Re: kernel structures 2.0.29->2.0.30

Marty Leisner (leisner@sdsp.mc.xerox.com)
Wed, 23 Apr 1997 11:02:13 PDT

> Some kernel structures did change in 2.0.30, if you can point me at a
> copy of the lsof sources I'll take a peek and see what could have
> caused problems. Or alternatively, recompile lsof and see if that
> makes it work all of a sudden ;-)
>

Yes, I just got a newer lsof, compiled on 2.0.30, and it wouldn't
work on 2.0.29...

I think its bad to change structures in production kernels (IMHO), the
2.1 series is "dangerous", 2.0 shouldn't be.

Alternatively, there should be some way to encode version information for
changing structures (maybe this is a good concept).

I far better see a program that uses kernel structures do something to compare
runtime versions with compiled versions?

This would mean some macro which is changed whenever the structure
is changed...(an 8 bit quantity is sufficent) and some symbol someplace
which is data with this number...

I looked at the kernel include diffs from 2.0.29 to 2.0.30, and didn't
see anything affecting structures size/alignment...just defines (unless I
missed it).

-- 
marty
leisner@sdsp.mc.xerox.com  
The Feynman problem solving Algorithm
        1) Write down the problem
        2) Think real hard
        3) Write down the answer
                Murray Gel-mann in the NY Times