[PATCH] distro_bootcmd: Always check for custom boot scripts first

[PATCH] distro_bootcmd: Always check for custom boot scripts first

[Andrey Skvortsov]

If extlinux.conf is used, then it's not possible to customize boot
environment, because scripts are not loaded.
Usually it's possible to make some changes manually using command line
and save boot environment. But if exlinux.conf is loaded
from ext4 partition (for example on PinePhone), then environment are
not saved/loaded at boot time from boot partition and it's not
possible to persistently change boot environment without recompiling
u-boot.

Signed-off-by: Andrey Skvortsov <andrej.skvortzov@gmail.com>
---

 include/config_distro_bootcmd.h | 2 +-
 1 file changed, 1 insertion(+), 1 deletion(-)

diff --git a/include/config_distro_bootcmd.h b/include/config_distro_bootcmd.h
index 5506f3168f..7f4ef960a1 100644
--- a/include/config_distro_bootcmd.h
+++ b/include/config_distro_bootcmd.h
@@ -477,8 +477,8 @@
 		"echo Scanning ${devtype} "                               \
 				"${devnum}:${distro_bootpart}...; "       \
 		"for prefix in ${boot_prefixes}; do "                     \
-			"run scan_dev_for_extlinux; "                     \
 			"run scan_dev_for_scripts; "                      \
+			"run scan_dev_for_extlinux; "                     \
 		"done;"                                                   \
 		SCAN_DEV_FOR_EFI                                          \
 		"\0"                                                      \
-- 
2.20.1

Re: [PATCH] distro_bootcmd: Always check for custom boot scripts first

[Tom Rini]

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On Fri, Sep 02, 2022 at 01:06:16AM +0300, Andrey Skvortsov wrote:

> If extlinux.conf is used, then it's not possible to customize boot
> environment, because scripts are not loaded.
> Usually it's possible to make some changes manually using command line
> and save boot environment. But if exlinux.conf is loaded
> from ext4 partition (for example on PinePhone), then environment are
> not saved/loaded at boot time from boot partition and it's not
> possible to persistently change boot environment without recompiling
> u-boot.
> 
> Signed-off-by: Andrey Skvortsov <andrej.skvortzov@gmail.com>
> ---
> 
>  include/config_distro_bootcmd.h | 2 +-
>  1 file changed, 1 insertion(+), 1 deletion(-)
> 
> diff --git a/include/config_distro_bootcmd.h b/include/config_distro_bootcmd.h
> index 5506f3168f..7f4ef960a1 100644
> --- a/include/config_distro_bootcmd.h
> +++ b/include/config_distro_bootcmd.h
> @@ -477,8 +477,8 @@
>  		"echo Scanning ${devtype} "                               \
>  				"${devnum}:${distro_bootpart}...; "       \
>  		"for prefix in ${boot_prefixes}; do "                     \
> -			"run scan_dev_for_extlinux; "                     \
>  			"run scan_dev_for_scripts; "                      \
> +			"run scan_dev_for_extlinux; "                     \
>  		"done;"                                                   \
>  		SCAN_DEV_FOR_EFI                                          \
>  		"\0"                                                      \

Reworking the CC list a bit, I think this works against the intent. If
the distro provides extlinux.conf, that's what should be used, and
customized by the user (through normal distro methods), rather than
looking for a boot script that might be out of date / etc. Can you
please elaborate on what you're seeing and trying to do on the
PinePhone?

-- 
Tom

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Re: [PATCH] distro_bootcmd: Always check for custom boot scripts first

[Vagrant Cascadian]

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On 2022-10-12, Tom Rini wrote:
> On Fri, Sep 02, 2022 at 01:06:16AM +0300, Andrey Skvortsov wrote:
>> If extlinux.conf is used, then it's not possible to customize boot
>> environment, because scripts are not loaded.
>> Usually it's possible to make some changes manually using command line
>> and save boot environment. But if exlinux.conf is loaded
>> from ext4 partition (for example on PinePhone), then environment are
>> not saved/loaded at boot time from boot partition and it's not
>> possible to persistently change boot environment without recompiling
>> u-boot.
>> 
>> Signed-off-by: Andrey Skvortsov <andrej.skvortzov@gmail.com>
>> ---
>> 
>>  include/config_distro_bootcmd.h | 2 +-
>>  1 file changed, 1 insertion(+), 1 deletion(-)
>> 
>> diff --git a/include/config_distro_bootcmd.h b/include/config_distro_bootcmd.h
>> index 5506f3168f..7f4ef960a1 100644
>> --- a/include/config_distro_bootcmd.h
>> +++ b/include/config_distro_bootcmd.h
>> @@ -477,8 +477,8 @@
>>  		"echo Scanning ${devtype} "                               \
>>  				"${devnum}:${distro_bootpart}...; "       \
>>  		"for prefix in ${boot_prefixes}; do "                     \
>> -			"run scan_dev_for_extlinux; "                     \
>>  			"run scan_dev_for_scripts; "                      \
>> +			"run scan_dev_for_extlinux; "                     \
>>  		"done;"                                                   \
>>  		SCAN_DEV_FOR_EFI                                          \
>>  		"\0"                                                      \
>
> Reworking the CC list a bit, I think this works against the intent. If
> the distro provides extlinux.conf, that's what should be used, and
> customized by the user (through normal distro methods), rather than
> looking for a boot script that might be out of date / etc. Can you
> please elaborate on what you're seeing and trying to do on the
> PinePhone?

With my Debian hat on, I would prefer to not change default behaviors;
these have been present in this order for many years now.  It is also
not uncommon (for better or worse) for a Debian system to have both a
boot script and an extlinux.conf, and possibly an EFI boot option, so
this would be a significant behavior change...

There are definitely cases where the flexibility of a bootscript might
be preferred, but in those cases, one should remove the extlinux.conf
and the packaging hooks that generate it (e.g. u-boot-menu package on
debian).

Alternately, adding another search for a bootscript at a different path
before extlinux.conf is loaded *might* be worth considering, but not
sure the extra complication and duplication is worth it...


Also curious on the status of "U-boot Standard Boot"
https://u-boot.readthedocs.io/en/latest/develop/bootstd.html which might
solve some of these problems?


live well,
  vagrant

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