>Number:         4437
>Category:       port-pmax
>Synopsis:       no kernle RCSid strings in a.out, ecoff kernels
>Confidential:   no
>Severity:       serious
>Priority:       high
>Responsible:    gnats-admin (GNATS administrator)
>State:          open
>Class:          change-request
>Submitter-Id:   net
>Arrival-Date:   Wed Nov  5 19:50:03 1997
>Last-Modified:
>Originator:     Jonathan Stone
>Organization:
	
>Release:        NetBSD 1.3_ALPHA
>Environment:
	
System: NetBSD Reno.DSG.Stanford.EDU 1.3_ALPHA NetBSD 1.3_ALPHA (GENERIC) #0: Tue Oct 28 21:58:43 PST 1997 jonathan@Reno.DSG.Stanford.EDU:/reno/compile/GENERIC pmax


>Description:
	NetbSD 1.2_ALPHA elf2aout and elf2ecoff lose kernel RCSid strings.

	Since pmax  bootblocks support only a.out format, and PROMs
	support netbooting only ecoff, the usefulness of kernel RSCid
	strings is greatly diminished.

	It would be nice if elf2aout and elf2ecoff could preserve
	these strings, so kerenl bug reports can be tied to specific
	versions of relevant kernel files.

>How-To-Repeat:
	Configure and make a 1.3_ALPHA pmax kernel.
	run strings -a on netbsd.aout. Note the lack of __KERNEL_RCSID strings.

>Fix:
	Change elf2aout and elf2ecoff to append the relevant ELF
	program section (.comment?) to the end of the a.out or ecoff file.

	The ELF section idents don't need to be in the string table;
	just having them at the end of the file should be enough.
>Audit-Trail:
>Unformatted: