[dpdk-dev] [PATCH v15 1/4] ethdev: add apis to support access device info

[Wang, Liang-min]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Thomas Monjalon [mailto:thomas.monjalon at 6wind.com]
> Sent: Wednesday, July 15, 2015 7:21 AM
> To: Wang, Liang-min
> Cc: dev at dpdk.org
> Subject: Re: [dpdk-dev] [PATCH v15 1/4] ethdev: add apis to support access
> device info
> 
> 2015-07-15 10:48, Wang, Liang-min:
> > > > > What means magic? Is it always a device id?
> > > > This field is the same as defined in kernel ethtool data structure.
> > >
> > > Not an excellent argument :)
> > > Actually you didn't answer.
> > >
> > I could not speak for other devices. For igb and ixgbe, it's device id.
> > Based upon literature search, this field is used by device driver to provide
> extra information.
> > What would be your suggestion?
> 
> I don't have any suggestion.
> You are defining a new API in DPDK, so our concern must be to check
> that it will be easily understood by users and PMD developers.
> If you don't really know what this field will be for, others won't know.
No, I meant it's device driver dependent. 
If I keep the same naming convention following kernel ethtool defined,
and adding comment like "device-specific magic key, such as device-id".
Would that be acceptable from you?
This data structure is defined to be compatible with kernel ethtool API,
and magic key is device specific and known to ethtool API users.