linux-kernel - Reasons for oldconfig resetting config options to =m

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Message-ID: <9500a6a9-d63c-4572-7281-50e744c15679@nh2.me>
Date:   Sun, 21 Apr 2019 17:11:10 +0200
From:   Niklas Hambüchen <mail@....me>
To:     lkml <linux-kernel@...r.kernel.org>
Subject: Reasons for oldconfig resetting config options to =m

When you set an option to `=y` but one of its dependencies is set to `=m`, then `make oldconfig` will reset it back to `=m` as well.

That makes sense, but does there exist a feature somewhere that can tell me explicitly when this happens, ideally with a reason like:

    Resetting CONFIG_USB_STORAGE from =y to =m
        because its dependency CONFIG_... is set to =m
        Consequently also resetting the following dependent options from =y to =m:
            CONFIG_USB_STORAGE_REALTEK
            CONFIG_USB_...

This would help tuning kernel configs in situations where menuconfig is not appropriate, for example when working with diffs of configs.

Is there such tooling, or what do people use?

Thanks,
Niklas