From owner-freebsd-hackers@FreeBSD.ORG  Mon Nov  8 00:29:46 2004
Return-Path: <owner-freebsd-hackers@FreeBSD.ORG>
Delivered-To: freebsd-hackers@freebsd.org
Received: from mx1.FreeBSD.org (mx1.freebsd.org [216.136.204.125])
	by hub.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id ACC3A16A4CE
	for <freebsd-hackers@freebsd.org>;
	Mon,  8 Nov 2004 00:29:46 +0000 (GMT)
Received: from mail825.megamailservers.com
	(mail825.carrierinternetsolutions.com [69.49.106.35])
	by mx1.FreeBSD.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 0D6F343D31
	for <freebsd-hackers@freebsd.org>;
	Mon,  8 Nov 2004 00:29:46 +0000 (GMT)
	(envelope-from strick@covad.net)
X-POP-User: strick.covad.net
Received: from mist.nodomain (h-67-101-98-53.snfccasy.dynamic.covad.net
	[67.101.98.53])iA80Tgg5005123
	for <freebsd-hackers@freebsd.org>; Sun, 7 Nov 2004 19:29:43 -0500
Received: from mist.nodomain (localhost [127.0.0.1])
	by mist.nodomain (8.12.11/8.12.11) with ESMTP id iA80TgA6040647;
	Sun, 7 Nov 2004 16:29:42 -0800 (PST)
	(envelope-from dan@mist.nodomain)
Received: (from dan@localhost)
	by mist.nodomain (8.12.11/8.12.11/Submit) id iA80TgJ0040646;
	Sun, 7 Nov 2004 16:29:42 -0800 (PST)
	(envelope-from dan)
Date: Sun, 7 Nov 2004 16:29:42 -0800 (PST)
From: Dan Strick <strick@covad.net>
Message-Id: <200411080029.iA80TgJ0040646@mist.nodomain>
To: freebsd-hackers@freebsd.org
cc: dan@mist.nodomain
Subject: Where is the source to the system calls?
X-BeenThere: freebsd-hackers@freebsd.org
X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.1
Precedence: list
List-Id: Technical Discussions relating to FreeBSD
	<freebsd-hackers.freebsd.org>
List-Unsubscribe: <http://lists.freebsd.org/mailman/listinfo/freebsd-hackers>,
	<mailto:freebsd-hackers-request@freebsd.org?subject=unsubscribe>
List-Archive: <http://lists.freebsd.org/pipermail/freebsd-hackers>
List-Post: <mailto:freebsd-hackers@freebsd.org>
List-Help: <mailto:freebsd-hackers-request@freebsd.org?subject=help>
List-Subscribe: <http://lists.freebsd.org/mailman/listinfo/freebsd-hackers>,
	<mailto:freebsd-hackers-request@freebsd.org?subject=subscribe>
X-List-Received-Date: Mon, 08 Nov 2004 00:29:46 -0000

Does anyone know where the system calls are really defined?
I followed open() to _open() to __sys_open() which seems
to be part of something called libc_r before I ran into a
blank wall.  I grepped all of the regular files in /usr/src
and /usr/include and turned up nothing.  I even tried
grepping for open in the output of "nm -g /usr/lib/libc.a".
There is no __sys_open() in libc.  Am I dealing with
C-compiler magic?  Secret macro instructions invoking
undocumented gnu C-compiler asm() features?  A CIA plot?

Is any of this low level structure documented anywhere?

Dan Strick
strick@covad.net