atmel.com> you wrote:
>
> Ideally this should be in a script "reboot_cmd" which
> gets executed at every reboot before anything else
> is executed.

I really don't understand why you make all this so complicated.

I think we agree that all that needs to be done is running a single
"saveenv" command once after installation of a new U-Boot image (which
is supposed to never to happen in the field anyway).

So deine yoiur "bootcmd" to include something like a "run once"
command, and define "once" as a "harmless" operation, like this:

	=> setenv once version

Then, when you update U-Boot (under Linux), also change the definition
of "once", equivalent to this:

	=> setenv once "saveenv;setenv once version"

The next time U-Boot boots it will run this variable, will  save  the
environment  and  then  reset  the  variable  to  the effective no-op
command.

Voila...

Best regards,

Wolfgang Denk

-- 
DENX Software Engineering GmbH,     MD: Wolfgang Denk & Detlev Zundel
HRB 165235 Munich, Office: Kirchenstr.5, D-82194 Groebenzell, Germany
Phone: (+49)-8142-66989-10 Fax: (+49)-8142-66989-80 Email: wd at denx.de
"I believe the use of noise to make  music  will  increase  until  we
reach  a  music  produced  through  the aid of electrical instruments
which will make available for musical purposes  any  and  all  sounds
that can be heard."                        - composer John Cage, 1937

[U-Boot-Users] Using 'ver' env var

[Ulf Samuelsson]

tis 2007-08-14 klockan 17:23 +0200 skrev Wolfgang Denk:
> In message <1187102431.13869.7.camel@elrond.sweden.atmel.com> you wrote:
> >
> > Ideally this should be in a script "reboot_cmd" which
> > gets executed at every reboot before anything else
> > is executed.
> 
> I really don't understand why you make all this so complicated.
> 
> I think we agree that all that needs to be done is running a single
> "saveenv" command once after installation of a new U-Boot image (which
> is supposed to never to happen in the field anyway).
> 

The thread started with trying to solve the problem
with U-Boot beeing downloaded from Linux and then written
to the flash.

There is NOONE talking to the console after the reboot,
and the assumption is that Linux has not updated the environment.

Based on this: how do you sync the ver and the U-Boot version?

All your proposals are failing, since you assume that there
is a gremlin somehwere which starts toggling RXD.

BR
Ulf Samuelsson

[U-Boot-Users] Using 'ver' env var

[Rune Torgersen]

> The thread started with trying to solve the problem
> with U-Boot beeing downloaded from Linux and then written
> to the flash.
> 
> There is NOONE talking to the console after the reboot,
> and the assumption is that Linux has not updated the environment.
> 
> Based on this: how do you sync the ver and the U-Boot version?

There is nothing stoppint you from changing the bootcmd envrionment
variable from linux after a new version of u-boot isinstalled, so u-boot
will run a saveenv on the next reboot.

fw_setenv works pretty good from linux.

[U-Boot-Users] Using 'ver' env var

[Wolfgang Denk]

In message <1187115508.13869.19.camel@elrond.sweden.atmel.com> you wrote:
>
> The thread started with trying to solve the problem
> with U-Boot beeing downloaded from Linux and then written
> to the flash.

ACK.

> There is NOONE talking to the console after the reboot,
> and the assumption is that Linux has not updated the environment.

Right. Neither am I. You know that there are tools to write the
environment from Linux? 

> Based on this: how do you sync the ver and the U-Boot version?

Just as posted before. The conversion from the U-Boot setenv  command
to  a fw_setenv shell command in Linux is left out as an exercise for
the reader.

> All your proposals are failing, since you assume that there
> is a gremlin somehwere which starts toggling RXD.

It seems whatever I write, how simple I may make it, you always  find
ways to misunderstand or misinterpret me.

I provided a solution. A known to be working one, btw.  I  hope  Zach
was able to follow my example. If you can't I can't help it.

Over and out.

Wolfgang Denk

-- 
DENX Software Engineering GmbH,     MD: Wolfgang Denk & Detlev Zundel
HRB 165235 Munich, Office: Kirchenstr.5, D-82194 Groebenzell, Germany
Phone: (+49)-8142-66989-10 Fax: (+49)-8142-66989-80 Email: wd at denx.de
Common sense and a sense of humor  are  the  same  thing,  moving  at
different speeds.  A sense of humor is just common sense, dancing.
                                                        - Clive James

[U-Boot-Users] Using 'ver' env var

[Zach Sadecki]

> I provided a solution. A known to be working one, btw.  I  hope  Zach
> was able to follow my example. If you can't I can't help it.

Wolfgang,
  I followed.  It looks like you have an interesting solution for this.
Utilizing a 'run once on next boot' type variable has some other
interesting possible uses.

This is really what I was trying to get at.  Just what solutions were
available and others had used, as I was sure I wasn't the first to
do/need this.

Thanks,
  Zach