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Date: Mon, 19 Feb 2001 08:45:19 -0600 (CST)
From: Jeff Garzik <jgarzik@mandrakesoft.com>
To: Matthew Kirkwood <matthew@hairy.beasts.org>
cc: Linux Kernel List <linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org>
Subject: Re: sendfile from char device?
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On Mon, 19 Feb 2001, Matthew Kirkwood wrote:
> I'm looking for a fast way to initialise a file to zeroes
> (without holes) and reckoned that sendfile from /dev/zero
> would be the way to go.
> 
> But, unfortunately, sendfile (in 2.2 and 2.4) appears not
> to support sendfile(2)ing a device:

Correct... sendfile(2) is only for sources/destinations that can be
ripped through the page cache.  I converted Lineo's BusyBox to use
sendfile, only to see it die when used on anything but a normal file or
a socket.

	Jeff




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