gpsd doesn't start when USB GPS is plugged in

[Sascha Silbe]

Binary package hint: gpsd

/usr/share/doc/gpsd/README.Debian tells me gpsd could be started using hotplug, but when I plug in the GPS receiver, the device (/dev/ttyUSB0) gets created, but gpsd won't be started.
/etc/hotplug/usb/gpsd.hotplug exists, but apparently it doesn't get called. Maybe this broke during the transition to udev?

Since the GPS receiver is usually not plugged in at bootup, I cannot simply start gpsd in the default runlevel (the device doesn't exist). So currently I have to start it manually. That's quite annoying.

[Tilman Koschnick (til)]

On Sat, 2005-11-12 at 12:22 +0100, Marco d'Itri wrote:
> Package: gpsd
> Version: 2.28-2
> Severity: important
>
> Your package installs files in the /etc/hotplug/usb/ directory, but
> does not provide an udev rules file. The /etc/hotplug/usb/ interface has
> been obsolete for a long time and is not supported by udev.

Hi Marco,

thanks for your report. I finally get round to prepare a new upload with
udev support.

> For more information about this you can look at the debian-devel@
> threads of last october.
> The libgphoto2 package is a good example of how to provide udev support,
> please let me know if you have any doubts.
> I will also be happy to review your changes before they are uploaded, if
> you want.

I'd be glad if you could have a look at my changes. All changes related
to udev are attached as a diff; the package itself is at
<http://www.subnetz.org/~til/gpsd-preview/>.

> I also noticed that the script installed by your package uses python.
> Please remember that udev RUN rules are run at the very beginning of the
> boot process, where /usr may not be available.
> You probably need to use a wrapper shell script which waits for /usr to
> appear, /lib/udev/hotplug.functions provides a wait_for_file function
> you could use for this.

I assume /lib/udev/hotplug.functions is not guarenteed to be around on
other distributions? I want to pass my changes upstream, so I don't
source /lib/udev/hotplug.functions, but duplicate the wait_for_file
function.

Cheers, Til

[Marco d'Itri (md)]

On Apr 30, Tilman Koschnick <email address hidden> wrote:

> I assume /lib/udev/hotplug.functions is not guarenteed to be around on
> other distributions? I want to pass my changes upstream, so I don't
> source /lib/udev/hotplug.functions, but duplicate the wait_for_file
> function.
Correct. OTOH, other distributions usually do not support a standalone
/usr or re-run the failed events, so it might not matter.

> + CONTROL_SOCKET = "/var/run/gpsd.sock"
So your wrapper needs to wait for /var too.

> +wait_for_python && /lib/udev/gpsd.hotplug "$ACTION" "$DEVNAME"
wait_for_python && exec /lib/udev/gpsd.hotplug "$ACTION" "$DEVNAME"

--
ciao,
Marco

[Tilman Koschnick (til)]

Format: 1.7
Date: Mon, 26 Jun 2006 16:28:36 +0200
Source: gpsd
Binary: gpsd gpsd-clients
Architecture: source i386
Version: 2.33-1
Distribution: unstable
Urgency: low
Maintainer: Tilman Koschnick <email address hidden>
Changed-By: Tilman Koschnick <email address hidden>
Description:
 gpsd - GPS (Global Positioning System) service daemon
 gpsd-clients - clients for the GPS service daemon
Closes: 303548 321423 335480 338745 374658
Changes:
 gpsd (2.33-1) unstable; urgency=low
 .
   * New upstream release
   * debian/copyright:
     - update author list
   * debian/control:
     - bump Standards-Version to 3.7.2 (no changes required)
   * debian/patches/:
     - rm 16_fix_manpages.dpatch (obsolete)
     - add 19_gpsfake_fuser.dpatch
     - add 20_gpsfake_manpage.dpatch (closes: #335480)
     - add 21_autobaud_delay.dpatch: make connecting to Garmin eTrex more
       reliable (closes: #303548, #321423)
     - add 22_manpage_linebreak.dpatch
   * /etc/init.d/gpsd:
     - stop gracefully if gpsd is not running (closes: #374658)
   * update lintian-overrides
 .
   * Upload sponsored by Petter Reinholdtsen
 .
 gpsd (2.32-2) unstable; urgency=low
 .
   * switch from obsolete hotplug to udev interface, thanks to Marco d'Itri
     (closes: #338745)
   * debian/patches/:
     - add 17_gpsd_manpage_section.dpatch
   * debian/gpsd.postinst:
     - always source /usr/share/debconf/confmodule
   * debian/rules:
     - add -I/usr/X11R6/include to CFLAGS until xorg migration is complete
     - add -fno-strict-aliasing to CFLAGS to satisfy gcc 4.1
Files:
 721145408f8cd021b3d099a0a1d748ca 494 misc optional gpsd_2.33-1.dsc
 03b57754091e4a34e27c78e1dc35c55e 639348 misc optional gpsd_2.33.orig.tar.gz
 08bd5c6a917d3cf96cf2658b3d1ef558 17248 misc optional gpsd_2.33-1.diff.gz
 57e7bc56332b1a2e58db604bfbf8b387 230882 misc optional gpsd_2.33-1_i386.deb
 58be989d6fb1f419f02fd10c4f74a661 76886 misc optional gpsd-clients_2.33-1_i386.deb

[Sascha Silbe (sascha-ubuntu-launchpad)]

Binary package hint: gpsd

/usr/share/doc/gpsd/README.Debian tells me gpsd could be started using hotplug, but when I plug in the GPS receiver, the device (/dev/ttyUSB0) gets created, but gpsd won't be started.
/etc/hotplug/usb/gpsd.hotplug exists, but apparently it doesn't get called. Maybe this broke during the transition to udev?

Since the GPS receiver is usually not plugged in at bootup, I cannot simply start gpsd in the default runlevel (the device doesn't exist). So currently I have to start it manually. That's quite annoying.

[Kai Kasurinen (kai-kasurinen)]

Thanks for the bug report. I'm closing it because the bug has been fixed in Edgy.

gpsd (2.32-2) unstable; urgency=low
 .
   * switch from obsolete hotplug to udev interface, thanks to Marco d'Itri
     (closes: #338745)
   * debian/patches/:
     - add 17_gpsd_manpage_section.dpatch
   * debian/gpsd.postinst:
     - always source /usr/share/debconf/confmodule
   * debian/rules:
     - add -I/usr/X11R6/include to CFLAGS until xorg migration is complete
     - add -fno-strict-aliasing to CFLAGS to satisfy gcc 4.1

[Sascha Silbe (sascha-ubuntu-launchpad)]

Is there a chance to get the dapper version fixed?

[Kai Kasurinen (kai-kasurinen)]

If you need a fix for the bug in Dapper, please follow the instructions for "How to request new packages". https://wiki.ubuntu.com/UbuntuBackports

[Sascha Silbe (sascha-ubuntu-launchpad)]

Done [1].

[1] https://bugs.launchpad.net/dapper-backports/+bug/80957