Re: Missing platform_device.h in linux-libre-headers

[Mark H Weaver <mhw@netris.org>]

Hi,

Eleven <qiaochu321@126.com> writes:
> I’m trying to compile some extra kernel module for my guixsd, however
> the headers files needed, `modules.h` and `platform_device.h` was not
> found. After redefining the linux-libra-headers package, update the
> version to 4.15.13 which is the version of the kernel I’m currently
> running, I get `modules.h` but `platform_device.h` still
> missing. What’s the problem and how can I fix it?

platform_device.h is not part of the user API, so it's not installed by
the "headers_install" make target in linux-libre.

I would recommend against changing the 'linux-libre-headers' package
itself.  The contents of 'linux-libre-headers' is included in our
default C headers used to build the entire system.  Updating it entails
a full system rebuild from the toolchain up.  Even if not for this
practical problem, I would argue that private kernel driver interfaces
do not belong in our default C headers.

The headers needed to build kernel modules should be a separate package,
maybe called 'linux-libre-kernel-headers' or
'linux-libre-internal-headers'.  It could be almost the same as
'linux-libre-headers', except that it should use the current kernel
version (using the %linux-libre-version and %linux-libre-hash variables)
and it should use different make targets in the 'build' and 'install'
phases, namely "headers_check_all" and "headers_install_all".

      Mark