label syntax: root (LABEL=/boot)

[Paul Bolle]

It looks like I've managed to write a patch to GNU grub which makes grub
accept "label syntax" (e.g. "LABEL=/boot") as the argument to the root
command. With this patch one can use not only e.g. "root (hd0,2)" but
also e.g. "root (LABEL=/boot)". In short: a second "naming convention"
for the root command.

I've written this patch against grub 0.93, which I knew to be working on
my Fedora Core 1 box. For now it can only read ext2fs (ext3fs) "volume
labels". It should be trivial to add labels for other filesystems. If
one uses this patch on a GNU/Linux box - which might use a
"root=LABEL=/" kernel-option - one should be able to use only one
"device syntax" in .../grub/menu.lst (if all relevant devices support
volume labels). Note that the label syntax is already used for mounting
devices in GNU/Linux (e.g. in /etc/fstab).

Before even "committing" this patch to the bug tracking system at
savannah.gnu.org I'd like some input from the readers of this list:
- should we use label syntax as a device syntax in grub?
- if so, is this option useful even though it just supports the root
command or should all other commands using device syntax accept it too?
- should I "port" my patch to grub 0.94 (which shouldn't be too hard) or
can I just commit my 0.93 patch?

By the way, would someone like to proof read my patch? (I'm not very
experienced in C so my code probable could use another pair of eyes ...)

Thanks in advance,


Paul Bolle