Bug#1024329: u-boot: extlinux.conf prompt value is ignored

[Manuel Traut]

Source: u-boot
Version: 2021.01+dfsg-5
Severity: normal
Tags: patch
X-Debbugs-Cc: manuel...@mt.com

Hi vagrant,

during testing on the imx6 colibri board i recognized
that the prompt value of extlinux.conf is ignored.

The attached patch fixes the problem.

Can it be added to debian or shall I try to submit
it upstream first?

cu, Manuel

[Vagrant Cascadian]

On 2022-11-17, Manuel Traut wrote:
> during testing on the imx6 colibri board i recognized
> that the prompt value of extlinux.conf is ignored.
>
> The attached patch fixes the problem.

Could you spell this out in a little more detail exactly what is
missing? Maybe cut-and-paste what it looks like with and without the
patch applied?

I'm also curious why this is noticed with the imx6 colibri board and
presumably not other boards... I have definitely used the
pxeboot/extlinux functionality with many other boards (maybe I'm not
using this specific functionality in this code path, though).

> Can it be added to debian or shall I try to submit
> it upstream first?

Submitting something like this upstream is always a good idea. Feel free
to CC me. I suspect upstream will want more verbosity in the error
description too...

Depending on how that goes, I'll consider applying and/or backporting in
Debian.

Thanks!

live well,
vagrant

> From: Manuel Traut <manuel...@mt.com>
> Date: Thu, 17 Nov 2022 16:38:47 +0100
> Subject: distro/pxe boot: read prompt value from config
>
> Currently the configuration of prompt in extlinux.conf is
> ignored.
>
> Read it from the file, if not given do not fail.
>
> Signed-off-by: Manuel Traut <manuel...@mt.com>
> ---
> boot/pxe_utils.c | 5 ++++-
> 1 file changed, 4 insertions(+), 1 deletion(-)
>
> diff --git a/boot/pxe_utils.c b/boot/pxe_utils.c
> index 8133006..a6c56e0 100644
> --- a/boot/pxe_utils.c
> +++ b/boot/pxe_utils.c
> @@ -1359,7 +1359,10 @@ static int parse_pxefile_top(struct pxe_context *ctx, char *p, unsigned long bas
> break;
>
> case T_PROMPT:
> - eol_or_eof(&p);
> + err = parse_integer(&p, &cfg->prompt);
> + // Do not fail if prompt configuration is missing
> + if (err < 0)
> + eol_or_eof(&p);
> break;
>
> case T_EOL:

[Manuel Traut]

Hi vagrant,

On Thu, Nov 17, 2022 at 09:01:59AM -0800, Vagrant Cascadian wrote:
> On 2022-11-17, Manuel Traut wrote:
> > during testing on the imx6 colibri board i recognized
> > that the prompt value of extlinux.conf is ignored.
> >
> > The attached patch fixes the problem.
>
> Could you spell this out in a little more detail exactly what is
> missing? Maybe cut-and-paste what it looks like with and without the
> patch applied?

regarding the documentation if there is

prompt = 0

in the extlinux.conf it shall not ask the user for input.

In combination with timeout = 0 it boots directly into the configured
target.

https://github.com/u-boot/u-boot/blob/master/common/menu.c#L347

However this does not work, because prompt is set to one per default
in the source code and is not read from the extlinux.conf

https://github.com/u-boot/u-boot/blob/master/boot/pxe_utils.c#L1328

> I'm also curious why this is noticed with the imx6 colibri board and
> presumably not other boards... I have definitely used the
> pxeboot/extlinux functionality with many other boards (maybe I'm not
> using this specific functionality in this code path, though).

This feature is probably broken for all boards.
Maybe ordinary users are fine with having a 1 second timeout, however
in our use-case booting as fast as possible is important.

> > Can it be added to debian or shall I try to submit
> > it upstream first?
>
> Submitting something like this upstream is always a good idea. Feel free
> to CC me. I suspect upstream will want more verbosity in the error
> description too...

Ok, I will do so tomorrow and add you to Cc.

Thanks for your support
Manuel

[Vagrant Cascadian]

Control: forwarded 1024329 https://lists.denx.de/pipermail/u-boot/2022-November/499967.html

Thanks for taking it upstream!

Sorry I have not gotten a chance to confirm this myself just yet. Also
looking for more people to CC upstream to get some more eyes on it to
avoid it languishing indefinitely...


live well,
vagrant