Re: [PATCH v2] tracing: Make is_signed_type() compatible with sparse

[Bart Van Assche]

On 9/1/26 11:45 AM, Linus Torvalds wrote:
> I think we should fix this in sparse, not in the kernel.
>
> There is no reason for "is this a signed type" to be that complicated,
> and add that kind of nasty code in a header that is this fundamental
> to the kernel and gets included in every single file that gets
> compiled.
>
> Basic rule: sparse should never make the kernel worse.

Hi Linus,

Four years ago the following sparse change was proposed:

 static int restricted_value(struct expression *v, struct symbol *type)
 {
-       if (v->type == EXPR_CAST)
+       if (v->type == EXPR_CAST || v->type == EXPR_FORCE_CAST)
                v = v->cast_expression;

Source: 
https://lore.kernel.org/all/CAHk-=wjQGnVfb4jehFR0XyZikdQvCZouE96xR_nnf5kqaM5qqQ@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx/

Is that change still considered the best fix for sparse? If so, who can
apply that change to the sparse code base?

Thanks,

Bart.