Subsystem ID and usability

[Lubomir Rintel]

Hi,

the subsystem IDs use in the database seems to be a bit inconsistent, a
as udev uses it to construct ID_MODEL_FROM_DATABASE the results are
often rather confusing to the user [1].

[1] Loading Image...

udev creates ID_MODEL_FROM_DATABASE as follows: "product (subsystem)".
There generally seems to be the following forms used:

1.) Subsystem ID clarifies the product identification. udev does the
right thing here by including both the product and the subsystem
identification:

8c03 8 Series/C220 Series Chipset Family 6-port SATA Controller 1 [AHCI mode]
103c 1909 ZBook 15
17aa 220e ThinkPad T440p

2.) The subsystem is already a clarified product name, udev adds redundancy:

08af Centrino Wireless-N 100
8086 1015 Centrino Wireless-N 100 BGN
8086 1017 Centrino Wireless-N 100 BG

3.) There is some overlap between product and subsystem, the product
name is redundant, but not word for word:

0024 AR5418 Wireless Network Adapter [AR5008E 802.11(a)bgn] (PCI-Express)
106b 0087 AirPort Extreme
1186 3a70 DWA-556 Xtreme N PCI Express Desktop Adapter

Which makes most sense? How can this be fixed? In PCI db? In udev?
Is there currently another sane way to get a human readable description
of a PCI device?

Thank you,
Lubo

[Vojtech Pavlik]

Post by Lubomir Rintel
the subsystem IDs use in the database seems to be a bit inconsistent, a
as udev uses it to construct ID_MODEL_FROM_DATABASE the results are
often rather confusing to the user [1].
[1] http://bitmynt.no/sturle/screenshot-nm.png
udev creates ID_MODEL_FROM_DATABASE as follows: "product (subsystem)".
1.) Subsystem ID clarifies the product identification. udev does the
right thing here by including both the product and the subsystem
8c03 8 Series/C220 Series Chipset Family 6-port SATA Controller 1 [AHCI mode]
103c 1909 ZBook 15
17aa 220e ThinkPad T440p
08af Centrino Wireless-N 100
8086 1015 Centrino Wireless-N 100 BGN
8086 1017 Centrino Wireless-N 100 BG
3.) There is some overlap between product and subsystem, the product
0024 AR5418 Wireless Network Adapter [AR5008E 802.11(a)bgn] (PCI-Express)
106b 0087 AirPort Extreme
1186 3a70 DWA-556 Xtreme N PCI Express Desktop Adapter
Which makes most sense? How can this be fixed? In PCI db? In udev?
Is there currently another sane way to get a human readable description
of a PCI device?

The subsystem ID basically means "as a part of". So "C220 SATA
controller" as a part of "ThinkPad T440p". Or "Centrino Wireless-N 100"
wireless chipset as a part of the "Centrino Wireless-N 100 BGN"
mini-PCIe card. Both the product ID and the subsystem ID are usually
full names.