Re: [PATCH v4 00/24] input: Introduce ff-memless-next as an improved replacement for ff-memless

["Michal Malý" <madcatxster@devoid-pointer.net>]

On Monday 12 of May 2014 11:14:42 Jiri Kosina wrote:
> On Sat, 26 Apr 2014, Michal Malý wrote:
> > ff-memless-next (MLNX) is a largely improved version of the current
> > ff-memless (FFML) driver. MLNX supports all force feedback effects
> > currently available in the Linux force feedback userspace API. All
> > effects are handled in accordance with Microsoft's DirectInput/XInput.
> > Most notable changes include support for conditional effects, proper
> > handling of all periodic waveforms and improved emulation of rumble
> > effects through periodic effects. MLNX also uses its own kernel API to
> > pass processed effects to hardware-specific drivers instead of abusing
> > "ff_effect" struct. The API is documented in the respective header file.
> > 
> > MLNX has been expanded to be a direct replacement for FFML.
> > 
> > Support for FF_PERIODIC and FF_RAMP has been added to all devices that
> > support FF_CONSTANT as a part of the port to the new API.
> > 
> > This patch series:
> > 1) Adds "ff-memless-next" module [1]
> > 2) Ports all hardware-specific drivers to MLNX's API [2-23]
> > 3) Removes FFML and replaces it with MLNX [24]
> 
> Dmitry,
> 
> what are your plans with this, please?
> 
> I personally don't really completely like having two implementations of FF
> in the kernel; can't it be really done as an extension to ff-memless?

There will be no duplication. This patchset fully replaces "ff-memless" with 
"ff-memless-next". Even though "ff-memless-next" is basically an extended 
version of "ff-memless", the extent of the changes makes it look very much like 
a rewrite.

If you are concerned about any confusion due to the "ff-memless" -> "ff-memless-
next" name change I can modify the code to make it look like "ff-memless" if 
you think that'd be more appropriate. However, given the scope of the changes 
I considered it a better idea to implement this as a new driver to make it 
clear that ff-memless-next behaves differently from the HW-specific drivers' 
perspective.

Michal