Re: [PATCH 1/1] pagemap clear_refs: modify to specify anon or mappedvma clearing

[David Rientjes]

On Mon, 27 Jul 2009, Moussa Ba wrote:

> > clear_refs currently accepts any non-zero value, so it's possible that
> > this will break user scripts that, for whatever reason, write '2' or '3'.
> > I think that's acceptable, but it would be helpful to make all other
> > values a no-op similar to drop_caches at this point to avoid the potential
> > for breakage if this is ever extended any further.
> >

In your latest post, I see you implemented this in 
clear_refs_walk_vma_area() by checking for
CLEAR_REFS_ALL > type > CLEAR_REFS_MAPPED.  Thanks!  Don't forget to 
update Documentation/filesystems/proc.txt to specify that.

> >> Selective clearing the pages has a measurable impact on performance as it
> >> limits the number of page walks.  We have been using this interface and  this
> >> adds flexibility to the user user space application implementing the reference
> >> clearing.
> >>
> >> Signed-off-by: Jared Hulbert (jaredeh@xxxxxxxxx)
> >> Signed-off-by: Moussa A. Ba (moussa.a.ba@xxxxxxxxx)
> >
> > Email addresses in < > braces, please.
> >
> > The first sign-off line normally indicates who wrote the patch, but your
> > submission lacks a From: line, so git would indicate you wrote it.  If
> > that's incorrect, please add a From: line as described in
> > Documentation/SubmittingPatches.  If it's correct, please reorder your
> > sign-off lines.
> >
> I will reorder the sign-off lines

Ok, that removes the ambiguity concerning authorship, thanks.

> >> -------
> >> Documentation/filesystems/proc.txt |    7 +++++++
> >> fs/proc/task_mmu.c                 |   29 +++++++++++++++++++++++++----
> >> 2 files changed, 32 insertions(+), 4 deletions(-)
> >>
> >> --- a/fs/proc/task_mmu.c      2009-07-21 14:30:01.000000000 -0700
> >> +++ b/fs/proc/task_mmu.c      2009-07-27 11:46:05.000000000 -0700
> >> @@ -462,6 +462,27 @@
> >>       return 0;
> >>  }
> >>
> >> +static void walk_vma_area(struct mm_walk *this_walk,
> >> +                       struct vm_area_struct *vma, int type)
> >> +{
> >
> > This is a very generic name for something that is only applicable to
> > clear_refs, so please name it accordingly.  This will also avoid having to
> > pass the struct mm_walk * in since its only user is clear_refs_walk.
> >
> Done.
> >> +
> >> +     /* Writing 2 to /proc/pid/clear_refs will clear all Anonymous
> >> +      * pages.
> >> +      *
> >> +      * Writing 3 to /proc/pid/clear_refs will clear all file mapped
> >> +      * pages.
> >> +      *
> >> +      * Writing any other value including 1 will clear all pages
> >> +      */
> >
> > Documentation/CodingStyle would suggest this format:
> >
> >        /*
> >         * Multi-line kernel comments always start ..
> >         * with an empty first line.
> >         */
> >
> Done.
> >> +     if (is_vm_hugetlb_page(vma))
> >> +             return;
> >> +     if (type == 2 && vma->vm_file)
> >> +             return;
> >> +     if (type == 3 && !vma->vm_file)
> >> +             return;
> >> +     walk_page_range(vma->vm_start, vma->vm_end, this_walk);
> >> +}
> >
> > K&R would suggest #define's (or enums) for those hard-coded values.  I
> > think that's already been suggested for this patch, actually.
> >
> 
> Would this be acceptable?
> 
> enum clear_refs_walk_type {
> 	CLEAR_REFS_ALL 	= 1,
> 	CLEAR_REFS_ANON = 2,
> 	CLEAR_REFS_MAPPED = 3
> };
> 

#define seems more appropriate for this particular use case.  We simply 
try to avoid hard-coded integers in source code (rationale: K&R).

> static void clear_refs_walk_vma_area(struct mm_walk *this_walk,
> 			  struct vm_area_struct *vma, enum clear_refs_walk_type type)
> {

Ddi you consider my suggestion of dropping the struct mm_walk * formal 
since this is now a clear_refs-specific function?  walk_page_range() will 
always take clear_refs_walk, there's no need to pass it in.

> 
> 	/*
> 	 * Writing 1 to /proc/pid/clear_refs clears all pages.
> 	 * Writing 2 to /proc/pid/clear_refs clears Anonymous pages.
> 	 * Writing 3 to /proc/pid/clear_refs clears file mapped pages.
> 	 */
> 	if (type < CLEAR_REFS_ALL || type > CLEAR_REFS_MAPPED)
> 		return;
> 	if (is_vm_hugetlb_page(vma))
> 		return;
> 	if (type == CLEAR_REFS_ANON && vma->vm_file)
> 		return;
> 	if (type == CLEAR_REFS_MAPPED && !vma->vm_file)
> 		return;
> 	walk_page_range(vma->vm_start, vma->vm_end, this_walk);
> }
> 
> 
> >> +
> >>  static ssize_t clear_refs_write(struct file *file, const char __user * buf,
> >>                               size_t count, loff_t * ppos)
> >>  {
> >> @@ -469,13 +490,15 @@
> >>       char buffer[PROC_NUMBUF], *end;
> >>       struct mm_struct *mm;
> >>       struct vm_area_struct *vma;
> >> +     int type;
> >>
> >>       memset(buffer, 0, sizeof(buffer));
> >>       if (count > sizeof(buffer) - 1)
> >>               count = sizeof(buffer) - 1;
> >>       if (copy_from_user(buffer, buf, count))
> >>               return -EFAULT;
> >> -     if (!simple_strtol(buffer, &end, 0))
> >> +     type = strict_strtol(buffer, &end, 0);
> >> +     if (!type)
> >>               return -EINVAL;
> >>       if (*end == '\n')
> >>               end++;
> >> @@ -491,9 +514,7 @@
> >>               down_read(&mm->mmap_sem);
> >>               for (vma = mm->mmap; vma; vma = vma->vm_next) {
> >>                       clear_refs_walk.private = vma;
> >> -                     if (!is_vm_hugetlb_page(vma))
> >> -                             walk_page_range(vma->vm_start, vma->vm_end,
> >> -                                             &clear_refs_walk);
> >> +                     walk_vma_area(&clear_refs_walk, vma, type);
> >>               }
> >>               flush_tlb_mm(mm);
> >>               up_read(&mm->mmap_sem);
> >> --- a/Documentation/filesystems/proc.txt      2009-07-20 17:29:11.000000000
> >> -0700
> >> +++ b/Documentation/filesystems/proc.txt      2009-07-27 12:08:34.000000000
> >> -0700
> >> @@ -375,6 +375,13 @@
> >>  This file is only present if the CONFIG_MMU kernel configuration option is
> >>  enabled.
> >>
> >> +The clear_refs entry is used to reset the Referenced bits on virtual and physical
> >> +pages associated with a process.
> >> +echo 1 > /proc/PID/clear_refs clears all pages associated with the process
> >> +echo 2 > /proc/PID/clear_refs clears anonymous pages only
> >> +echo 3 > /proc/PID/clear_refs clears file mapped pages only
> >> +Any other value written to the proc entry will clear all pages.
> >> +
> >
> > Please follow the format in this document for how other /proc/PID/*
> > entries are described.
> >
> > That format could really be improved here, perhaps you could clean
> > proc.txt up a little bit while you're here?
> >
> >
> 
> I am not sure what you mean by "clean" proc.txt, I did not detect much
> formatting in the PID proc enries description, beyond what I rewrote
> below:
> 

Right, the file is pretty sloppy, so I was wondering if you wanted to take 
the time to clean it up a little so there's a more consistent style.

> 
> The /proc/PID/clear_refs is used to reset the Referenced bits on virtual and

Probably better to say PG_referenced instead of Referenced.

> physical pages associated with a process.
> To clear all pages associated with the process
>     > echo 1 > /proc/PID/clear_refs
> 
> To clear all anonymous pages associated with the process
>     > echo 2 > /proc/PID/clear_refs
> 
> To clear all file mapped pages associated with the process
>     > echo 3 > /proc/PID/clear_refs
> Any other value written to /proc/PID/clear_refs will have no effect.
> 

You should probably say these all clear the bit instead of saying they 
"clear pages," which doesn't make a lot of sense.