Re: [PATCH printk v2 25/38] proc: consoles: document console_lock usage

From: Petr Mladek
Date: Tue Oct 25 2022 - 10:40:18 EST


On Wed 2022-10-19 17:01:47, John Ogness wrote:
> The console_lock is held throughout the start/show/stop procedure
> to print out device/driver information about all registered
> consoles. Since the console_lock is being used for multiple reasons,
> explicitly document these reasons. This will be useful when the
> console_lock is split into fine-grained locking.
>
> Signed-off-by: John Ogness <john.ogness@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> ---
> fs/proc/consoles.c | 8 ++++++++
> 1 file changed, 8 insertions(+)
>
> diff --git a/fs/proc/consoles.c b/fs/proc/consoles.c
> index cf2e0788f9c7..32512b477605 100644
> --- a/fs/proc/consoles.c
> +++ b/fs/proc/consoles.c
> @@ -63,6 +63,14 @@ static void *c_start(struct seq_file *m, loff_t *pos)
> struct console *con;
> loff_t off = 0;
>
> + /*
> + * Stop console printing because the device() callback may
> + * assume the console is not within its write() callback.

Like in previous patches, I would prefer to add more information
about this dependency. An example or if it is just to stay
on the safe side.

> + *
> + * Hold the console_lock to guarantee safe traversal of the
> + * console list. SRCU cannot be used because there is no
> + * place to store the SRCU cookie.

It might be possible to crate a custom struct for passing both
the next struct console and SRCU cookie. But it probably
is not worth it.

> + */
> console_lock();
> for_each_console(con)
> if (off++ == *pos)

Best Regards,
Petr