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Date:      Sat, 31 Oct 1998 11:16:09 -0800
From:      Mike Smith <mike@smith.net.au>
To:        Peter Wemm <peter@netplex.com.au>
Cc:        Mike Smith <mike@smith.net.au>, John Polstra <jdp@polstra.com>, current@FreeBSD.ORG
Subject:   Re: New boot loader and alternate kernels 
Message-ID:  <199810311916.LAA00692@dingo.cdrom.com>
In-Reply-To: Your message of "Sat, 31 Oct 1998 13:46:50 %2B0800." <199810310546.NAA18245@spinner.netplex.com.au> 

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> > There's probably a call for a 'bootmodules' variable as well; until we 
> > get more people using this and asking for features I'm not sure what's 
> > worth adding and what's just fluff.
> > 
> > How many people would be interested in labels and conditional branches,
> > for example?
> 
> What I'd like is something like this:
> 
>    timeout 10 "Press enter to boot now, any other key to abort"
>    load kernel
>    load foo.ko
>    boot
> 
> Ie: have an abort-script type capability.  It'd save all that loading and 
> unloading.

That's what I meant about the bootmodules comment:

	set bootfile /kernel
	set bootmodules foo;bar;nfs;linux
	autoboot 10 "Press enter to boot, any other key to abort"

I probably want to extend 'read' to do something useful with single
keystrokes:


	read -a -t 10 -p "Press enter to boot, other to abort" key
	if $key == 10 goto boot
	if $key == 13 goto boot
	exit
	:boot
	load kernel
	load foo.ko
	boot

This would make single-key point-and-shoot menus pretty easy too; you 
could even use the response to determine the goto target:

	:loop
	set key 1
	echo "1  kernel"
	echo "2  kernel.test"
	read -t 10 -p "Select >" key
	-goto label$key
	goto loop
	:label1
	boot kernel
	:label2
	boot kernel.test

By ignoring the error, you get the "if this label doesn't exist" 
behaviour.

I think it's pretty clear that scripts shouldn't be echoed as the 
default.  I hate the DOS "echo on" syntax; any better suggestions?  
Just another variable?

-- 
\\  Sometimes you're ahead,       \\  Mike Smith
\\  sometimes you're behind.      \\  mike@smith.net.au
\\  The race is long, and in the  \\  msmith@freebsd.org
\\  end it's only with yourself.  \\  msmith@cdrom.com



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