Re: [Outreachy kernel] [PATCH 4/4] staging: rtl8723bs: Change the type and use of a variable

From: Greg KH
Date: Sat Apr 10 2021 - 07:33:37 EST


On Sat, Apr 10, 2021 at 01:23:21PM +0200, Fabio M. De Francesco wrote:
> On Saturday, April 10, 2021 1:03:34 PM CEST Greg KH wrote:
> > On Sat, Apr 10, 2021 at 12:58:06PM +0200, Fabio M. De Francesco wrote:
> > > On Saturday, April 10, 2021 12:31:27 PM CEST Greg KH wrote:
> > > > On Sat, Apr 10, 2021 at 11:56:48AM +0200, Fabio M. De Francesco
> wrote:
> > > > > On Saturday, April 10, 2021 11:31:16 AM CEST Greg KH wrote:
> > > > > > On Sat, Apr 10, 2021 at 11:22:32AM +0200, Fabio M. De Francesco
> > >
> > > wrote:
> > > > > > > Change the type of fw_current_in_ps_mode from u8 to bool,
> > > > > > > because
> > > > > > > it is used everywhere as a bool and, accordingly, it should be
> > > > > > > declared as a bool. Shorten the controlling
> > > > > > > expression of an 'if' statement.
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > Signed-off-by: Fabio M. De Francesco <fmdefrancesco@xxxxxxxxx>
> > > > > > > ---
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > drivers/staging/rtl8723bs/hal/hal_intf.c | 2 +-
> > > > > > > drivers/staging/rtl8723bs/include/rtw_pwrctrl.h | 2 +-
> > > > > > > 2 files changed, 2 insertions(+), 2 deletions(-)
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > diff --git a/drivers/staging/rtl8723bs/hal/hal_intf.c
> > > > > > > b/drivers/staging/rtl8723bs/hal/hal_intf.c index
> > > > > > > 96fe172ced8d..8dc4dd8c6d4c 100644
> > > > > > > --- a/drivers/staging/rtl8723bs/hal/hal_intf.c
> > > > > > > +++ b/drivers/staging/rtl8723bs/hal/hal_intf.c
> > > > > > > @@ -348,7 +348,7 @@ void rtw_hal_dm_watchdog(struct adapter
> > > > > > > *padapter)
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > void rtw_hal_dm_watchdog_in_lps(struct adapter *padapter)
> > > > > > > {
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > - if (adapter_to_pwrctl(padapter)->fw_current_in_ps_mode ==
> > >
> > > true)
> > >
> > > > > {
> > > > >
> > > > > > > + if (adapter_to_pwrctl(padapter)->fw_current_in_ps_mode) {
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > if (padapter->HalFunc.hal_dm_watchdog_in_lps)
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > padapter-
> > > > > >
> > > > > >HalFunc.hal_dm_watchdog_in_lps(padapter); /* this
> > > > > >
> > > > > > > function caller is in interrupt
> context
> > > > >
> > > > > */>
> > > > >
> > > > > > > }
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > diff --git a/drivers/staging/rtl8723bs/include/rtw_pwrctrl.h
> > > > > > > b/drivers/staging/rtl8723bs/include/rtw_pwrctrl.h index
> > > > > > > 0a48f1653be5..0767dbb84199 100644
> > > > > > > --- a/drivers/staging/rtl8723bs/include/rtw_pwrctrl.h
> > > > > > > +++ b/drivers/staging/rtl8723bs/include/rtw_pwrctrl.h
> > > > > > > @@ -203,7 +203,7 @@ struct pwrctrl_priv {
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > u8 LpsIdleCount;
> > > > > > > u8 power_mgnt;
> > > > > > > u8 org_power_mgnt;
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > - u8 fw_current_in_ps_mode;
> > > > > > > + bool fw_current_in_ps_mode;
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > unsigned long DelayLPSLastTimeStamp;
> > > > > > > s32 pnp_current_pwr_state;
> > > > > > > u8 pnp_bstop_trx;
> > > > > >
> > > > > > If this is only checked, how can it ever be true? Who ever sets
> > > > > > this
> > > > > > value?
> > > > >
> > > > > You're right. It is not set, therefore the "if" control expression
> > > > > cannot ever be "true".
> > > > >
> > > > > Can I delete this statement in a new patch? Or you prefer I send
> > > > > the
> > > > > whole series again with this change in patch 4/4?
> > > >
> > > > Just delete the variable from the structure entirely and when it is
> > > > used.
> > >
> > > I've read the code of the function whom that 'if' statement belongs to.
> > > This function takes a pointer whose name is 'padapter' and this is has
> > > global scope. I think that since fw_current_in_ps_mode is dereferenced
> > > by the function adapter_to_pwrctl(padapter) it can and is indeed
> > > initialized and modified in some other files of the driver.
> >
> > Where does that happen, and why did the build not break when you changed
> > the variable name?
> >
> The build didn't break because I changed the name of that variable
> everywhere it is used in the driver. This patch is against all the affected
> files of each subdirectory of staging/rtl8723bs.

Right, and as you only had to change it in one place, that tested if
that variable was set to a specific value, and there is no code that
actually sets the variable, it seems like that variable is not ever used
and can be removed.

> > Is the whole variable assigned to a specific
> > location in memory in the device? Where is it initialized?
> >
> That variable has global scope and is assigned at least in:
>
> drivers/staging/rtl8723bs/core/rtw_pwrctrl.c:368:
> pwrpriv->fw_current_in_ps_mode = false;
>
> drivers/staging/rtl8723bs/core/rtw_pwrctrl.c:380:
> pwrpriv->fw_current_in_ps_mode = true;
>
> drivers/staging/rtl8723bs/hal/rtl8723b_hal_init.c:433:
> adapter_to_pwrctl(padapter)->fw_current_in_ps_mode = false;
>
> drivers/staging/rtl8723bs/core/rtw_pwrctrl.c:981:
> pwrctrlpriv->fw_current_in_ps_mode = false;

But you are only changing 2 files in this patch:

> > > > > > > drivers/staging/rtl8723bs/hal/hal_intf.c | 2 +-
> > > > > > > drivers/staging/rtl8723bs/include/rtw_pwrctrl.h | 2 +-

Ah, you are only changing the type, not the name. That's the confusion
on my part.

Was the code setting a u8 to "true/false"? Ugh, what a mess...

thanks,

greg k-h