[Bug 1018624] [NEW] documentation error in man 7 rtnetlink

[Justin Cormack]

Public bug reported:

man 7 rtnetlink says

"The value type for IFLA_STATS is struct net_device_stats."

However this is not the case. After some fruitless coding I discovered
that it is actually struct rtnl_link_stats. These structs happen to be
the same on 32 bit architectures (as net_device_stats is defined as
longs) but not on 64 bit architectures. And the size of the struct sent
is always that of rtnl_link_stats, and there are a few comments about
this around, but a lot of confusion due to the man page error.

Should be able to verify from the kernel source too, but dont have a
reference sorry.

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 12.04
Package: manpages 3.35-0.1ubuntu1
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.2.0-24.39-generic 3.2.16
Uname: Linux 3.2.0-24-generic x86_64
ApportVersion: 2.0.1-0ubuntu8
Architecture: amd64
Date: Wed Jun 27 23:19:37 2012
Dependencies:
 
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 12.04 LTS "Precise Pangolin" - Beta amd64 (20120328)
PackageArchitecture: all
ProcEnviron:
 LANGUAGE=en_GB:en
 TERM=xterm
 PATH=(custom, no user)
 LANG=en_GB.UTF-8
 SHELL=/bin/bash
SourcePackage: manpages
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)

** Affects: manpages (Ubuntu)
     Importance: Undecided
         Status: New


** Tags: amd64 apport-bug precise

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https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/1018624

Title:
  documentation error in man 7 rtnetlink

Status in “manpages” package in Ubuntu:
  New

Bug description:
  man 7 rtnetlink says

  "The value type for IFLA_STATS is struct net_device_stats."

  However this is not the case. After some fruitless coding I discovered
  that it is actually struct rtnl_link_stats. These structs happen to be
  the same on 32 bit architectures (as net_device_stats is defined as
  longs) but not on 64 bit architectures. And the size of the struct
  sent is always that of rtnl_link_stats, and there are a few comments
  about this around, but a lot of confusion due to the man page error.

  Should be able to verify from the kernel source too, but dont have a
  reference sorry.

  ProblemType: Bug
  DistroRelease: Ubuntu 12.04
  Package: manpages 3.35-0.1ubuntu1
  ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.2.0-24.39-generic 3.2.16
  Uname: Linux 3.2.0-24-generic x86_64
  ApportVersion: 2.0.1-0ubuntu8
  Architecture: amd64
  Date: Wed Jun 27 23:19:37 2012
  Dependencies:
   
  InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 12.04 LTS "Precise Pangolin" - Beta amd64 (20120328)
  PackageArchitecture: all
  ProcEnviron:
   LANGUAGE=en_GB:en
   TERM=xterm
   PATH=(custom, no user)
   LANG=en_GB.UTF-8
   SHELL=/bin/bash
  SourcePackage: manpages
  UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)

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