Re: [RFC, PATCH 3/24] i386 Vmi interface definition

From: Chris Wright
Date: Mon Mar 13 2006 - 19:33:03 EST


* Zachary Amsden (zach@xxxxxxxxxx) wrote:
> Master definition of VMI interface, including calls, constants, and
> interface version.

> +/* VROM call table definitions */
> +#define VROM_CALL_LEN 32
> +
> +typedef struct VROMCallEntry {
> + char f[VROM_CALL_LEN];
> +} VROMCallEntry;

And the call entry is meant to be handled in whatever mechanism hypervisor
prefers for its entry points (ABI constraints notwithstanding) as in,
arbitrary software interrupt, or call gate, etc? I guess for transparent
it has to, since those would be local calls. Quite similar to the
hypercall entry point that Xen places on the hypercall_page, so easily
compatible.

> +typedef struct VROMHeader {
> + VMI_UINT16 romSignature; // option ROM signature
> + VMI_INT8 romLength; // ROM length in 512 byte chunks
> + unsigned char romEntry[4]; // 16-bit code entry point
> + VMI_UINT8 romPad0; // 4-byte align pad
> + VMI_UINT32 vRomSignature; // VROM identification signature
> + VMI_UINT8 APIVersionMinor; // Minor version of API
> + VMI_UINT8 APIVersionMajor; // Major version of API
> + VMI_UINT8 reserved0; // Reserved for expansion
> + VMI_UINT8 reserved1; // Reserved for expansion
> + VMI_UINT32 reserved2; // Reserved for expansion
> + VMI_UINT32 reserved3; // Reserved for private use
> + VMI_UINT16 pciHeaderOffset; // Offset to PCI OPROM header
> + VMI_UINT16 pnpHeaderOffset; // Offset to PnP OPROM header
> + VMI_UINT32 romPad3; // PnP reserverd / VMI reserved
> + VROMCallEntry romCallReserved[3]; // Reserved call slots
> +} VROMHeader;

The document is slightly more descriptive. The above reserved slots
are shown as:

char reserved[32];
char elfHeader[64];

But that's only 3 (0-2). I think I'm missing some small bit of magic.

> +typedef struct VROMCallTable {
> + VROMCallEntry vromCall[128]; // @ 0x80: ROM calls 4-127
> +} VROMCallTable;

That comment eludes me. Are 0-3 special somehow (IOW, I thought it was
just 0-2 as per above), and is it suggesting int 0x80?

> +// Historical 3.X revisions
> +//#define MIN_VMI_API_REV_MINOR 1 /* GetFlags_CLI is used */
> +//#define MIN_VMI_API_REV_MINOR 2 /* STI_SYSEXIT is used */
> +//#define MIN_VMI_API_REV_MINOR 3 /* IN/OUT are used */
> +//#define MIN_VMI_API_REV_MINOR 4 /* Deferred calls used */
> +//#define MIN_VMI_API_REV_MINOR 5 /* SetIOPLMask is used */
> +
> +// 4.X revisions
> +//#define MIN_VMI_API_REV_MINOR 0 /* IN/OUT binary compat */

Probably not the best format for keeping changelog entries. Although
it's worth keeping the info somehwere in documentation perhaps.

thanks,
-chris
-
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