udev \- Linux configurable dynamic device naming support
.SH SYNOPSIS
.BI udev " hotplug-subsystem"
+.br
+.B udev
+.RI "[-q " query_type " -p " sysfs_path "] [-drVh]"
.SH "DESCRIPTION"
.B udev
creates or removes device node files usually located in the /dev directory.
.B udev
reads the sysfs directory of the given device to collect device attributes
like label, serial number or bus device number.
-These attributes are treated as a key
-to determine a unique name for device file creation.
+These attributes may used as keys to determine a
+unique name for device file creation.
.B udev
maintains a database for devices present on the system.
.br
On device removal,
.B udev
-queries the internal database for the name of the device file to be deleted.
+queries its database for the name of the device file to be deleted.
+.SH "OPTIONS"
+.B udev
+normally is called by
+.B hotplug
+with the subsystem as argument and various environment variables set.
+.br
+It may also called with the following options:
+.TP
+.B -V
+Print the version information.
+.TP
+.B -r
+Print the the
+.B udev_root
+directory. When used in conjunction with a query for the node name, the
+.B udev_root
+will be prepended.
+.TP
+.BI -q " query_type"
+Query the database for specified value of a created device node.
+Valid types are:
+.BR name ", " symlink ", " owner " , " group " or " path.
+.TP
+.BI -p " sysfs_path"
+Specify the sysfs path of the device to query.
+.TP
+.BI -n " name"
+Specify the name of the node for the device to query.
+.TP
+.B -d
+Dump the whole database.
+.TP
+.B -h
+Print help text.
.SH "CONFIGURATION"
+All
+.B udev
+configuration files consist of a set of lines of text. All empty
+lines, and lines beginning with a '#' will be ignored.
+.P
+
.B udev
-expects its configuration at
-.I /etc/udev/udev.config.
-The file consists of a set of lines. All empty lines and
-lines beginning with a '#' will be ignored.
+expects its main configuration file at
+.I /etc/udev/udev.conf.
+The file consists of a set of variables and values that allow the user to
+override default udev values. The current set of variables that can be
+overridden in this file is:
+.TP
+.B udev_root
+This is the where in the filesystem to place the device nodes. The default
+value for this is
+.I /udev/
+.TP
+.B udev_db
+The name and location of the udev database. The default value for this is
+.I /udev/.udev.tdb
+.TP
+.B udev_rules
+This is the location of the udev rules file. The default value for this is
+.I /etc/udev/udev.rules
+.TP
+.B udev_permissions
+This is the location of the udev permission file. The default value for this is
+.I /etc/udev/udev.permissions
+.TP
+.B default_mode
+This is the default mode for all nodes that have no explicit match in the
+permissions file. The default value for this is
+.I 0666
+.TP
+.B default_owner
+This is the default owner for all nodes that have no explicit match in the
+permissions file. The default value for this is
+.I root
+.TP
+.B default_group
+This is the default group for all nodes that have no explicit match in the
+permissions file. The default value for this is
+.I root
+.br
+.P
+.RI "A sample " udev.conf " might look like this:
+.sp
+.nf
+# udev_root - where in the filesystem to place the device nodes
+udev_root="/udev/"
+
+# udev_db - The name and location of the udev database.
+udev_db="/udev/.udev.tdb"
+
+# udev_rules - The name and location of the udev rules file
+udev_rules="/etc/udev/udev.rules"
+
+# udev_permissions - The name and location of the udev permission file
+udev_permissions="/etc/udev/udev.permissions"
+
+# default_mode - set the default mode for all nodes that have no
+# explicit match in the permissions file
+default_mode="0666"
+
+# default_owner - set the default owner for all nodes that have no
+# explicit match in the permissions file
+default_owner="root"
+
+# default_group - set the default group for all nodes that have no
+# explicit match in the permissions file
+default_group="root"
+.fi
+.P
+The rules for udev to use when naming devices may specified at
+.I /etc/udev/udev.rules
+or specified by the
+.I udev_rules
+value in the
+.I /etc/udev/udev.conf
+file.
+.P
+Every line in the rules file defines the mapping between device attributes
+and the device file name. One ore more keys are specified to match a rule
+with the current device. If all keys are matching, the rule will be applied
+and the name is used for the device node. One or more optional symlinks
+targeting the node may be specified.
.br
-Every line defines the mapping between device attributes and the device file
-name. It starts with a keyword defining the method used to match, followed by
-one ore more keys to compare and the filename for the device. If no matching
-configuration is found, the default kernel device name is used.
+If no matching rule is found, the default kernel device name is used.
.P
The line format is:
-.RS
.sp
-.I method, key,[key,...] name
+.I key,[key,...] name [, symlink]
.sp
-.RE
-where valid methods with corresponding keys are:
+where keys are:
.TP
-.B LABEL
-device label or serial number, like USB serial number, SCSI UUID or
-file system label
-.br
-keys: \fBBUS\fP, \fIsysfs_attribute\fP
+.B BUS
+Match the bus type of the device.
+(The sysfs device bus must be able to be determined by a "device" symlink.)
.TP
-.B NUMBER
-device number on the bus, like PCI bus id
-.br
-keys: \fBBUS\fP, \fBID\fP
+.B KERNEL
+Match the kernel device name.
.TP
-.B TOPOLOGY
-device position on bus, like physical port of USB device
-.br
-keys: \fBBUS\fP, \fBPLACE\fP
+.B ID
+Match the device number on the bus, like PCI bus id.
.TP
-.B REPLACE
-string replacement of the kernel device name
-.br
-key: \fBKERNEL_NAME\fP
+.B PLACE
+Match the topological position on bus, like physical port of USB device
.TP
-.B CALLOUT
-calling external program, that returns a string to match
-.br
-keys: \fBBUS\fP, \fBPROGRAM\fP, \fBID\fP
+.BI SYSFS_ filename
+Match sysfs device attribute like label, vendor, USB serial number, SCSI UUID
+or file system label. Up to 5 different sysfs files can be checked, with
+all of the values being required in order to match the rule.
+.TP
+.B PROGRAM
+Call external program. This key is valid if the program returns successful.
+The string returned by the program may additionally matched with the
+.B RESULT
+key.
+.TP
+.B RESULT
+Match the returned string of the last
+.B PROGRAM
+call. This key may used in any following rule after a
+.B PROGRAM
+call.
.P
-The name field supports simple printf-like string subtitution:
-.RS
+.RB "The " NAME " ," SYMLINK " and " PROGRAM
+fields support simple printf-like string substitution:
.TP
.B %n
-the "kernel number" of the device
+The "kernel number" of the device.
for example, 'sda3' has a "kernel number" of '3'
.TP
+.B %k
+The "kernel name" for the device.
+.TP
.B %M
-the kernel major number for the device
+The kernel major number for the device.
.TP
.B %m
-the kernel minor number for the device
+The kernel minor number for the device.
.TP
.B %b
-the bus id for the device
-.RE
+The bus id for the device.
+.TP
+.B %c
+The
+.B PROGRAM
+returned string.
+(This does not work within the
+.B PROGRAM
+field for the obvious reason.)
+.TP
+.B %%
+The '%' char itself.
.P
-A sample \fIudev.conf\fP might look like this:
+.RI "A sample " udev.rules " might look like this:"
.sp
.nf
+# if /sbin/scsi_id returns "OEM 0815" device will be called disk1
+BUS="scsi", PROGRAM="/sbin/scsi_id", RESULT="OEM 0815", NAME="disk1"
+
# USB printer to be called lp_color
-LABEL, BUS="usb", serial="W09090207101241330", NAME="lp_color"
+BUS="usb", SYSFS_serial="W09090207101241330", NAME="lp_color"
+
+# SCSI disk with a specific vendor and model number is to be called boot
+BUS="scsi", SYSFS_vendor="IBM", SYSFS_model="ST336", NAME="boot%n"
# sound card with PCI bus id 00:0b.0 to be called dsp
-NUMBER, BUS="pci", ID="00:0b.0", NAME="dsp"
+BUS="pci", ID="00:0b.0", NAME="dsp"
# USB mouse at third port of the second hub to be called mouse1
-TOPOLOGY, BUS="usb", PLACE="2.3", NAME="mouse1"
-
-# ttyUSB1 should always be called pda
-REPLACE, KERNEL="ttyUSB1", NAME="pda"
+BUS="usb", PLACE="2.3", NAME="mouse1"
-# if /sbin/scsi_id returns "OEM 0815" device will be called disk1
-CALLOUT, PROGRAM="/sbin/scsi_id" BUS="scsi", ID="OEM 0815" NAME="disk1"
+# ttyUSB1 should always be called pda with two additional symlinks
+KERNEL="ttyUSB1", NAME="pda", SYMLINK="palmtop handheld"
-# USB webcams to be called webcam0, webcam1, ...
-LABEL, BUS="usb", model="WebCam Version 3", NAME="webcam%n"
+# multiple USB webcams with symlinks to be called webcam0, webcam1, ...
+BUS="usb", SYSFS_model="XV3", NAME="video%n", SYMLINK="webcam%n"
.fi
.P
Permissions and ownership for the created device files may specified at
-.I /etc/udev/udev.permissions.
-The file consists of a set of lines. All empty lines and
-lines beginning with a '#' will be ignored.
+.I /etc/udev/udev.permissions
+or specified by the
+.I udev_permission
+value in the
+.I /etc/udev/udev.conf
+file.
.br
-Every line lists a device name followed by owner, group and permission mode. All values are separated by colons.
+Every line lists a device name followed by owner, group and permission
+mode. All values are separated by colons. The name field may contain a
+pattern to apply the values to a whole class of devices.
+.br
+If
+.B udev
+was built using klibc or is used before the user database is accessible (e.g.
+.BR initrd "(4)), only numeric owner and group values may be used."
.sp
-A sample \fIudev.permissions\fP might look like this:
+.RI "A sample " udev.permissions " might look like this:"
.sp
.nf
#name:user:group:mode
-ttyUSB1:root:uucp:0666
+input/*:root:root:644
+ttyUSB1:0:8:0660
+video*:root:video:0660
dsp1:::0666
.fi
-
+.P
+A number of different fields in the above configuration files support a simple
+form of shell style pattern matching. It supports the following pattern characters:
+.TP
+.B *
+Matches zero, one, or more characters.
+.TP
+.B ?
+Matches any single character, but does not match zero characters.
+.TP
+.B [ ]
+Matches any single character specified within the brackets. For example, the
+pattern string "tty[SR]" would match either "ttyS" or "ttyR". Ranges are also
+supported within this match with the '-' character. For example, to match on
+the range of all digits, the pattern [0-9] would be used. If the first character
+following the '[' is a '!' then any character not enclosed is matched.
.SH "FILES"
.nf
-.ft B
-.ft
/sbin/udev udev program
-/etc/udev/* udev config and database files
+/etc/udev/* udev config files
/etc/hotplug.d/default/udev.hotplug hotplug symlink to udev program
.fi
.LP
.SH AUTHORS
.B udev
was developed by Greg Kroah-Hartman <greg@kroah.com> with much help from
-Dan Stekloff <dsteklof@us.ibm.com> and many others.
+Dan Stekloff <dsteklof@us.ibm.com>, Kay Sievers <kay.sievers@vrfy.org>, and
+many others.