[PATCH] common: clarify help text for CONFIG_CONSOLE_ACTIVATE_* options

[PATCH] common: clarify help text for CONFIG_CONSOLE_ACTIVATE_* options

[Ahmad Fatoum]

CONFIG_CONSOLE_ACTIVATE_NONE is an unfortunate name. The help text
explains how consoles are still activated, but omits the main way they
are activated: The device tree's /chosen/stdout-path property.

Similarly, CONFIG_CONSOLE_ACTIVATE_(FIRST/NONE) don't talk about the
implications of selecting them, so reword the help texts to better
inform the user.

Reported-by: Casey Reeves <contact@xogium.me>
Signed-off-by: Ahmad Fatoum <a.fatoum@pengutronix.de>
---
 common/Kconfig | 18 ++++++++++++------
 1 file changed, 12 insertions(+), 6 deletions(-)

diff --git a/common/Kconfig b/common/Kconfig
index 2dda5ce5743a..fea26262da86 100644
--- a/common/Kconfig
+++ b/common/Kconfig
@@ -818,9 +818,10 @@ config CONSOLE_ACTIVATE_FIRST
 	bool
 	prompt "activate first console on startup"
 	help
-	  Normally on startup all consoles are disabled, so you won't
-	  see anything from barebox starting. Enabling this option
-	  enables the first console.
+	  Select this to activate the first registered console.
+	  On many systems, devices are probed in no strict order,
+	  so you probably should say n here if you are probing
+	  from device tree and have more than one console.
 
 config CONSOLE_ACTIVATE_ALL
 	bool
@@ -831,6 +832,10 @@ config CONSOLE_ACTIVATE_ALL
 	  Only the first registered console will have the full startup
 	  log though.
 
+	  If you have consoles that aren't meant for barebox log output
+	  (e.g. a connected MCU), you will want to say n here and use
+	  CONFIG_ACTIVATE_ALL_FALLBACK or CONFIG_CONSOLE_ACTIVATE_NONE instead.
+
 config CONSOLE_ACTIVATE_ALL_FALLBACK
 	bool
 	prompt "activate all consoles as fallback"
@@ -852,9 +857,10 @@ config CONSOLE_ACTIVATE_NONE
 	prompt "leave all consoles disabled"
 	bool
 	help
-	  Leave all consoles disabled on startup. Board code or environment
-	  is responsible for enabling a console. Otherwise you'll get a working
-	  barebox, you just won't see anything.
+	  Leave all consoles disabled on startup. Board code, environment
+	  or the device tree /chosen/stdout-path property will be responsible
+	  for enabling a console. Otherwise you'll get a working barebox,
+	  you just won't see anything.
 
 endchoice
 
-- 
2.39.2

Re: [PATCH] common: clarify help text for CONFIG_CONSOLE_ACTIVATE_* options

[Sascha Hauer]

On Fri, 26 Jul 2024 14:23:36 +0200, Ahmad Fatoum wrote:
> CONFIG_CONSOLE_ACTIVATE_NONE is an unfortunate name. The help text
> explains how consoles are still activated, but omits the main way they
> are activated: The device tree's /chosen/stdout-path property.
> 
> Similarly, CONFIG_CONSOLE_ACTIVATE_(FIRST/NONE) don't talk about the
> implications of selecting them, so reword the help texts to better
> inform the user.
> 
> [...]

Applied, thanks!

[1/1] common: clarify help text for CONFIG_CONSOLE_ACTIVATE_* options
      https://git.pengutronix.de/cgit/barebox/commit/?id=eb00dd84d698 (link may not be stable)

Best regards,
-- 
Sascha Hauer <s.hauer@pengutronix.de>