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Date:      Thu, 19 Jul 2001 22:08:38 -0700 (PDT)
From:      Gordon Tetlow <gordont@gnf.org>
To:        Mike Smith <msmith@FreeBSD.ORG>
Cc:        <freebsd-hackers@FreeBSD.ORG>
Subject:   Kernel module options Was: Re: Fw: help me!!!! 
Message-ID:  <Pine.LNX.4.33.0107192158460.26208-100000@smtp.gnf.org>
In-Reply-To: <200107142103.f6EL3Ca01348@mass.dis.org>

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On Sat, 14 Jul 2001, Mike Smith wrote:

> > >and how to compile the individual module, which
> > >should reflect changes in kenel also? ......
>
> Modules are built as part of the kernel build.  You can also build
> modules idependantly in sys/modules.  Note that module code should not
> depend on options from the kernel configuration file (or if they do,
> these options need to be set up seperately in the module's Makefile).

This reminded me of a case I see all too often.

I hang out in #freebsd and #freebsdhelp on OPN and all too often, there
are people that come into the channel trying to set up their firewall box
using ipfw/natd and a GENERIC kernel. Well, as I'm sure everyone is
acquainted, you have to compile a kernel to get IPFIREWALL/IPDIVERT into
your kernel so you can do natd. I'd love to see one of the following:

1) When compiling the ipfw.ko, include the ipdivert code.
2) A seperate module that is ipfw + divert (ipfwdivert.ko?)
3) Steal an idea from Linux (gasp!), and have module dependencies. ie,
   load ipfw.ko and then before we load up natd, we check to see if
   ipdivert.ko is loaded and load it. Alternatively, loading ipdivert.ko
   (before loading ipfw.ko), will automagically load ipfw.ko since ipfw is
   needed to get divert running.

Now, obviously 1 or 2 should be pretty easy to do. I imagine 3 would
require some infrastructure support that isn't there yet. I must say, the
only thing I really like about Linux is the efforts they've gone to to
make everything modular. Anyway, is there in future in this?

-gordon


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