depmod(8)							    depmod(8)



NAME
       depmod -- program to generate modules.dep and map files.

SYNOPSIS
       depmod [-b basedir]  [-e]  [-F System.map]  [-n]	 [-v]  [version]  [-A
       ]

       depmod [-e]  [-FSystem.map]  [-n]  [-v]	[version]  [filename ...]

DESCRIPTION
       Linux kernel modules can provide services (called "symbols") for other
       modules	to use (using EXPORT_SYMBOL in the code).  If a second module
       uses this symbol, that second module clearly depends on the first mod-
       ule.  These dependencies can get quite complex.


       depmod  creates	a list of module dependencies, by reading each module
       under /lib/modules/version and determining what	symbols	 it  exports,
       and  what  symbols  it needs.  By default this list is written to mod-
       ules.dep in the same directory.	If filenames are given on the command
       line,  only those modules are examined (which is rarely useful, unless
       all modules are listed).


       If a version is provided, then that kernel version's module  directory
       is used, rather than the current kernel version (as returned by "uname
       -r").


       depmod will also generate various map files in this directory, for use
       by the hotplug infrastructure.


OPTIONS
       -b basedir --basedir basedir
		 If  your modules are not currently in the (normal) directory
		 /lib/modules/version, but in a staging area, you can specify
		 a  basedir  which  is prepended to the directory name.	 This
		 basedir is stripped from the resulting modules.dep file,  so
		 it is ready to be moved into the normal location.


       -e --errsyms
		 When  combined	 with the -F option, this reports any symbols
		 which a module needs which are not supplied by other modules
		 or  the  kernel.  Normally, any symbols not provided by mod-
		 ules are assumed to be provided by the kernel (which  should
		 be true in a perfect world).


       -F --filesyms System.map
		 Supplied  with	 the  System.map produced when the kernel was
		 built, this allows the -e option to report  unresolved	 sym-
		 bols.


       -n --dry-run
		 This  sends  the resulting modules.dep, then the various map
		 files, to standard output, rather than writing them into the
		 module directory.


       -A --quick
		 This  option  scans to see if any modules are newer the mod-
		 ules.dep file before any work is done: if not,	 it  silently
		 exits rather than regenerating the files.


BACKWARDS COMPATIBILITY
       This version of depmod is for kernels 2.5.48 and above.	If it detects
       a kernel with support for old-style modules, or the version  specified
       is  before  2.5.48, it will attempt to run depmod.old in its place, so
       it is completely transparent to the user.


COPYRIGHT
       This manual page Copyright 2002, Rusty Russell, IBM Corporation.


SEE ALSO
       modprobe(8), modules.dep(5), depmod.old(8)



								    depmod(8)

UNIX/Linux commands referenced on this page:

1. hotplug
2. which
3. file
4. true