Re: [PATCH v1] fs/ext4/xattr: check the return value of ext4_xattr_inode_dec_ref()

From: Ojaswin Mujoo
Date: Sat Sep 10 2022 - 05:56:01 EST


On Thu, Sep 08, 2022 at 09:47:27PM -0700, Li Zhong wrote:
> Check the return value of ext4_xattr_inode_dec_ref(), which could return
> error code and need to be warned.
>
> Signed-off-by: Li Zhong <floridsleeves@xxxxxxxxx>
> ---
> fs/ext4/xattr.c | 4 +++-
> 1 file changed, 3 insertions(+), 1 deletion(-)
>
> diff --git a/fs/ext4/xattr.c b/fs/ext4/xattr.c
> index 533216e80fa2..76141ed12bc2 100644
> --- a/fs/ext4/xattr.c
> +++ b/fs/ext4/xattr.c
> @@ -1540,7 +1540,9 @@ static int ext4_xattr_inode_lookup_create(handle_t *handle, struct inode *inode,
>
> err = ext4_xattr_inode_write(handle, ea_inode, value, value_len);
> if (err) {
> - ext4_xattr_inode_dec_ref(handle, ea_inode);
> + err = ext4_xattr_inode_dec_ref(handle, ea_inode);
Hey Li,

My only concern here is in case ext4_xattr_inode_dec_ref() fails, we
overwrite the err value and the actual err from ext4_xattr_inode_write()
is lost.

I feel the ext4_xattr_inode_write() error code would be more valuable
for the calling function hence that is the one we should propogate.
Maybe we can just print the warning without overwriting err?

Regards,
Ojaswin
> + if (err)
> + ext4_warning_inode(ea_inode, "cleanup dec ref error %d", err);
> iput(ea_inode);
> return err;
> }
> --
> 2.25.1
>