[En-Nut-Discussion] Make, .svn, and deleting a MsgQ

[Curtis Maloney]

On 02/04/10 21:53, Harald Kipp wrote:
> Curtis Maloney wrote:
>> On 02/03/10 22:03, Ole Reinhardt wrote:
>
>>>> First -- why do  the tarballs contain the .svn directories?  Did someone
>>>> miss reading up on the "export" command?
>>> Which version are you talking about? At least the lastest tarballs which
>>> you'll find here http://www.ethernut.de/en/download/index.html
>>> does not contain the .svn directories. Do they?
>
> The tarballs are no tarballs. Actually they are source packages, built
> by 'make distcheck', using the GNU autotools.
>
> After changing from CVS to SVN, not all parts of the autotools
> configuration may have been properly updated.
>
> Indeed, ethernut-4.8.6.tar.bz2 contains several .svn directories at
> least in the app folder.

I've since checked on the state of 4.9 (which I avoided partly because 
it's listed as "Unstable", and partly as we already havec code [and thus 
confidence] with 4.8) and it's looking a lot more sane.

>> Given the stunning lack of documentation, it's hard to know what's me
>> not knowing what to do, and what's "deprecated" things... I guess I
>> should add a page to the Wiki on "The complete newbies guide to avoiding
>> all the leftover kruft in NutOS"...
>
> The first document to read is
> http://www.ethernut.de/pdf/enswm28e.pdf

I guess I'm too accustomed to docs being online :)

> There is also a basic quick start at
> http://www.ethernut.de/nutwiki/Nut/OS_Examples

Thanks.  Am looking into it now!

> But I can strongly confirm, that we need a better signposting to lead
> newbies and casual users to the right places.

I also find it tricky to remember how to navigate my way to the online 
API docs... limited as they are on detail, they're at least a guide to 
parameter types and order :)

>>>> And finally, I've noticed there's no corresponding Free function to
>>>> match NutMsgQCreate.
>>
>> Looking closer at the code, what you say is becoming obvious.  It also
>> conspicuously lacks a "NutMsgQEmpty" or similar function...
>
> A while ago I tried to banish NutMsgQ and a few other "candies" to the
> gorp directory. I had the feeling, that they are less well maintained
> and may lead to confusion. They are not part of the minimal kernel and,
> AFAIK, they are not referenced by any other part of the system.

It's always great to have extra, useful, tested tools supplied, but I 
agree that anything not part of the kernel should be in a separate lib.

> A few guys from the community convinced me, that they will take care of
> these parts and that I should not move them out of the os folder.

If the OS doesn't use it, it doesn't belong in the OS folder, surely?

> I'd still prefer to have them in the gorp lib and inform potential
> users, that they may be less well maintained than the core routines.

The things I'm seeing in the gorp docs look great, but certainly belong 
outside the OS.

.. with all that over, I'm now off to write a simple character pipe 
device... a surprising omission compared to C-Executive, which we use on 
an older platform here.

--
Curtis