GPIB_CONFIG(8)

📦
version 4.3.7 · 2 versions
, in ubuntu stonking

💖 GPIB_CONFIG(8) — the manual page, but make it make sense 💖

okay bestie, welcome to gpib_config(8), the GPIB administration program. yes it's a section 8 man page, yes it's giving sysadmin main character energy, and yes i'm gonna walk you through every single flag. no skips. periodt. 🫶

✨ SYNOPSIS ✨

gpib_config [--minor number]

gpib_config [--board-type board_type] [--device-file file_path]
            [--dma number] [--file file_path] [--help] [--iobase number]
            [--ifc] [--no-ifc] [--init-data file_path] [--irq number]
            [--minor number] [--offline] [--pad number]
            [--pci-bus number] [--pci-slot number] [--sad number]
            [--serial-number serial_number] [--sre] [--no-sre]
            [--sysfs-device-path sysfs_device_path]
            [--system-controller] [--no-system-controller] [--version]

like, you can just do the little --minor thing, or you can go full unhinged and pass everything. both are valid. slay. 💅

🦋 DESCRIPTION 🦋

okay so here's the tea: gpib_config must be run after the kernel driver module for a GPIB interface board is loaded. it's literally the vibe check your board needs before anything else works.

what it does is configure driver settings that libgpib just cannot do at runtime. and the stuff it handles is split into two flavors:

  • configuration that requires root privilege — think setting the base address or the irq of a board. you know, the spicy stuff. 🔥
  • configuration that should only happen once, and definitely should not be auto-redone every single time a program using libgpib runs — think setting the board's GPIB address.

which board are we configuring? that's the --minor option's whole job. by default the board settings get read from the gpib.conf configuration file, but bestie you can override individual settings with command-line options. the CLI has main character energy and wins. ✨

🎀 OPTIONS 🎀

  • -t, --board-type board_type — set the board type to board_type. simple. iconic.
  • -c, --device-file file_path — tell it the character device file path for the board. this is a whole alternative to using --minor, so pick your fighter. 🌸
  • -d, --dma number — specify the isa dma channel number, for boards with no plug-and-play capability.
  • -f, --file file_path — specify the file path for the configuration file. the values in that config file become the defaults for any options you left unspecified, for the minor you're configuring.

if you don't pass this option, then the value of the IB_CONFIG environment variable is used, if it's set. and if that's not set either, you get the default configuration file "sysconfdir/gpib.conf", where sysconfdir was specified when the library was configured before compilation — it's usually /etc or /usr/local/etc.

⚠️ note bestie, this is important: the configuration file read by the library is not affected by this option at all. the library will use either the value of the IB_CONFIG environment variable (if set) or the default configuration file. that library-side config file is what resolves the 'name' in ibfind() calls. don't mix them up, i'm begging. 😭
  • -h, --help — print help on options and exit. the "wait what was that flag called" button.
  • -I, --init-data file_path — upload binary initialization data (firmware) from file_path to the board. feeding the baby. 🍼
  • --[no-]ifc — perform (or don't) interface clear after bringing the board online. default is --ifc. ✨
  • -b, --iobase number — set the io base address to number, for boards with no plug-and-play capability.
  • -i, --irq number — specify the irq line number, for boards with no plug-and-play capability.
  • -m, --minor number — configure the gpib device file with minor number number. default is 0. 👑
  • -o, --offline — unconfigure an already configured board. don't bring the board online. it's giving "we're done here, pack it up." 💀
  • -p, --pad number — specify the primary gpib address. number should be in the range 0 through 30.
  • -u, --pci-bus number — specify the pci bus number to select a specific pci board. if you use this, you must also specify the pci slot with --pci-slot. they're a package deal, fr fr.
  • -l, --pci-slot number — specify the pci slot number to select a specific pci board. if you use this, you must also specify the pci bus with --pci-bus. matching set, no exceptions. 🫶
  • -s, --sad number — specify the secondary gpib address. number should be 0 (disabled) or in the range 96 through 127 (0x60 through 0x7f hexadecimal). hex girlies rise. 🌈
  • --[no-]sre — assert (or don't) the remote enable line after bringing the board online. default is --sre.
  • -a, --sysfs-device-path dev_path — select a specific board to attach by its sysfs device path. okay here's how the sysfs device path works: it's the absolute path to the device's directory under /sys/devices, but with the leading "/sys" stripped off. and guess what — that device path is available in udev scripts as the DEVPATH variable. iykyk. 🧚
  • --[no-]system-controller — configure the board as system controller (or not).
  • -v, --version — prints the current linux-gpib version and exits. little flex, then dip. 💜

Copyright © 2003-2006, 2008 Frank Mori Hess

and that's the whole page bestie!! linux-gpib 4.3.7, dated 07/06/2026 — go forth and configure your GPIB boards, you absolute icon. ate and left no crumbs. 💖✨🎀🦋🌸💅🫶

📦 where this page comes from