[parted-devel] Copyright assignment form for parted

[Al Dunsmuir]

On Monday, September 21, 2015, 3:52:51 PM, Phil Susi wrote:
> On 8/28/2015 4:48 PM, Al Dunsmuir wrote:
>> I'm working on getting the Fedora ppc64 secondary arch install process
>> working again for Mac G5 machines.
>> 
>> As  part  of  this, I'm developing some patches to improve support for
>> mac  (Apple  Partition  Map)  disk volumes to parted and GParted. This
>> includes support in libparted for:
>> - A new "map" flag (PED_PARTITION_APPLE_PARTITION_MAP)

I've  revised the flag name to PED_PARTITON_MAP in the latest version.
This brings it in line with PED_PARTITION_SWAP as a generic flag. Just
as  "swap"  is  a  generic type that is set for the linux and bsd swap
filesystem  types,  the  "map"  flag  indicates the partition contains
information used to map other partitions on the volume.

>> - A new "apple_map" filesystem type
>> 
>> This  means  GParted  see  the  Apple_partition_map  partition  as  an
>> "Unknown"  filesystem,  and prevents users from accidently deleting or
>> reformatting that partition.

> I'm having trouble seeing what these will be used for, could you explain
> a bit more?  Also why do you want to change the way it works?  You say
> that the unknown filesystem makes gparted not let you screw it up, but
> that's a good thing isn't it?

Amazing how dropping a word or phrase can make a difference 8^)

I meant that programs such as GParted, parted, blivet-gui and Anaconda
_currently_  see  the mac volume "Apple_partition_map" partition as an
anonymous partition with no label, flags or filesystem type.

GParted  shows  this  as  "unknown"  and  allows the user to delete or
reformat that partition - which ruins the day of all active partitions
on  that  mac volume. Fedora's Anaconda/blivit/etc currently allow the
same shot to the foot. When installing (or updating) Linux on a system
where  you  want  to  dual  boot with an existing OS/X partition, that
anonymous  partition  presents  a tempting target for deletion to make
more free space.

Adding  the  "map" flag and recognizing the "apple-map" fileystem type
enabled me to update GParted to inhibit deletion, reformatting, or any
change  to  that  partition's flags. I also updated GParted to display
labels for unmounted hfs/hfs+ partitions. I'm trying to find time this
weekend  (when  not  doing  fall  yard  construction)  to finalize the
GParted  (& parted) changes - all that's left is that Gparted does not
access/see  the  "apple-map"  filesystem used/unused sector counts and
displays an annoying warning symbol and message.

I've got the pyparted changes matching my current parted changes ready
as  well,  so  will be able to start the changes to the Fedora install
suite.  It's  not going to make the Fedora 23 beta/GA, but I should be
done  for F24 (and have a retrofitted G5 Mac netinst isos for F20, F22
and F23 that work).

Al