linux-kernel - <sys/timex.h> and NTP incompatibility (MOD

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Message-Id: <56AF1971020000A10001FD75@gwsmtp1.uni-regensburg.de>
Date:	Mon, 01 Feb 2016 08:38:09 +0100
From:	"Ulrich Windl" <Ulrich.Windl@...uni-regensburg.de>
To:	<linux-kernel@...r.kernel.org>
Subject: <sys/timex.h> and NTP incompatibility (MOD_NANO)

Hi folks!

I'd wish ntp_loopfilter.c would compile without problems. The mess is (I had fixed it about 15 years ago (keyword "PPSkit")) that Linux uses ADJ_* flags to do traditional adjtime() things, as well as NTP kernel-related things (That's why the Linux syscall is named adjtimex()).
NTP however expects the flags to have names like MOD_* to modify settings, and STA_* for status bits to test.

When <sys/timex.h>lacks a MOD_NANO, but has a STA_NANO, compilation of ntpd/ntp_loopfilter.c fails.

I'd wish this to be fixed. I don't know which "Bonehead weakener" is needed to get the fix permanently into Linux.

My proposal many years ago was to use ADJ_* style flags only for the Linux specialities (the adjtime() part of adjtimex()), and use the MOD_* style flags for the NTP part of adjtimex().

Regards,
Ulrich
---
Appendix: Linux has only these:
/* xntp 3.4 compatibility names */
#define MOD_OFFSET     ADJ_OFFSET
#define MOD_FREQUENCY  ADJ_FREQUENCY
#define MOD_MAXERROR   ADJ_MAXERROR
#define MOD_ESTERROR   ADJ_ESTERROR
#define MOD_STATUS     ADJ_STATUS
#define MOD_TIMECONST  ADJ_TIMECONST
#define MOD_CLKB       ADJ_TICK
#define MOD_CLKA       ADJ_OFFSET_SINGLESHOT /* 0x8000 in original */