/sys/doc/ Documentation archive

NAME

intro - introduction to hosted and native implementation

DESCRIPTION

Inferno provides a collection of compiler suites, libraries and two closely-related kernels to span a range of host and native platforms. Section 10 of this manual is divided into subsections numbered in the same way as the main manual: 10.1 for commands, 10.2 for library and kernel routines, and 10.6 for file formats.

Section 10.1 describes the various compiler and utility commands provided to support compilation and cross-compilation of native kernels. These are derived from similarly named programs of the system Plan 9 from Bell Labs, converted to ANSI C to provide a consistent, portable environment for cross-compiling any native kernel on any host platform.

Section 10.2 describes the functions publicly available to the authors of kernel code, particularly device drivers (real and virtual). This section will eventually be much expanded, but this makes a start. See the description of the conventional header files below.

Section 10.6 describes include the native object file formats, the Inferno (Plan 9) object library (archive) format, and system configuration files.

Section 10.8 describes bootstrap programs and procedures for native Inferno systems.

Native kernel declarations

The SYNOPSIS subsections in section 10.2 do not show the header files needed for the standard kernel declarations. The primary combinations summarised below:

#include u.h #include ../port/lib.h #include mem.h #include dat.h #include fns.h #include ../port/error.h

furthermore, added in IP code: #include ../ip/ip.h

furthermore, in hardware device drivers: #include io.h #include ureg.h

furthermore, in network interfaces or ether drivers: #include ../port/netif.h

There might also be specific include files needed by drivers on particular platforms or to use specialised kernel interfaces. The easiest method is to check the source of likely-looking drivers nearby.