Allow to build for custom kernel version & arch (v2)

[jlkDE]

As stated the last time: I experience frequent kernel updates and rebuild the driver quite often.

With this patch it is possible to build for a newer (or any custom) kernel version as long as the sources are available by supplying you own version and/or arch via an environment variable like this:

sudo KVER=6.1.1-1-default ./install-driver.sh

If you do not supply anything (and the variable is unset in your env) nothing changes, so the default stays the same.

I have been building my driver like this since the end of last year and discovered no problems so far.
One thing I am not sure of: $KVER is also evaluated in the dkms-make.sh script, do I have to edit that one too? For me it works without this too.

This time hopefully without bashisms. :)

Superseeds #109

[morrownr]

sudo KVER=6.1.1-1-default ./install-driver.sh

Let's see if some error checking might help. Run:

sudo KVER=6.1.1.1-default ./install-driver.sh

Next

See what the following does:

sudo KVER=6.1.1-1-default sh install-driver.sh NoPrompt

Next

FYI: The recent updates to install-driver.sh add code to detect and uninstall prior installations so you really should not need to run remove-driver.sh anymore unless you really are going to permanently remove the driver. So try testing install-driver.sh without running remove-driver.sh.

Side note: When you finish with this project, would you be interested in helping me with another project? On my to-do list, I am considering adding driver compression to the install-driver.sh script as compression has been supported in the kernel since 5.4. That should be pretty straightforward. I also need to get to the bottom of how country codes work these days so I can add some code to do error checking in install-driver.sh. Let me know.

Nick

[jlkDE]

I will start with the latter ones: You are right, remove-driver.sh is not required anymore for my flow and I am always open to helping wherever I can, the only limitation is my knowledge and time, but you can ping me and I will try my best.

Now back to this request: From my point of view this works as intended: sudo KVER=6.1.10-1-default sh install-driver.sh NoPrompt installs the driver the same way as sudo KVER=6.1.10-1-default ./install-driver.sh does. :)

But now there is another thing I am noticing, but I am unsure if this is due to my distribution or this code... I will post the whole output

sudo KVER=6.1.10-1-default sh install-driver.sh NoPrompt
[sudo] password for root:
: ---------------------------
: install-driver.sh v20230126
: x86_64 (architecture)
: 12/12 (in-use/total processing units)
: 32813844 (total system memory)
: 6.1.10-1-default (kernel version)
: gcc (SUSE Linux) 12.2.1 20230124 [revision 193f7e62815b4089dfaed4c2bd34fd4f10209e27]
: dkms-2.8.7
: SecureBoot disabled
Platform is in Setup Mode
: ---------------------------
rtl88x2bu/5.13.1, 6.1.10-1-default, x86_64: built
rtl88x2bu/5.13.1, 6.1.8-1-default, x86_64: installed
Removing a dkms installation: rtl88x2bu
Module rtl88x2bu 5.13.1 is not installed for kernel 6.1.10-1-default (x86_64). Skipping...
Module rtl88x2bu-5.13.1 for kernel 6.1.8-1-default (x86_64).
Before uninstall, this module version was ACTIVE on this kernel.
Removing any linked weak-modules
getopt: unrecognized option '--no-initramfs'
Usage: ${0##*/} [options] {--add-modules|--remove-modules}
       ${0##*/} [options] {--add-kernel|--remove-kernel} {kernel-release}

--add-modules
        Add a list of modules read from standard input. Create
        symlinks in compatible kernel's weak-updates/ directory.
        The list of modules is read from standard input.

--remove-modules
        Remove compatibility symlinks from weak-updates/ directories
        for a list of modules.  The list of modules is read from
        standard input.

--add-kernel
        Add compatibility symlinks for all compatible modules to the
        specified or running kernel.

--remove-kernel
        Remove all compatibility symlinks for the specified or current
        kernel.

--verbose
        Print the commands executed.

-dry-run
        Do not create/remove any files.

88x2bu.ko.zst:
 - Uninstallation
   - Deleting from: /lib/modules/6.1.8-1-default/updates/
 - Original module
   - No original module was found for this module on this kernel.
   - Use the dkms install command to reinstall any previous module version.
depmod...
Deleting module rtl88x2bu-5.13.1 completely from the DKMS tree.
Removing 88x2bu.conf from /etc/modprobe.d
Removing source files from /usr/src/rtl88x2bu-5.13.1
Installing 88x2bu.conf to /etc/modprobe.d
The dkms installation routines are in use.
Copying source files to /usr/src/rtl88x2bu-5.13.1
Creating symlink /var/lib/dkms/rtl88x2bu/5.13.1/source -> /usr/src/rtl88x2bu-5.13.1
The driver was added to dkms successfully.

Building module:
cleaning build area...
./dkms-make.sh...........
cleaning build area...
Compile time: 236.39 seconds
The driver was built by dkms successfully.

Building module:
cleaning build area...
./dkms-make.sh...........
cleaning build area...

88x2bu.ko.zst:
Running module version sanity check.
 - Original module
   - No original module exists within this kernel
 - Installation
   - Installing to /lib/modules/6.1.8-1-default/updates/
Adding any weak-modules
getopt: unrecognized option '--no-initramfs'
Usage: ${0##*/} [options] {--add-modules|--remove-modules}
       ${0##*/} [options] {--add-kernel|--remove-kernel} {kernel-release}

--add-modules
        Add a list of modules read from standard input. Create
        symlinks in compatible kernel's weak-updates/ directory.
        The list of modules is read from standard input.

--remove-modules
        Remove compatibility symlinks from weak-updates/ directories
        for a list of modules.  The list of modules is read from
        standard input.

--add-kernel
        Add compatibility symlinks for all compatible modules to the
        specified or running kernel.

--remove-kernel
        Remove all compatibility symlinks for the specified or current
        kernel.

--verbose
        Print the commands executed.

-dry-run
        Do not create/remove any files.
depmod...
The driver was installed by dkms successfully.

So far I was unable to locate what causes this error and I am unsure if this is something that is caused by openSUSE.

[morrownr]

So far I was unable to locate what causes this error and I am unsure if this is something that is caused by openSUSE.

I can't say that I have seen this before. I may have to go wander through the dkms source to figure out what is going on.

As I get time this week, I will look at merging the changes into a separate local repo for testing.

[jlkDE]

I reverted my changes and the error persists, so it has nothing to do with this request - Either way it works fine for me with or without my patches, so I would consider them tested and stable since I have been following this routine just fine for months now.

[morrownr]

@jlkDE

I hate not having to time to work and include this issue but right now I am in the process of moving and it is a slow process as we are doing some remolding at the same time. Between that and other things, I'm getting behind on other things here. Maybe we can take a good look at this in April or May.

@morrownr

[jlkDE]

No problem, I will continue to use my patch and we will see.

[morrownr]

@jlkDE @ViRb3

I am sorry for being so slow to work your PR's. I've been very busy. I would like to handle both of your PR's together as I think both of you are trying to accomplish the same thing - allow for easier cross compiling.

I noticed the new force-pushed the main branch from c582087 to 3c4f722 7 hours ago that was posted thing morning. I have used both parts in a new driver release I am working on so as to test.

What would speed things along is if I could both of you to work together to both agree on what should be the solution. A short paragraph to add to the README that would address ## Cross Compiling would be great.

[ViRb3]

Hi there, no problem, but I already moved on to a MT7921AU adapter and gave away this one, so I have no plans to work on it further.

[morrownr]

@ViRb3

No problem. How is the new adapter doing?

[ViRb3]

It's been rock solid since kernel 6.1 on the Raspberry Pi OS, 500Mbit up and down with zero disconnects :)