2.5 modprobe doesn't handle alias chains?

2.5 modprobe doesn't handle alias chains?

[Mikael Pettersson]

Rusty,

In converting my 2.5 build to make the serial driver a module,
I discovered that alias chains in modprobe.conf apparently
don't work. This is with module-init-tools-0.9.9.

I had 'alias char-major-4 serial' and 'alias char-major-5 serial'
in modprobe.conf, since that's what's built into 2.4 modutils, and
then I added 'alias serial 8250'. This did not work: opening /dev/ttyS0
resulted in modprobe complaining 'FATAL: Module serial not found'.

Is this a bug or a design limitation?

I kludged it by using 'alias char-major-4 8250' instead.

/Mikael

Re: 2.5 modprobe doesn't handle alias chains?

[Rusty Russell]

In message <200303032335.h23NZetq012628@harpo.it.uu.se> you write:
> Rusty,
> 
> In converting my 2.5 build to make the serial driver a module,
> I discovered that alias chains in modprobe.conf apparently
> don't work. This is with module-init-tools-0.9.9.
> 
> I had 'alias char-major-4 serial' and 'alias char-major-5 serial'
> in modprobe.conf, since that's what's built into 2.4 modutils, and
> then I added 'alias serial 8250'. This did not work: opening /dev/ttyS0
> resulted in modprobe complaining 'FATAL: Module serial not found'.
> 
> Is this a bug or a design limitation?

Well, it's a documented feature, see modprobe.conf(5).  You can use
install commands instead if you really want recursion, or do as you
did and simply resolve the alias by hand.

Hope that helps,
Rusty.
--
  Anyone who quotes me in their sig is an idiot. -- Rusty Russell.