KERNEL_CONFIGURE=yes saves .config into /armbian/config/kernel

[iav]

What happened?

When I add KERNEL_CONFIGURE=yes to build command after wotk with gui configurator finished config saves into 2 place:

[🐳|🌱] Exporting new kernel config [ /armbian/output/config/linux-rockchip64-edge.config ]
[🐳|🔨]   '.config' -> '/armbian/output/config/linux-rockchip64-edge.config'
[🐳|🌱] Exporting new kernel config - git commit pending [ /armbian/config/kernel/linux-rockchip64-edge.config ]
[🐳|🔨]   '.config' -> '/armbian/config/kernel/linux-rockchip64-edge.config'
[🐳|🔨]   'defconfig' -> '/armbian/output/config/linux-rockchip64-edge.defconfig'
[🐳|🔨]   'defconfig' -> '/armbian/config/kernel/linux-rockchip64-edge.config.defconfig'

config/kernel/ and output/config/.

I think it's a bug, new config should be saved only into output/config, as early.

But I am not sure.
Am I right, or miss something?

How to reproduce?

./compile.sh BOARD=helios64 BRANCH=edge RELEASE=lunar BUILD_MINIMAL=no BUILD_DESKTOP=no KERNEL_ONLY=yes KERNEL_CONFIGURE=yes

Branch

main (main development branch)

On which host OS are you observing this problem?

Jammy

Relevant log output

(https://paste.next.armbian.com/irugisalis)

Code of Conduct

• I agree to follow this project's Code of Conduct

[rpardini]

Oh yes, you're right. As you noticed I also added the defconfig there.

Those were experiments that I left in; might be a bug or a feature, depending on your point of view. In the end, it was meant as a "conversation starter" which just happened...

1. Writing to the place "where the .config came from originally" (could also be userpatches...) could slightly help with sending PR's (was intended for Igor's enjoyment, dunno if it happened, or if it just annoys). I am 100% ok with removing it or putting under a flag.

2. Switching to the defconfig might alleviate the absolute insanity that is managing all these configs long-term? Or not. 🤣 Again, also super OK with removing or going forward.

Thanks for catching this!

[The-going]

I think it's a bug, new config should be saved only into output/config, as early.

I totally agree.
The best option is the ability to save in this folder with a choice of file name.
And allow users to use this file in the subsequent assembly\reassembly by simply specifying this name in the key.

example.
old variant:

KERNEL_CONFIGURE="yes"
KERNEL_KEEP_CONFIG="yes"

new variant:

KERNEL_CONFIGURE="yes"
KERNEL_KEEP_CONFIG="bpim64-mini.v715-rt.config"

[igorpecovnik]

or putting under a flag.

This. I find it useful. For defconfig need some brainstorming ...

[iav]

.defconfig not used by armbian if stored in userpatches

[rpardini]

Hmm, .defconfig is not used at all (hopefully, unless I messed up badly), either in userpatches or config/kernel. You can copy/move the .defconfig as .config and that will work, though.

I think @amazingfate had some benefits from using the defconfig for some config diff'ing, and I think even suggested to manually switch from regular-huge-.config to .defconfig-slim-.config on rk3588 legacy... If experience is good, we can automate the switch and use for all families (just write savedefconfig's output into .config, and drop the separate .defconfig).

For now, I think adding *.defconfig to .gitignore is probably a good idea?

[enok71]

In yocto it's possible to create defconfig "fragments", that is a sort of overrides to the selected targets defconfig. These fragments tend to become really minimal and readable. Would be really convenient to also produce such fragment file in armbians kernel-config function (or some new function) and then just be able to drop such fragments under userpatches.
See e.g. here