Not able to compile C program which is including <linux/leds.h> - linux

Question

I am trying to compile my led wrapper function program file with including linux/leds.h
using including kernel space header files
gcc -I /usr/src/linux-headers-3.13.0-44-generic/include/ example.c
by compiling it flooded the console with errors in many headers file those are depended on leds.h. Can any one please help me to compile this C file which is using kernel space header files in user space.
Thanks in advance. :)

Answer 1

This won't work.
First of all, don't use kernel-mode headers in user-mode programs, except for the (processed?) ones provided for userspace after kernel compilation. Kernel-mode headers depend on the kernel build system to work.
I tried this, just for curiosity, although I did already knew why it won't work (tl;dr, I use the Ubuntu-patched 3.13.0-24 kernel):
$ cd /usr/src/linux-headers-3.13.0-24/
$ echo '#include <linux/leds.h>' | gcc -E -x c -o - - -Iinclude
The preprocessor claims that <asm/linkage.h> is missing, and, correct me if I'm wrong, that header is generated by the kernel build system.
If you want, you can solve this by creating a kernel module that uses <linux/leds.h> et al, then export a userspace API through the module (usually done through /proc or /sys) and use that API to implement your usermode code's logic.
Hope this helps!

Answer 2

Thanks KemyLand, You were right that we can not use kernel space header file in user space. But your approach couldn't work for me. firstly it asked for asm/linkage.h, i included the path of it explicitly but again compilation terminated on another header file and i did same. But at last i blocked on some errors in headers files, which were not expected as i didn't make any changes in those files. but finally i got the solution. basically we have to do Interfacing functions between kernel space and the hardware device. I had to generate make file for it. obj-m :=file_name.o and compiled it by following command make -C /usr/src/linux-headers-3.13.0-44-generic/ -C /usr/include/ M=pwd modules it generated 4 files file_name.mod.o , file_name.o, file_name.ko, file_name.mod.c. and then loaded the module as root by insmod file_name.ko. for checking the loaded module type command lsmod. I can also execute it by typing command insmod ./file_name.o or can remove by rmmod file_name