Compatible Device Names

The Oracle Solaris software builds an ordered list of compatible device names for USB binding based on identification information kept within each device. This information includes device class, subclass, vendor ID, product ID, revision, and protocol. See http://www.usb.org/home for a list of USB classes and subclasses.

This name hierarchy enables binding to a general driver if a more device-specific driver is not available. An example of a general driver is a class-specific driver. Device names that begin with usbif designate single interface devices. See Example 20–1 for examples. The USBA 2.0 framework defines all compatible names for a device. Use the prtconf command to display these device names, as shown in Example 20–2.

The following example shows an example of compatible device names for a USB mouse device. This mouse device represents a combined node entirely operated by a single driver. The USBA 2.0 framework gives this device node the names shown in the example, in the order shown.

Example 20–1 USB Mouse Compatible Device Names

1. 'usb430,100.102'      Vendor 430, product 100, revision 102
2. 'usb430,100'      Vendor 430, product 100
3. 'usbif430,class3.1.2' Vendor 430, class 3, subclass 1, protocol 2
4. 'usbif430,class3.1'   Vendor 430, class 3, subclass 1
5. 'usbif430,class3'     Vendor 430, class 3
6. 'usbif,class3.1.2'    Class 3, subclass 1, protocol 2
7. 'usbif,class3.1'      Class 3, subclass 1
8. 'usbif,class3'    Class 3

Note that the names in the above example progress from the most specific to the most general. Entry 1 binds only to a particular revision of a specific product from a particular vendor. Entries 3, 4, and 5 are for class 3 devices manufactured by vendor 430. Entries 6, 7, and 8 are for class 3 devices from any vendor. The binding process looks for a match on the name from the top name down. To bind, drivers must be added to the system with an alias that matches one of these names. To get a list of compatible device names to which to bind when you add your driver, check the compatible property of the device in the output from the prtconf -vp command.

The following example shows compatible property lists for a keyboard and a mouse. Use the prtconf -D command to display the bound driver.

Example 20–2 Compatible Device Names Shown by the Print Configuration Command

# prtconf -vD | grep compatible
            compatible: 'usb430,5.200' + 'usb430,5' + 'usbif430,class3.1.1'
+ 'usbif430,class3.1' + 'usbif430,class3' + 'usbif,class3.1.1' +
'usbif,class3.1' + 'usbif,class3'
            compatible: 'usb2222,2071.200' + 'usb2222,2071' +
'usbif2222,class3.1.2' + 'usbif2222,class3.1' + 'usbif2222,class3' +
'usbif,class3.1.2' + 'usbif,class3.1' + 'usbif,class3'

Use the most specific name you can to more accurately identify a driver for a device or group of devices. To bind drivers written for a specific revision of a specific product, use the most specific name match possible. For example, if you have a USB mouse driver written by vendor 430 for revision 102 of their product 100, use the following command to add that driver to the system:

add_drv -n -i '"usb430,100.102"' specific_mouse_driver

To add a driver written for any USB mouse (class 3, subclass 1, protocol 2) from vendor 430, use the following command:

add_drv -n -i '"usbif430,class3.1.2"' more_generic_mouse_driver

If you install both of these drivers and then connect a compatible device, the system binds the correct driver to the connected device. For example, if you install both of these drivers and then connect a vendor 430, model 100, revision 102 device, this device is bound to specific_mouse_driver. If you connect a vendor 430, model 98 device, this device is bound to more_generic_mouse_driver. If you connect a mouse from another vendor, this device also is bound to more_generic_mouse_driver. If multiple drivers are available for a specific device, the driver binding framework selects the driver with the first matching compatible name in the compatible names list.