I've made a patch for e2fsprogs that makes it possible to use debugfs to create ext2-images from userspace.
If that program is used together with fakeroot it's possible to do everything* without root access. *if everything is generating your target filesystem with correct permissions and uids/gids I think that is nice. Mail me if you want the patch. / magnus Wolfgang Denk wrote: > > In message <Pine.LNX.4.40.0208271536520.3441-100000 at mag.devdep.sysgo.de> > you wrote: > > > > > It seems you are using devfs; try running without it. I don't see > > > much advantages of devfs for embedded systems where such a > > > flexibility is usually not needed, on contrary. > > > > Well, I see at least two advantages: a) you don't need to have root > > privileges to assemble your root-filesystem, b) it's the way /dev > > should have been implemented in the first place. > > > > I admid both arguments cover rather aesthetical aspects, so your > > mileage may vary. > > The main disadvantage is the increased memory footprint which you > have to pay for a flexibility on the target which is usually not > necessary. > > Your (a) is not really an argument; there are several solutions for > this "problem", for example: > > genext2fs - ext2 filesystem generator for embedded systems > see http://packages.debian.org/unstable/admin/genext2fs.html > > gBootRoot - distribution creation program which may be used by a > normal user > see http://gbootroot.sourceforge.net/ > > (b) is a matter of taste; for embedded systems, I tend to prefer a > fixed, static configuration which does not cost too much of the > resources which may be somewhat limited (espacially ROM and RAM). > > Yes, MMV ;-) > > Wolfgang Denk > > -- > Software Engineering: Embedded and Realtime Systems, Embedded Linux > Phone: (+49)-8142-4596-87 Fax: (+49)-8142-4596-88 Email: wd at denx.de > By the way, ALL software projects are done by iterative prototyping. > Some companies call their prototypes "releases", that's all. > ** Sent via the linuxppc-embedded mail list. See http://lists.linuxppc.org/
