Bug#1039987: systemd-gpt-auto-generator(8) - wrong instruction how to disable

[Christoph Brinkhaus]

Am Tue, Aug 22, 2023 at 02:31:21PM +0200 schrieb Michael Biebl:

Hello Michael,
thank you very much for the feedback. I have added replies inline.

> On Fri, 30 Jun 2023 19:04:59 +0200 Christoph Brinkhaus
> <c.brinkhaus at t-online.de> wrote:
> > Package: systemd
> > Version: 252.6-1
> > Severity: wishlist
> > 
> > Dear Maintainer,
> > 
> > I tried to disable systemd-gpt-auto-generator because I do not need it.
> > man 8 systemd-gpt-auto-generator documents the necessary kernel
> > parameter in the section "KERNEL COMMAND LINE" which is at the bottom of
> > the man page.
> > 
> > Incorrect is the original:
> > Those options take an optional boolean argument, and default to yes. The
> > generator is enabled by default, and a negative value may
> > be used to disable it.
> > 
> > That did not work. Correct is
> > Those options take an optional boolean argument, and default to yes. The
> > generator is enabled by default, "no" may
> > be used to disable it.
> 
> systemd-gpt-auto-generator uses the parse_boolean() function, which
> interprets the following values as false [1]:
> 
> 
>                            "0",
>                            "no",
>                            "n",
>                            "false",
>                            "f",
>                            "off"
> 
> 
> With "negative value", any of those strings is meant.
> So changing the documentation as per your suggestion would be incomplete.
> 
> I suppose, with "negative value", you understood a negative *integer* value,
> like say -1?

You are right, this is what I have expected to be ok according to the
documentation. Due to your explanation I have found man systemd.syntax
which explaines that kind of things.
> 
> I do not have a better suggestion how to phrase it and in any case, this
> should be addressed upstream.
> I kindly ask you to raise this at https://github.com/systemd/systemd/issues
> (maybe you have an idea how the documentation can be improved).

I have raised an issue as
https://github.com/systemd/systemd/issues/28928
My suggestion is to change "negative value" to "negative string".
> 
> Running a
> # grep boolean man/ -R
> 
> shows that the documentation is not really consistent in that regard.
> Sometimes it uses, true, yes, false, no, etc.
> 
> Regards,
> Michael
> 
> [1] For completeness sake, the corresponding positive values are
> 
>                            "1",
>                            "yes",
>                            "y",
>                            "true",
>                            "t",
>                            "on"
I think it is not easy to maintain the documentation of such a huge
project.

Kind regards,
Christoph
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