Re: PCI Driver

[Christine Ames <clgisotti@yahoo.com>]

--- Kirill Messel <kirill.messel@mtu-net.ru> wrote:
> Hi,
> 
> I have a pci card. But i don't understand how can i write driver
> for it. 
> Should it be char device, block device, or proc device or anything
> else?
> For example, can use in user programm "pci_find_device" function
> and how 
> can i?
> 

To determine whether to write a char driver or a block driver,
determine how your PCI device transfers data.  If it transfers data
in variable length "streams", write a char driver.  If it transfers
data in fixed size "chunks", otherwise known as blocks, write a block
driver.

In reality, most drivers are char drivers.  Typically, only those
devices which meet some form of the ATA/ATAPI spec...such as hard
drives, CD-ROMs/DVDs and Tapes use block drivers.  Block drivers are
*special*...resist wrting one until you *have* to.  Trust me.

See http://www.linuxhq.com/kernel/v2.4/doc/pci.txt.html

Also, remember that Rubini and Corbet and online at
http://www.xml.com/ldd/chapter/book/index.html

Harmony,

--Christine


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