Linux 2.4.21-rc3, writing to /dev/console returns ESPIPE

Mitch@0Bits.COM
Sun, 25 May 2003 12:22:14 +0100 (BST)


Hi,

With 21-rc3, syslogd (sysklogd package) stopped writing
messages to /dev/console anymore. In the log files i see:

May 25 11:14:19 core syslogd: /dev/console: Illegal seek
May 25 11:14:19 core syslogd 1.4.1: restart (remote reception).

And strace shows
# strace echo foo >/dev/console

write(1, "foo\n", 4) = -1 ESPIPE (Illegal seek)
close(1) = 0
munmap(0x40016000, 4096) = 0
write(2, "echo: ", 6echo: ) = 6
write(2, "write error", 11write error) = 11
write(2, "\n", 1) = 1
_exit(1) = ?

We all understand that /dev/console can't be seeked, but it shouldn't
be so strict in enforcing this or else syslogd and friends will fail
to work. Unfortunately Linux doesn't have a pwritev() to not update
the file pointer.

The checkin on linux-2.4.21-rc3/drivers/char/tty_io.c

+ /* Can't seek (pwrite) on ttys. */
+ if (ppos != &file->f_pos)
+ return -ESPIPE;

should not be there in my opinion.

Comments ?
Mitch

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