With the new -O comp= option, the concern on user who want to make a
btrfs for newer kernel is hugely reduced.
NO!. actually new option -O comp= provides no concern for users who
want to create _a btrfs disk layout which is compatible with more
than one kernel_. above there are two examples of it.
Why you can't give a higher kernel version than current kernel?
mount fails. Pls try !!
But I still prefer such feature align to be done only when specified by
user, instead of automatically. (yeah, already told for several times
though)
Warning should be enough for user, sometimes too automatic is not good,
As said before.
We need latest btrfs-progs on older kernels, for obvious reasons of
btrfs-progs bug fixes. We don't have to back port fixes even on
btrfs-progs as we already do it in btrfs kernel. A btrfs-progs should
work on any kernel with the "default features as prescribed for that
kernel".
Let's say if we don't do this automatic then, latest btrfs-progs
with default mkfs.btfs && mount fails. But a user upgrading btrfs-progs
for fsck bug fixes, shouldn't find 'default mkfs.btfs && mount'
failing. Nor they have to use a "new" set of mkfs option to create all
default FS for a LTS kernel.
Default features based on btrfs-progs version instead of kernel
version- makes NO sense.
Kernel version never makes sense, especially for non-vanilla.
>
And unfortunately, most of kernels used in stable distribution is not
vanilla.
And that's the *POINT1*.
That's why I stand against kernel version based detection.
You can use stable /sys/fs/btrfs/features/, but kernel version?
Not an option even as fallback.
yep. thats the reason someone invented sysfs/features, but
unfortunately from 3.14. If not version, pls suggest best suitable,
_without_ transferring problem to solve to the user end.
And adding a warning for not using latest
features which is not in their running kernel is pointless.
In the context of default features.
You didn't get the point of what to WARN.
Not warning user they are not using latest features, but warning some
features may prevent the fs being mounted for current kernel.
It was there before. some patch in the past removed it. hope you
remember "Turning on incompatible..."
That's _not_ a backward kernel compatible tool.
btrfs-progs should work "for the kernel". We should avoid adding too
much intelligence into btrfs-progs. I have fixed too many issues and
redesigned progs in this area. Too many bugs were mainly because of the
idea of copy and maintain same code on btrfs-progs and btrfs-kernel
approach for progs. (ref wiki and my email before). Thats a wrong
approach.
Totally agree with this point. Too many non-sense in btrfs-progs codes
copied from kernel, and due to lack of update, it's very buggy now.
Just check volume.c for allocating data chunk.
But I didn't see the point related to the feature auto align here.
The whole point is don't add more intelligence into progs than what
is required.
Here its about default features. And the questions are
Default against of what ? To the btrfs-progs version itself?
Why do you want to add another attribute of btrfs-progs-version
being relevant at the user end ? For users that's like progs not
being inline with kernel, a very strong problem statement.
(bit vague as of now) potentially there are chances that someday
we would move mkfs part into the kernel itself, makes progs as
slick as possible.
I don't understand- if the purpose of both of these isn't
same what is the point in maintaining same code? It won't save in
efforts mainly because its like developing a distributed FS where
two parties has to be communicated to be in sync. Which is like using
the canon to shoo a crow.
But if the reason was fuse like kernel-free FS (no one said that
though) then its better to do it as a separate project.
especially for tests.
It depends whats being tested kernel OR progs? Its kernel not progs.
No, both kernel and progs. Just from Dave, even with his typo:
"xfstests is not jsut for testing kernel changes - it tests all of
the filesystem utilities for regressions, too. And so when
inadvertant changes in default behaviour occur, it detects those
regressions too."
Now in this context if you are testing latest btrfs-progs (without
these patches) on an old LTS kernel, and using default mkfs option
all tests fails. That's something to fix. Without transferring
implementation difficulties to the user end. And without changing
xfstests mkfs_options. Because we claim progs is backward kernel
compatible.
Automatic will keep default feature constant for a given kernel
version. Further, for testing using a known set of options is even
better.
Yeah, known set of options get unknown on different kernels, thanks to
the hidden feature align. Unless you specify it by -O options.
That's the *POINT2*:
Default auto feature align are making mkfs.btrfs behavior *unpredictable*.
>
Before auto feature align, QA/end-user only needs to check the
btrfs-progs announcement to know the default behavior change.
And after it, wow, QA testers will need to check the feature matrix to
know what's the default feature on their kernel, not to mention it may
even be wrong due to more unpredictable kernel version.
That's why I strongly recommend to make it just a warning other than
default behavior.
The use cases also involves old LTS kernels on newer progs.
which your point2 does _not_ cover and where the whole point
of discussion is.
A lot of btrfs-progs change, like recent disabling mixed-bg for small
volume has already cause regression in generic/077 testcase.
And Dave is already fed up with such problem from btrfs...
I don't know what's the regression about. But in my experience with
some xfstest test cases.. xfstests depend too much on cli output
strings which is easy thing to do but a wrong approach.
Check this patch and its following, definitely not UI but default
behavior, just as you are going to change.
https://patchwork.kernel.org/patch/7679381/
Reviewed. I understand xfstest didn't fail for an UI change.
So how does that apply here in this context ?
Note:
Before
'A progs and A kernel' set = default features are constant.
Now
'ANY progs and A kernel' set = default features are constant.
So what is that it breaks ? I want to know as well.
Thanks, Anand
Thanks,
Qu
Those cli outputs and its format are NOT APIs, those are UIs. Instead
it should have used return code/ FS test interface. This will let
developers with free hands to change, otherwise you need to update the
test cases every time you change the cli _output_.
Especially such auto-detection will make default behavior more unstable,
at least not a good idea for me.
As above. We design with end-user and their use cases in mind. Not for
a test suite. If test suite breaks.. fix it.
Thanks, Anand
Beside this, I'm curious how other filesystm user tools handle such
kernel mismatch, or do they?
Thanks,
Qu
First of all to let user know what features was supported at what
kernel
version. Patch 1/7 updates -O list-all which will list the feature with
version.
As we didn't maintain the sysfs and progs feature names consistent, so
to avoid confusion Patch 2/7 displays sysfs feature name as well again
in the list-all output.
Next, Patch 3,4,5/7 are helper functions.
Patch 6,7/7 provides the -O comp=<version> for mkfs.btrfs and
btrfs-convert respectively
Thanks, Anand
Anand Jain (7):
btrfs-progs: show the version for -O list-all
btrfs-progs: add kernel alias for each of the features in the list
btrfs-progs: make is_numerical non static
btrfs-progs: check for numerical in version_to_code()
btrfs-progs: introduce framework version to features
btrfs-progs: add -O comp= option for mkfs.btrfs
btrfs-progs: add -O comp= option for btrfs-convert
btrfs-convert.c | 21 +++++++++++++++++++++
cmds-replace.c | 11 -----------
mkfs.c | 24 ++++++++++++++++++++++--
utils.c | 58
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++-----
utils.h | 2 ++
5 files changed, 98 insertions(+), 18 deletions(-)
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