Bug 3422

Summary: Correct commentary and possibly code assumptions about the existence of KMETA
Product: [Yocto Project Subprojects] Kernel Reporter: Darren Hart <dvhart>
Component: kernel-toolingAssignee: Bruce Ashfield <bruce.ashfield>
Status: RESOLVED FIXED QA Contact:
Severity: normal    
Priority: Medium CC: yp.kernel.watcher, yp.watcher
Version: 1.3   
Target Milestone: 1.4   
Hardware: x86   
OS: Multiple   
Whiteboard:
OS type for building Yocto: --- Type of Regression: ---
Verified: Documentation change: ---

Description Darren Hart 2012-11-13 21:50:38 UTC
The expected (and soon to be documented) behavior of the KMETA variable is that if set, the tools expect a branch of the KMETA value name to exist. If it is set to the empty string, a directory by the name of meta should exist in the machine branch and should contain a complete set of meta-data.
Comment 1 Darren Hart 2012-11-13 21:51:17 UTC
For example, the comments in kernel-yocto.bbclass::do_kernel_checkout() suggest that a branch is required.
Comment 2 Bruce Ashfield 2012-11-14 02:37:39 UTC
KMETA definitely is not required in the current code, every linux-yocto-custom
is running with an empty KMETA variable.

I'm not sure what you are seeing in do_kernel_checkout(), but the only reference
to KMETA is protected:

                if [ -n "${KMETA}" ]; then
                        git branch -a | grep -q ${KMETA}
                        if [ $? -ne 0 ]; then
                                echo "ERROR. The branch '${KMETA}' is required and was not"
                                echo "found. Ensure that the SRC_URI points to a valid linux-yocto"
                                echo "kernel repository"
                                exit 1
                        fi
                fi


.. so if it's empty, it won't fire.

If KMETA is empty, the tools expect nothing, and meta doesn't need to exist
in directory form.

Maybe our notes are messed up on this defect, but I don't think there's anything
to document for this one with respect to branches and directories, but I could
use the defect to document how to switch/use KMETA. Does that sound ok ?
Comment 3 Darren Hart 2012-11-14 16:52:54 UTC
Perhaps just the comment then?

		# we can fix up the kernel repository, but at the least the meta
		# branch must be present. The machine branch may be created later.

Maybe just something simple like "but the meta branch must be present if KMETA is defined" or similar. People coming up to speed on tooling are likely to read the above and assume a KMETA branch is required.
Comment 4 Bruce Ashfield 2012-11-14 16:59:43 UTC
That's reasonable .. I've modified the comment locally and will send it out with my next merge request.
Comment 5 Bruce Ashfield 2012-11-29 19:16:25 UTC
merged to oe-core.