2000-12-08 18:03:39

by Jonathan Corbet

[permalink] [raw]
Subject: On running user mode helpers

I see we have a new "call_usermodehelper" routine now. It looks like the
end result is similer to exec_usermodehelper, except that you no longer
need to mess with creating kernel threads yourself.

Is call_usermodehelper now the officially blessed way for kernel code to
run something in user space? Perhaps exec_usermodehelper should become
private to kmod.c?

I also see that call_usermodehelper will call do_exit() if the exec fails,
while the path taken in request_module does not do that. Can both be
right?

Thanks,

jon

Jonathan Corbet
Executive editor, LWN.net
[email protected]