[PATCH v3 2/2] common: clarify help text for CONFIG_CONSOLE_ACTIVATE_* options

Ahmad Fatoum a.fatoum at pengutronix.de
Tue Jul 30 01:34:51 PDT 2024


CONFIG_CONSOLE_ACTIVATE_NONE is an unfortunate name. The help text
explains how consoles are still activated, but omits the main way they
are activated: The device tree's /chosen/stdout-path property.

Similarly, CONFIG_CONSOLE_ACTIVATE_(FIRST/NONE) don't talk about the
implications of selecting them, so reword the help texts to better
inform the user.

Reported-by: Casey Reeves <contact at xogium.me>
Signed-off-by: Ahmad Fatoum <a.fatoum at pengutronix.de>
---
v1 -> v3:
  - no change
---
 common/Kconfig | 18 ++++++++++++------
 1 file changed, 12 insertions(+), 6 deletions(-)

diff --git a/common/Kconfig b/common/Kconfig
index 2dda5ce5743a..fea26262da86 100644
--- a/common/Kconfig
+++ b/common/Kconfig
@@ -818,9 +818,10 @@ config CONSOLE_ACTIVATE_FIRST
 	bool
 	prompt "activate first console on startup"
 	help
-	  Normally on startup all consoles are disabled, so you won't
-	  see anything from barebox starting. Enabling this option
-	  enables the first console.
+	  Select this to activate the first registered console.
+	  On many systems, devices are probed in no strict order,
+	  so you probably should say n here if you are probing
+	  from device tree and have more than one console.
 
 config CONSOLE_ACTIVATE_ALL
 	bool
@@ -831,6 +832,10 @@ config CONSOLE_ACTIVATE_ALL
 	  Only the first registered console will have the full startup
 	  log though.
 
+	  If you have consoles that aren't meant for barebox log output
+	  (e.g. a connected MCU), you will want to say n here and use
+	  CONFIG_ACTIVATE_ALL_FALLBACK or CONFIG_CONSOLE_ACTIVATE_NONE instead.
+
 config CONSOLE_ACTIVATE_ALL_FALLBACK
 	bool
 	prompt "activate all consoles as fallback"
@@ -852,9 +857,10 @@ config CONSOLE_ACTIVATE_NONE
 	prompt "leave all consoles disabled"
 	bool
 	help
-	  Leave all consoles disabled on startup. Board code or environment
-	  is responsible for enabling a console. Otherwise you'll get a working
-	  barebox, you just won't see anything.
+	  Leave all consoles disabled on startup. Board code, environment
+	  or the device tree /chosen/stdout-path property will be responsible
+	  for enabling a console. Otherwise you'll get a working barebox,
+	  you just won't see anything.
 
 endchoice
 
-- 
2.39.2




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