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The "/aliases" node in the device tree


Q: What is the "/aliases" node in the device tree?

A: The /aliases node is a property list of devaliases. The name is the alias and the value is the expansion. On a G3 the node appears as follows:

0 > dev /aliases pwd .properties /aliases
name                    aliases
pci                     /pci
bridge                  /pci/@d
mac-io                  /pci/@d/mac-io
via-cuda                /pci/@d/mac-io/via-cuda
rtc                     /pci/@d/mac-io/via-cuda/rtc
adb-keyboard            /pci/@d/mac-io/via-cuda/adb/keyboard
adb-mouse               /pci/@d/mac-io/via-cuda/adb/mouse
sound                   /pci/@d/mac-io/davbus/sound
enet                    /pci/@d/mac-io/ethernet
scca                    /pci/@d/mac-io/escc/ch-a
sccb                    /pci/@d/mac-io/escc/ch-b
nvram                   /pci/@d/mac-io/nvram
ide0                    /pci/@d/mac-io/ata-3@20000
cd                      /pci/@d/mac-io/ata-3@20000/disk@0
zip                     /pci/@d/mac-io/ata-3@20000/disk@1
ide1                    /pci/@d/pci-ata@1/ata-4@0
hd                      /pci/@d/pci-ata@1/ata-4@0/disk@0
ultra0                  /pci/@d/pci-ata@1/ata-4@0/disk@0
ultra1                  /pci/@d/pci-ata@1/ata-4@0/disk@1
usb                     /pci/@d/usb
fw                      /pci/@d/firewire
keyboard                /psuedo-hid/keyboard
mouse                   /psuedo-hid/mouse
usb-keyboard
usb-mouse
no-boot                 /pci@80000000/pci-bridge@d/mac-io@5/fdc
                        /pci@80000000/pci-bridge@d/mac-io@5/scsi
                        /pci@80000000/pci-bridge@d/mac-io@5/ata-3@21000
last-boot               /pci@80000000/pci-bridge@d/mac-io@5/ethernet
screen                  /pci@80000000/ATY,Rage128y@10

As you can see, it is much easier to go to the "screen" node than the "/pci@80000000/ATY,Rage128y@10 node" since there is less typing and therefore less chance for a mistake: quicker as well.

[Sep 05 2000]


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