Bug 27583 – /dev/pts file system for Unix98 PTYs

• Status: RESOLVED FIXED
• Product: [OLD] Docs-user

[Description Martin Larsson 2003-08-30 01:35:37 UTC]

The guide tells to not choose /dev/pts, but atleast I couldnt get sshd to work
without it (using 2.6.0-test4-mm1)

Am i doing wrong or do ssh need /dev/pts ?
if it need it i think it should be mentioned in the guide

[Comment 1 Mike666 2003-08-30 13:38:04 UTC]

Well, I found out you need this also for Multi-Aterm (and since it's a direct offshoot of Aterm, <--that should prolly also need it)
I wonder what's SO bad (!) about PTYs the install doc actually encourages to exclude support for it!?

[Comment 2 Sven Vermeulen (RETIRED) 2003-09-01 01:56:51 UTC]

2.6 requires /dev/pts since in 2.6 it's removed from devfs. However, 2.4 has /dev/pts in 2.6. This was already discussed quite some time ago, but since 2.6 is becoming increasingly popular, I'll change the installation guide to reflect this.

[Comment 3 Sven Vermeulen (RETIRED) 2003-09-01 02:01:26 UTC]

Created attachment 16892 [details, diff]
Patch to note about 2.6 kernels

[Comment 4 Sven Vermeulen (RETIRED) 2003-09-01 02:02:13 UTC]

2.4 has devpts in *devfs* (not in "2.6").

[Comment 5 Benny Chuang (RETIRED) 2003-09-01 05:01:33 UTC]

The patch looks fine

[Comment 6 Mike666 2003-09-01 17:56:47 UTC]

>it is not needed unless you use a 2.6 kernel

Hey, I'm using 2.4 vanilla and needed this for the above mentioned Aterms. Am I missing something?

[Comment 7 Sven Vermeulen (RETIRED) 2003-09-02 01:21:51 UTC]

I'll take a look. I use aterms daily but don't know if I have selected PTYs or not.

[Comment 8 Sven Vermeulen (RETIRED) 2003-09-02 03:48:30 UTC]

It seems you don't need /dev/pts and Unix98 PTYs to use your aterms. However, if you do, you must have /dev/pts mounted and have a /dev/ptmx device. Dunno for multi-aterms though.

I'll see if we can just remove all DEVPTS stuff from the guide alltogether...

[Comment 9 Tavis Ormandy (RETIRED) 2003-09-02 04:47:20 UTC]

I'm not sure if anyone uses it, but the pterm terminal that comes with net-misc/putty also requires unix98 pty's.

[Comment 10 bartron 2003-09-02 15:34:11 UTC]

  On defvs-enabled systems you *definitely* need UNIX98 PTYs,
otherwise, programs that depend on `openpty()' and 
`ttyname()' both returning the same absolute tty name will 
break (don't have access to glibc sources here (limited 
bandwidth), but bug #20710 should have more info).

[Comment 11 Martin Schlemmer (RETIRED) 2003-09-03 14:49:40 UTC]

For 2.6 you need devpts support.  For 2.4, you:

1) Should not need it if using devfs - if multi-aterm needs it, it
   should be fixed (IMHO)

2) You do need it though if not using devfs

For all cases Unix98 PTY support should be compiled in, else you will run
into some issues.

[Comment 12 Sven Vermeulen (RETIRED) 2003-09-04 08:28:20 UTC]

Added note about 2.6 kernels.