[ntp:questions] Attn Linux distributors - pse include PPS

Rob nomail at example.com
Fri Apr 25 18:41:13 UTC 2014


Paul <tik-tok at bodosom.net> wrote:
> On Fri, Apr 25, 2014 at 9:13 AM, Rob <nomail at example.com> wrote:
>
>> Of course it is all caused by the failure to include timepps.h in the
>> kernel include file package, where they belong IMHO.  Apparently there
>> is unresolved debate about that.  Ubuntu puts this development related
>> file in the pps-tools package, and openSUSE does not have it at all.
>>
>
> Yes there are years later unresolved issues.  Ubuntu (reasonably) wants
> this resolved upstream.  Debian, taking a broader view, also wants it
> resolved upstream.  I don't know anything about openSUSE.

Everybody would be OK at once when the kernel maintainers would include
timepps.h.  Maybe the distributors are waiting for that to happen.

>> In fact on Ubuntu there is another problem (not on openSUSE): the
>> ntp source package does not build correctly, it halts on compilation of
>> ntpd/refclock_jupiter.c ...
>> It is unclear to me how this bug can be present and the package can
>> still be distributed in binary form...
>>
>
> Because the jupiter driver isn't in the binary (at least not in 12.04).

I am still confused why I cannot recompile a Ubuntu package to the
same state as the binary in the distribution.  This is for 14.04.

I am used to SUSE where one can easily install the package sources
and rebuild them using the same options as the builders did.  In Ubuntu
I did:

wget https://launchpad.net/ubuntu/saucy/+source/ntp/1:4.2.6.p5+dfsg-3ubuntu2/+files/ntp_4.2.6.p5+dfsg.orig.tar.gz
wget https://launchpad.net/ubuntu/saucy/+source/ntp/1:4.2.6.p5+dfsg-3ubuntu2/+files/ntp_4.2.6.p5+dfsg-3ubuntu2.debian.tar.gz
wget https://launchpad.net/ubuntu/saucy/+source/ntp/1:4.2.6.p5+dfsg-3ubuntu2/+files/ntp_4.2.6.p5+dfsg-3ubuntu2.dsc
# NTP compileren
dpkg-source -x ntp_4.2.6.p5+dfsg-3ubuntu2.dsc 
cd ntp-4.2.6.p5+dfsg
dpkg-buildpackage -rfakeroot -b -nc

Those links to package files I got from a Ubuntu page where the latest
packages for many versions are displayed, and I selected 14.04

It unpacks the source tree, applies patches, and then starts the compilation
beginning with a ./configure with 10 lines of options.

I am completely puzzled why this would build another set of refclocks
than is in the distributed binary.

(of course with the exception of the ATOM PPS refclock, because ./configure
will only select it when timepps is available.  well, maybe it is the
same for refclock_jupiter?  I would not expect that since jupiter is a
serial receiver)

>   ntpd shouldn't ship with any refclocks and if you're using one you should
> be prepared to build the requisite kernel and driver(s).

Of course ntpd should use separate modules for refclocks that can be
separately compiled and loaded, just like kernel modules.  Alternatively,
it could be split in a timekeeping engine and a number of clock modules
that implement an SNTP-like protocol, and which are polled by the
timekeeping engine over local sockets.

But that is all just dreaming.  For now, it would be nice if it was at
least compiled correctly.



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