Re: A modest proposal...

[James S. <jsi...@tr...>]

> > Howdy.
> > 
> > I notice that, at present, several of the handlers (such as evdev)
> > assign device numbers independantly. Hence, /dev/input/event2 and
> > /dev/input/mouse2 may not refer to the same device, and (similarly)
> > may not refer to the device dubbed input2 on initialization.
> > 
> > Might it not make for a somewhat more user-friendly world to have
> > handlers use dev->number for determining the minor number for each
> > connected device?
> > 
> > This would also make a table of connected input devices somewhat more
> > useful.
> 
> Sounds reasonable to start searching for free numbers at the dev->number
> position. What others think?

   Is it possible to match them up like that? I was thinking about it and
to me it seems like a huge task. Unless I miss understood what he
suggested.
   One thing I like to bring up about numbering is when you plug and
unplug devices. At present when you unplug a device and plug it back in
the device becomes /dev/input/event[n+1]. Where /dev/input/event[n] now
has no device attached. There is a limit to 256 event devices. Now you
say that is a good number but given 5 input devices it whould take 15
times unplugging and plugging them back in before you run out of numbers.
So I like to suggest that we keep track of the "free" numbers and grab the
lowest one. Say you have 5 devices and you unplug device 3 and then plug
it back it then it should be device 3 again. Not device 6. 

P.S

   My iPAQ input touchscreen driver went into the handhelds tree.
HaHooooo! Once compaq transfers over I hope to see others transfer over.