Re: [PATCH 01/12] nvmem: imx-iim: use stack for nvmem_config instead of malloc'ing it

From: Masahiro Yamada
Date: Fri Oct 20 2017 - 10:27:22 EST


2017-10-20 22:54 GMT+09:00 Greg KH <gregkh@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>:
> On Fri, Oct 20, 2017 at 10:47:16PM +0900, Masahiro Yamada wrote:
>> Hi Greg,
>>
>> 2017-10-20 22:32 GMT+09:00 Greg KH <gregkh@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>:
>> > On Mon, Oct 09, 2017 at 03:26:30PM +0200, srinivas.kandagatla@xxxxxxxxxx wrote:
>> >> From: Masahiro Yamada <yamada.masahiro@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
>> >>
>> >> nvmem_register() copies all the members of nvmem_config to
>> >> nvmem_device. So, nvmem_config is one-time use data during
>> >> probing. There is no point to keep it until the driver detach.
>> >> Using stack should be no problem because nvmem_config is pretty
>> >> small.
>> >>
>> >> Signed-off-by: Masahiro Yamada <yamada.masahiro@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
>> >> Signed-off-by: Srinivas Kandagatla <srinivas.kandagatla@xxxxxxxxxx>
>> >> ---
>> >> drivers/nvmem/imx-iim.c | 27 ++++++++++++---------------
>> >> 1 file changed, 12 insertions(+), 15 deletions(-)
>> >>
>> >> diff --git a/drivers/nvmem/imx-iim.c b/drivers/nvmem/imx-iim.c
>> >> index 52ff65e0673f..a5992602709a 100644
>> >> --- a/drivers/nvmem/imx-iim.c
>> >> +++ b/drivers/nvmem/imx-iim.c
>> >> @@ -34,7 +34,6 @@ struct imx_iim_drvdata {
>> >> struct iim_priv {
>> >> void __iomem *base;
>> >> struct clk *clk;
>> >> - struct nvmem_config nvmem;
>> >> };
>> >>
>> >> static int imx_iim_read(void *context, unsigned int offset,
>> >> @@ -108,7 +107,7 @@ static int imx_iim_probe(struct platform_device *pdev)
>> >> struct resource *res;
>> >> struct iim_priv *iim;
>> >> struct nvmem_device *nvmem;
>> >> - struct nvmem_config *cfg;
>> >> + struct nvmem_config cfg = {};
>> >
>> > You do realize you are now not zeroing out this structure, and have to
>> > explicitly initialize all of the fields, right?
>>
>> Why?
>>
>> I am surely zeroing out the structure.
>>
>> Did you miss "= {};" in my code?
>
> Are you sure that does zero it out? I know we have had issues with this
> in the past...

Do you have a reference for that?

All members that are not specified in the initializer
are set to 0 (or NULL).

"git show c7836d1593b87cb813c58cf64e08b052ebbe2a78"
and do you agree that this is correct?


>> > What is the real problem with doing a dynamic allocation for this?
>> > Putting structures on the stack is a "bad idea" for all of the obvious
>> > reasons (small stack in the kernel, initialized data, lower layers
>> > expect it to be dma-able, etc.)
>>
>>
>> Why is this a problem?
>>
>> Did you really understand this patch?
>>
>> - This structure is very small.
>> struct uart_8250_port is five times bigger
>> and it is allocated in the stack and it is fine.
>>
>> - All data are initialized.
>>
>> - Why DMA?
>> Please do not exaggerate things by introducing unrelated topic.
>
> I just want you to realize the change, the initialized is the big thing.
>
> And keeping structures off of the stack is a good thing, if this is not
> a performance issue, I suggest keeping it as-is, right?
>

I do not see logical explanation in your comment.

The structure is initialized.
Other subsystem use stack for such a small structure.
Why is (devm_)kzalloc necessary?




--
Best Regards
Masahiro Yamada