Re: [RFC PATCH 0/4] ftrace: Add use of -mfentry for x86_64

From: Ingo Molnar
Date: Mon Aug 13 2012 - 04:42:46 EST



* H. Peter Anvin <hpa@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:

> On 08/07/2012 12:38 PM, Steven Rostedt wrote:
> >
> >This is an RFC patch set that makes gcc use the -mfentry option with
> >-pg. This will set the ftrace 'hook' to the beginning of the function
> >and also remove the requirement that -pg enables frame pointers.
> >
> >This has a couple of benefits (and probably more).
> >
> >1) removal of the frame pointer requirement makes for smaller and faster code.
> >
> >2) Having the function trace hook at the beginning of the function instead
> > of after the frame is set up, gives the function tracing callbacks access
> > to the parameters. This means that kprobes can take advantage of this.
> > When a kprobe is set on top of a ftrace hook (nop), it will automatically
> > use the function tracing callback. This makes it into an 'optimized' probe
> > as there's no need to hit a breakpoint and trigger the probe that way.
> > The function tracing code can do the work for it. Note, optimized probes
> > are only allowed with !PREEMPT, but a ftrace optimize probe is allowed
> > in any context (another benefit).
> >
> >This only implements fentry for x86_64.
> >
>
> Acked-by: H. Peter Anvin <hpa@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>

Acked-by: Ingo Molnar <mingo@xxxxxxxxxx>

Nice feature!

Thanks,

Ingo
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