Provided by: discover_2.1.2-10.1_amd64 
NAME
discover — hardware detection utility
SYNOPSIS
discover [DATA_OPTIONS] [DISPLAY_OPTIONS] [--bus-summary] [bus ...]
discover [DATA_OPTIONS] [DISPLAY_OPTIONS] --type-summary [type ...]
discover [DATA_OPTIONS] --data-path=path/to/data ... [--data-version=version] [--normalize-whitespace]
[--format=format string] [type | id ...]
DATA_OPTIONS
• -d | --disable-bus=bus
• -e | --enable-bus=bus
• --insert-url=url
• --append-url=url
• -v | --verbose
DISPLAY_OPTIONS
• --model | --no-model
• --model-id | --no-model-id
• --vendor | --no-vendor
• --vendor-id | --no-vendor-id
Description
discover provides an extensible hardware detection and reporting interface. Hardware information is
stored in an XML data format and can be retrieved across the network.
Fundamental modes of operation:
• Display a list of hardware devices based on type of device or system bus on which the devices
reside, via --type-summary or --bus-summary (the latter of which is the default behavior).
• Query specified data for attached hardware, via --data-path.
Options
-h | --help
Display a simple help message.
-v | --verbose
Instruct the tool to provide feedback as it operates. This will affect the output as discover
parses certain arguments, so this should appear early in the command line.
-V | --version
Display the tool name and version.
-b | --bus-summary
This is the default behavior: Display basic information regarding all devices on the
appropriate buses. See "Selecting Buses" >.
-t | --type-summary
Summarize devices by class of hardware. Examples of valid device types include broadband,
fixeddisk, display, and network. See "Device Types" >.
--data-path=path/to/data
Query matching devices for detailed information. Device-specific data is stored in a
hierarchical fashion, and the query argument comprises strings naming each level in that
hierarchy.
Typically, the top-level component of the data path will be the ``platform'' that will need the
information, such as linux or xfree86. For example, to retrieve the Linux kernel module name
for a piece of hardware, the --data-path argument would be linux/module/name.
If multiple --data-path arguments are given and no format string (see --format) is
provided, only the last path is used.
See also the --data-version argument.
--data-version=version
Specify a version string for the platform that will use the information specified by the
argument to --data-path.
This string must be in dotted-decimal notation in order to be matched against a range of
values, and thus may be shorter than the real version.
--format=format string
Dictate the output of the results of the queries specified by --data-path arguments. This
format string should follow printf(3) specifications, although only %s and appropriate flags,
precision, and width values are supported (or make sense); literal text and %% can
also be used. The behavior when the string is poorly formatted is undefined. See also
--normalize-whitespace.
-d | --disable-bus=bus
Use this option to override the list of buses to scan by default as defined in discover.conf.
Use all as an argument to disable all buses; this is useful only if followed by --enable-bus
(or -e) arguments.
-e | --enable-bus=bus
Specify a bus to be scanned.
--insert-url=url
Insert a URL at the head of the list of network resources to include in the search for hardware
information. Earlier data overrides later data; to override the local data sources, insert
URLs into the list. See also --append-url.
--append-url=url
Append a URL to the end of the list of network resources to search for hardware information.
See also --insert-url.
--model Include the model description in summary information. This is enabled by default.
--model-id
Include the numeric model identifier in summary information.
--no-model
Do not include the model description in summary information.
--no-model-id
Do not include the numeric model identifier in summary information. This is the default.
--vendor Include the vendor description in summary information. This is enabled by default.
--vendor-id
Include the numeric vendor identifier in summary information.
--no-vendor
Do not include the vendor description in summary information.
--no-vendor-id
Do not include the numeric vendor identifier in summary information. This is the default.
--normalize-whitespace
Consolidate whitespace in the results of a --data-path query. The default is not to do so,
which faithfully reproduces all text in the raw XML data.
With this option enabled, leading and trailing whitespace is removed, and any consecutive
internal whitespaces are compressed to a single space character.
Selecting Buses
discover.conf defines two lists of system buses: one to scan by default (used by the discover
command), and one never to scan (used by the Discover library).
You can override and/or extend the list of default buses with --disable-bus and --enable-bus. The list
of buses not to scan cannot be overridden without changing discover.conf, so that list should be used
only for buses that may be dangerous to probe.
Both arguments take the string ``all'' as a value.
If a bus summary is being performed, which is indicated either by the presence of --bus-summary or the
absence of --type-summary and --data-path, any unattached arguments on the command line will be
interpreted as the only buses to scan. This is equivalent to using --disable-bus all before invoking
--enable-bus for the buses of interest.
The following buses are currently supported by Discover:
• ata
• pci
• pcmcia
• scsi
• usb
Device Types
Discover defines its own device types, to which the device types used by each bus are mapped. Discover
currently recognizes the following device types:
• audio
A device capable of producing an analog or digital sound signal is an audio device. Typically,
any device commonly referred to as a ``sound card'' is classified by Discover as an audio
device.
• bridge
A device that provides access to devices of a different type, commonly on a different bus, is a
bridge device. For instance, consumer PCI chipsets often feature a bridge to ATA (also known
as IDE) devices.
• broadband
An interface device to a computer communications network implemented on top of a technology not
explicitly designed for that purpose is a broadband device. Examples include ISDN terminal
adapters as well as DSL and cable ``modems''; analog phone-line modems are not included in this
classification (see ``modem'' below).
• display
A device controlled by the host machine's CPU and capable of producing an analog or digital
video signal for output purposes is a display device. Typically, any device commonly referred
to as a ``video card'' is classified by Discover as a display device.
• fixeddisk
A high-speed, fixed magnetic storage device such as a hard disk drive is a fixeddisk device.
Removable media devices such as floppy disk drives, CD-ROM drives, magneto-optical devices,
tape drives, and Compact Flash card readers are not included in this classification.
• humaninput
A device that receives tactile input from a person for the purpose of directing a computer's
activity is a humaninput device. Examples include keyboards, mice, trackballs, joysticks,
gamepads, digital tablets manipulated with a stylus or finger, and so forth. Input devices
that rely upon non-tactile means of determining a person's intent, such as speech-recognition
devices or cameras, are not included in this classification.
• imaging
A device that captures still images for input purposes is an imaging device. Scanners and
digital cameras are examples of imaging devices. Motion-capture devices such as television
tuner cards, webcams, and digital video cameras are not included in this classification.
• miscellaneous
Any device that cannot logically be classified as another device type is a miscellaneous
device.
• modem
An analog phone-line modulator/demodulator (modem) is classified by Discover as a modem device.
No other kind of device is so classified.
• network
An interface device to a conventional computer data communications network that does not
require the use of a terminal adapter is a network device. For example, Ethernet and Token
Ring network interface cards are network devices. Analog phone-line modems; terminal adapters
for technologies such as ISDN and DSL; and ``cable modems'' are not ``network'' devices.
• optical
An optical-technology storage device, often using read-only media, is an optical device. By
far the most common examples of these devices are CD-ROM and DVD-ROM drives, including versions
of these drives that can ``burn'' (write to) optical discs.
• printer
A device that renders visual output in a permanent or semi-permanent manner to a physical
medium is a printer. Typically, any device colloquially referred to as a ``printer'' is also
classified by Discover as a printer.
• removabledisk
Storage devices that feature removable media using just about any technology except that of
magnetic tape, CD-ROM, and DVD-ROM drives are removabledisk devices. Examples include floppy
disk drives, magneto-optical drives, and Compact Flash card readers.
• tape
A sequential-access mass storage device using magnetic tape is a tape device. Commonly used
for archival and backup purposes, DAT drives are examples of tape devices.
• video
A device that produces a real-time digital video signal for input purposes is a video
device. Webcams, digital video cameras, and television tuners are examples of video devices.
Note that still digital cameras with ``movie'' capability are not considered video devices
unless they can transmit the live video signal to the host in real time.
Examples
Scan the local buses
# discover
Intel Corporation 82815 Chipset Host Bridge and Memory Controller Hub
unknown unknown
unknown unknown
unknown unknown
Intel Corporation 82815 Chipset IDE controller
Intel Corporation 82815 Chipset USB (A)
Intel Corporation 82815 System Management bus controller
ATI Technologies, Inc. Rage 128 Pro GL [PF]
3Com Corporation 3c905C-TX [Fast Etherlink]
Ensoniq ES1371 [AudioPCI-97]
unknown unknown
View PCI video cards
# discover -v --type-summary --disable-bus all --enable-bus pci display
Disabled pci
Disabled pcmcia
Disabled scsi
Disabled usb
Enabled pci
Loading XML data... pci Done
Scanning buses... pci Done
ATI Technologies, Inc. Rage 128 Pro GL [PF]
Query for the driver module for XFree86 server version 4.2.0
# discover --data-path=xfree86/server/device/driver --data-version=4.2.0 display
ati
Get model and vendor information by type
$ discover -t --no-model
Intel Corporation
NVIDIA Corporation
3Com Corporation
$ discover -t --no-vendor
82815 System Management bus controller
Vanta [NV6]
3c905C-TX [Fast Etherlink]
Files
/etc/discover.conf.d
The directory containing configuration files that control the default behavior for both the
discover tool and the Discover library.
file:///lib/discover/list.xml
An XML file containing URLs with hardware information. This list can be extended with --append-
url and --extend-url.
Authors
Josh Bressers, John R. Daily, and G. Branden Robinson developed the current implementation of Discover
for Progeny Linux Systems.
The Linux implementation of the system-dependent interfaces is derived from detect, by MandrakeSoft SA.
See Also
discover.conf(5), discover-modprobe(8)
discover(1)