Re: breakage of setserial in Sarge

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To: debian-user@lists.debian.org
Date: Sat, 20 Aug 2005 17:12:10 -0500

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Uwe Dippel wrote:
> setserial is broken, with respect to several aspects.
>
> Here is my story:
> Internal Modem on ttyS2 (COM3), IRQ5.
>
> Since the Linux kernel is too dumb to find out (the BSDs always find on
> their own, but this is another topic), I install setserial.
> Immediately it asks and suggests 'autosave once'. Okay, done.
> But it doesn't recognise my modem with the correct parameters.
> So I have to issue
> setserial /dev/ttyS2 irq 5
> Now the modem works.
>
> How to save the state for after a boot ?
> On RH I used setserial stop. Tried, doesn't work. That's okay, we are on
> Debian.
> man setserial says: /etc/serial.conf
> But it doesn't exist. The archive says: dpkg-reconfigure setserial.
> It asks me if I want to save the current state (autoconfigure once), and I
> say 'yes'. But still, it doesn't survive the boot. It also does not
> produce a serial.conf.
>
> We have to admit, that man setserial is wrong, and the function of saving
> the configuration beyond a reboot is broken.
>
> Here is how to do it:
> Install setserial, click 'autosave once'.
> Make your modem work using setserial with all necessary options.
> Once it works and
> setserial -bg /dev/ttyS*
> shows the good values,
> apt-get remove --purge setserial
> apt-get install setserial
>
> Now the reboot should be okay.
> Reason:
> 1. the automatic configuration at install is the only time when the file
> is written. A dpkg-reconfigure will simply do nothing. Plus it fails
> to warn that it will *not save anything*.
> 2. contrary to logic and man pages, the config is saved as
> /var/lib/setserial/autoserial.conf
> 3. the dpkg --configure started immediately before install is logically
> wrong: since there is no setserial before you install setserial, all
> settings are default settings, taken from BIOS / Kernel. There is no need
> at all to save them 'autosave once'; because any reboot will bring them back.
> Only after one or more setserial commands will a 'save' be of any use.
> Worse: only *after* using setserial does 'autosave once' make any sense.
> But then it does not accept new values any longer.
>
> Shoddy quality control, sorry to say.
>
> For those not having read the full story and asking how should it work ?:
> 1. go back to saving the configuration under /etc/
> 2. do not 'force' an autosave at install. Rather ask:
> "Do you want to save your settings now ? Probably you don't, because you
> installed setserial to change the default settings, right ?
> So you better chose No now; fix the settings for your serial ports.
> When you are done, run dpkg-reconfigure setserial to store your settings
> to be permanent and survive a reboot".
> When the choice is 'Yes', the current menu comes up.
> At the suggested 'No', the dpkg --configure setserial is exited.
> When the settings are done,
> dpkg-reconfigure setserial will 'autosave once' create the serial.conf in
> /etc/
>
> Uwe

Perhaps you should read "/usr/share/doc/setserial/README.Debian.gz"
See "/usr/share/doc/setserial/serial.conf" for a sample serial.conf file
if you need one. Also check bugs.debian.org as there are some known bugs
which will affect SOME users.

Paul

- --
/********************** Running Debian Linux ************************
* For God so loved the world that He gave his only begotten Son, *
* that whoever believes in Him should not perish... John 3:16 *
********** W. Paul Mills ********** http://Mills-USA.com/ **********/

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• Previous message: Alex The Koala: "New Debian installation"
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