Re: [Xen-merge] [patch] SMP alternatives for i386

From: Zachary Amsden
Date: Tue Dec 13 2005 - 10:36:07 EST


Gerd Knorr wrote:

+#ifdef CONFIG_SMP
+#define alternative_smp(smpinstr, upinstr, args...) \
+ asm volatile ("661:\n\t" smpinstr "\n662:\n" \
+ ".section .smp_altinstructions,\"a\"\n" \
+ " .align 4\n" \
+ " .long 661b\n" /* label */ \
+ " .long 663f\n" /* new instruction */ \
+ " .byte 0x68\n" /* X86_FEATURE_UP */ \
+ " .byte 662b-661b\n" /* sourcelen */ \
+ " .byte 664f-663f\n" /* replacementlen */ \
+ ".previous\n" \
+ ".section .smp_altinstr_replacement,\"awx\"\n" \
+ "663:\n\t" upinstr "\n" /* replacement */ \
+ "664:\n\t.fill 662b-661b,1,0x42\n" /* space for original */ \
+ ".previous" : args)
+
+#define LOCK_PREFIX \
+ ".section .smp_locks,\"a\"\n" \
+ " .align 4\n" \
+ " .long 661f\n" /* address */ \
+ ".previous\n" \
+ "661:\n\tlock; "
+
+#else /* ! CONFIG_SMP */
+#define alternative_smp(smpinstr, upinstr, args...) \
+ asm volatile (upinstr : args)
+#define LOCK_PREFIX ""
+#endif
+
+#endif /* _I386_ALTERNATIVE_H */




Overall technically, I like this patch. Philosophically, I agree with it as well - but might I strongly suggest that you avoid the .section .previous directives and use the nestable .pushsection, .popsection instead? We are almost to the complexity point with fault handling and alternatives that we will need nested section overrides.

Zach
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