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 modules.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 versions  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
       -a --all  Probe	all  modules.  This option is enabled by default if no
		 file names are given in the command-line.


       -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 modules
		 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.


       -v --verbose
		 In verbose mode depmod will print (to stdout) all the symbols
		 each  module depends on and the modules file name which pro
		 vides that symbol.


       -V --version
		 Show version of program, and exit. See below for caveats when
		 run on older kernels.


       -h --help Print the help message, and exit.


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.modutils 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.modutils(8)



								     depmod(8)