linux-kernel - Re: sysctl, argument parsing, possible bug

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Date:   Tue, 8 Aug 2017 20:26:36 +0200
From:   Massimo Sala <massimo.sala.71@...il.com>
To:     LKML <linux-kernel@...r.kernel.org>,
        Linux Kernel Network Developers <netdev@...r.kernel.org>
Subject: Re: sysctl, argument parsing, possible bug

I make another test with kernel 4.9.32-15.41

sysctl procps version 3.2.8

    sysctl net.ipv4.conf.eth0.100.forwarding
    error: "net.ipv4.conf.eth0.100.forwarding" is an unknown key


so I install busybox :

BusyBox v1.19.3

    busybox sysctl net.ipv4.conf.eth0.100.forwarding
    net.ipv4.conf.eth0.100.forwarding = 0

It is working, as I expect reading busybox source sysctl.c



Stephen, I test
    sysctl net/ipv4/conf/eth0.100/forwarding
I confirm it  works.


What is the problem ?

As sysctl, also automation tools and scripts cannot be "netdev names
aware", and so they fail using the usual dot notation.


I don't pretend to change sysctl to read from the /proc/sys/
directory, as busybox does.

I suggest to add a  remark to the man page of sysctl, reporting the
difference between the two tools and an example of the alternate
syntax :
    sysctl net/ipv4/conf/eth0.100/forwarding


Thank you for your attention.
Best regards, Massimo