Re: [Patch] dma_sync_to_device

From: David S. Miller
Date: Wed Feb 11 2004 - 14:32:54 EST


On Wed, 11 Feb 2004 12:23:19 -0700
Matt Porter <mporter@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

> On Wed, Feb 11, 2004 at 10:30:56AM -0800, David S. Miller wrote:
> > 1) pci_map_single(), device DMA's from the buffer.
> >
> > 2) pci_dma_sync_single(). Cpu writes some new command or
> > status flag into the buffer.
> >
> > 3) pci_dma_sync_to_device_single(), now device is asked to DMA from the buffer
> > again.
>
> Actually, not yet. Is it not possible for MIPS to determine the correct
> cache operation to use if step #3 used a pci_dma_sync_single() with a
> TO_DEVICE direction?

It should do a writeback of dirty data from the cpu cache, so that the device
may see it after pci_dma_sync_to_device_single() completes.

> I'm guessing that MIPS must have some kind of bridge cache in order to
> require the pci_dma_sync_to_device_single() if I'm starting to follow
> this.

Some platforms do, some don't. Sparc64 has PCI controller DMA caches but it's
cpu caches are fully coherent, for example. On such a platform this new interface
is going to be a NOP, but on things like MIPS it will not be.

-
To unsubscribe from this list: send the line "unsubscribe linux-kernel" in
the body of a message to majordomo@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
More majordomo info at http://vger.kernel.org/majordomo-info.html
Please read the FAQ at http://www.tux.org/lkml/