+ /*
+ * How to be a proc read function
+ * ------------------------------
+ * Prototype:
+ * int f(char *buffer, char **start, off_t offset,
+ * int count, int *peof, void *dat)
+ *
+ * Assume that the buffer is "count" bytes in size.
+ *
+ * If you know you have supplied all the data you
+ * have, set *peof.
+ *
+ * You have three ways to return data:
+ * 0) Leave *start = NULL. (This is the default.)
+ * Put the data of the requested offset at that
+ * offset within the buffer. Return the number (n)
+ * of bytes there are from the beginning of the
+ * buffer up to the last byte of data. If the
+ * number of supplied bytes (= n - offset) is
+ * greater than zero and you didn't signal eof
+ * and the reader is prepared to take more data
+ * you will be called again with the requested
+ * offset advanced by the number of bytes
+ * absorbed. This interface is useful for files
+ * no larger than the buffer.
+ * 1) Set *start = an unsigned long value less than
+ * the buffer address but greater than zero.
+ * Put the data of the requested offset at the
+ * beginning of the buffer. Return the number of
+ * bytes of data placed there. If this number is
+ * greater than zero and you didn't signal eof
+ * and the reader is prepared to take more data
+ * you will be called again with the requested
+ * offset advanced by *start. This interface is
+ * useful when you have a large file consisting
+ * of a series of blocks which you want to count
+ * and return as wholes.
+ * (Hack by Paul.Russell@rustcorp.com.au)
+ * 2) Set *start = an address within the buffer.
+ * Put the data of the requested offset at *start.
+ * Return the number of bytes of data placed there.
+ * If this number is greater than zero and you
+ * didn't signal eof and the reader is prepared to
+ * take more data you will be called again with the
+ * requested offset advanced by the number of bytes
+ * absorbed.
+ */
This patch was included in David Jones's patches for the 2.5
series.
> I'm trying to understand this little hack in 2.4.18's (and earlier)
> fs/proc/generic.c:
> /* This is a hack to allow mangling of file pos independent
> * of actual bytes read. Simply place the data at page,
> * return the bytes, and set `start' to the desired offset
> * as an unsigned int. - Paul.Russell@rustcorp.com.au
> */
> I take it to mean that if I return a small integer for "start" instead
> of a ptr the hack will kick in. However it compares pointers instead.
That's why it's called a "hack".
> I'll attach a patch that does it the way I am thinking -- but I may be
> misunderstanding the comment.
You are misunderstanding it.
-- Thomas Hood
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