[syslinux] Syslinux search for config file

[Ady Ady]

> From: tomas at slax.org
> Date: Wed, 29 Aug 2012 13:42:25 +0200
> To: syslinux at zytor.com
> Subject: [syslinux] Syslinux search for config file
> 
> New idea proposal:
> 
> Currently syslinux (and others) searches in for its config file, say
> syslinux.cfg, in a hardcoded list of directories.
> 
> I propose that if the config file is not found, instead of producing
> an error message like "unable to locate config file", it should try to
> search in root directories and its subdirectories.
> 
> There is -d option to install syslinux to any directory (if you
> remember, I sponsored it few years ago), but still the config file
> needs to be in /boot/syslinux/ for example. This way, the default
> behavior (backward compatibility) would be preserved, because it would
> still look to these hardcoded directories first, but if the config
> file is not found inthere, it would try all other directories and all
> other subdirectories (say, to recursion level 2).
> 
> This way, people could install syslinux with -d /slax/boot/ and then
> syslinux would find its config file even in /slax/subdir/, without any
> additional patches (which I am currently forced to do).
> 
> Is this idea acceptable?
> 
> Should I try to code it and submit patches? Beware I am no C coder, I
> prefer to rather SPONSOR the work :) Name your price! :)
> 
> Thank you for consideration
> 
> Tomas M
> slax.org
 
FWIW,
 
If it can't be achieved for ALL supported fs, then it may make user's troubleshooting more complicated.
 
At least talking about the same directory where ldlinux.sys was installed by means of the "-d" option in a FAT fs, your own request is already 5 years and 7 months old :). See:
 http://www.syslinux.org/archives/2007-January/007972.html .
 
Now, I don't know about "some directory", but the same directory where ldlinux.sys (and/or where isolinux.bin) resides "sounds reasonable" from a user's points of view, as long as the additional cfg search-path doesn't make ldlinux.sys (and/or isolinux.bin) "too big" / "too complicated" / "too slow" AND if it is feasible for ALL fs, IMHO.