[libvirt] [PATCH 2/5] virsh: Fix semantics of --config for "update-device" command

[Laine Stump]

On 03/21/2013 12:42 PM, Peter Krempa wrote:
> The man page states that with --config the next boot is affected. This
> can be understood as if _only_ the next bood was affected. This isn't
> true if the machine is running.

Are you certain of that? My understanding was that when --config was
specified, *only* the persistent config should be changed, but not the
live state, regardless of whether or not the domain is running.
Otherwise, there is no way to change just the persistent config of a
running domain.

Or is your explanation incorrect, and the code correct?

Here is what I *thought* was the meaning of these options:

--config - only change the persistent config, but not the
           live state. The command should fail for a transient
           domain.

--live   - only change the live state, but not the persistent config.
           The command should fail for a domain that isn't running.

--current - useless (really, I mean that) because its meaning is different
            depending on whether or not the domain is running

--persistent - deprecated synonym for --config

no option - also useless because it means the same thing as --current

What's missing: a way to say "change both live state and persistent
config as appropriate"

After discussing it on the list, in the name of consistency I actually
very reluctantly implemented this same logic for virsh net-update even
though I thought it was terrible. Did I get it wrong?

So what is the *real* meaning of each of these options? (and are you
sure you're not changing the meaning of any of them?)