[PATCH 1/2] list.h: add debug version of list_empty

From: Phil Carmody
Date: Tue Mar 15 2011 - 09:14:30 EST


Heed the notice in list_del: "Note: list_empty() on entry does not
return true after this, the entry is in an undefined state.", and
check for precisely that condition.

There are currently a few instances in the code of this sequence:
if(!list_empty(pnode))
list_del(pnode);
which seems to be useless or dangerous if intended to protect from
repeated del's. And given that I've seen an oops pointing to a
dereference of poison in such a list_empty, I'm veering towards
dangerous. This patch would make such errors obvious.

Nothing is changed in the non-DEBUG_LIST build.

Signed-off-by: Phil Carmody <ext-phil.2.carmody@xxxxxxxxx>
---
include/linux/list.h | 4 ++++
lib/list_debug.c | 18 ++++++++++++++++++
2 files changed, 22 insertions(+), 0 deletions(-)

diff --git a/include/linux/list.h b/include/linux/list.h
index 3a54266..59bebd1 100644
--- a/include/linux/list.h
+++ b/include/linux/list.h
@@ -183,10 +183,14 @@ static inline int list_is_last(const struct list_head *list,
* list_empty - tests whether a list is empty
* @head: the list to test.
*/
+#ifndef CONFIG_DEBUG_LIST
static inline int list_empty(const struct list_head *head)
{
return head->next == head;
}
+#else
+extern int list_empty(const struct list_head *head);
+#endif

/**
* list_empty_careful - tests whether a list is empty and not being modified
diff --git a/lib/list_debug.c b/lib/list_debug.c
index b8029a5..aaba728 100644
--- a/lib/list_debug.c
+++ b/lib/list_debug.c
@@ -73,3 +73,21 @@ void list_del(struct list_head *entry)
entry->prev = LIST_POISON2;
}
EXPORT_SYMBOL(list_del);
+
+/**
+ * list_empty - tests whether a list is empty
+ * @head: the list to test.
+ */
+int list_empty(const struct list_head *head)
+{
+ if ((head->prev == LIST_POISON2) || (head->prev == LIST_POISON1))
+ WARN(1, "list_empty performed on a node "
+ "at %p removed from a list.\n", head);
+ else
+ WARN((head->prev == head) != (head->next == head),
+ "list_empty corruption. %p<-%p->%p is half-empty.\n",
+ head->prev, head, head->next);
+
+ return head->next == head;
+}
+EXPORT_SYMBOL(list_empty);
--
1.7.2.rc1.37.gf8c40

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