OpenSS7 STREAMS Compatibility

OpenSS7 STREAMS Compatibility Installation and Reference Manual

About This Manual

This is Edition 7, last updated 2008-10-31, of The OpenSS7 STREAMS Compatibility Installation and Reference Manual, for Version 0.9.2 release 7 of the OpenSS7 STREAMS Compatibility package.

Preface

Notice

This package is released and distributed under the AGPL (see GNU Affero General Public License). Please note, however, that there are different licensing terms for the manual pages and some of the documentation (derived from OpenGroup¹ publications and other sources). Consult the permission notices contained in the documentation for more information.

This manual is released under the FDL (see GNU Free Documentation License) with no sections invariant.

Abstract

This manual provides a Installation and Reference Manual for OpenSS7 STREAMS Compatibility.

Objective

The objective of this manual is to provide a guide for the STREAMS programmer when developing STREAMS modules, drivers and application programs for OpenSS7 STREAMS Compatibility.

This guide provides information to developers on the use of the STREAMS mechanism at user and kernel levels.

STREAMS was incorporated in UNIX System V Release 3 to augment the character input/output (I/O) mechanism and to support development of communication services.

STREAMS provides developers with integral functions, a set of utility routines, and facilities that expedite software design and implementation.

Intent

The intent of this manual is to act as an introductory guide to the STREAMS programmer. It is intended to be read alone and is not intended to replace or supplement the OpenSS7 STREAMS Compatibility manual pages. For a reference for writing code, the manual pages (see STREAMS(9)) provide a better reference to the programmer. Although this describes the features of the OpenSS7 STREAMS Compatibility package, OpenSS7 Corporation is under no obligation to provide any software, system or feature listed herein.

Audience

This manual is intended for a highly technical audience. The reader should already be familiar with Linux kernel programming, the Linux file system, character devices, driver input and output, interrupts, software interrupt handling, scheduling, process contexts, multiprocessor locks, etc.

The guide is intended for network and systems programmers, who use the STREAMS mechanism at user and kernel levels for Linux and UNIX system communication services.

Readers of the guide are expected to possess prior knowledge of the Linux and UNIX system, programming, networking, and data communication.

Revisions

Take care that you are working with a current version of this manual: you will not be notified of updates. To ensure that you are working with a current version, contact the Author, or check The OpenSS7 Project website for a current version.

A current version of this manual is normally distributed with the OpenSS7 STREAMS Compatibility package.

Version Control

     strcompat.texi,v
     Revision 0.9.2.21  2008-09-20 11:04:34  brian
     - added package patchlevel
     
     Revision 0.9.2.20  2008-08-03 06:03:35  brian
     - protected agains texinfo commands in log entries
     
     Revision 0.9.2.19  2008/07/27 08:49:06  brian
     - no invariant sections, more libtool ignores
     
     Revision 0.9.2.18  2008-04-28 16:47:06  brian
     - updates for release
     
     Revision 0.9.2.17  2008-04-25 11:50:49  brian
     - updates to AGPLv3
     
     Revision 0.9.2.16  2007/08/12 06:44:20  brian
     - updated licenses in manuals
     
     Revision 0.9.2.15  2007/02/28 06:30:45  brian
     - updates and corrections, #ifdef instead of #if
     
     Revision 0.9.2.14  2007/01/03 14:57:17  brian
     - documentation updates for release
     
     Revision 0.9.2.13  2006/12/29 12:18:28  brian
     - old rpms hate nested ifs, release updates
     
     Revision 0.9.2.12  2006/10/21 10:01:12  brian
     - updated streams release number
     
     Revision 0.9.2.11  2006/09/18 01:06:34  brian
     - updated manuals and release texi docs
     
     Revision 0.9.2.10  2006/08/28 10:46:56  brian
     - correction
     
     Revision 0.9.2.9  2006/08/28 10:32:53  brian
     - updated references
     
     Revision 0.9.2.8  2006/08/27 12:26:42  brian
     - finalizing auto release files
     
     Revision 0.9.2.7  2006/08/26 09:17:54  brian
     - better release file generation
     
     Revision 0.9.2.6  2006/08/23 11:00:32  brian
     - added preface, corrections and updates for release
     
     Revision 0.9.2.5  2006/08/22 12:57:09  brian
     - updated documentation
     
     Revision 0.9.2.4  2006/03/22 10:02:03  brian
     - added makefile target index
     
     Revision 0.9.2.3  2006/03/03 11:11:14  brian
     - 64-bit compatibility, fixes, updates for release
     
     Revision 0.9.2.2  2005/07/08 13:15:59  brian
     - updates to documentation
     
     Revision 0.9.2.1  2005/07/04 19:28:53  brian
     - first cut at streams compatibility package
     
     Revision 0.9  2005/07/04 19:28:53  brian
     file strcompat.texi was initially added on branch OpenSS7-0_9_2.

ISO 9000 Compliance

Only the TeX, texinfo, or roff source for this manual is controlled. An opaque (printed, postscript or portable document format) version of this manual is an UNCONTROLLED VERSION.

Disclaimer

OpenSS7 Corporation disclaims all warranties with regard to this documentation including all implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, non-infringement, or title; that the contents of the manual are suitable for any purpose, or that the implementation of such contents will not infringe on any third party patents, copyrights, trademarks or other rights. In no event shall OpenSS7 Corporation be liable for any direct, indirect, special or consequential damages or any damages whatsoever resulting from loss of use, data or profits, whether in an action of contract, negligence or other tortious action, arising out of or in connection with any use of this manual or the performance or implementation of the contents thereof.

OpenSS7 Corporation reserves the right to revise this software and documentation for any reason, including but not limited to, conformity with standards promulgated by various agencies, utilization of advances in the state of the technical arts, or the reflection of changes in the design of any techniques, or procedures embodied, described, or referred to herein. OpenSS7 Corporation is under no obligation to provide any feature listed herein.

U.S. Government Restricted Rights

If you are licensing this Software on behalf of the U.S. Government ("Government"), the following provisions apply to you. If the Software is supplied by the Department of Defense ("DoD"), it is classified as "Commercial Computer Software" under paragraph 252.227-7014 of the DoD Supplement to the Federal Acquisition Regulations ("DFARS") (or any successor regulations) and the Government is acquiring only the license rights granted herein (the license rights customarily provided to non-Government users). If the Software is supplied to any unit or agency of the Government other than DoD, it is classified as "Restricted Computer Software" and the Government's rights in the Software are defined in paragraph 52.227-19 of the Federal Acquisition Regulations ("FAR") (or any successor regulations) or, in the cases of NASA, in paragraph 18.52.227-86 of the NASA Supplement to the FAR (or any successor regulations).

Acknowledgements

As with most open source projects, this project would not have been possible without the valiant efforts and productive software of the Free Software Foundation and the Linux Kernel Community.

Sponsors

Funding for completion of the OpenSS7 OpenSS7 STREAMS Compatibility package was provided in part by:

Additional funding for The OpenSS7 Project was provided by:

Contributors

The primary contributor to the OpenSS7 OpenSS7 STREAMS Compatibility package is Brian F. G. Bidulock. The following is a list of significant contributors to The OpenSS7 Project:

Authors

The authors of the OpenSS7 OpenSS7 STREAMS Compatibility package include:

See Author Index, for a complete listing and cross-index of authors to sections of this manual.

Maintainer

The maintainer of the OpenSS7 OpenSS7 STREAMS Compatibility package is:

Please send bug reports to bugs@openss7.org using the send-pr script included in the package, only after reading the BUGS file in the release, or See Problem Reports.

Web Resources

The OpenSS7 Project provides a website dedicated to the software packages released by the OpenSS7 Project.

Bug Reports

Please send bug reports to bugs@openss7.org using the send-pr script included in the OpenSS7 STREAMS Compatibility package, only after reading the BUGS file in the release, or See Problem Reports. You can access the OpenSS7 GNATS database directly via the web, however, the preferred method for sending new bug reports is via mail with the send-pr script.

Mailing Lists

The OpenSS7 Project provides a number of general discussion Mailing Lists for discussion concerning the OpenSS7 OpenSS7 STREAMS Compatibility package as well as other packages released by The OpenSS7 Project.

These are mailman mailing lists and so have convenient web interfaces for subscribers to control their settings. See http://www.openss7.org/mailinglist.html.

The mailing lists are as follows:

openss7

The openss7 mailing list is for general enquiries, information exchange and announcements regarding the OpenSS7 Project. This is our original mailing list and takes the highest amount of traffic.

openss7-announce

The openss7-announce mailing list is for announcements related to the OpenSS7 Project. This list will accept announcements posted by subscribers. Subscribe to this list if you are interested in announcements from the OpenSS7 Project, subscribers and sponsors, related to the OpenSS7 Project or STREAMS, SS7, SIGTRAN or SCTP in general.

openss7-cvs

The openss7-cvs mailing list is for automatic CVS log reporting. You must get permission of the owner to subscribe to this list. Subscribers are not allowed to post to this list, this is merely for distributing notification of changes to the CVS repository.h

openss7-develop

The openss7-develop mailing list is for email exchange related to the development projects under the OpenSS7 Project. This includes development requests, proposals, requests for comment or proposal. Subscribe to this list if you are interested in ongoing development details regarding the OpenSS7 Project.

openss7-test

The openss7-test mailing list is for email exchange related to the testing of code under the OpenSS7 Project. This specifically relates to conformance testing, verification testing, interoperability testing and beta testing. Subscribe to this list if you are interested in participating in and receiving ongoing details of test activities under the OpenSS7 Project.

openss7-bugs

The openss7-bugs mailing list is specifically tailored to bug tracking. The mailing list takes a feed from the OpenSS7 GNATS bug tracking system and accepts posting of responses to bug reports, tracking and resolution. Subscribe to this list if you are interested in receiving detailed OpenSS7 release code bug tracking information. This list is not archived; for historical information on problem reports, see our GNATS databases.

openss7-updates

The openss7-updates mailing list provides updates on OpenSS7 Project code releases and ongoing activities. Subscribers are not allowed to post to this list; this list is for official OpenSS7 Project announcements only. Subscribe to this list if you are interested in receiving updates concerning official releases and activities of the OpenSS7 Project.

openss7-streams

The openss7-streams mailing list is for email exchange related to the STREAMS development projects under the OpenSS7 Project. This includes development requests, proposals, requests for comment or proposal. Subscribe to this list if you are interested in ongoing development details regarding the OpenSS7 Project STREAMS components.

linux-streams

The linux-streams mailing list is for mail exchange related to Linux Fast-STREAMS or Linux STREAMS. This includes patches, development requests, proposals, requests for comment or proposal. Subscribe to this list if you are interested in ongoing development details regarding the STREAMS for Linux components. This is the the new (September 2006) home of the linux-streams list formerly of <gsyc.escet.urjc.es>.

Spam

To avoid spam being sent to the members of the OpenSS7 mailing list(s), we have blocked mail from non-subscribers. Please subscribe to the mailing list before attempting to post to them. (Attempts to post when not subscribed get bounced.)

As an additional measure against spam, subscriber lists for all OpenSS7 mailing lists are not accessible to non-subscribers; for most lists subscriber lists are only accessible to the list administrator. This keeps your mailing address from being picked off our website by bulk mailers.

Acceptable Use Policy

It is acceptable to post professional and courteous messages regarding the OpenSS7 package or any general information or questions concerning STREAMS, SS7, SIGTRAN, SCTP or telecommunications applications in general.

Large Attachments

The mailing list is blocked from messages of greater than 40k. If you have attachments (patches, test programs, etc.) and you mail them to the list, it will bounce to the list administrator. If you are interested in making your patches, test programs, test results or other large attachments available to the members of the mailing list, state in the message that you would like them posted and the list administrator will place them in the mail archives.

Quick Start Guide

OpenSS7 STREAMS Compatibility

Package strcompat-0.9.2.7 was released under AGPLv3 2008-10-31.

The OpenSS7 STREAMS Compatibility package provides the ability for Linux Fast-STREAMS to exhibit source level compatibility with a wide range of UNIX STREAMS implementations. Also, it provides LiS source, and some 2.18.0 binary, compatibility for Linux Fast-STREAMS. The objective of the package is to provide source level compatibility with a wide range of UNIX STREAMS implementations permitting drivers and modules to port easily to Linux Fast-STREAMS from any other STREAMS implementation, making it possible to release drivers and modules from a single UNIX code base with minimal localisms for Linux.

These compatibility modules provide source level compatibility with AIX, HPUX, OSF/1, MacOT, Mentat, SUX, Solaris, SUPER/UX, IRIX, LiS, UnixWare, UXP/V and SVR 4.2 STREAMS. The package contains all the necessary manual pages and other documentation in an autoconf tarball.

The package currently includes the following STREAMS kernel modules and drivers:²

The OpenSS7 STREAMS Compatibility package provides compatibility with the following STREAMS implementations:

These compatibility modules compile as kernel modules and will be demand loaded into the kernel when used by a specific STREAMS module or driver. The compatibility modules ease porting of STREAMS modules and drivers from other Operating Systems to Linux.

This distribution is only currently applicable to Linux 2.4 and 2.6 kernels and was targeted at ix86, x86_64, ppc and ppc64 architectures, but should build and install for other architectures as well.

Release

This is the strcompat-0.9.2.7 package, released 2008-10-31. This ‘0.9.2.7’ release, and the latest version, can be obtained from the download area of The OpenSS7 Project website using a command such as:

     $> wget http://www.openss7.org/tarballs/strcompat-0.9.2.7.tar.bz2

The release is available as an autoconf(1) tarball, src.rpm or dsc, as a set of binary rpms or debs, or as a yum(8) or apt(8) repository. See the download page for the autoconf(1) tarballs, src.rpms, dscs, or repository access instructions. See the strcompat package page for tarballs, source and binary packages.

Please see the NEWS file for release notes and history of user visible changes for the current version, and the ChangeLog file for a more detailed history of implementation changes. The TODO file lists features not yet implemented and other outstanding items.

Please see the INSTALL, INSTALL-strcompat and README-make, files (or see Installation) for installation instructions.

When working from cvs(1) or git(1), please see the README-cvs, file (or see Downloading from CVS). An abbreviated installation procedure that works for most applications appears below.

This release of the package is published strictly under Version 3 of the GNU Affero Public License which can be found in the file COPYING. Package specific licensing terms (if any) can be found in the file LICENSES. Please respect these licensing arrangements. If you are interested in different licensing terms, please contact the copyright holder, or OpenSS7 Corporation <sales@openss7.com>.

See README-alpha (if it exists) for alpha release information.

Prerequisites

The quickest and easiest way to ensure that all prerequisites are met is to download and install this package from within the OpenSS7 Master Package, openss7-0.9.2.G, instead of separately.

Prerequisites for the OpenSS7 STREAMS Compatibility package are as follows:

1. Linux distribution, somewhat Linux Standards Base compliant, with a 2.4 or 2.6 kernel and the appropriate tool chain for compiling out-of-tree kernel modules. Most recent Linux distributions are usable out of the box, but some development packages must be installed. For more information, see Compatibility.

   	− A fairly LSB compliant GNU/Linux distribution.3
   	− Linux 2.4 kernel (2.4.10 - 2.4.27), or
   	− Linux 2.6 kernel (2.6.3 - 2.6.26);
   	− glibc2 or better.
   	− GNU groff (for man pages).4
   	− GNU texinfo (for info files).
   	− GNU bison and flex (for config programs).
   	− net-snmp (for SNMP agents).5

(Note: If you acquired strcompat a part of the OpenSS7 Master Package, then the dependencies listed below will already have been met by unpacking the master package.)

2. OpenSS7 Linux Fast-STREAMS, streams-0.9.2.4. ⁶

When configuring and building multiple OpenSS7 Project release packages, place all of the source packages (unpacked tarballs) at the same directory level and all build directories at the same directory level (e.g. all source packages under /usr/src).

When installing packages that install as kernel modules, it is necessary to have the correct kernel development package installed. For the following distributions, use the following commands:

     Ubuntu:  $> apt-get install linux-headers
     Debian:  $> apt-get install kernel-headers
     Fedora:  $> yum install kernel-devel

You also need the same version of gcc(1) compiler with which the kernel was built. If it is not the default, add ‘CC=kgcc’ on the line after ‘./configure’, for example:

     $> ../strcompat-0.9.2.7/configure CC='gcc-3.4'

Installation

The following commands will download, configure, build, check, install, validate, uninstall and remove the package:

     $> wget http://www.openss7.org/tarballs/strcompat-0.9.2.7.tar.bz2
     $> tar -xjvf strcompat-0.9.2.7.tar.bz2
     $> mkdir build
     $> pushd build
     $> ../strcompat-0.9.2.7/configure --enable-autotest
     $> make
     $> make check
     $> sudo make install
     $> sudo make installcheck
     $> sudo make uninstall
     $> popd
     $> sudo rm -rf build
     $> rm -rf strcompat-0.9.2.7
     $> rm -f strcompat-0.9.2.7.tar.bz2

If you have problems, try building with the logging targets instead. If the make of a logging target fails, an automatic problem report will be generated that can be mailed to The OpenSS7 Project.⁷ Installation steps using the logging targets proceed as follows:

     $> wget http://www.openss7.org/tarballs/strcompat-0.9.2.7.tar.bz2
     $> tar -xjvf strcompat-0.9.2.7.tar.bz2
     $> mkdir build
     $> pushd build
     $> ../strcompat-0.9.2.7/configure --enable-autotest
     $> make compile.log
     $> make check.log
     $> sudo make install.log
     $> sudo make installcheck.log
     $> sudo make uninstall.log
     $> popd
     $> sudo rm -rf build
     $> rm -rf strcompat-0.9.2.7
     $> rm -f strcompat-0.9.2.7.tar.bz2

See README-make for additional specialized make targets.

For custom applications, see the INSTALL and INSTALL-strcompat files or the see Installation, as listed below. If you encounter troubles, see Troubleshooting, before issuing a bug report.

Brief Installation Instructions

The OpenSS7 STREAMS Compatibility package is available from the downloads area of The OpenSS7 Project website using a command such as:

     $> wget http://www.openss7.org/tarballs/strcompat-0.9.2.7.tar.bz2

Unpack the tarball using a command such as:

     $> tar -xjvf strcompat-0.9.2.7.tar.bz2

The tarball will unpack into the relative subdirectory named after the package name: strcompat-0.9.2.7.

The package builds using the GNU autoconf utilities and the configure script. To build the package, we recommend using a separate build directory as follows:

     $> mkdir build
     $> cd build
     $> ../strcompat-0.9.2.7/configure

In general, the package configures and builds without adding any special options to the configure script. For general options to the configure script, see the GNU INSTALL file in the distribution:

     $> less ../strcompat-0.9.2.7/INSTALL

For specific options to the configure script, see the INSTALL-strcompat file in the distribution, or simply execute the configure script with the --help option like so:

     $> ../strcompat-0.9.2.7/configure --help

After configuring the package, the package can be compiled simply by issuing the ‘make’ command:

     $> make

Some specialized makefile targets exists, see the README-make file in the distribution or simply invoke the ‘help’ target like so:

     $> make help | less

After successfully building the package, the package can be checked by invoking the ‘check’ make target like so:

     $> make check

After successfully checking the package, the package can be installed by invoking the ‘install’ make target (as root) like so:

     $> sudo make install

The test suites that ship with the package can be invoked after the package has been installed by invoking the ‘installcheck’ target. This target can either be invoked as root, or as a normal user, like so:

     $> make installcheck

(Note: you must add the --enable-autotest flag to configure, above for the test suites to be invoked with ‘make installcheck’.)

The package can be cleanly removed by invoking the ‘uninstall’ target (as root):

     $> sudo make uninstall

Then the build directory and tarball can be simply removed:

     $> cd ..
     $> rm -rf build
     $> rm -rf strcompat-0.9.2.7
     $> rm -f strcompat-0.9.2.7.tar.bz2

Detailed Installation Instructions

More detailed installation instructions can be found in the Installation, contained in the distribution in ‘text’, ‘info’, ‘html’ and ‘pdf’ formats:

     $> cd ../strcompat-0.9.2.7
     $> less doc/manual/strcompat.txt
     $> lynx doc/manual/strcompat.html
     $> info doc/manual/strcompat.info
     $> xpdf doc/manual/strcompat.pdf

The ‘text’ version of the manual is always available in the MANUAL file in the release.

The current manual is also always available online from The OpenSS7 Project website at:

     $> lynx http://www.openss7.org/strcompat_manual.html

1 Introduction

This manual documents the design, implementation, installation, operation and future development schedule of the OpenSS7 STREAMS Compatibility package.

1.1 Overview

This manual documents the design, implementation, installation, operation and future development of the OpenSS7 STREAMS Compatibility package.

1.2 Organization of this Manual

This manual is organized (loosely) into several sections as follows:

1.3 Conventions and Definitions

This manual uses texinfo typographic conventions.

2 Objective

The OpenSS7 STREAMS Compatibility package is intended to provide maximum compatibility between Linux STREAMS (LiS) or Linux Fast-STREAMS (LfS) and other STREAMS implementations on major UNIX operating systems, for the purpose of porting existing STREAMS modules and drivers from those operating system to Linux.

Also, the OpenSS7 STREAMS Compatibility package aims to provide compatibility between Linux STREAMS (LiS) and Linux Fast-STREAMS to ease the porting of STREAMS modules and drivers from LiS to Linux Fast-STREAMS with minimal effort.

To meet that objective, OpenSS7 STREAMS Compatibility aims to support the STREAMS DDI/DKI and registration functions of the following STREAMS implementations:

• UNIX System V Release 3.2
• UNIX System V Release 4 MP
• UNIX System V Release 4.0 MP
• UNIX System V Release 4.2 MP
• Mentat Portable Streams (MPS)
• Linux STREAMS LiS 2.16
• Linux STREAMS LiS 2.18
• Linux Fast-STREAMS 0.7a
• Linux Fast-STREAMS 0.9.2
• AIX 5L Version 5.1 Portable STREAMS Environment (PSE)
• HP-UX 11.0i v2 STREAMS/UX
• OSF/1.2 - Digital UNIX STREAMS
• UnixWare 7.1.3 (OpenUnix 8) STREAMS
• Solaris 9/SunOS 5.9 (OpenSolaris) STREAMS
• Mac OS 9 OpenTransport 1.5r2
• IRIX 6.5.17 STREAMS
• SUPER-UX Release 9.2
• UXP/V V10L10 STREAMS V10

The OpenSS7 STREAMS Compatibility package contains compatibility modules that were originally part of the Linux Fast-STREAMS package. They have been separated into an package independent from Linux Fast-STREAMS for the purpose of provide some of the same capabilities to Linux STREAMS (LiS) in advance of production releases of Linux Fast-STREAMS.

2.1 Rationale

The OpenSS7 STREAMS Compatibility package is designed and implemented to be compatible with as many SVR 4.2 MP based implementations of STREAMSa s possible. This is done for several reasons:

1. Porting legacy drivers to Linux:

   Many legacy STREAMS drivers have been written and developed for SVR 4.2 MP or UNIX systems based on SVR 4.2 MP. Remaining compatible with as many implementations as possible permits these legacy drivers to be easily ported from their native UNIX variant to the Linux Fast-STREAMS environment, thus quickly porting these legacy drivers to Linux.

2. Leverage of knowledge base:

   Many developers are familiar with one or another of the mainstream UNIX implementations of SVR 4.2 MP STREAMS. By remaining as compatible as possible with all these implementations of STREAMS permits knowledge and expertise in the UNIX variant of STREAMS to be transferred and applied to Linux Fast-STREAMS on Linux.

3. Reverse portability:

   Because it is compatible as possible with other STREAMS implementations, STREAMS drivers and modules developed on Linux Fast-STREAMS can easily be ported to other implementations if a set of compatibility and portability guidelines are followed. This allows STREAMS driver and modules developed on the Linux operating system to be used on branded UNIX systems with minimal porting and modification.

4. Multiple baselines:

   Because the source code developed for Linux Fast-STREAMS can remain quite close to that for other mainstream UNIX implementations of SVR 4.2 MP STREAMS, it is possible to have multiple baselines for different architectures in the same source code files. This eases the maintenance of STREAMS drivers and modules across Linux Fast-STREAMS and other UNIX systems.

5. Standardization:

   By being as compatible as possible with many STREAMS implementations as possible, Linux Fast-STREAMS implements an ipso facto standard. Unfortunately, the OpenGroup and POSIX have been very lacking in the standardization of internal kernel interfaces such as STREAMS. Maximum compatibility moves close to providing a standard for such interfaces.

6. Licensing and Technology Binding

   By implementing an ipso facto standard, independent STREAMS drivers and modules written to the technical interface avoid being impinged upon by the GNU Affero Public License under which Linux STREAMS and Linux Fast-STREAMS are distributed.

2.2 Use with Linux STREAMS

The OpenSS7 STREAMS Compatibility package was originally part of the Linux Fast-STREAMS base package, streams. The purpose for separating the package was originally to support both LiS and Linux Fast-STREAMS until such time as Linux Fast-STREAMS was a suitable production replacement for LiS. With release streams-0.9.2.4, Linux Fast-STREAMS is a far superior production replacement for LiS and LiS is now deprecated. Although, at one time, the OpenSS7 STREAMS Compatibility package worked with LiS, it is no longer supported on LiS and is only tested and validated for Linux Fast-STREAMS. Even when it was supported, LiS has so many bugs, deficiencies and incompatibilities in the Stream head, that it was not possible to obtain usable compatibility in conjunction with LiS. Linux Fast-STREAMS does not have these problems.

2.3 Use with Linux Fast-STREAMS

The OpenSS7 STREAMS Compatibility package functions much better with the Linux Fast-STREAMS implementation with which it was originally intended to function. Linux Fast-STREAMS provides a superset of the capabilities of SVR 4.2 MP intended to provide compatibility across as many mainstream UNIX implementations of STREAMS as possible. Also, Linux Fast-STREAMS does not have the bugs, races, deficiencies, and other difficulties present in the LiS package.⁸

3 Reference

3.1 Files

The following sections provide a manifest of the files that are installed by the OpenSS7 STREAMS Compatibility package:

STRCOMPAT creates the following kernel modules files in the kernel modules directory, /lib/modules/2.4.20-28.7/:⁹

modules.strcompat

STRCOMPAT installs the following kernel module files in the kernel modules directory, /lib/modules/2.4.20-28.7/strcompat/:¹⁰

streams_os7compat.ko

OpenSS7 compatibility module.

streams_svr3compat.ko

SVR 3 compatibility module.

streams_svr4compat.ko

SVR 4.2 MP compatibility module.

streams_mpscompat.ko

MPS compatibility module.

streams_suncompat.ko

Solaris compatibility module.

streams_uw7compat.ko

UnixWare compatibility module.

streams_osfcompat.ko

OSF/1 compatibility module.

streams_aixcompat.ko

AIX compatibility module.

streams_hpuxcompat.ko

HP-UX compatibility module.

streams_irixcompat.ko

IRIX compatibility module.

streams_liscompat.ko

LiS compatibility module.

streams_maccompat.ko

Mac OT compatibility module.

STRCOMPAT installs the following header files in the system include directory, /usr/include/strcompat/:

sys/strcompat/config.h

Contains configuration defines for the strcompat package.

sys/strcompat/version.h

Contains module versions (on 2.4 kernels) for the strcompat package.

sys/os7/allocb.h

Contains declarations of OpenSS7 buffer allocation helper functions.

sys/os7/bufpool.h

Contains declarations of OpenSS7 buffer pool helper functions.

sys/os7/bufq.h

Contains declarations of OpenSS7 private buffer queue helper functions.

sys/os7/compat.h

Contains declarations of OpenSS7 compatibility defines and includes. This is the only header file that needs to be included for a STREAMS module or driver that needs to be compatible with both LiS and Linux Fast-STREAMS.

sys/os7/debug.h

Contains declarations of OpenSS7 debugging macros.

sys/os7/lock.h

Contains declarations of OpenSS7 queue locking helper functions.

sys/os7/priv.h

Contains declarations of OpenSS7 queue private structure helper functions.

sys/os7/queue.h

Contains declarations of OpenSS7 queue put and service procedure helper functions.

sys/os7/timer.h

Contains declarations of OpenSS7 timer helper functions.

sys/os7/ddi.h

Contains declarations of OpenSS7 additional helper functions.

sys/os7/strconf.h

Contains declarations of OpenSS7 STREAMS configuration helper functions.

sys/os7/stream.h

Contains declarations of OpenSS7 STREAMS helper functions.

sys/stream.h

Contains a main header file providing STREAMS utility function declarations. Depending on defines when including this file, this file may include stream.h files for specific implementations.

sys/strconf.h

Contains a main header file providing STREAMS configuration function declarations. Depending on defines when including this file, this file may include stream.h files for specific implementations.

sys/ddi.h

Contains a main header file providing STREAMS DDI/DKI function declarations. Depending on defines when including this file, this file may include stream.h files for specific implementations.

sys/aix/stream.h

Contains declarations of STREAMS functions unique to AIX.

sys/aix/strconf.h

Contains declarations of STREAMS configuration functions unique to AIX.

sys/aix/ddi.h

Contains declarations of STREAMS DDI/DKI functions unique to AIX.

sys/hpux/stream.h

Contains declarations of STREAMS functions unique to HP-UX.

sys/hpux/strconf.h

Contains declarations of STREAMS configuration functions unique to HP-UX.

sys/hpux/ddi.h

Contains declarations of STREAMS DDI/DKI functions unique to HP-UX.

sys/irix/stream.h

Contains declarations of STREAMS functions unique to IRIX.

sys/irix/strconf.h

Contains declarations of STREAMS configuration functions unique to IRIX.

sys/irix/ddi.h

Contains declarations of STREAMS DDI/DKI functions unique to IRIX.

sys/lis/stream.h

Contains declarations of STREAMS functions unique to LiS.

sys/lis/strconf.h

Contains declarations of STREAMS configuration functions unique to LiS.

sys/lis/ddi.h

Contains declarations of STREAMS DDI/DKI functions unique to LiS.

sys/mac/stream.h

Contains declarations of STREAMS functions unique to Mac OT.

sys/mac/strconf.h

Contains declarations of STREAMS configuration functions unique to Mac OT.

sys/mac/ddi.h

Contains declarations of STREAMS DDI/DKI functions unique to Mac OT.

sys/mps/stream.h

Contains declarations of STREAMS functions unique to MPS.

sys/mps/strconf.h

Contains declarations of STREAMS configuration functions unique to MPS.

sys/mps/ddi.h

Contains declarations of STREAMS DDI/DKI functions unique to MPS.

sys/osf/stream.h

Contains declarations of STREAMS functions unique to OSF/1.

sys/osf/strconf.h

Contains declarations of STREAMS configuration functions unique to OSF/1.

sys/osf/ddi.h

Contains declarations of STREAMS DDI/DKI functions unique to OSF/1.

sys/sun/stream.h

Contains declarations of STREAMS functions unique to Solaris.

sys/sun/strconf.h

Contains declarations of STREAMS configuration functions unique to Solaris.

sys/sun/ddi.h

Contains declarations of STREAMS DDI/DKI functions unique to Solaris.

sys/sun/strsun.h

Contains specific declarations for Solaris helper functions.

sys/sunddi.h

Main header file used to include Solaris DDI/DKI function declarations.

sys/strsun.h

Main header file used to include Solaris Solaris function declarations.

sys/svr3/stream.h

Contains declarations of STREAMS functions unique to SVR 3.

sys/svr3/strconf.h

Contains declarations of STREAMS configuration functions unique to SVR 3.

sys/svr3/ddi.h

Contains declarations of STREAMS DDI/DKI functions unique to SVR 3.

sys/svr4/stream.h

Contains declarations of STREAMS functions unique to SVR 4.2 MP.

sys/svr4/strconf.h

Contains declarations of STREAMS configuration functions unique to SVR 4.2 MP.

sys/svr4/ddi.h

Contains declarations of STREAMS DDI/DKI functions unique to SVR 4.2 MP.

sys/uw7/stream.h

Contains declarations of STREAMS functions unique to UnixWare.

sys/uw7/strconf.h

Contains declarations of STREAMS configuration functions unique to UnixWare.

sys/uw7/ddi.h

Contains declarations of STREAMS DDI/DKI functions unique to UnixWare.

STRCOMPAT installs the following test programs in the system libexec directory, /usr/libexec/strcompat/:¹¹

send-pr

send-pr.config

The send-pr stand-alone shell script can be used for the automatic generation of problem reports for the OpenSS7 STREAMS Compatibility package. The send-pr.config file provides localized definitions used by the send-pr program. For more information on problem reports, See Problem Reports, and, in particular, See Stand Alone Problem Reports.

testsuite

atlocal

The testsuite stand-alone shell script invokes test cases in the test programs above as compiled into a comprehensive regression, troubleshooting and validation test suite for the OpenSS7 STREAMS Compatibility drivers. The atlocal file provides localized definitions used by the testsuite program. For more information on test suites, See Test Suites, and, in particular, See Running Test Suites.

STRCOMPAT installs the following init scripts in the system init directory, /etc/rc.d/init.d/ (non-Debian) or /etc/init.d/ (Debian):

strcompat

This is the name of the system init script on non-Debian based systems.

strcompat.sh

This is the name of the system init script on Debian based systems.

STRCOMPAT installs the following system configuration files in the configuration directory, /etc/:

strcompat.conf

This file provided configuration information for any system controls affected by the ‘strcompat’ package.

modutils/strcompat

This file provides module definitions and demand loading aliases for the strcompat package. This file is really only applicable to older 2.4 kernels.

STRCOMPAT installs the following system configuration file in the system configuration directory, /etc/sysconfig/ (non-Debian) or /etc/default/ (Debian):

strcompat

This file provides system configuration information used by init scripts for the ‘strcompat’ package. Some options of init script execution can be controlled by this file.

STRCOMPAT installs the following info files in the system info directory, /usr/share/info/:

strcompat.info

strcompat.info-1

strcompat.info-2

These files contain this manual in GNU info format.

STRCOMPAT installs the following manual page macros and reference database files in the system man directory, /usr/share/man/:¹²

strcompat.macros

This file contains manual page macro definitions included by the manual pages included in the package.

strcompat.refs

This file contains a reference database referenced by the manual pages included in the package.

STRCOMPAT installs the following manual pages in the system man directory, /usr/share/man/man5/:

strcompat.5

manual page for the strcompat(5) package.

STRCOMPAT installs the following manual pages in the system man directory, /usr/share/man/man8/:

strcompat_mknod.8

Documentation for the strcompat_mknod(8) utility program.

STRCOMPAT installs the following manual pages in the system man directory, /usr/share/man/man9/:

The OpenSS7 STREAMS Compatibility package installs several hundred manual pages that are too many to list here. Following are just the primary manual pages. Begin with any of these manual pages to obtain references to the remaining pages.

man9/os7compat.9

os7compat(9)

man9/svr3compat.9

svr3compat(9)

man9/svr4compat.9

svr4compat(9)

man9/mpscompat.9

mpscompat(9)

man9/suncompat.9

suncompat(9)

man9/uw7compat.9

uw7compat(9)

man9/osfcompat.9

osfcompat(9)

man9/aixcompat.9

aixcompat(9)

man9/hpuxcompat.9

hpuxcompat(9)

man9/irixcompat.9

irixcompat(9)

man9/liscompat.9

liscompat(9)

man9/maccompat.9

maccompat(9)

3.2 Drivers

The OpenSS7 STREAMS Compatibility package only includes drivers for the purpose of providing examples of the use of the utility functions included in the package, as well as to provide loadable drivers for the purpose of test suite execution. If you are not interested in test suite execution, these drivers can be removed.

STREAMS drivers included in the package are as follows:

streams_aixdrv.ko

an example driver for testing AIX 5L Version 5.1 Portable STREAMS Environment (PSE) compatibility.

streams_hpuxdrv.ko

an example driver for testing HP-UX 11.0i v2 STREAMS/UX compatibility.

streams_irixdrv.ko

an example driver for testing IRIX 6.5.17 STREAMS compatibility.

streams_lfsdrv.ko

an example driver for testing Linux Fast-STREAMS 0.9.2.4 compatibility.

streams_lisdrv.ko

an example driver for testing Linux STREAMS LiS 2.16 and LiS 2.18 compatibility.

streams_macdrv.ko

an example driver for testing Mac OS 9 OpenTransport 1.5r2 compatibility.

streams_mpsdrv.ko

an example driver for testing Mentat Portable Streams (MPS) compatibility.

streams_osfdrv.ko

an example driver for testing OSF/1.2 - Digital UNIX STREAMS compatibility.

streams_sundrv.ko

an example driver for testing Solaris 9/SunOS 5.9 (OpenSolaris) STREAMS compatibility.

streams_suxdrv.ko

an example driver for testing SUPER-UX Release 9.2 compatibility.

streams_svr3drv.ko

an example driver for testing UNIX System V Release 3.2 compatibility.

streams_svr4drv.ko

an example driver for testing UNIX System V Release 4.2 MP compatibility.

streams_uw7drv.ko

an example driver for testing UnixWare 7.1.3 (OpenUnix 8) STREAMS compatibility.

streams_uxpdrv.ko

an example driver for testing UXP/V V10L10 STREAMS V10 compatibility.

3.3 Modules

The OpenSS7 STREAMS Compatibility package only includes modules for the purpose of providing examples of the use of the utility functions included in the package, as well as to provide loadable modules for the purpose of test suite execution. If you are not interested in test suite execution, these modules can be removed.

STREAMS modules included in the package are as follows:

streams_aixmod.ko

an example module for testing AIX 5L Version 5.1 Portable STREAMS Environment (PSE) compatibility.

streams_hpuxmod.ko

an example module for testing HP-UX 11.0i v2 STREAMS/UX compatibility.

streams_irixmod.ko

an example module for testing IRIX 6.5.17 STREAMS compatibility.

streams_lfsmod.ko

an example module for testing Linux Fast-STREAMS 0.9.2.4 compatibility.

streams_lismod.ko

an example module for testing Linux STREAMS LiS 2.16 and LiS 2.18 compatibility.

streams_macmod.ko

an example module for testing Mac OS 9 OpenTransport 1.5r2 compatibility.

streams_mpsmod.ko

an example module for testing Mentat Portable Streams (MPS) compatibility.

streams_osfmod.ko

an example module for testing OSF/1.2 - Digital UNIX STREAMS compatibility.

streams_sunmod.ko

an example module for testing Solaris 9/SunOS 5.9 (OpenSolaris) STREAMS compatibility.

streams_suxmod.ko

an example module for testing SUPER-UX Release 9.2 compatibility.

streams_svr3mod.ko

an example module for testing UNIX System V Release 3.2 compatibility.

streams_svr4mod.ko

an example module for testing UNIX System V Release 4.2 MP compatibility.

streams_uw7mod.ko

an example module for testing UnixWare 7.1.3 (OpenUnix 8) STREAMS compatibility.

streams_uxpmod.ko

an example module for testing UXP/V V10L10 STREAMS V10 compatibility.

3.4 Libraries

3.5 Utilities

The OpenSS7 STREAMS Compatibility package does not provide any system utilities of its own. For a set of system utilities that are compatible across the same wide range of operating systems, use the OpenSS7 STREAMS Utilities package.

What the OpenSS7 STREAMS Compatibility package does provide is a set of kernel modules that provide compatibility utilities to the STREAMS module or driver developer. These kernel modules are as follows:

streams_aixcompat.ko

STREAMS module writer utilities for AIX 5L Version 5.1 Portable STREAMS Environment (PSE) compatibility.

streams_hpuxcompat.ko

STREAMS module writer utilities for HP-UX 11.0i v2 STREAMS/UX compatibility.

streams_irixcompat.ko

STREAMS module writer utilities for IRIX 6.5.17 STREAMS compatibility.

streams_lfscompat.ko

STREAMS module writer utilities for Linux Fast-STREAMS 0.9.2.4 compatibility.

streams_liscompat.ko

STREAMS module writer utilities for Linux STREAMS LiS 2.16 and LiS 2.18 compatibility.

streams_maccompat.ko

STREAMS module writer utilities for Mac OS 9 OpenTransport 1.5r2 compatibility.

streams_mpscompat.ko

STREAMS module writer utilities for Mentat Portable Streams (MPS) compatibility.

streams_osfcompat.ko

STREAMS module writer utilities for OSF/1.2 - Digital UNIX STREAMS compatibility.

streams_suncompat.ko

STREAMS module writer utilities for Solaris 9/SunOS 5.9 (OpenSolaris) STREAMS compatibility.

streams_suxcompat.ko

STREAMS module writer utilities for SUPER-UX Release 9.2 compatibility.

streams_svr3compat.ko

STREAMS module writer utilities for UNIX System V Release 3.2 compatibility.

streams_svr4compat.ko

STREAMS module writer utilities for UNIX System V Release 4.2 MP compatibility.

streams_uw7compat.ko

STREAMS module writer utilities for UnixWare 7.1.3 (OpenUnix 8) STREAMS compatibility.

streams_uxpcompat.ko

STREAMS module writer utilities for UXP/V V10L10 STREAMS V10 compatibility.

3.5.1 AIX Utilities

3.5.2 HP-UX Utilities

3.5.3 IRIX Utilities

3.5.4 LfS Utilities

3.5.5 LiS Utilities

3.5.6 MacOT Utilities

3.5.7 MPS Utilities

3.5.8 OSF Utilities

3.5.9 Solaris Utilities

3.5.10 SUPER-UX Utilities

3.5.11 SVR3 Utilities

3.5.12 SVR4 Utilities

3.5.13 UnixWare Utilities

3.5.14 UXP/V Utilities

3.6 Development

The OpenSS7 STREAMS Compatibility package contains the necessary header files, shared and static libraries, manuals and manual pages, necessary for the development of kernel modules, STREAMS modules and drivers, and applications programs based on the OpenSS7 STREAMS Compatibility package.

3.6.1 Header Files

Header files are installed, typically, in the /usr/include/strcompat/ subdirectory.¹³ To use the header files from the package, ‘-I/usr/include/strcompat’ must be included in the gcc command line as a preprocessor option. This is true regardless of whether user space or kernel programs are being compiled.

In general, ‘-I’ include directives on the gcc command line should be ordered in the reverse order of the dependencies between add-on packages. So, for example, if the include files from all add-on packages are required, the order of these directives would be: ‘-I/usr/include/strcompat -I/usr/include/streams’.

Following are the user visible header files provided by the strcompat-0.9.2.7 package in directory /usr/include/strcompat/:

sys/stream.h

A replacement stream.h file

sys/strconf.h

A replacement strconf.h file

sys/ddi.h

A replacement ddi.h file

sys/strsun.h

A replacement strsun.h file

sys/sunddi.h

A replacement sunddi.h file

3.6.1.1 User Space Programs

Typically include files for interacting with STREAMS from user space include the stropts.h header file. Additional files for interacting with specific drivers or module may also be required. The OpenSS7 STREAMS Compatibility package does not provide any user space header files.

3.6.1.2 Kernel Driver and Modules

Typical include files for writing STREAMS modules and drivers for kernel include the sys/cmn_err.h, sys/kmem.h, sys/dki.h, sys/stream.h, sys/ddi.h, and sys/strconf.h header files. Additional header files for interacting with specific drivers or modules may also be required.

3.6.2 Libraries

Shared or static versions of the libstreams library must be linked when using the strcompat-0.9.2.7 package. This library must either be specified on the gcc command line as a shared library (e.g. ‘-lstreams’) or as a static library (e.g. ‘/usr/lib/libstreams.a’).

If the shared library is linked, include the following options on the gcc command line:

If the static library is linked, include the following options on the gcc command line:

3.6.3 Kernel Module

Developing STREAMS kernel modules is similar to user space programs with regard to header files. /usr/include/strcompat should be placed as as include directory to search in the gcc command line. The rules for compiling Linux kernel modules should be followed. In particular, several important intricacies should be considered:

• The gcc compiler used to compile the kernel modules must be the same version of compiler that was used to compile the kernel.
• The gcc command line must have the same compile flags that were used to compile the kernel.
• The gcc command line must define several important kernel defines including ‘-DLINUX’, ‘-D__KERNEL__’, as well as the base name of the module.
• The gcc command line must include several important include files directly on the command line such as ‘--include /lib/modules/2.4.20-28.7/build/include/linux/autoconf.h’ and maybe even ‘--include /lib/modules/2.4.20-28.7/build/include/linux/modversion.h’.¹⁴

3.6.4 Manual Pages

The strcompat-0.9.2.7 package installs a number of manual pages. The number of manual pages installed totals several hundred manual pages.

4 Porting

Although each of the manual pages of supported functions and structures provide compatibility and porting information in the COMPATIBILITY and CONFORMANCE sections, this document attempts to collect together some of the overarching pertinent information concerning porting from various UNIX operation systems support STREAMS to Linux Fast-STREAMS. For general portability information concerning porting from Linux Fast-STREAMS to other STREAMS implementations, to avoid technical lock-in, see the COMPATIBILITY section in the manual page for the specific function.

The porting information is organized by the operating system from which porting is being attempted. Note that, aside from configuration details, any system not listed here that is based on SVR 4.2 MP or on another of the implementations, should start with that implementation's portability information.

Porting information is organized into sections as follows:

4.1 SVR 3.2 Porting

Detailed portability information for porting STREAMS modules and drivers from SVR 3.2 to OpenSS7 STREAMS Compatibility is contained in this package under the svr3compat(9) manual page. This package also contains specific compatibility functions in the streams_svr3compat.ko module.

This section captures portability information for SVR 3.2 based systems. If the operating system from which you are porting more closely fits one of the other portability sections, please see that section. For the most part, porting from SVR 3.2 to OpenSS7 STREAMS Compatibility is not much different than porting forward from SVR 3.2 to SVR 4.2 MP. If you wish to be able to access some backward compatible SVR 3.2 functions, use the SVR 3.2 Compatibility Module. Therefore, it is recommended that STREAMS modules and drivers for SVR 3.2 be ported forward to SVR 4.2 MP before being ported to OpenSS7 STREAMS Compatibility.

4.1.1 Differences from SVR 3.2

The most significant difference in SVR 3.2 and SVR 4.2 MP was the declaration of the queue open and close routine entry points. Some STREAMS implementations still support both SVR 3.2 entry point declarations as well as SVR 4.2 MP entry point declarations. OpenSS7 STREAMS Compatibility only supports the SVR 4.2 MP style entry points. SVR 3.2 was not MP-safe. OpenSS7 STREAMS Compatibility is MP-safe.

A significant number of utilities were implemented in SVR 3.2 as architecture dependent macros. In SVR 4.2 MP these became architecture independent function calls. In general, OpenSS7 STREAMS Compatibility is different from SVR 3.2 in any way that SVR 3.2 is different from SVR 4.2 MP.

4.1.2 Commonalities with SVR 3.2

In general, most of the STREAMS utility functions that were present in SVR 3.2 also made it into SVR 4 (with few exceptions). SVR 3.2 did not yet have the concept of a DDI/DKI, but the STREAMS functions present in SVR 3.2 appear in the SVR 4.2 MP DDI/DKI.

4.1.3 Compatibility functions for SVR 3.2

alloc_proto(9)

Allocate control and data message blocks.

emajor(9)

Get the external (real) major device number from the device number.

eminor(9)

Get the external extended major device number from the device number.

4.1.4 Configuration with SVR 3.2

I have never seen a description of SVR 3.2 STREAMS configuration. I can only assume that it involved relinking the kernel in some fashion.

4.2 SVR 4.2 Porting

Detailed portability information for porting STREAMS modules and drivers from SVR 4.2 to OpenSS7 STREAMS Compatibility is contained in this package under the svr3compat(9) manual page. This package also contains specific compatibility functions in the streams_svr3compat.ko module.

This section captures portability information for SVR 4.2 MP based systems. If the operating system from which you are porting more closely fits one of the other portability section, please see that section.

4.2.1 Differences from SVR 4.2

OpenSS7 STREAMS Compatibility have very few difference from SVR 4.2 MP. Not all SVR 4.2 MP functions are implemented in the base OpenSS7 STREAMS Compatibility kernel modules. Some functions are included in the SVR 4.2 MP Compatibility Module (streams_svr4compat.ko) from the strcompat package.

4.2.2 Priority Levels

Linux has a different concept of priority levels SVR 4.2 MP. Linux has basically 4 priority levels as follows:

1. Preemptive

   At this priority level, software and hardware interrupts are enabled and the kernel is executing with preemption enabled. This means that the currently executing kernel thread could preempt and sleep in favour of another thread of kernel execution.

   This priority level only exist on preemptive (mostly 2.6) kernels.

2. Non-Preemptive

   At this priority level, software and hardware interrupts are enabled and the kernel is executing with preemption disabled. This means that the currently executing kernel thread will only be interrupted by software or hardware interrupts.

   This priority level exists in all kernels.

3. Software Interrupts Disabled

   At this priority level, software interrupts are disabled and the kernel is executing with preemption disabled. This means that the currently executing kernel thread will only be interrupted by hardware interrupts.

   This is the case when the executing thread is processing a software interrupt, or when the currently executing thread has disabled software interrupts.

   This priority level exists in all kernels.

4. Interrupt Service Routines Disabled

   At this priority level, hardware interrupts are disabled and the kernel is executing with preemption disabled. This means that the currently executing kernel thread will not be interrupted.

   This is the case when the executing thread is processing a hardware interrupt, or when the currently executing thread has disabled hardware interrupts.

   This priority level exists in all kernels.

4.2.3 Commonalities with SVR 4.2

4.2.4 Compatibility functions for SVR 4.2

4.2.5 Configuration with SVR 4.2

4.3 MPS Porting

Detailed portability information for porting STREAMS modules and drivers from MPS to OpenSS7 STREAMS Compatibility is contained in this package under the svr3compat(9) manual page. This package also contains specific compatibility functions in the streams_svr3compat.ko module.

4.3.1 Differences from MPS

4.3.2 Commonalities with MPS

4.3.3 Compatibility functions for MPS

4.3.4 Configuration with MPS

4.4 AIX Porting

Detailed portability information for porting STREAMS modules and drivers from AIX to OpenSS7 STREAMS Compatibility is contained in this package under the svr3compat(9) manual page. This package also contains specific compatibility functions in the streams_svr3compat.ko module.

4.4.1 Differences from AIX

4.4.2 Commonalities with AIX

4.4.3 Compatibility functions for AIX

4.4.4 Configuration with AIX

4.5 HP-UX Porting

Detailed portability information for porting STREAMS modules and drivers from HP-UX to OpenSS7 STREAMS Compatibility is contained in this package under the svr3compat(9) manual page. This package also contains specific compatibility functions in the streams_svr3compat.ko module.

4.5.1 Differences from HP-UX

4.5.2 Commonalities with HP-UX

4.5.3 Compatibility functions for HP-UX

4.5.4 Configuration with HP-UX

4.6 IRIX Porting

Detailed portability information for porting STREAMS modules and drivers from IRIX to OpenSS7 STREAMS Compatibility is contained in this package under the svr3compat(9) manual page. This package also contains specific compatibility functions in the streams_svr3compat.ko module.

4.6.1 Differences from IRIX

4.6.2 Commonalities with IRIX

4.6.3 Compatibility functions for IRIX

4.6.4 Configuration with IRIX

4.7 LfS Porting

Detailed portability information for porting STREAMS modules and drivers from LfS to OpenSS7 STREAMS Compatibility is contained in this package under the svr3compat(9) manual page. This package also contains specific compatibility functions in the streams_svr3compat.ko module.

4.7.1 Differences from LfS

4.7.2 Commonalities with LfS

4.7.3 Compatibility functions for LfS

4.7.4 Configuration with LfS

4.8 LiS Porting

Detailed portability information for porting STREAMS modules and drivers from LiS to OpenSS7 STREAMS Compatibility is contained in this package under the svr3compat(9) manual page. This package also contains specific compatibility functions in the streams_svr3compat.ko module.

4.8.1 Differences from LiS

4.8.2 Commonalities with LiS

4.8.3 Compatibility functions for LiS

4.8.4 Configuration with LiS

4.9 MacOT Porting

Detailed portability information for porting STREAMS modules and drivers from MacOT to OpenSS7 STREAMS Compatibility is contained in this package under the svr3compat(9) manual page. This package also contains specific compatibility functions in the streams_svr3compat.ko module.

4.9.1 Differences from MacOT

4.9.2 Commonalities with MacOT

4.9.3 Compatibility functions for MacOT

4.9.4 Configuration with MacOT

4.10 OSF/1 Porting

Detailed portability information for porting STREAMS modules and drivers from OSF/1 to OpenSS7 STREAMS Compatibility is contained in this package under the svr3compat(9) manual page. This package also contains specific compatibility functions in the streams_svr3compat.ko module.

4.10.1 Differences from OSF/1

4.10.2 Commonalities with OSF/1

4.10.3 Compatibility functions for OSF/1

4.10.4 Configuration with OSF/1

4.11 Solaris Porting

Detailed portability information for porting STREAMS modules and drivers from Solaris to OpenSS7 STREAMS Compatibility is contained in this package under the svr3compat(9) manual page. This package also contains specific compatibility functions in the streams_svr3compat.ko module.

4.11.1 Differences from Solaris

4.11.2 Commonalities with Solaris

4.11.3 Compatibility functions for Solaris

4.11.4 Configuration with Solaris

4.12 SUX Porting

Detailed portability information for porting STREAMS modules and drivers from SUX to OpenSS7 STREAMS Compatibility is contained in this package under the svr3compat(9) manual page. This package also contains specific compatibility functions in the streams_svr3compat.ko module.

4.12.1 Differences from SUX

4.12.2 Commonalities with SUX

4.12.3 Compatibility functions for SUX

4.12.4 Configuration with SUX

4.13 UnixWare Porting

Detailed portability information for porting STREAMS modules and drivers from UnixWare to OpenSS7 STREAMS Compatibility is contained in this package under the svr3compat(9) manual page. This package also contains specific compatibility functions in the streams_svr3compat.ko module.

4.13.1 Differences from UnixWare

4.13.2 Commonalities with UnixWare

4.13.3 Compatibility functions for UnixWare

4.13.4 Configuration with UnixWare

4.14 UXP Porting

Detailed portability information for porting STREAMS modules and drivers from UXP to OpenSS7 STREAMS Compatibility is contained in this package under the svr3compat(9) manual page. This package also contains specific compatibility functions in the streams_svr3compat.ko module.

4.14.1 Differences from UXP

4.14.2 Commonalities with UXP

4.14.3 Compatibility functions for UXP

4.14.4 Configuration with UXP

5 Conformance

5.1 STREAMS Compatibility

Linux Fast-STREAMS is designed to be as compatible as possible with as wide a range of STREAMS implementations as possible. On top of this base compatibility, the OpenSS7 STREAMS Compatibility package provides compatible STREAMS utility, DDI/DKI and configuration functions specific to a particular STREAMS implementation.¹⁵

OpenSS7 STREAMS Compatibility provides some degree of compatibility with other STREAMS implementation as follows:

— SVR 4.2 ES/MP

OpenSS7 STREAMS Compatibility provides some degree of operational compatibility with SVR 4.2 ES/MP to ease portability and common comprehension, see SVR 4.2 Compatibility.

— AIX 5L Version 5.1

OpenSS7 STREAMS Compatibility provides some degree of operational compatibility with AIX 5L Version 5.1 to ease portability and common comprehension, see AIX Compatibility.

— HP-UX 11.0i v2

OpenSS7 STREAMS Compatibility provides some degree of operational compatibility with HP-UX 11.0i v2 to ease portability and common comprehension, see HP-UX Compatibility.

— OSF/1 1.2/Digital UNIX/True 64

OpenSS7 STREAMS Compatibility provides some degree of operational compatibility with OSF/1 1.2/Digital UNIX to ease portability and common comprehension, see OSF/1 Compatibility.

— UnixWare 7.1.3 (OpenUnix 8)

OpenSS7 STREAMS Compatibility provides some degree of operational compatibility with UnixWare 7.1.3 (OpenUnix 8) to ease portability and common comprehension, see UnixWare Compatibility.

— Solaris 9/SunOS 5.9

OpenSS7 STREAMS Compatibility provides some degree of operational compatibility with Solaris 9/SunOS 5.9 to ease portability and common comprehension, see Solaris Compatibility.

— SUPER-UX

OpenSS7 STREAMS Compatibility provides some degree of operational compatibility with SUPER-UX to ease portability and common comprehension, see SUX Compatibility.

— UXP/V

OpenSS7 STREAMS Compatibility provides some degree of operational compatibility with UXP/V to ease portability and common comprehension, see UXP Compatibility.

— LiS-2.16.18

OpenSS7 STREAMS Compatibility provides some degree of operational compatibility with LiS 2.16 to ease portability and common comprehension, see LiS Compatibility.

For additional details, see About This Manual.

5.1.1 SVR 3.2 Compatibility

Almost all of the SVR 3.2 functions have been continued into SVR 4, with the exception of some backward compatibility functions. These functions are implemented in the UNIX System V Release 3.2 Compatibility Module, streams_svr3compat.ko. There are implemented in a separate module, because it is very unlikely that they will be used. This module can be suppressed at configuration time.

5.1.1.1 UNIX System V Release 3.2 Functions

Following are the UNIX System V Release 3.2 STREAMS functions and their documented support in the various implementation with which this package is compatible. The Linux Fast-STREAMS package implements many of these function in the core streams.ko kernel module.

Notes:

• Only Solaris and UXP/V implement the cmpdev(9) and expdev(9) functions.
• The OpenSS7 STREAMS Compatibility package does not support cmpdev(9), expdev(9), major(9), minor(9) or makedev(9) functions. The emajor(9), eminor(9), etoimajor(9) and itoemajor(9) functions are implemented as part of the UNIX System V Release 3.2 Compatibiltiy Module, streams_svr3compat.ko.
• For specific compatibility notes, see the individual manual pages for these functions.

5.1.2 SVR 4.2 Compatibility

5.1.2.1 UNIX System V Release 4 STREAMS Functions::

Following are the UNIX System V Release 4.0 STREAMS functions and their documented support in the various implementations with which this package is compatible. The Linux Fast-STREAMS package implements all of these functions in the core streams.ko kernel module.

Notes:

• canenable(9) is really an SVR 3.2 compatibility function that should not be used with SVR 4 STREAMS programs.
• For the most part, the UNIX System V Release 4.0 STREAMS functions are universally implemented. Exceptions to this include backq(9), which appears to be an oversight on the part of SUPER-UX documentation; esbbcall(9), that can be emulated by calling bufcall(9) with a size of zero; getadmin(9), getmid(9) and strlog(9), which seems to be more of a Solaris and LiS problem; SAMESTR(9), which is only useful on systems with STREAMS support for pipes and FIFOs.
• Because all of these functions are supported by the core Linux Fast-STREAMS package, and all but getadmin(9), getmid(9) and strlog(9) are supported by the core Linux STREAMS (LiS) package, these functions are not provided in the SVR 4.2 Compatibility Module, streams_svr4compat.ko. The three functions missing from LiS are implemented in the Linux Fast-STREAMS Compatibility Module, streams_lfscompat.ko, that is only built and installed against LiS.
• LiS always misses what Solaris misses. That is probably not a coincidence.
• For specific compatibility notes, see the individual manual pages for these functions.

5.1.2.2 UNIX System V Release 4 MP STREAMS Functions

UNIX System V Release 4.0 Multiprocessor (MP) STREAMS functions and their documented support in the various implementations with which this package is compatible. Linux Fast-STREAMS implements most of these functions in the core streams.ko kernel module. The MPSTR_QLOCK(9), MPSTR_QRELE(9), MPSTR_STPLOCK(9) and MPSTR_STPRELE(9) locking functions are part of the SVR 4.2 MP compatibility module, streams_svr4compat.ko because they only have documented support in UnixWare.

Notes:

• Although they are STREAMS functions, no implementation documentation other than UnixWare mentions the MPSTR_QLOCK(9), MPSTR_QRELE(9), MPSTR_STPLOCK(9) and MPSTR_STPRELE(9) functions, so they are placed in the SVR 4.2 MP compatibility module, streams_svr4compat.
• The pcmsg(9) function seems to have been missed by a number of implementations.
• AIX, OSF/1 and UXP/V do not document any of these functions, which is bad: these are the MP functions for STREAMS.
• LiS did not have anything resembling a qprocson(9) or qprocsoff(9) implementation until recently (2.18.0). LiS also did not have any freezestr(9) or unfreezestr(9) implementation until recently (2.18.0). Neither implementations are fully functional or in accordance with STREAMS documentation, making them almost unusable.
• LiS always misses what Solaris misses. That is probably not a coincidence.

5.1.2.3 UNIX System V Release 4.0 DDI/DKI Functions

Notes:

• For specific compatibility notes, see the individual manual pages for these functions.

5.1.2.4 UNIX System V Release 4.0 MP DDI/DKI Functions

Notes:

• For specific compatibility notes, see the individual manual pages for these functions.

5.1.2.5 UNIX System V Release 4.2 DDI/DKI Functions

Notes:

• For specific compatibility notes, see the individual manual pages for these functions.

5.1.2.6 UNIX System V Release 4.2 MP DDI/DKI Functions

Notes:

• For specific compatibility notes, see the individual manual pages for these functions.

5.1.3 MPS Compatibility

5.1.3.1 Mentat Portable Streams (MPS) Utility Functions

The Mentat Portable Streams (MPS) utility functions are important because they exist on many UNIX systems. AIX, HP-UX, OSF/1.2 and Mac OpenTransport are based on MPS. Almost all variants use the Mentat TCP/IP implementations, and therefore have implementations of many of these functions internally if not exposed. AIX, OSF/1.2 and especially Mac OpenTransport expose and document most (if not all) of these functions. The OpenSS7 STREAMS Compatibility package supports all of these functions.¹⁶

Notes:

• Mac OpenTransport documents almost all of these functions. The internal implementations of some UNIX variants differ from the Mac OpenTransport documentation in name and prototype.
• For the functions that are exposed by various implementations and their exact names and prototypes, see the individual variant sections.
• For specific compatibility notes, see the individual manual pages for these functions.

5.1.4 AIX Compatibility

5.1.4.1 AIX 5L Version 5.1 Portable STREAMS Environment (PSE) STREAMS Functions

Notes:

• For specific compatibility notes, see the individual manual pages for these functions.

5.1.5 HP-UX Compatibility

5.1.6 IRIX Compatibility

5.1.7 LfS Compatibility

5.1.8 LiS Compatibility

5.1.9 MacOT Compatibility

5.1.10 OSF/1 Compatibility

5.1.11 Solaris Compatibility

5.1.12 SUX Compatibility

5.1.13 UnixWare Compatibility

5.1.14 UXP Compatibility

6 Releases

This is the OpenSS7 Release of the OpenSS7 STREAMS Compatibility tools, drivers and modules used with the Linux Fast-STREAMS or Linux STREAMS¹⁷ SVR 4.2 STREAMS releases.

The purpose of providing a separate release of this package was to separate the OpenSS7 STREAMS Compatibility tools, headers, drivers and modules from the Linux STREAMS¹⁸ package for use with both Linux STREAMS¹⁹ and Linux Fast-STREAMS in preparation for replacement of the former by the later.

The following sections provide information on OpenSS7 STREAMS Compatibility releases as well as compatibility information of OpenSS7 release to mainstream UNIX releases of the core, modules and drivers, as well as Linux kernel compatibility.

6.1 Prerequisites

The quickest and easiest way to ensure that all prerequisites are met is to download and install this package from within the OpenSS7 Master Package, openss7-0.9.2.G, instead of separately.

Prerequisites for the OpenSS7 STREAMS Compatibility package are as follows:

1. Linux distribution, somewhat Linux Standards Base compliant, with a 2.4 or 2.6 kernel and the appropriate tool chain for compiling out-of-tree kernel modules. Most recent Linux distributions are usable out of the box, but some development packages must be installed. For more information, see Compatibility.

   	− A fairly LSB compliant GNU/Linux distribution.20
   	− Linux 2.4 kernel (2.4.10 - 2.4.27), or
   	− Linux 2.6 kernel (2.6.3 - 2.6.26);
   	− glibc2 or better.
   	− GNU groff (for man pages).21
   	− GNU texinfo (for info files).
   	− GNU bison and flex (for config programs).
   	− net-snmp (for SNMP agents).22

(Note: If you acquired strcompat a part of the OpenSS7 Master Package, then the dependencies listed below will already have been met by unpacking the master package.)

2. OpenSS7 Linux Fast-STREAMS, streams-0.9.2.4. ²³

If you need to rebuild the package from sources with modifications, you will need a larger GNU tool chain as described in See Downloading from CVS.

6.2 Compatibility

This section discusses compatibility with major prerequisites.

6.2.1 GNU/Linux Distributions

OpenSS7 STREAMS Compatibility is compatible with the following Linux distributions:²⁴

• CentOS Enterprise Linux 3.4 (centos34) TBD
• CentOS Enterprise Linux 4.0 (centos4) TBD
• CentOS Enterprise Linux 4.92 (centos49) TBD
• CentOS Enterprise Linux 5.0 (centos5)
• CentOS Enterprise Linux 5.1 (centos51)
• CentOS Enterprise Linux 5.2 (centos52)
• Debian 3.0r2 Woody (deb3.0) TBD
• Debian 3.1r0a Sarge (deb3.1) TBD
• Debian 4.0r1 Etch (deb4.0)
• Debian 4.0r2 Etch (deb4.0)
• Debian 4.0r3 Etch (deb4.0)
• Fedora Core 1 (FC1) TBD
• Fedora Core 2 (FC2) TBD
• Fedora Core 3 (FC3) TBD
• Fedora Core 4 (FC4) TBD
• Fedora Core 5 (FC5) TBD
• Fedora Core 6 (FC6) TBD
• Fedora 7 (FC7)
• Fedora 8 (FC8)
• Fedora 9 (FC9)
• Gentoo 2006.1 (untested) TBD
• Gentoo 2007.1 (untested) TBD
• Lineox 4.026 (LEL4) TBD
• Lineox 4.053 (LEL4) TBD
• Mandrakelinux 9.2 (MDK92) TBD
• Mandrakelinux 10.0 (MDK100) TBD
• Mandrakelinux 10.1 (MDK101) TBD
• Mandriva Linux LE2005 (MDK102) TBD
• Mandriva Linux LE2006 (MDK103) TBD
• Mandriva One (untested)
• RedHat Linux 7.2 (RH7)
• RedHat Linux 7.3 (RH7)
• RedHat Linux 8.0 (RH8) TBD
• RedHat Linux 9 (RH9) TBD
• RedHat Enterprise Linux 3.0 (EL3) TBD
• RedHat Enterprise Linux 4 (EL4)
• RedHat Enterprise Linux 5 (EL5)
• SuSE 8.0 Professional (SuSE8.0) TBD
• SuSE 9.1 Personal (SuSE9.1) TBD
• SuSE 9.2 Professional (SuSE9.2) TBD
• SuSE OpenSuSE (SuSEOSS) TBD
• SuSE 10.0 (SuSE10.0) TBD
• SuSE 10.1 (SuSE10.1) TBD
• SuSE 10.2 (SuSE10.2) TBD
• SuSE 10.3 (SuSE10.3) TBD
• SuSE 11.0 (SuSE11.0)
• SLES 9 (SLES9) TBD
• SLES 9 SP2 (SLES9) TBD
• SLES 9 SP3 (SLES9) TBD
• SLES 10 (SLES10)
• Ubuntu 5.10 (ubu5.10) TBD
• Ubuntu 6.03 LTS (ubu6.03) TBD
• Ubuntu 6.10 (ubu6.10) TBD
• Ubuntu 7.04 (ubu7.04) TBD
• Ubuntu 7.10 (ubu7.10)
• Ubuntu 8.04 (ubu8.04)
• WhiteBox Enterprise Linux 3.0 (WBEL3) TBD
• WhiteBox Enterprise Linux 4 (WBEL4) TBD

When installing from the tarball (see Installing the Tar Ball), this distribution is probably compatible with a much broader array of distributions than those listed above. These are the distributions against which the current maintainer creates and tests builds.

6.2.2 Kernel

The OpenSS7 STREAMS Compatibility package compiles as a Linux kernel module. It is not necessary to patch the Linux kernel to build or use the package.²⁵ Nor do you have to recompile your kernel to build or use the package. OpenSS7 packages use autoconf scripts to adapt the package source to your existing kernel. The package builds and runs nicely against production kernels from the distributions listed above. Rather than relying on kernel versions, the autoconf scripts interrogate the kernel for specific features and variants to better adapt to distribution production kernels that have had patches applied over the official kernel.org sources.

The OpenSS7 STREAMS Compatibility package is compatible with 2.4 kernel series after 2.4.10 and has been tested up to and including 2.4.27. It has been tested from 2.6.3 up to and including 2.6.26 (with Fedora 9, openSUSE 11.0 and Ubuntu 8.04 patchsets). Please note that your mileage may vary if you use a kernel more recent than 2.6.26.4: it is difficult to anticipate changes that kernel developers will make in the future. Many kernels in the 2.6 series now vary widely by release version and if you encounter problems, try a kernel within the supported series.

UP validation testing for kernels is performed on all supported architectures. SMP validation testing was initially performed on UP machines, as well as on an Intel 3.0GHz Pentium IV 630 with HyperThreading enabled (2x). Because HyperThreading is not as independent as multiple CPUs, SMP validation testing was limited. Current releases have been tested on dual 1.8GHz Xeon HP servers (2x) as well as dual quad-core SunFire (8x) servers.

It should be noted that, while the packages will configure, build and install against XEN kernels, that problems running validation test suites against XEN kernels has been reported. XEN kernels are explicitly not supported. This may change at some point in the future if someone really requires running OpenSS7 under a XEN kernel.

6.2.3 Architectures

The OpenSS7 STREAMS Compatibility package compiles and installs on a wide range of architectures. Although it is believed that the package will work on all architectures supported by the Linux kernel being used, validation testing has only been performed with the following architectures:

• ix86
• x86_64
• ppc (MPC 860)
• ppc64

32-bit compatibility validation testing is performed on all 64-bit architectures supporting 32-bit compatibility. If you would like to validate an OpenSS7 package on a specific machine architecture, you are welcome to sponsor the project with a test machine.

6.2.4 Linux STREAMS

The OpenSS7 STREAMS Compatibility package is currently compatible with Linux STREAMS,²⁶ however, to use the OpenSS7 STREAMS Compatibility package with LiS requires use of the OpenSS7 release packages of LiS. The OpenSS7 STREAMS Compatibility package is compatible with the OpenSS7 LiS-2.18.7 release that is available from the The OpenSS7 Project Downloads Page. But, do not use LiS: it is buggy, unsupported and deprecated. Use Linux Fast-STREAMS instead.

6.2.5 Linux Fast-STREAMS

The OpenSS7 STREAMS Compatibility package is currently compatible with Linux Fast-STREAMS (LfS). The OpenSS7 STREAMS Compatibility package is compatible with the OpenSS7 streams-0.9.2.4 release that is available from the The OpenSS7 Project Downloads Page.

6.3 Release Notes

The sections that follow provide information on OpenSS7 releases of the OpenSS7 STREAMS Compatibility package.

Major changes for release strcompat-0.9.2.7

This is the seventh separate OpenSS7 Project release of the OpenSS7 STREAMS Compatibility package. The package was originally present in the Linux Fast-STREAMS streams-0.7a.2 release package, but has been separated for five releases.

This release is a stable, production grade release for Linux Fast-STREAMS and is part of the OpenSS7 Master Package (openss7-0.9.2.G). The release includes maintenance support for recent distributions and tool chain, but also includes some performance and feature upgrades and inspection bug fixes. It deprecates previous releases. Please upgrade before reporting bugs on previous releases.

This release is primarily a maintenance release.

Major features since the last public release are as follows:

• Minor documentation corrections.
• Kernel module license made explicit "GPL v2". And then changed back to "GPL".
• License upgrade to AGPL Version 3.
• Modifications to build under Fedora ‘2.6.22.5-49’ kernel. These changes also support ‘2.6.22.9-91.fc7’ kernel.
• Ability to strap out major documentation build and installation primarily for embedded targets.
• Improvements to common build process for embedded and cross-compile targets.
• Build corrections for recent RHAS4 kernels that define irq_handler_t with a 3 argument function template.
• Build corrections for XEN kernels that define paddr_t.
• Fixes for older 2.4 kernels.
• Modifications to build under Fedora ‘2.6.25-45.fc9’ and ‘2.6.26.5-45.fc9’ kernels.
• Updated tool chain to m4-1.4.12, autoconf-2.63 and texinfo-4.13.
• Conversion of RPM spec files to common approach for major subpackages.
• Updated references database for manual pages and roff documents.
• Build system now builds yum(8) repositories for RPMs and apt-get(8) repositories for DEBs. Installation documentation has been updated to include details of repository install sourcesref.
• Added MODULE_VERSION to all modules and drivers.
• Significant rework of the internal implementation of the mpscompat(9) Mentat Portable STREAMS compatability functions that also affects the behaviour of the corresponding osfcompat(9), aixcompat(9), maccompat(9) and hpuxcompat(9) functions that depend on them. Added documentation for mi_acquire(9), mi_acquire_sleep(9) and mi_release(9); also mi_open_grab(9) and mi_close_put(9).

  A number of difficulties were discovered by the OpenSS7 Project in the MPS compatability functions. See BUGS in the release for more information. These the mpscompat(9) functions are now used extensively by modules and drivers under the OpenSS7 Project in favor of the previously used os7compat(9) functions.

• Added a test driver and module for the purpose of testing the MPS compatability functions.

This is a public stable production grade release of the package: it deprecates previous releases. Please upgrade to the current release before reporting bugs.

As with other OpenSS7 releases, this release configures, compiles, installs and builds RPMs and DEBs for a wide range of Linux 2.4 and 2.6 RPM- and DPKG-based distributions, and can be used on production kernels without patching or recompiling the kernel.

This package is publicly released under the GNU Affero General Public License Version 3. The release is available as an autoconf tarball, SRPM, DSC, and set of binary RPMs and DEBs. See the downloads page for the autoconf tarballs, SRPMs and DSCs. For tarballs, SRPMs, DSCs and binary RPMs and DEBs, see the strcompat package page.

See http://www.openss7.org/codefiles/strcompat-0.9.2.7/ChangeLog and http://www.openss7.org/codefiles/strcompat-0.9.2.7/NEWS in the release for more information. Also, see the strcompat.pdf manual in the release (also in html http://www.openss7.org/strcompat_manual.html).

For the news release, see http://www.openss7.org/rel20081029_J.html.

Major changes for release strcompat-0.9.2.6

This is the sixth separate OpenSS7 Project release of the OpenSS7 STREAMS Compatibility package. The package was originally present in the Linux Fast-STREAMS streams-0.7a.2 release package, but has been separated for five releases.

This release is a stable, production grade release for Linux Fast-STREAMS and is part of the OpenSS7 Master Package (openss7-0.9.2.F). It deprecates previous releases. Please upgrade before reporting bugs on previous releases.

This release is primarily a maintenance release.

Major features since the last public release are as follows:

• Support build on openSUSE 10.2.
• Support build on Fedora 7 and 2.6.21 kernel.
• Rework of mi_timer(9) based timers with the addition of several new helper functions. Enhancements and minor corrections to some OpenSS7 specific compatibility functions.
• Support build on CentOS 5.0 (RHEL5).
• Support build on Ubuntu 7.04.
• Updated to gettext 0.16.1.
• Changes to support build on 2.6.20-1.2307.fc5 and 2.6.20-1.2933.fc6 kernel.
• Supports build on Fedora Core 6.
• Support for recent distributions and tool chains.

Major changes for release strcompat-0.9.2.5

This is the fifth separate OpenSS7 Project release of the OpenSS7 STREAMS Compatibility package. The package was originally present in the Linux Fast-STREAMS streams-0.7a.2 release package, but has been separated for five releases.

This release is a stable, production grade release for Linux Fast-STREAMS and is part of the OpenSS7 Master Package (openss7-0.9.2.E). It deprecates previous releases. Please upgrade before reporting bugs on previous releases.

This release is primarily a maintenance release. Some functionality of the package has been tested by its use in other packages and some defects corrected. Support for LiS was deprecated as of the previous release.

Major features since the last public release are as follows:

• Added versions to all exported symbols. Made OpenSS7 unique functions GPL export.
• Improvements to the common build environment with better support for standalone package builds on 2.4 kernels.
• Fixed bug found from inspection in mi_copyout(9) function.
• Support for autoconf 2.61, automake 1.10 and gettext 0.16.
• Support for Ubuntu 6.10 distribution and bug fixes for i386 kenels.
• The package now looks for other subpackages with a version number as unpacked by separate tarball.

Major changes for release strcompat-0.9.2.4

This is the fourth separate OpenSS7 Project release of the OpenSS7 STREAMS Compatibility package. The package was originally present in the Linux Fast-STREAMS streams-0.7a.2 release package, but has been separated for four releases.

This release is a stable, production grade release for Linux Fast-STREAMS and is part of the OpenSS7 Master Package (openss7-0.9.2.G). It deprecates previous releases. Please upgrade before reporting bugs on previous releases.

This release is primarily a maintenance release. Some functionality of the package has been tested by its use in other packages and some defects corrected. Support for LiS is deprecated as of this release.

The release provides the following enhancements and fixes:

• Support for most recent 2.6.18 kernels (including Fedora Core 5 with inode diet patch set).
• Now builds 32-bit compatibility libraries and tests them against 64-bit kernel modules and drivers. The ‘make installcheck’ target will now automatically test both 64-bit native and 32-bit compatibility versions, one after the other, on 64-bit platforms.
• Added versions to all library symbols.
• Many documentation updates for all OpenSS7 packages. Automated release file generation making for vastly improved and timely text documentation present in the release directory.
• Dropped support for LiS.
• Package will now support extended ranges of minor devices on 2.6 kernels under Linux Fast-STREAMS only.
• Better support for Ubuntu and recent gcc compilers, including debian script corrections.
• Better detection of SUSE distributions, release numbers and SLES distributions: support for additional SuSE distributions on ix86 as well as x86_64. Added distribution support includes SLES 9, SLES 9 SP2, SLES 9 SP3, SLES 10, SuSE 10.1.
• Improved compiler flag generation and optimizations for recent gcc compilers and some idiosyncratic behaviour for some distributions (primarily SUSE).
• Optimized compilation is now available also for user level programs in addition to kernel programs. Added new --with-optimize option to configure to accomplish this.
• Added --disable-devel configure option to suppress building and installing development environment. This feature is for embedded or pure runtime targets that do not need the development environment (static libraries, manual pages, documentation).
• Added send-pr script for automatic problem report generation.

Major changes for release strcompat-0.9.2.3

This release is primarily to support additional compilers (gcc 4.0.2), architectures (x86_64, SMP, 32-bit compatibility), recent Linux distributions (EL4, SuSE 10, LE2006, OpenSuSE) and kernels (2.6.15).

• Corrections for and testing of 64-bit clean compile and test runs on x86_64 architecture. Some bug corrections resulting from gcc 4.0.2 compiler warnings.
• Changes to satisfy gcc 4.0.2 compiler.
• Corrected build flags for Gentoo and 2.6.15 kernels as reported on mailing list.
• Corrections for and testing of 64-bit clean compile and test runs on x86_64 architecture. Some bug corrections resulting from gcc 4.0.2 compiler warnings.
• Initial corrections for and testing of SMP operation on Intel 630 Hyper-Threaded SMP on x86_64. This package should now run well on N-way Xeons even with Hyper-Threading enabled.
• Corrections and validation of 32-bit compatibility over 64-bit on x86_64. Should apply well to other 64-bit architectures as well.

This is a public beta test release of the package.

Major changes for release strcompat-0.9.2.2

This is primarily a bug fixes release and corrections resulting from testing. This is a major bug fix release. The previous release was largely untested. This release has been verified (conformance test suite passes) for operation with Linux Fast-STREAMS (streams-0.7a.4).

Initial release strcompat-0.9.2.1

Initial autoconf/RPM packaging of the strcompat release.

This is the initial release of the OpenSS7 STREAMS Compatibility package for Linux Fast-STREAMS (and LiS). These compatibility modules were formerly part of the Linux Fast-STREAMS package (streams-0.7a.3), however, as they were also applicable to LiS, they have been removed into a separate package. Once Linux Fast-STREAMS is production grade, these compatibility modules will be rolled back into the streams package as LiS becomes deprecated.

6.4 Maturity

The OpenSS7 Project adheres to the following release philosophy:

• pre-alpha release
• alpha release
• beta release
• gamma release
• production release
• unstable release

6.4.1 Pre-Alpha Releases

Pre-alpha releases are releases that have received no testing whatsoever. Code in the release is not even known to configure or compile. The purpose of a pre-alpha release is to make code and documentation available for inspection only, and to solicit comments on the design approach or other characteristics of the software package.

Pre-alpha release packages ship containing warnings recommending that the user not even execute the contained code.

6.4.2 Alpha Releases

Alpha releases are releases that have received little to no testing, or that have been tested and contains known bugs or defects that make the package unsuitable even for testing. The purpose for an alpha release are the same as for the pre-alpha release, with the additional purpose that it is an early release of partially functional code that has problems that an external developer might be willing to fix themselves and contribute back to the project.

Alpha release packages ship containing warnings that executing the code can crash machines and might possibly do damage to systems upon which it is executed.

6.4.3 Beta Releases

Beta releases are releases that have received some testing, but the testing to date is not exhaustive. Beta release packages do not ship with known defects. All known defects are resolved before distribution; however, as exhaustive testing has not been performed, unknown defects may exist. The purpose for a beta release is to provide a baseline for other organizations to participate in the rigorous testing of the package.

Beta release packages ship containing warnings that the package has not been exhaustively tested and that the package may cause systems to crash. Suitability of software in this category for production use is not advised by the project; however, as always, is at the discretion of the user of the software.

6.4.4 Gamma Releases

Gamma releases are releases that have received exhaustive testing within the project, but external testing has been minimal. Gamma release packages do not ship with known defects. As exhaustive internal testing has been performed, unknown defects should be few. Please remember that there is NO WARRANTY on public release packages.

Gamma release packages typically resolve problems in previous beta releases, and might not have had full regression testing performed. Suitability of software in this category for production use is at the discretion of the user of the software. The OpenSS7 Project recommends that the complete validation test suites provided with the package be performed and pass on target systems before considering production use.

6.4.5 Production Releases

Production releases are releases that have received exhaustive testing within the project and validated on specific distributions and architectures. Production release packages do not ship with known defects. Please remember that there is NO WARRANTY on public release packages.

Production packages ship containing a list of validated distributions and architectures. Full regression testing of any maintenance changes is performed. Suitability of software in this category for production use on the specified target distributions and architectures is at the discretion of the user. It should not be necessary to preform validation tests on the set of supported target systems before considering production use.

6.4.6 Unstable Releases

Unstable releases are releases that have received extensive testing within the project and validated on a a wide range of distributions and architectures; however, is has tested unstable and found to be suffering from critical problems and issues that cannot be resolved. Maintenance of the package has proved impossible. Unstable release packages ship with known defects (and loud warnings). Suitability of software in this category for production use is at the discretion of the user of the software. The OpenSS7 Project recommends that the problems and issues be closely examined before this software is used even in a non-production environment. Each failing test scenario should be completely avoided by the application. OpenSS7 beta software is more stable that software in this category.

6.5 Bugs

6.5.1 Defect Notices

OpenSS7 STREAMS Compatibility could possibly contain unknown defects. This is a production release. Nevertheless, some remaining unknown defects could possibly be harmful. Validation testing has been performed by the OpenSS7 Project and external entities on this software for the set of systems listed in the release notes. Nevertheless, the software might still fail to configure or compile on other systems. The OpenSS7 Project recommends that you validate this software for your target system before using this software. Use at your own risk. Remember that there is NO WARRANTY.²⁷

This software is production software. As such, it is stable on validated systems but might still crash your kernel in unique circumstances. Installation of the software on a non-validated distribution might mangle your header files or Linux distribution in such a way as to make it unusable. Crashes could possibly lock your system and rebooting the system might not repair the problem. You can possibly lose all the data on your system. Because this software stands a chance of crashing your kernel, the resulting unstable system could possibly destroy computer hardware or peripherals making them unusable. You might void the warranty on any system on which you run this software. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.

6.5.2 Known Defects

With the exception of packages not originally created by the OpenSS7 Project, the OpenSS7 Project software does not ship with known bugs in any release stage except pre-alpha. OpenSS7 STREAMS Compatibility had no known bugs at the time of release.

6.5.3 Defect History

This section contains historical bugs that were encountered during development and their resolutions. This list serves two purposes:

1. It captures bugs encountered between releases during development that could possibly reoccur (and the Moon is made of blue cheese). It therefore provides a place for users to look if they encounter a problem.
2. It provides a low overhead bug list between releases for developers to use as a TODO list.

Bugs

008. 2008-10-19T19:57:41+0000

mi_open_link() was not walking device lists correctly.

*fixed* in strcompat-0.9.2.7.

007. 2008-10-19T10:39:26+0000

mi_open_link() was not returning the assigned device number in devp when sflag was CLONEOPEN.

*fixed* in strcompat-0.9.2.7.

006. 2008-07-11T13:52:04+0000

lis_alloc_sem() was not setting the supplied count against the created semaphore, but was alway setting the semaphore to 1 (unlocked).

*fixed* in strcompat-0.9.2.7.

005. 2008-05-26T14:06:22+0000

lis_register_strdev() was failing whenever nminor was greater than zero or not an even multiple of 256. This was due to an error in the logic checking for multiple majors. (Thanks to Omer Tunali for reporting this bug.)

*fixed* in strcompat-0.9.2.7.

004. 2007-07-21T17:26:01-0600

It was reported that, even with the fix below, validation test suites for XEN kernels are failing. XEN kernels are, therefore, not supported. (Thanks to Bryan Shupe at Flying J for reporting this bug.)

*noted* in strcompat-0.9a.7.rc1.

003. 2007-07-21T17:22:10-0600

It was reported that paddr_t is already defined in recent XEN kernels, causing compile to fail for these kernels. (Thanks to Bryan Shupe at Flying J for reporting this bug.)

*fixed* in strcompat-0.9a.7.rc1.

A check was added to the configure script to check for the existence of paddr_t.

002. 2007-07-21T17:15:02-0600

It was discovered that recent kernel on RHAS4 are defining irq_handler_t but have the old 3 argument function template for irq handlers. The detection logic assumed that if irq_hander_t existed, that the newer 2 argument function template for irq handlers were in effect. This caused builds to fail on these RHAS4 kernels.

*fixed* in strcompat-0.9a.7.rc1.

A check was added to the configure script to test whether the irq_handler_t has the newer 2 argument template.

001. 2007-01-12T11:40:15-0600

A bug in the mi_copyout(9) function was discovered by inspection. The function should complete the last stage of a non-TRANSPARENT input-output control operation by returning an M_IOCACK(9) message, but did not. This was fixed for release 0.9.2.5.

6.6 Schedule

Current Plan

There are not many things left to be done on the production OpenSS7 STREAMS Compatibility Modules package. The current plan for the package is largely a maintenance plan including support for current distributions and kernels.

There are currently a large array of Solaris DDI compatibility functions that are not implemented; however, there have not been many requests for this capability. Perhaps the advent of OpenSolaris has forstalled porting of many drivers to Linux, but, regardless of the cause, there is just not a demand. If there are any functions that you need the OpenSS7 Project to support that are not currently supported in one of the compatibility modules, please request support for them on the openss7-develop mailing list.

Things to Do

• Implement the AIX strtune() command.

  *todo*

• I would really really like a set of rmallocmap(), rmalloc(), rmalloc_wait(), rmfree(), rmfreemap() functions so that drivers could stop using the kmem_cache functions but could acheive similar effect.

  *todo*

• Work in MUTEX_ALLOC(), MUTEX_DESTROY(), MUTEX_LOCK(), MUTEX_MINE(), MUTEX_OWNED(), MUTEX_TRYLOCK(), MUTEX_UNLOCK() from IRIX into irixcompat.c.

  *todo*

• Work in streams_interrupt() and STREAMS_TIMEOUT() from IRIX into irixcompat.c.

  *todo*

• Hey, here's an idea for testing Solaris compatibility: take an OpenSolaris source file for a STREAMS driver and compile and test it under Linux with no (or minimal) source code modifications!

  *todo*

• Write test programs and test suites. There are really not any test programs or test suites available for the OpenSS7 STREAMS Compatibility Modules package as of strcompat-0.9.2.2.

  *todo*

• Not all compatibility functionality is implemented. There are a large number of Sun DDI functions applicable to STREAMS that have not been fully implemented. Also, the Sun configuration management mechanism is not yet fully implemented and neither is that for AIX. Also, there is a large group of SVR 4.2 compatible functions that are not directly STREAMS related but are part of the DDI/DKI and should be implemented to provide abstraction from Linux internals as well as the ability to link binary modules.

  *moved*

  (Note that the ability to link binary modules has been moved to is own strbcm package.)

• Linking of binary modules is not yet supported. This is the place (strcompat) where binary modules should be permitted to be loaded against either Linux STREAMS or Linux Fast-STREAMS, because the binary compatibility interface modules are defined here. There is the beginnings of an strconf script output to generate a C-language wrapper file that will link with a binary object file to generate a loadable module that could load under Linux STREAMS or Linux Fast-STREAMS. Note that there are a bunch of binary compatibility issues with Linux STREAMS in the first place (it cannot even be binary compatible with user programs written for 32bit architectures running on 64bit architectures). For fairly restricted use modules and drivers, a single binary object could run on both LiS and LfS.

  *moved*

  (Note that the ability to link binary modules has been moved to is own strbcm package.)

• Documentation. The documentation is trailing a bit. I have thousands of manual pages written, however, some are sparse or incomplete. Also, the manual and the STREAMS Porting Guide needs a bunch of work.

  *todo*

  Did a bunch of work on the manual, however, there is still a lot of work on a STREAMS Porting Guide to be done.

6.7 History

For the latest developments with regard to history of changes, please see the ChangeLog file in the release package.

7 Installation

7.1 Repositories

The OpenSS7 STREAMS Compatibility package release can be accessed from the repositories of The OpenSS7 Project. For rpm(1) based systems, the package is available in a yum(8) repository based on repomd XML and may also be accessed using zypper(8) or yast(8). For dpkg(1) based systems, the package is available in a apt(8) repository.

By far the easiest (most repeatable and manageable) form for installing and using OpenSS7 packages is to install packages from the yum(8) or apt(8) repositories. If your distribution does not support yum(8), zypper(8), yast(8) or apt(8), then it is still possible to install the RPMs or DEBs from the repositories using rpm(1), dpkg(1); or by using wget(1) and then installing them from RPM or DEB using rpm(1) or dpkg(1) locally.

If binaries are not available for your distribution or specific kernel, but your distribution supports rpm(1) or dpkg(1), the next best method for installing and using OpenSS7 packages is to download and rebuild the source RPMs or DSCs from the repository. This can also be performed with yum(8), zypper(8), yast(8), apt(8); or directly using wget(1), rpm(1) or dpkg(1).

If your architecture does not support rpm(1) or dpkg(1) at all, or you have special needs (such as cross-compiling for embedded targets), the final resort method is to download, configure, build and install from tarball. In this later case, the easiest way to build and install OpenSS7 packages from tarball is to use the tarball for the OpenSS7 Master Package, openss7-0.9.2.G.

7.1.1 Repositories for YUM

To install or upgrade from the OpenSS7 repomd repositories, you will need a file in your /etc/yum.repo.d/ directory. This file can be obtained directly from the OpenSS7 repository, like so:

     $> REPOS="http://www.openss7.org/repos/rpms"
     $> wget $REPOS/centos/5.2/x86_64/repodata/openss7.repo
     $> sudo cp -f openss7.repo /etc/yum.repo.d/
     $> sudo yum makecache

This example assumes the the distribution is ‘centos’ and the distribution release is ‘5.2’ and the architecture requires is ‘x86_64’. Another example would be $REPOS/i686/suse/11.0/i686/repodata/openss7.repo, for using yum(8) with SUSE.

Once the repository is set up, OpenSS7 includes a number of virtual package definitions that eas the installation and removal of kernel modules, libraries and utilities. Downloading, configuring, building and installation for a single-kernel distribution is as easy as:

     $> sudo yum install strcompat

Removing the package is as easy as:

     $> sudo yum remove strcompat

If you have difficulty downloading the openss7.repo file, edit the following information into the file and place it into the /etc/yum.repo.d/openss7.repo file:

     -| [openss7]
     -| enabled = 1
     -| name = OpenSS7 Repository
     -| baseurl = http://www.openss7.org/repos/rpms/centos/5.2/x86_64
     -| gpgcheck = 1
     -| gpgkey = http://www.openss7.org/pubkey.asc

Note that it is also possible to point to these repositories as an additional installation source when installing CentOS, RedHat, Fedora, or others. You will have an additional STREAMS category from which to choose installation packages.

Some additional installation real or virtual package names and the installations they accomplish are as follows:

‘strcompat’

This package can be used to install or remove the entire OpenSS7 STREAMS Compatibility package. When installing, kernel modules will be installed automatically for the highest version kernel on your system. When removing, all corresponding kernel modules will also be removed.

‘strcompat-devel’

This package can be used to install or remove the development components of the OpenSS7 STREAMS Compatibility package. When installing, ‘strcompat’ and appropriate kernel module and kernel module development and debug packages will also be installed. When removing, the development package and all kernel module development and debug packages will also be removed.

‘strcompat-2.4.20-28.7’

This package can be used to install or remove the package for a specific kernel version. When installing, the ‘strcompat’ package will also be installed if necessary. When removing the last kernel module package, the ‘strcompat’ package will also be removed.

Note that the version ‘2.4.20-28.7’ is just an example. Use the version returned by ‘$(uname -r)’ for the kernel for which you wish to install or remove the packages.

‘strcompat-2.4.20-28.7-devel’

This package can be used to install or remove the development and debug packages for a specific kernel version. When installing, the ‘strcompat’ and ‘strcompat-devel’ packages will also be installed if necessary. When removing the development and debug for kernel modules for the last kernel, the ‘strcompat-devel’ package will also be removed.

Note that the version ‘2.4.20-28.7’ is just an example. Use the version returned by ‘$(uname -r)’ for the kernel for which you wish to install or remove the packages.

For assistance with specific RPMs, see Downloading the Binary RPM.

7.1.2 Repositories for APT

For assistance with specific DEBs, see Downloading the Debian DEB.

7.2 Downloading

The OpenSS7 STREAMS Compatibility package releases can be downloaded from the downloads page of The OpenSS7 Project. The package is available as a binary RPM (for popular architectures) a source RPM, Debian binary DEB and source DSC, or as a tar ball. If you are using a browsable viewer, you can obtain the OpenSS7 release of strcompat from the links in the sections that follow.

By far the easiest (most repeatable and manageable) form for installing and using OpenSS7 packages is to download and install individual packages from binary RPM or DEB. If binary RPMs or DEBs are not available for your distribution, but your distribution supports rpm(1) or dpkg(1), the next best method for installing and using OpenSS7 packages is to download and rebuild the source RPMs or DSCs.

If your architecture does not support rpm(1) or dpkg(1) at all, or you have special needs (such as cross-compiling for embedded targets), the final resort method is to download, configure, build and install from tarball. In this later case, the easiest way to build and install OpenSS7 packages from tarball is to use the tarball for the OpenSS7 Master Package, openss7-0.9.2.G.

7.2.1 Downloading with YUM

OpenSS7 repositories support yum(8) and zypper(8) in repomd XML format as well as YaST and YaST2 formats.

OpenSS7 includes virtual packages that ease the installation and removal of kernel modules, libraries and utilities. Downloading, configuration, building and installation for a signle-kernel distribution installation is as easy as:

     % sudo yum install strcompat

This and additional packages for installation are detailed as follows:

strcompat

Install this package if you need the runtime strcompat package.

          % sudo yum install strcompat

This will install the strcompat, strcompat-lib and strcompat-KVERSION RPMs, where ‘KVERSION’ is the highest version number kernel on your system.

Remove this package if you need to remove all vestages of the strcompat package.

          % sudo yum remove strcompat

This will remove the strcompat, strcompat-lib, strcompat-devel, strcompat-KVERSION and strcompat-devel-KVERSION RPMs for all kernels on your system.

strcompat-devel

Install this package if you need the development strcompat package.

          % sudo yum install strcompat-devel

This will install the strcompat, strcompat-lib, strcompat-devel, strcompat-KVERSION and strcompat-devel-KVERSION RPMs, where ‘KVERSION’ is the highest version number kernel on your system.

Remove this package if you do not need development capabilities for the strcompat package for any kernel.

          % sudo yum remove strcompat-devel

This will remove the strcompat-devel and strcompat-devel-KVERSION RPMs for all kernels on your system.

strcompat-2.4.20-28.7

Install this package if you need the runtime strcompat for kernel version ‘2.4.20-28.7’. The value ‘2.4.20-28.7’ is just an example. For the running kernel, you can install the runtime strcompat components with:

          % sudo yum install strcompat-$(uname -r)

This will install the strcompat, strcompat-lib and strcompat-2.4.20-28.7 RPMs, where ‘2.4.20-28.7’ is the kernel version specified.

Remove this package if you no longer need the runtime strcompat for kernel version ‘2.4.20-28.7’. The value ‘2.4.20-28.7’ is just an example. For the running kernel, you can remove the runtime strcompat components with:

          % sudo yum remove strcompat-$(uname -r)

This will remove the strcompat-2.4.20-28.7 and strcompat-devel-2.4.20-28.7 RPMs, where ‘2.4.20-28.7’ is the kernel version specified. Also, if this is the last kernel for which strcompat was installed, the strcompat strcompat-lib and strcompat-devel RPMs will also be removed.

Note that this is a virtual package name: the actual RPMs installed or removed from the system is a kernel module package whose precise name will depend upon the system being used.

strcompat-devel-2.4.20-28.7

Install this package if you need the development strcompat package for kernel version ‘2.4.20-28.7’. The value ‘2.4.20-28.7’ is just an example. For the running kernel, you can install the kernel development strcompat components with:

          % sudo yum install strcompat-devel-$(uname -r)

This will install the strcompat, strcompat-lib, strcompat-devel, strcompat-2.4.20-28.7 and strcompat-devel-2.4.20-28.7 RPMs, where ‘2.4.20-28.7’ is the kernel version specified.

Remove this package if you no longer need the development capabilities for the strcompat package for kernel version ‘2.4.20-28.7’. The value ‘2.4.20-28.7’ is just an example. For the running kernel, you can remove the kernel development strcompat components with:

          % sudo yum remove strcompat-devel-$(uname -r)

This will remove the strcompat-devel-2.4.20-28.7 RPMs, where ‘2.4.20-28.7’ is the kernel version specified. Also, if this is the last kernel for which strcompat was installed, the strcompat-devel RPMs will also be removed.

Note that this is a virtual package name: the actual RPMs installed or removed from the system is a kernel module package whose precise name will depend upon the system being used.

strcompat-lib

This package is an auxillary package that should be removed and inserted automatically by yum(8). In rare instances you might need to remove or install this package explicitly.

7.2.2 Downloading with APT

OpenSS7 repositries support apt(8) repositorie digests and signatures.

7.2.3 Downloading the Binary RPM

To install from binary RPM, you will need several of the RPM for a complete installation. Binary RPM fall into several categories. To download and install a complete package requires the appropriate RPM from each of the several categories below, as applicable. Some release packages do not provide RPMs in each of the several categories.

To install from Binary RPM, you will need all of the following kernel independent packages for your architecture, and one of the kernel-dependent packages from the next section.

Independent RPM

Independent RPM are dependent on neither the Linux kernel version, nor the STREAMS package. For example, the source package ‘strcompat-source-0.9.2.7-1.7.2.noarch.rpm’, is not dependent on kernel nor STREAMS package.

All of the following kernel and STREAMS independent RPM are required for your architecture. Binary RPMs listed here are for example only: additional binary RPMs are available from the downloads site. If your architecture is not available, you can build binary RPM from the source RPM (see see Building from the Source RPM).

Architecture Independent

strcompat-dev-0.9.2.7-1.7.2.noarch.rpm

The strcompat-dev package contains the device definitions necessary to run applications programs developed for OpenSS7 STREAMS Compatibility.²⁸

strcompat-doc-0.9.2.7-1.7.2.noarch.rpm

The strcompat-doc package contains this manual in plain text, postscript, pdf and html forms, along with the meta-information from the strcompat package. It also contains all of the manual pages necessary for developing OpenSS7 STREAMS Compatibility applications and OpenSS7 STREAMS Compatibility STREAMS modules or drivers.

strcompat-init-0.9.2.7-1.7.2.noarch.rpm

The strcompat-init package contains the init scripts and provides the ‘postinst’ scripts necessary to create kernel module preloads and modules definitions for all kernel module ‘core’ subpackages.

strcompat-source-0.9.2.7-1.7.2.noarch.rpm

The strcompat-source package contains the source code necessary for building the OpenSS7 STREAMS Compatibility release. It includes the autoconf(1) configuration utilities necessary to create and distribute tarballs, rpm and deb/dsc. ²⁹

Architecture Dependent

strcompat-devel-0.9.2.7-1.7.2.i686.rpm

The strcompat-devel package contains library archives for static compilation, header files to develop OpenSS7 STREAMS Compatibility modules and drivers. This also includes the header files and static libraries required to compile OpenSS7 STREAMS Compatibility applications programs.

strcompat-lib-0.9.2.7-1.7.2.i686.rpm

The strcompat-lib package contains the run-time shared libraries necessary to run application programs and utilities developed for the strcompat package. ³⁰

STREAMS-Dependent RPM

STREAMS-Dependent RPM are dependent upon the specific STREAMS package being used, either Linux STREAMS or Linux Fast-STREAMS. Packages dependent upon Linux STREAMS will have LiS in the package name. Packages dependent upon Linux Fast-STREAMS will have streams in the package name. Note that some STREAMS-Dependent RPM are also Kernel-Dependent RPM as described below.

One of the following STREAMS-Dependent packages is required for your architecture. If your architecture is not on the list, you can build binary RPM from the source RPM (see see Building from the Source RPM).

strcompat-LiS-util-0.9.2.7-1.7.2.i686.rpm

The strcompat-LiS-util package provides administrative and configuration test utilities and commands associated with the OpenSS7 STREAMS Compatibility package. Because this package must link a STREAMS-specific library, it is a STREAMS-Dependent package. Use the strcompat-LiS-util package if you have LiS installed.

strcompat-streams-util-0.9.2.7-1.7.2.i686.rpm

The strcompat-streams-util package provides administrative and configuration test utilities and commands associated with the OpenSS7 STREAMS Compatibility package. Because this package must link a STREAMS-specific library, it is a STREAMS-Dependent package. Use the strcompat-streams-util package if you have streams installed.

Kernel-Dependent RPM

Kernel-Dependent RPM are dependent on specific Linux Kernel Binary RPM releases. Packages are provided for popular released RedHat kernels. Packages dependent upon RedHat or other kernel RPM will have the ‘_kversion’ kernel package version in the package name.

One of the following Kernel-Dependent packages is required for your architecture and kernel version. If your architecture or kernel version is not on the list, you can build binary RPM from the source RPM (see see Building from the Source RPM).³¹

strcompat-core-2.4.20-28.7-0.9.2.7-1.7.2.i686.rpm

The strcompat-core package contains the loadable kernel modules that depend only on the kernel. This package is heavily tied to the kernel for which it was compiled. This particular package applies to kernel version ‘2.4.20-28.7’.³²

strcompat-info-2.4.20-28.7-0.9.2.7-1.7.2.i686.rpm

The strcompat-info package³³ contains the module symbol version information for the core subpackage, above. It is possible to load this subpackage and compile modules that use the exported symbols without loading the actual kernel modules (from the core subpackage above). This package is heavily tied to the kernel for which it was compiled. This particular package applies to kernel version ‘2.4.20-28.7’.³⁴

strcompat-LiS-core-2.4.20-28.7-0.9.2.7-1.7.2.i686.rpm

The strcompat-LiS-core package contains the kernel modules that provide the OpenSS7 STREAMS Compatibility STREAMS modules and drivers. This package is heavily tied to the STREAMS package and kernel for which it was compiled. This particular package applies to LiS (Linux STREAMS) on kernel version ‘2.4.20-28.7’.³⁵

strcompat-streams-core-2.4.20-28.7-0.9.2.7-1.7.2.i686.rpm

The strcompat-streams-core package contains the kernel modules that provide the OpenSS7 STREAMS Compatibility STREAMS modules and drivers. This package is heavily tied to the STREAMS package and kernel for which it was compiled. This particular package applies to streams (Linux Fast-STREAMS) on kernel version ‘2.4.20-28.7’.³⁶

strcompat-LiS-info-2.4.20-28.7-0.9.2.7-1.7.2.i686.rpm

The strcompat-LiS-info package³⁷ contains the module symbol version information for the LiS-core subpackage, above. It is possible to load this subpackage and compile modules that use the exported symbols without loaded the actual kernel modules (from the LiS-core subpackage above). This package is heavily tied to the STREAMS package and kernel for which it was compiled. This particular package applies to LiS (Linux STREAMS) on kernel version ‘2.4.20-28.7’.³⁸

strcompat-streams-info-2.4.20-28.7-0.9.2.7-1.7.2.i686.rpm

The strcompat-streams-info package³⁹ contains the module symbol version information for the streams-core subpackage, above. It is possible to load this subpackage and compile modules that use the exported symbols without loaded the actual kernel modules (from the streams-core subpackage above). This package is heavily tied to the STREAMS package and kernel for which it was compiled. This particular package applies to streams (Linux Fast-STREAMS) on kernel version ‘2.4.20-28.7’.⁴⁰

Configuration and Installation

To configure, build and install the binary RPM, See Configuring the Binary RPM.

7.2.4 Downloading the Debian DEB

To install from binary DEB, you will need several of the DEB for a complete installation. Binary DEB fall into several categories. To download and install a complete package requires the appropriate DEB from each of the several categories below, as applicable. Some release packages do not provide DEBs in each of the several categories.

To install from Binary DEB, you will need all of the following kernel independent packages for your architecture, and one of the kernel-dependent packages from the next section.

Independent DEB

Independent DEB are dependent on neither the Linux kernel version, nor the STREAMS package. For example, the source package ‘strcompat-source_0.9.2.7-0_i386.deb’, is not dependent on kernel nor STREAMS package.

All of the following kernel and STREAMS independent DEB are required for your architecture. Binary DEBs listed here are for example only: additional binary DEBs are available from the downloads site. If your architecture is not available, you can build binary DEB from the Debian DSC (see see Building from the Debian DSC).

Architecture Independent

strcompat-dev_0.9.2.7-0_all.deb

The strcompat-dev package contains the device definitions necessary to run applications programs developed for OpenSS7 STREAMS Compatibility. ⁴¹

strcompat-doc_0.9.2.7-0_all.deb

The strcompat-doc package contains this manual in plain text, postscript, pdf and html forms, along with the meta-information from the strcompat package. It also contains all of the manual pages necessary for developing OpenSS7 STREAMS Compatibility applications and OpenSS7 STREAMS Compatibility STREAMS modules or drivers.

strcompat-init_0.9.2.7-0_all.deb

The strcompat-init package contains the init scripts and provides the postinst scripts necessary to create kernel module preloads and modules definitions for all kernel module ‘core’ subpackages.

strcompat-source_0.9.2.7-0_all.deb

The strcompat-source package contains the source code necessary for building the OpenSS7 STREAMS Compatibility release. It includes the autoconf(1) configuration utilities necessary to create and distribute tarballs, rpms and deb/dscs. ⁴²

Architecture Dependent

strcompat-devel_0.9.2.7-0_i386.deb

The strcompat-devel package contains library archives for static compilation, header files to develop OpenSS7 STREAMS Compatibility modules and drivers. This also includes the header files and static libraries required to compile OpenSS7 STREAMS Compatibility applications programs.

strcompat-lib_0.9.2.7-0_i386.deb

The strcompat-lib package contains the run-time shared libraries necessary to run application programs and utilities developed for the strcompat package. ⁴³

STREAMS-Dependent DEB

STREAMS-Dependent DEB are dependent upon the specific STREAMS package being used, either Linux STREAMS or Linux Fast-STREAMS. Packages dependent upon Linux STREAMS will have LiS in the package name. Packages dependent upon Linux Fast-STREAMS will have streams in the package name. Note that some STREAMS-Dependent DEB are also Kernel-Dependent DEB as described below.

One of the following STREAMS-Dependent packages is required for your architecture. If your architecture is not on the list, you can build binary DEB from the Debian DSC (see see Building from the Debian DSC).

strcompat-LiS-util_0.9.2.7-0_i386.deb

The strcompat-LiS-util package provides administrative and configuration test utilities and commands associated with the OpenSS7 STREAMS Compatibility package. Because this package must link a STREAMS-specific library, it is a STREAMS-Dependent package. Use the strcompat-LiS-util package if you have LiS installed.

strcompat-streams-util_0.9.2.7-0_i386.deb

The strcompat-streams-util package provides administrative and configuration test utilities and commands associated with the OpenSS7 STREAMS Compatibility package. Because this package must link a STREAMS-specific library, it is a STREAMS-Dependent package. Use the strcompat-streams-util package if you have streams installed.

Kernel-Dependent DEB

Kernel-Dependent DEB are dependent on specific Linux Kernel Binary DEB releases. Packages are provided for popular released Debian kernels. Packages dependent upon Debian or other kernel DEB will have the ‘_kversion’ kernel package version in the package name.

One of the following Kernel-Dependent packages is required for your architecture and kernel version. If your architecture or kernel version is not on the list, you can build binary DEB from the source DEB (see see Building from the Debian DSC).⁴⁴

strcompat-core-2.4.20-28.7_0.9.2.7-0_i386.deb

The strcompat-core package contains the loadable kernel modules that depend only on the kernel. This package is heavily tied to the kernel for which it was compiled. This particular package applies to kernel version ‘2.4.20-28.7’.⁴⁵

strcompat-info-2.4.20-28.7_0.9.2.7-0_i386.deb

The strcompat-info package⁴⁶ contains the module symbol version information for the core subpackage, above. It is possible to load this subpackage and compile modules that use the exported symbols without loading the actual kernel modules (from the core subpackage above). This package is heavily tied to the kernel for which it was compiled. This particular package applies to kernel version ‘2.4.20-28.7’.⁴⁷

strcompat-LiS-core-2.4.20-28.7_0.9.2.7-0_i386.deb

The strcompat-LiS-core package contains the kernel modules that provide the OpenSS7 STREAMS Compatibility STREAMS modules and drivers. This package is heavily tied to the STREAMS package and kernel for which it was compiled. This particular package applies to LiS (Linux STREAMS) on kernel version ‘2.4.20-28.7’.⁴⁸

strcompat-streams-core-2.4.20-28.7_0.9.2.7-0_i386.deb

The strcompat-streams-core package contains the kernel modules that provide the OpenSS7 STREAMS Compatibility STREAMS modules and drivers. This package is heavily tied to the STREAMS package and kernel for which it was compiled. This particular package applies to streams (Linux Fast-STREAMS) on kernel version ‘2.4.20-28.7’.⁴⁹

strcompat-LiS-info-2.4.20-28.7_0.9.2.7-0_i386.deb

The strcompat-LiS-info package⁵⁰ contains the module symbol version information for the LiS-core subpackage, above. It is possible to load this subpackage and compile modules that use the exported symbols without loaded the actual kernel modules (from the LiS-core subpackage above). This package is heavily tied to the STREAMS package and kernel for which it was compiled. This particular package applies to LiS (Linux STREAMS) on kernel version ‘2.4.20-28.7’.⁵¹

strcompat-streams-info-2.4.20-28.7_0.9.2.7-0_i386.deb

The strcompat-streams-info package⁵² contains the module symbol version information for the streams-core subpackage, above. It is possible to load this subpackage and compile modules that use the exported symbols without loaded the actual kernel modules (from the streams-core subpackage above). This package is heavily tied to the STREAMS package and kernel for which it was compiled. This particular package applies to streams (Linux Fast-STREAMS) on kernel version ‘2.4.20-28.7’.⁵³

Configuration and Installation

To configure, build and install the Debian DEB, See Configuring the Debian DEB.

7.2.5 Downloading the Source RPM

If you cannot obtain a binary RPM for your architecture, or would like to roll you own binary RPM, download the following source RPM.

strcompat-0.9.2.7-1.src.rpm

This is the source RPM for the package. From this source RPM it is possible to build binary RPM for any supported architecture and for any 2.4 or 2.6 kernel, for either Linux STREAMS or Linux Fast-STREAMS.

Configuration

To configure the source RPM, See Configuring the Source RPM.

7.2.6 Downloading the Debian DSC

If you cannot obtain a binary DEB for your architecture, or would like to roll your own DEB, download the following Debian DSC.

strcompat_0.9.2.7-0.dsc

strcompat_0.9.2.7-0.tar.gz

This is the Debian DSC for the package. From this Debian DSC it is possible to build binary DEB for any supported architecture and for any 2.4 or 2.6 kernel, for either Linux STREAMS or Linux Fast-STREAMS.

Configuration

To configure the source RPM, See Configuring the Debian DSC.

7.2.7 Downloading the Tar Ball

For non-rpm(1) and non-dpkg(1) architectures, download the tarball as follows:

strcompat-0.9.2.7.tar.gz

strcompat-0.9.2.7.tar.bz2

These are the tar(1) balls for the release. These tar(1) balls contain the autoconf(1) distribution which includes all the source necessary for building and installing the package. These tarballs will even build Source RPM and Binary RPM on rpm(1) architectures and Debian DSC and DEB on dpkg(1) architectures.

The tar ball may be downloaded easily with wget(1) as follows:

     % wget http://www.openss7.org/strcompat-0.9.2.7.tar.bz2

or

     % wget http://www.openss7.org/strcompat-0.9.2.7.tar.gz

Note that you will need an OpenSS7 Project user name and password to download release candidates (which are only available to subscribers and sponsors of the OpenSS7 Project).

Unpacking the Archive

After downloading one of the tar balls, unpack the archive using one of the following commands:

     % wget http://www.openss7.org/strcompat-0.9.2.7.tar.gz
     % tar -xzvf strcompat-0.9.2.7.tar.gz

or

     % wget http://www.openss7.org/strcompat-0.9.2.7.tar.bz2
     % tar -xjvf strcompat-0.9.2.7.tar.bz2

Either will create a subdirectory name strcompat-0.9.2.7 containing all of the files and subdirectories for the strcompat package.

Configuration

To configure and install the tar ball, See Configuring the Tar Ball.

7.2.8 Downloading from CVS

If you are a subscriber or sponsor of The OpenSS7 Project with CVS archive access privileges then you can download release, mid-release or release candidate versions of the strcompat package from the project CVS archive.

The OpenSS7 STREAMS Compatibility package is located in the strcompat module of /var/cvs. For release tag information, see Releases.

To access the archive from the project CVS pserver, use the following commands to check out a version from the archive:

     % export CVSROOT='-d:pserver:username@cvs.openss7.com:2401/var/cvs'
     % cvs login
     Password: *********
     % cvs co -r strcompat_0.9.2.7 strcompat
     % cvs logout

It is, of course, possible to check out by date or by other criteria. For more information, see cvs(1).

Preparing the CVS Working Directory

Although public releases of the strcompat package do not require reconfiguration, creating a configurable directory from the CVS archive requires tools not normally distributed with the other releases.

The build host requires the following GNU tools:

• m4 1.4.12
• autoconf 2.63
• automake 1.10.1
• libtool 2.2.4
• gettext 0.17
• flex 2.5.33
• bison 2.3

Most desktop development GNU/Linux distributions wil have these tools; however, some non-development or server-style installations might not and they must be installed separately.⁵⁴

Also, these tools can be acquired from the FSF website in the free software directory, and also at the following locations:

• m4-1.4.12
• autoconf-2.63
• automake-1.10.1
• libtool-2.2.4
• gettext-0.17
• flex-2.5.33
• bison-2.3

It should be stressed that, in particular, the autoconf(1), and automake(1), must be at version releases 2.63 and 1.10.1. The versions normally distributed in some mainstream GNU/Linux distributions are, in fact, much older than these versions.⁵⁵ GNU version of these packages configured and installed to default directories will install in /usr/local/ allowing them to coexist with distribution installed versions.

For building documentation, the build host also requires the following documentation tools:

• gs 6.51 or ghostscript 6.51, or newer.
• tetex 3.0 or texlive 2007, or newer.
• texinfo 4.13a or newer.
• transfig 3.2.3d or newer.
• imagemagick 5.3.8 or ImageMagick 5.3.8, or newer.
• groff 1.17.2 or newer.
• gnuplot 3.7 or newer.
• latex2html 1.62 or newer.

Most desktop GNU/Linux distributions will have these tools; however, some server-style installations (e.g. Ubuntu-server, SLES 9 or Fedora 6 or 7) will not and they must be installed separately.⁵⁶

Note that texinfo 4.12 must not be used as it breaks the build process.

For uncooked manual pages, the entire groff(1) package is required on older Debian and Ubuntu systems (the base package did not include grefer(1) which is used extensively by uncooked manual pages). The following will get what you need on older systems:

     Debian: % apt-get install groff_ext
     Ubuntu: % apt-get install groff

On newer systems, simply:

     % apt-get install groff

In addition, the build host requires a complete tool chain for compiling for the target host, including kernel tools such as genksyms(8) and others.

If you wish to package rpms on an rpm(1) system, or debs on a dpkg(1) system, you will need the appropriate tool chain. Systems based on rpm(1) typically have the necessary tool chain available, however, dpkg(1) systems do not. The following on a Debian or Ubuntu system will get what you need:

     % apt-get install debhelper
     % apt-get install fakeroot

To generate a configuration script and the necessary scriptlets required by the GNU autoconf(1) system, execute the following commands on the working directory:

     % autoreconf -fiv strcompat

where, strcompat is the name of the directory to where the working copy was checked out under the previous step. This command generates the configure script and other missing pieces that are normally distributed with the release Tar Balls, SRPMs and DSCs.

Make sure that ‘autoreconf --version’ returns ‘2.63’. Otherwise, you may need to perform something like the following:

     % PATH="/usr/local/bin:$PATH"
     % autoreconf -fiv strcompat

After reconfiguring the directory, the package can then be configured and built using the same instructions as are used for the Tar Ball, see Configuring the Tar Ball, and Building from the Tar Ball.

Do note, however, that make(1) will rebuild the documentation that is normally released with the package. Additional tools may be necessary for building the documentation. To avoid building and installing the documentation, use the --disable-devel or --disable-docs option to configure described in Configuring the Tar Ball.

When configuring the package in a working directory and while working a change-compile-test cycle that involves configuration macros or documentation, I find it of great advantage to invoke the GNU configure options --enable-maintainer-mode, --enable-dependency-tracking and --disable-devel. The first of these three options will add maintainer-specific targets to any generated Makefile, the second option will invoke automatic dependency tracking within the Makefile so rebuilds after changes to macro, source or documentation files will be automatically rebuilt; and the last option will suppress rebuilding and reinstalling documentation manual pages and header files. Header files will still be available under the /usr/src directory.

7.3 Configuration

7.3.1 Configuring the Binary RPM

In general the binary RPM do not require any configuration, however, during installation it is possible to relocate some of the installation directories. This allows some degree of customization. Relocations that are available on the binary RPM are as follows:

strcompat-LiS-core-2.4.20-28.7-0.9.2.7-1.7.2.i686.rpm

strcompat-streams-core-2.4.20-28.7-0.9.2.7-1.7.2.i686.rpm

/lib/modules/2.4.20-28.7

This relocatable directory contains the kernel modules that provide the strcompat STREAMS core, drivers and modules.⁵⁷

strcompat-LiS-info-2.4.20-28.7-0.9.2.7-1.7.2.i686.rpm

strcompat-streams-info-2.4.20-28.7-0.9.2.7-1.7.2.i686.rpm

/usr/include/strcompat/2.4.20-28.7

This relocatable directory contains the kernel module exported symbol information that allows other kernel modules to be compiled against the correct version of the strcompat package.⁵⁸

strcompat-dev-0.9.2.7-1.7.2.i686.rpm

(not relocatable)

strcompat-devel-0.9.2.7-1.7.2.i686.rpm

/usr/lib

This relocatable directory contains strcompat libraries.

/usr/include/strcompat

This relocatable directory contains strcompat header files.

strcompat-doc-0.9.2.7-1.7.2.i686.rpm

/usr/share/doc

This relocatable directory contains all package specific documentation (including this manual). The subdirectory in this directory is the strcompat-0.9.2.7 directory.

/usr/share/info

This relocatable directory contains info files (including the info version of this manual).

/usr/share/man

This relocatable directory contains manual pages.

strcompat-LiS-lib-0.9.2.7-1.7.2.i686.rpm

strcompat-streams-lib-0.9.2.7-1.7.2.i686.rpm

/usr/lib

This relocatable directory contains the run-time shared libraries necessary to run applications programs and utilities developed for OpenSS7 STREAMS Compatibility.

/usr/share/locale

This relocatable directory contains the locale information for shared library files.

strcompat-source-0.9.2.7-1.7.2.i686.rpm

/usr/src

This relocatable directory contains the source code.

strcompat-LiS-util-0.9.2.7-1.7.2.i686.rpm

strcompat-streams-util-0.9.2.7-1.7.2.i686.rpm

/usr/bin

This relocatable directory contains binary programs and utilities.

/usr/sbin

This relocatable directory contains system binary programs and utilities.

/usr/libexec

This relocatable directory contains test programs.

/etc

This relocatable directory contains init scripts and configuration information.