[openbeosstorage] Re: Partitioning context
- From: "Axel Dörfler" <axeld@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: openbeosstorage@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Sun, 06 Apr 2003 23:48:48 +0200 CEST
"Ingo Weinhold" <bonefish@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> "Axel D=3DF6rfler" <axeld@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> > - we should probably add an option to recognize files as a hard
> > disk
> > and be able to scan the partitions contained therein
> I already thought about that some months ago, when we were designing
> the previous API. The issue I see is, where the devices are
> published.
> I would imagine it to work like this: There are syscalls to
> (un)register a file as virtual disk. On registration a device is
> published under /dev/disk/virtual/file/<filename>[uniqueness=3D5FID]/
> raw.
> The rest can work completely transparent for the disk=3D5Fdevice=3D
> 5Fmanager.
Hm, that might be the way to go, and a similar way could probably also
be used for TTYs. So what's needed would be the ability to trigger the
creation (and deletion) of /dev entries and the ability of attaching
data to those entries (which file it refers to, for example). AFAICT
that matches Thomas' proposed changes to the device management pretty
well :-)
> ...
> So, probably an additional BPartition::IsLeaf() (better name=3D3F)
> would be
> a good idea. It would indicate whether the partition is of a type
> that
> doesn't allow to create child partitions using the parent's system in
> a
> non-nesting manner.
So that intel partitions in non-extended intel partitions would be
invalid=3F Do you think that this is a necessary restriction=3F As long as
we don't give the user the possibility to create those partitions (too
easily), I don't see much of a problem.
The reader should support anything you throw at it, while the writer
should only output conformant layouts.
> BTW, DriveSetup users should be warned, when they are going to use
> nesting.
Might be a good idea, although a visual clue might be enough (i.e.
partition type: primary/logical (for intel style partioning), along
with a graphical representation (generic)).
The only problem with nesting partitions is, AFAICT missing support in
other operating systems.
> > both would be very convenient mostly for users of emulators (such
> > as
> > Bochs or Amithlon, the former accesses files as hard drivers, the
> > latter has the standard amiga partitioning system inside an Intel
> > partition), but I could imagine other useful applications as well.
> > What do you think=3D3D3F
> Definitely a good idea.
Yep, it always annyoing not to be able to access those things currently
:-)
Adios...
Axel.
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