| Course Outline: | |
Chapter 1 - The Linux World | |
- Overview of Linux System
- Three components of Linux
- The Kernel and What it Does
- User Space vs. Kernel Space
- User Processes
- User View of Devices
- User access to devices
- Major & Minor Device Number
- Making a Device File
- What's in a name
- Other Device-like Kernel Items
- Process access to Devices and other System services
- Example of User/Device Interaction
- A Driver as done in Linux
- Where is the lp Driver?
- Linux Distribution Numbers
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| Chapter 2 - Linux Code Development | |
- Vi, the Unix Visual Editor at a Glance (is it possible?)
- C Compiler Identifying File Types using Filename
- C Command Line Flags
- Using 'make'
- Fun 'make' Rules
- 'make' Variables and Comments
- 'make' Shortcuts and Functions
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| Chapter 3 - Kernel Code Development | |
- The Driver as a Module
- Adding Code to Running Kernels
- Module Locations, and Types
- Module Example, with Variable Descriptors
- Connecting/Disconnecting a Module to/from the Kernel
- Naming and Namespace Pollution
- Interfacing via System Calls and via '/proc'
- Kernel Symbols via '/proc'
- Interfacing between the Kernel, Hardware, and Device Drivers
- Device Driver Interrupt Handling
- Device Driver Requirements
- Creating a Device Driver and "Real" Module
- Kernel Versions and Modules
- Module Installation
- Grabbing Resources on 'init_module'
- Memory Probing
- Special Memory Considerations
- Device Access
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| Chapter 4 - Character Drivers | |
- Typical Character Drivers
- Kernel Memory Character Driver Example
- Character Device Registration
- Character Device Special File and Device Numbers
- file_operations structure
- struct file, struct inode
- Character Device Methods open(), release(), read(), write()
- Data Transfers between User Process and Driver
- copy_from_user(), copy_to_user()
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| Chapter 5 - Testing | |
- Testing using 'printk()'
- Control of 'printk()' Display
- Transfer of Kernel Messages
- Control of Kernel Message Creation
- Entries in the '/proc' Filesystem and 'ioctl()'
- Proc file methods and registration
- Testing and Debugging from User Space
- 'strace' Command
- Kernel Dumps
- Help for Hanging System
- SysRq Commands and Examples
- Using a Debugger?
- 'gdb' the GnuDeBugger
- Using KDB
- KGDB
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| Chapter 6 - Enhanced Character Drivers | |
- Driver and Device Control with 'ioctl()'
- Blocking VS Non-Blocking I/O
- Sleep vs Wakeup
- poll()
- llseek()
- Access Control through Drivers
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| Chapter 7 - Time Flow | |
- Managing Time, Linux Style
- Utilizing Kernel Timers, Wait queues, and Task Queues
- 'task_queue' Functions
- Lists and their macros
- Why Bother with Task Queues? (for Interrupts)
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| Chapter 8 - Memory, Hardware, and Interrupt Management | |
- Accessing Memory
- Get Some Space (kmalloc())
- Get Some Pages (get_free_page())
- Get Some Virtual Memory
- Get Some Boot-time Space
- Using I/O Ports
- Example: the Parallel Port
- Memory Access of ISA Devices below 1 Meg and 15 to 16 Meg
- PCI Memory
- Interrupt Management, Handling and Registration
- Autodetecting IRQ's
- Kernel Help in detecting IRQ's
- Enabling and Disabling Interrupts
- Splitting Interrupt Handling - Top Half & Bottom Half
- Combating Race Conditions
- Atomic Actions
- Spinlocks
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| Chapter 9 - Block Device Drivers | |
- Block Device Driver Characteristics
- Similarities to Character Drivers
- Differences between Block and Character Drivers
- Block Driver Variables and Functions
- blk_dev_struct struct & request_fn()
- The Mount Problem
- 'ioctl()' and Block Drivers
- Partitions in Block Drives
- Partitionable Devices
- gendisk structure and Location
- Modules and Partition Tables
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| Chapter 10 - Network Drivers | |
- Network Driver Characteristics
- netdevice structure fields
- netdevice structure methods
- ether_setup() and its brothers
- irq2devmap
- netif_rx()
- skb buffer structure fields
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Optional Chapters | |
| Chapter K - Kernel Upgrading | |
- Getting Kernel source and Patches
- Adding KDB
- Checking Documentation/Changes
- Configuring, Compiling, Loading
- initrd
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