Kernel 6.10 is not compatible with facer.c

[xAlpharax]

Model: AN515-45 aka Acer Nitro 5 from 2021

Count of keyboard RGB zones: 4

Count of Cpu Fans: 1

Count of Gpu Fans: 1

RGB keyboard works? No

Turbo button turn on fans? No

Turbo button turn on LED? No

Turbo button activates overclock? No

alphara@deltarion ~/dev/acer-rgb> sudo make
make -C /lib/modules/6.10.0_1/build M=/home/alphara/dev/acer-rgb modules
make[1]: Entering directory '/usr/src/kernel-headers-6.10.0_1'
CC [M] /home/alphara/dev/acer-rgb/src/facer.o
/home/alphara/dev/acer-rgb/src/facer.c:1946:6: warning: no previous prototype for 'WMID_gaming_set_fan_mode' [-Wmissing-prototypes]
1946 | void WMID_gaming_set_fan_mode(u8 fan_mode)
| ^~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
/home/alphara/dev/acer-rgb/src/facer.c: In function 'update_bl_status':
/home/alphara/dev/acer-rgb/src/facer.c:2340:22: error: 'struct backlight_properties' has no member named 'fb_blank'
2340 | if (bd->props.fb_blank != FB_BLANK_UNBLANK)
| ^
/home/alphara/dev/acer-rgb/src/facer.c: At top level:
/home/alphara/dev/acer-rgb/src/facer.c:1921:20: warning: 'WMID_gaming_get_u64' defined but not used [-Wunused-function]
1921 | static acpi_status WMID_gaming_get_u64(u64 *value, u32 cap)
| ^~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
make[3]: *** [scripts/Makefile.build:244: /home/alphara/dev/acer-rgb/src/facer.o] Error 1
make[2]: *** [/usr/src/kernel-headers-6.10.0_1/Makefile:1934: /home/alphara/dev/acer-rgb] Error 2
make[1]: *** [Makefile:240: __sub-make] Error 2
make[1]: Leaving directory '/usr/src/kernel-headers-6.10.0_1'
make: *** [Makefile:14: default] Error 2
alphara@deltarion ~/dev/acer-rgb>

As well:

alphara@deltarion ~/dev/acer-rgb> sudo ./install.sh
make -C /lib/modules/6.10.0_1/build M=/home/alphara/dev/acer-rgb modules
make[1]: Entering directory '/usr/src/kernel-headers-6.10.0_1'
CC [M] /home/alphara/dev/acer-rgb/src/facer.o
/home/alphara/dev/acer-rgb/src/facer.c:1946:6: warning: no previous prototype for 'WMID_gaming_set_fan_mode' [-Wmissing-prototypes]
1946 | void WMID_gaming_set_fan_mode(u8 fan_mode)
| ^~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
/home/alphara/dev/acer-rgb/src/facer.c: In function 'update_bl_status':
/home/alphara/dev/acer-rgb/src/facer.c:2340:22: error: 'struct backlight_properties' has no member named 'fb_blank'
2340 | if (bd->props.fb_blank != FB_BLANK_UNBLANK)
| ^
/home/alphara/dev/acer-rgb/src/facer.c: At top level:
/home/alphara/dev/acer-rgb/src/facer.c:1921:20: warning: 'WMID_gaming_get_u64' defined but not used [-Wunused-function]
1921 | static acpi_status WMID_gaming_get_u64(u64 value, u32 cap)
| ^~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
make[3]: *** [scripts/Makefile.build:244: /home/alphara/dev/acer-rgb/src/facer.o] Error 1
make[2]: *** [/usr/src/kernel-headers-6.10.0_1/Makefile:1934: /home/alphara/dev/acer-rgb] Error 2
make[1]: *** [Makefile:240: __sub-make] Error 2
make[1]: Leaving directory '/usr/src/kernel-headers-6.10.0_1'
make: *** [Makefile:14: default] Error 2
rmmod: ERROR: Module acer_wmi is not currently loaded
insmod: ERROR: could not load module src/facer.ko: No such file or directory
[ 10.239395] wlp5s0: associate with 24:a2:e1:ed:9a:02 (try 1/3)
[ 10.258186] wlp5s0: RX AssocResp from 24:a2:e1:ed:9a:02 (capab=0x1411 status=0 aid=22)
[ 10.272542] wlp5s0: associated
[ 10.322478] wlp5s0: Limiting TX power to 20 (20 - 0) dBm as advertised by 24:a2:e1:ed:9a:02
[ 55.831231] nvidia_uvm: module uses symbols nvUvmInterfaceDisableAccessCntr from proprietary module nvidia, inheriting taint.
[ 55.933519] nvidia-uvm: Loaded the UVM driver, major device number 509.
[ 55.969243] warning: `slstatus' uses wireless extensions which will stop working for Wi-Fi 7 hardware; use nl80211
[ 55.997487] Bluetooth: RFCOMM TTY layer initialized
[ 55.997499] Bluetooth: RFCOMM socket layer initialized
[ 55.997502] Bluetooth: RFCOMM ver 1.11
[] Done
alphara@deltarion ~/dev/acer-rgb>

I would like to resolve this issue if someone can help me figure out what needs to be done and maybe then patch it.

[xAlpharax]

apparently acer-wmi seems to not be included in the kernel?

[xAlpharax]

well, apparently wmi is enabled:

alphara@deltarion ~> lsmod | grep wmi

wmi_bmof 12288 0

wmi 28672 2 video,wmi_bmof

alphara@deltarion ~>

[xAlpharax]

modprob'ed acer-wmi

alphara@deltarion ~/dev/acer-rgb> sudo ./install.sh
Password:
make -C /lib/modules/6.10.0_1/build M=/home/alphara/dev/acer-rgb modules
make[1]: Entering directory '/usr/src/kernel-headers-6.10.0_1'
CC [M] /home/alphara/dev/acer-rgb/src/facer.o
/home/alphara/dev/acer-rgb/src/facer.c:1946:6: warning: no previous prototype for 'WMID_gaming_set_fan_mode' [-Wmissing-prototypes]
1946 | void WMID_gaming_set_fan_mode(u8 fan_mode)
| ^~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
/home/alphara/dev/acer-rgb/src/facer.c: In function 'update_bl_status':
/home/alphara/dev/acer-rgb/src/facer.c:2340:22: error: 'struct backlight_properties' has no member named 'fb_blank'
2340 | if (bd->props.fb_blank != FB_BLANK_UNBLANK)
| ^
/home/alphara/dev/acer-rgb/src/facer.c: At top level:
/home/alphara/dev/acer-rgb/src/facer.c:1921:20: warning: 'WMID_gaming_get_u64' defined but not used [-Wunused-function]
1921 | static acpi_status WMID_gaming_get_u64(u64 value, u32 cap)
| ^~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
make[3]: *** [scripts/Makefile.build:244: /home/alphara/dev/acer-rgb/src/facer.o] Error 1
make[2]: *** [/usr/src/kernel-headers-6.10.0_1/Makefile:1934: /home/alphara/dev/acer-rgb] Error 2
make[1]: *** [Makefile:240: __sub-make] Error 2
make[1]: Leaving directory '/usr/src/kernel-headers-6.10.0_1'
make: *** [Makefile:14: default] Error 2
insmod: ERROR: could not insert module src/facer.ko: Invalid module format
[ 467.160252] acer_wmi: Acer Laptop ACPI-WMI Extras
[ 467.160281] acer_wmi: Function bitmap for Communication Button: 0x801
[ 467.165960] input: Acer WMI hotkeys as /devices/virtual/input/input21
[ 468.031609] acer_wmi: Acer Laptop WMI Extras unloaded
[ 468.075672] facer: version magic '6.6.40_1 SMP preempt mod_unload ' should be '6.10.0_1 SMP preempt mod_unload '
[ 514.434555] acer_wmi: Acer Laptop ACPI-WMI Extras
[ 514.434590] acer_wmi: Function bitmap for Communication Button: 0x801
[ 514.440526] input: Acer WMI hotkeys as /devices/virtual/input/input22
[ 515.302670] acer_wmi: Acer Laptop WMI Extras unloaded
[ 515.324349] facer: version magic '6.6.40_1 SMP preempt mod_unload ' should be '6.10.0_1 SMP preempt mod_unload '
[] Done
alphara@deltarion ~/dev/acer-rgb>

[giltwist]

Confirming issue. As per #113, I uninstalled and reinstalled, but had the same errors listed above on a AN16-41

[xAlpharax]

error: 'struct backlight_properties' has no member named 'fb_blank' is the culprit. fb_blank apparently has been removed in 6.10

[xAlpharax]

Update: A quick fix might be to just remove the part that is mentioned to be erroring out.

[JafarAkhondali]

We do really need someone to rebase the code to match with the latest kernel changes, If I had access to the laptop I would do it but I don't, which makes testing so hard.

[xAlpharax]

We do really need someone to rebase the code to match with the latest kernel changes, If I had access to the laptop I would do it but I don't, which makes testing so hard.

I could look through it given the change log of deprecated tools and file a PR. Can you tell me, as the owner, is fb_blank really needed in the script or what do you know about its purpose?

[JafarAkhondali]

@xAlpharax I don't think so, but I assume safest option is to use the updated version:
https://github.com/torvalds/linux/blob/0c3836482481200ead7b416ca80c68a29cfdaabd/drivers/platform/x86/acer-wmi.c#L1658 maybe simply copy-paste the "update_bl_status" function?

[xAlpharax]

@xAlpharax I don't think so, but I assume safest option is to use the updated version:
https://github.com/torvalds/linux/blob/0c3836482481200ead7b416ca80c68a29cfdaabd/drivers/platform/x86/acer-wmi.c#L1658 maybe simply copy-paste the "update_bl_status" function?

figuring how i would use the BIT(3), whatever it may be, it says it s directly given by the power button.

i can try these hot fixes with the 6.10 kernel booted and maybe come back to you.

[xAlpharax]

@JafarAkhondali i got everything working right by just commenting these out:

static int update_bl_status(struct backlight_device *bd)
{
	int intensity = bd->props.brightness;

	/*if (bd->props.power != FB_BLANK_UNBLANK)*/
		/*intensity = 0;*/
	/*if (bd->props.fb_blank != FB_BLANK_UNBLANK)*/
		/*intensity = 0;*/

	set_u32(intensity, ACER_CAP_BRIGHTNESS);

	return 0;
}

So this works... Now, I need to understand why these were important in the first place or whether or not we could just remove this code. What do you think?

[JafarAkhondali]

Nice @xAlpharax
Can't you change this line:

int intensity = bd->props.brightness;

to:

int intensity = backlight_get_brightness(bd);

so that it matches the latest version in kernel?
Here are the changes to this function, it looks the same more shorter:
torvalds/linux@441ffc5

[xAlpharax]

Nice @xAlpharax
Can't you change this line:

int intensity = bd->props.brightness;

to:

int intensity = backlight_get_brightness(bd);

so that it matches the latest version in kernel?
Here are the changes to this function, it looks the same more shorter:
torvalds/linux@441ffc5

Nice! I see now. Let me test and I'll come back to you.

[xAlpharax]

@JafarAkhondali I did some extensive testing with the new changes and submitted this PR above. Check it and if you have any objections/edits you would wish to make feel free to co-auth.