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Building and Testing Your Extension

After creating the necessary property list and C or C++ source files, you use Project Builder to build your KEXT. Any errors in the source code are brought to your attention during the build and you are given the chance to edit your source files and try again.

To test your KEXT, however, you need to leave Project Builder and work in the Terminal application (or in console mode). In console mode, all system messages are written directly to your screen, as well as to a log file (/var/log/system.log). If you work in the Terminal application, you must view system messages in the log file or in the Console application.You also need to log in to the root account (or use the su or sudo command), since only the root account can load kernel extensions.

When testing your KEXT, you can load and unload it manually, as well as check the load status. You can use the kextload command to load any KEXT. A manual page for kextload is included in Mac OS X. (On Mac OS X prior to 10.2, you must use the kmodload command instead.)

Note that this command is useful only when developing a KEXT. Eventually, after it has been tested and debugged, you install your KEXT in one of the standard places (see “Installed KEXTs” for details). Then, it will be loaded and unloaded automatically at system startup and shutdown or whenever it is needed (such as when a new device is detected).

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