Re: [PATCH v5] proc/sysctl: add shared variables for range check

From: Aaron Tomlin
Date: Thu May 23 2019 - 04:07:58 EST


On Tue 2019-04-30 20:01 +0200, Matteo Croce wrote:
> In the sysctl code the proc_dointvec_minmax() function is often used to
> validate the user supplied value between an allowed range. This function
> uses the extra1 and extra2 members from struct ctl_table as minimum and
> maximum allowed value.
>
> On sysctl handler declaration, in every source file there are some readonly
> variables containing just an integer which address is assigned to the
> extra1 and extra2 members, so the sysctl range is enforced.
>
> The special values 0, 1 and INT_MAX are very often used as range boundary,
> leading duplication of variables like zero=0, one=1, int_max=INT_MAX in
> different source files:
>
> $ git grep -E '\.extra[12].*&(zero|one|int_max)\b' |wc -l
> 248
>
> Add a const int array containing the most commonly used values,
> some macros to refer more easily to the correct array member,
> and use them instead of creating a local one for every object file.
>
> This is the bloat-o-meter output comparing the old and new binary
> compiled with the default Fedora config:
>
> # scripts/bloat-o-meter -d vmlinux.o.old vmlinux.o
> add/remove: 2/2 grow/shrink: 0/2 up/down: 24/-188 (-164)
> Data old new delta
> sysctl_vals - 12 +12
> __kstrtab_sysctl_vals - 12 +12
> max 14 10 -4
> int_max 16 - -16
> one 68 - -68
> zero 128 28 -100
> Total: Before=20583249, After=20583085, chg -0.00%
>
> Signed-off-by: Matteo Croce <mcroce@xxxxxxxxxx>
> ---

Nice idea.

Reviewed-by: Aaron Tomlin <atomlin@xxxxxxxxxx>

--
Aaron Tomlin