[SeaBIOS] [PATCH] smbios: Allow all fields to be set via qemu_cfg_smbios_load_field()

[Kevin O'Connor]

On Mon, Jun 21, 2010 at 09:32:36PM -0600, Alex Williamson wrote:
> On Mon, 2010-06-21 at 23:06 -0400, Kevin O'Connor wrote:
> > On Mon, Jun 21, 2010 at 09:46:19AM -0600, Alex Williamson wrote:
> > > The protocol we use between qemu and seabios already allows any field
> > > to be specified (via smbios_add_field() in qemu).  This patch makes
> > > seabios look for qemu specified values for nearly every field we set
> > > in the types 0,1,3,4,16,17,32 smbios tables.  No change in current
> > > default values for any fields.
> > 
> > What's the use case for this?
> > 
> > Also, I feel obligated to ask the question - if we want qemu to be
> > able to override any smbios field, wouldn't it be simpler to just have
> > qemu pass the smbios table?
> 
> We can already do nearly all of type 0 & 1 fields.  We were looking at
> setting some of the type 3 and 4 fields, like the manufacturer strings.
> Rather than add support for a field here, another there, I thought I
> might as well add support for everything I can since the infrastructure
> to change them from qemu is already in place.  At some point it might
> make sense to move all of the smbios generating code into qemu, but it's
> mighty convenient for now to just be able to poke in specific fields.
> Distros might want to do this for consistency or customization.
> Developers might use this for being able to create a system with
> arbitrary DMI changes (ex. did my system boot from the power switch,
> modem ring, or a/c cycle).  Thanks,

Thanks.  Do you know if we're likely to see additional types (ie,
something other than 0,1,3,4,16,17,32)?

-Kevin