Linux Kernel Architecture

Mauerer runapp02.tex V2 - 09/04/2008 6:09pm Page 1169

Appendix B: Working with the Source Code

Figure B-7: Inspecting commits withqgit.

The following input is necessary to export the entire source code of the named version into a separate

directory:

wolfgang@meitner>git archive --format=tar --prefix=linux-2.6.24/ v2.6.24

Because this will write the resulting tarball to the standard output, you might want to redirect the result

to a file.

git archivecan also be used to generate different types of archives. A filename with the suffix.tar.gz,

.tgz,or.tar.bz2must be used instead of the tar file shown here.

B.5 Debugging and Analyzing the Kernel

To gain an insight into what happens in the kernel, it is often practical not only to read the static source

code but also to take a close look at the kernel while it is running in order to track its dynamic processes.

Programmers are familiar with how this is done for normal C programs. Using debugging information

generated by the compiler and an external debugger, itis possible to step through program execution line