A proxy of the proc server for translators

[zhengda]

Hi everyone,

I want to write a proxy of the proc server (proc_proxy), so I can 
provide a pseudo master device port to the translator without changing 
its code.

My first idea was to create a message server which handles all RPCs in 
process.defs. When a request comes, the message server calls the 
corresponding RPC to the real process server.
The proxy forks a child process, override the proc port of the child 
process to point to itself so the proxy can get the request from the 
child process, and executes the user's command in the child process.
For example, to run a pfinet server, the command can be like this:
proc_proxy settrans -afgpc /root/socket2/2 /root/hurd/pfinet/pfinet -i 
eth0 -a 192.168.2.11 -g 192.168.2.1 -m 255.255.255.0

There are some problems:
1. the proxy does override the proc port of the child process where runs 
settrans, but it seems the translator still uses the original proc 
server. The task of the translator is created directly by task_create() 
so it doesn't inherit the proc server from its parent. I still haven't 
find the code where the proc server is set in the process of the translator.
2. when the proc server gets the request, it is always looking for the 
process information from the remote port of the caller. When an RPC is 
forwarded by the proxy, the process information of the proxy is changed 
and the real proc server still doesn't know anything about the process 
who sends the request.
3. If the translator is set in the passive mode, it is started by the 
file system server. It seems that I don't have a chance to override its 
proc server.

Maybe I can run a second proc server for the translator, and change the 
master device port in the second proc server. However, the translator is 
completely isolated from other processes and this solution still cannot 
solve Problem 3 as I mentioned above.
I'm totally lost. Could anyone give me some ideas?

Best,
Zheng Da