Kernel symbol file alternate location

[Oliver Fromme]

Daniel O'Connor wrote:
 > On 06/08/2010, at 2:38, Oliver Fromme wrote:
 > > > I think this is the main reason / has had to grow - the actual kernel
 > > > is relatively small so even a 256Mb / could hold several, but with
 > > > the symbol files it is not possible.
 > > 
 > > I think a very simple solution would be to install the symbol
 > > files elsewhere (probably configurable via make.conf), and
 > > install symlinks in the kernel directory.  If you do this,
 > > tools using the symbol files won't have to be changed.
 > > 
 > > This would probably be a fairly trivial change to the install-
 > > kernel target, I guess.  I don't have patches, though.
 > 
 > Yeah, I don't think it's hard to move them, however I'm worried what
 > it will break :)
 >
 > The only thing I can see that would have to change would be kgdb so
 > it tells gdb where to find the symbols.

That's why I suggested to place symlinks in the kernel
directory.  No change to kgdb necessary.

It might even be possible to not install the symbol files
at all, but keep them under /usr/obj, so the installkernel
target would have to do nothing more than create symlinks.
This could be controlled by a make.conf variable, like
SYMLINK_SYMBOLS=YES ("NO" would be the existing behaviour
of installing the actual symbol files in /boot/kernel).

Best regards
   Oliver

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