I am having problems when updating grub conf file. sys-kernel/genkernel-3.4.10.903 complains: * Adding kernel to /boot/grub/grub.conf... * We don't support non-numeric (such as 'saved') default values...skipping update I remembed the previous genkernel used to do it fine; i will even say, the two previous versions: the one before full re-write, and, the first version after the full re-write. They just used to do it fine. I can not understand why non-numerical could be a problem; I just understand that dev think it can be a problem. But I dont see why. As the previous version used to work, before dev explicitely put this limitation, I think there should be a trivial fix. Or maybe, forcing uupdate could be customisable through the conf file ? I guess there could be a problem if the saved value points to non null, and genkernel inserts a new section before the selected one ... but, I at least want an option (in genkernel.conf) to over-ride this protection, and assume the saved value is just "null or any".
The reason updating grub.conf with 'default saved' is not supported is that it can't easily determine which kernel entry to copy. It *could* default to 0 like it does with no 'default' line, but then someone would complain about *that*. Feel free to submit a patch that picks out the proper kernel entry to copy with 'default saved'. I could probably do it, but I don't use the feature (I don't even use the grub updating feature), so I have little motivation.
Grub updating used to work fine for 3 years; I just lost one of the smoothest feature of my distro. What about making this assumption optional through a flag/variable in the conf ?
It may have worked for you, but it was broken (as in really screwing up grub.conf) for many other people. If you want the current behavior changed, please submit a patch.