Re: [PATCH] lib: add module unload support to sort tests

[Randy Dunlap]

On 12/19/17 14:51, Andrew Morton wrote:
> On Tue, 19 Dec 2017 23:10:00 +0530 Pravin Shedge <pravin.shedge4linux@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> 
>>>
>>> If so, why do you think we shiould alter lib/test_sort.c to behave in
>>> this atypical fashion?
>>
>> If test case is going affects only at boot time or at module load
>> time, it's smart decision to unload module
>> automatically on successful completion.
> 
> OK.
> 
> I think it does make sense for a lib/text_*.ko type module to unload
> itself after successful completion of the test.  However:
> 
> - returning a fake error code from the module's module_init() is a
>   daft way of doing that.  We should find a way to let the
>   module_init() handler tell do_init_module() "I succeeded, but please
>   unload me anyway".  So the initial sys_init_module() call doesn't say
>   "it failed".  Could create a new, kernel-internal errno for this and
>   have do_init_module() rewrite that to 0.
> 
>   Maybe.  A sys_init_module() caller's expectation is that if the
>   syscall succeeded then the module is now loaded.
> 
>   Well.  Except for the test_*.ko modules, which are special.
> 
> - Changing any test module so that it now auto-unloads on success is
>   a non-back-compat change.  The practical effect of which will be very
>   minor: a subsequent rmmod finds that the module isn't there.
> 
> I'm not sure what to do, really.  Does any of this matter much at all?

Nope.  But I would merge this patch that returns fake-error so that
the module doesn't remain loaded, similar to what some others also do.

I don't think it's worth a new return value for success_but_unload_me.


-- 
~Randy