[PATCH net 3/3] ptp: document behavior of PTP_STRICT_FLAGS

From: Jacob Keller

Date: Thu Sep 18 2025 - 20:34:21 EST


Commit 6138e687c7b6 ("ptp: Introduce strict checking of external time stamp
options.") added the PTP_STRICT_FLAGS to the set of flags supported for the
external timestamp request ioctl.

It is only supported by PTP_EXTTS_REQUEST2, as it was introduced the
introduction of the new ioctls. Further, the kernel has always set this
flag for PTP_EXTTS_REQUEST2 regardless of whether or not the user requested
the behavior.

This effectively means that the flag is not useful for userspace. If the
user issues a PTP_EXTTS_REQUEST ioctl, the flag is ignored due to not being
supported on the old ioctl. If the user issues a PTP_EXTTS_REQUEST2 ioctl,
the flag will be set by the kernel regardless of whether the user set the
flag in their structure.

Add a comment documenting this behavior in the uAPI header file.

Signed-off-by: Jacob Keller <jacob.e.keller@xxxxxxxxx>
---
include/uapi/linux/ptp_clock.h | 3 +++
1 file changed, 3 insertions(+)

diff --git a/include/uapi/linux/ptp_clock.h b/include/uapi/linux/ptp_clock.h
index 18eefa6d93d6..2c3346e91dbe 100644
--- a/include/uapi/linux/ptp_clock.h
+++ b/include/uapi/linux/ptp_clock.h
@@ -37,6 +37,9 @@

/*
* flag fields valid for the new PTP_EXTTS_REQUEST2 ioctl.
+ *
+ * Note: PTP_STRICT_FLAGS is always enabled by the kernel for
+ * PTP_EXTTS_REQUEST2 regardless of whether it is set by userspace.
*/
#define PTP_EXTTS_VALID_FLAGS (PTP_ENABLE_FEATURE | \
PTP_RISING_EDGE | \

--
2.51.0.rc1.197.g6d975e95c9d7