re: port-amd64/51216: Can't create wedges on a large (3TB) disk, gpt is ok but dkctl gives an error message

[matthew green <mrg%eterna.com.au@localhost>]

Michael van Elst writes:
> The following reply was made to PR port-amd64/51216; it has been noted by GNATS.
> 
> From: mlelstv%serpens.de@localhost (Michael van Elst)
> To: gnats-bugs%netbsd.org@localhost
> Cc: 
> Subject: Re: port-amd64/51216: Can't create wedges on a large (3TB) disk, gpt is ok but dkctl gives an error message
> Date: Mon, 6 Jun 2016 16:28:54 +0000 (UTC)
> 
>  kre%munnari.OZ.AU@localhost (Robert Elz) writes:
>  
>  > I wonder if now that wedges are becoming used more, and wdNx (and sdNx)
>  > thus used less, if perhaps we should start creating /dev/[sw]dN and
>  > /dev/r[sw]dN as aliases of (or links to) /dev/[r][sw]dN[cd] (as appropriate)
>  > (ie /dev/wd1 is a link to /dev/wd1d on i386 (etc) or /dev/wd1c (on sparc etc))
>  
>  
>  Maybe, but much of the confusion must have come from using commands in the /dev
>  directory. Tools like gpt interpret device names (e.g. wd0) and automatically
>  select the raw device.... unless there is a file 'wd0' in the local directory.
>  
>  That functionality should be changed. If you need a file in the local directory
>  it should be written like ./wd0.

i like both of these ideas.

- it avoids the accidental file creation in /dev 
- it avoids odd errors when you have files called "wd0" lying around
  that aren't disks..


.mrg.