2017-09-07 00:18:03

by Joel Fernandes

[permalink] [raw]
Subject: [PATCH RFC v4 0/3] tracing: Add trace events for preemption and irq disable/enable.

These patches add trace events support for preempt and irq disable/enable
events.

Changes since v3 (link [1]):
Previously the patch series used the terms "critical section" but Peter
suggested that this name is confusing due to ambiguity, so I dropped calling it
that in this series. See discussion in [1]. I also dropped the "preemptirq"
combined event (which behaves similar to the preemptirqsoff tracer) for now and
will keep that for a later patch once we can get this foundation series in.

Here's an example of how Android's systrace will be using it to show atomic
sections as a gantt chart: http://imgur.com/download/TZplEVp

I also added a slightly unrelated fix for a config option (patch 3/3).

[1] https://patchwork.kernel.org/patch/9936045/

Joel Fernandes (3):
trace/irqsoff: Prepare to add preempt and irq trace events
trace: Add support for preempt and irq enable/disable events
ftrace: Use correct config option for preemption debug

include/linux/ftrace.h | 7 +-
include/linux/irqflags.h | 4 +-
include/trace/events/preemptirq.h | 62 +++++++++++++
kernel/trace/Kconfig | 9 ++
kernel/trace/Makefile | 1 +
kernel/trace/trace_irqsoff.c | 178 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++-------
6 files changed, 226 insertions(+), 35 deletions(-)
create mode 100644 include/trace/events/preemptirq.h

Cc: Steven Rostedt <[email protected]>
Cc: Peter Zijlstra <[email protected]>
Cc: [email protected]
--
2.14.1.581.gf28d330327-goog


2017-09-07 00:18:14

by Joel Fernandes

[permalink] [raw]
Subject: [PATCH RFC v4 1/3] tracing/irqsoff: Prepare to add preempt and irq trace events

In preparation of adding irqsoff and preemptsoff enable and disable trace
events, move required functions and code to make it easier to add these events
in a later patch. This patch is just code movement and adding a few wrappers,
no functional change.

Cc: Steven Rostedt <[email protected]>
Cc: Peter Zijlstra <[email protected]>
Cc: [email protected]
Signed-off-by: Joel Fernandes <[email protected]>
---
kernel/trace/trace_irqsoff.c | 123 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++-----------
1 file changed, 93 insertions(+), 30 deletions(-)

diff --git a/kernel/trace/trace_irqsoff.c b/kernel/trace/trace_irqsoff.c
index 7758bc0617cb..38d65a0535e0 100644
--- a/kernel/trace/trace_irqsoff.c
+++ b/kernel/trace/trace_irqsoff.c
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@

#include "trace.h"

+#if defined(CONFIG_IRQSOFF_TRACER) || defined(CONFIG_PREEMPT_TRACER)
static struct trace_array *irqsoff_trace __read_mostly;
static int tracer_enabled __read_mostly;

@@ -432,19 +433,17 @@ stop_critical_timing(unsigned long ip, unsigned long parent_ip)
}

/* start and stop critical timings used to for stoppage (in idle) */
-void start_critical_timings(void)
+static inline void start_critical_timings_tracer(void)
{
if (preempt_trace() || irq_trace())
start_critical_timing(CALLER_ADDR0, CALLER_ADDR1);
}
-EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(start_critical_timings);

-void stop_critical_timings(void)
+static inline void stop_critical_timings_tracer(void)
{
if (preempt_trace() || irq_trace())
stop_critical_timing(CALLER_ADDR0, CALLER_ADDR1);
}
-EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(stop_critical_timings);

#ifdef CONFIG_IRQSOFF_TRACER
#ifdef CONFIG_PROVE_LOCKING
@@ -462,64 +461,44 @@ void time_hardirqs_off(unsigned long a0, unsigned long a1)

#else /* !CONFIG_PROVE_LOCKING */

-/*
- * Stubs:
- */
-
-void trace_softirqs_on(unsigned long ip)
-{
-}
-
-void trace_softirqs_off(unsigned long ip)
-{
-}
-
-inline void print_irqtrace_events(struct task_struct *curr)
-{
-}
-
/*
* We are only interested in hardirq on/off events:
*/
-void trace_hardirqs_on(void)
+static inline void tracer_hardirqs_on(void)
{
if (!preempt_trace() && irq_trace())
stop_critical_timing(CALLER_ADDR0, CALLER_ADDR1);
}
-EXPORT_SYMBOL(trace_hardirqs_on);

-void trace_hardirqs_off(void)
+static inline void tracer_hardirqs_off(void)
{
if (!preempt_trace() && irq_trace())
start_critical_timing(CALLER_ADDR0, CALLER_ADDR1);
}
-EXPORT_SYMBOL(trace_hardirqs_off);

-__visible void trace_hardirqs_on_caller(unsigned long caller_addr)
+static inline void tracer_hardirqs_on_caller(unsigned long caller_addr)
{
if (!preempt_trace() && irq_trace())
stop_critical_timing(CALLER_ADDR0, caller_addr);
}
-EXPORT_SYMBOL(trace_hardirqs_on_caller);

-__visible void trace_hardirqs_off_caller(unsigned long caller_addr)
+static inline void tracer_hardirqs_off_caller(unsigned long caller_addr)
{
if (!preempt_trace() && irq_trace())
start_critical_timing(CALLER_ADDR0, caller_addr);
}
-EXPORT_SYMBOL(trace_hardirqs_off_caller);

#endif /* CONFIG_PROVE_LOCKING */
#endif /* CONFIG_IRQSOFF_TRACER */

#ifdef CONFIG_PREEMPT_TRACER
-void trace_preempt_on(unsigned long a0, unsigned long a1)
+static inline void tracer_preempt_on(unsigned long a0, unsigned long a1)
{
if (preempt_trace() && !irq_trace())
stop_critical_timing(a0, a1);
}

-void trace_preempt_off(unsigned long a0, unsigned long a1)
+static inline void tracer_preempt_off(unsigned long a0, unsigned long a1)
{
if (preempt_trace() && !irq_trace())
start_critical_timing(a0, a1);
@@ -781,3 +760,87 @@ __init static int init_irqsoff_tracer(void)
return 0;
}
core_initcall(init_irqsoff_tracer);
+#else /* IRQSOFF_TRACER || PREEMPTOFF_TRACER */
+
+#define start_critical_timings_tracer() do { } while (0)
+#define stop_critical_timings_tracer() do { } while (0)
+
+#endif
+
+#ifndef CONFIG_IRQSOFF_TRACER
+#define tracer_hardirqs_on() do { } while (0)
+#define tracer_hardirqs_off() do { } while (0)
+#define tracer_hardirqs_on_caller(x) do { } while (0)
+#define tracer_hardirqs_off_caller(x) do { } while (0)
+#endif
+
+#ifndef CONFIG_PREEMPT_TRACER
+#define tracer_preempt_on(x, y) do { } while (0)
+#define tracer_preempt_off(x, y) do { } while (0)
+#endif
+
+void start_critical_timings(void)
+{
+ start_critical_timings_tracer();
+}
+EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(start_critical_timings);
+
+void stop_critical_timings(void)
+{
+ stop_critical_timings_tracer();
+}
+EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(stop_critical_timings);
+
+#if defined(CONFIG_TRACE_IRQFLAGS) && !defined(CONFIG_PROVE_LOCKING)
+void trace_hardirqs_on(void)
+{
+ tracer_hardirqs_on();
+}
+EXPORT_SYMBOL(trace_hardirqs_on);
+
+void trace_hardirqs_off(void)
+{
+ tracer_hardirqs_off();
+}
+EXPORT_SYMBOL(trace_hardirqs_off);
+
+__visible void trace_hardirqs_on_caller(unsigned long caller_addr)
+{
+ tracer_hardirqs_on_caller(caller_addr);
+}
+EXPORT_SYMBOL(trace_hardirqs_on_caller);
+
+__visible void trace_hardirqs_off_caller(unsigned long caller_addr)
+{
+ tracer_hardirqs_off_caller(caller_addr);
+}
+EXPORT_SYMBOL(trace_hardirqs_off_caller);
+
+/*
+ * Stubs:
+ */
+
+void trace_softirqs_on(unsigned long ip)
+{
+}
+
+void trace_softirqs_off(unsigned long ip)
+{
+}
+
+inline void print_irqtrace_events(struct task_struct *curr)
+{
+}
+#endif
+
+#ifdef CONFIG_PREEMPT_TRACER
+void trace_preempt_on(unsigned long a0, unsigned long a1)
+{
+ tracer_preempt_on(a0, a1);
+}
+
+void trace_preempt_off(unsigned long a0, unsigned long a1)
+{
+ tracer_preempt_off(a0, a1);
+}
+#endif
--
2.14.1.581.gf28d330327-goog

2017-09-07 00:18:13

by Joel Fernandes

[permalink] [raw]
Subject: [PATCH RFC v4 2/3] tracing: Add support for preempt and irq enable/disable events

Preempt and irq trace events can be used for tracing the start and
end of an atomic section which can be used by a trace viewer like
systrace to graphically view the start and end of an atomic section and
correlate them with latencies and scheduling issues.

This also serves as a prelude to using synthetic events or probes to
rewrite the preempt and irqsoff tracers, along with numerous benefits of
using trace events features for these events.

Cc: Steven Rostedt <[email protected]>
Cc: Peter Zilstra <[email protected]>
Cc: [email protected]
Signed-off-by: Joel Fernandes <[email protected]>
---
include/linux/ftrace.h | 3 +-
include/linux/irqflags.h | 4 +--
include/trace/events/preemptirq.h | 62 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
kernel/trace/Kconfig | 9 ++++++
kernel/trace/Makefile | 1 +
kernel/trace/trace_irqsoff.c | 57 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++-
6 files changed, 132 insertions(+), 4 deletions(-)
create mode 100644 include/trace/events/preemptirq.h

diff --git a/include/linux/ftrace.h b/include/linux/ftrace.h
index 6383115e9d2c..5790ba7a85bd 100644
--- a/include/linux/ftrace.h
+++ b/include/linux/ftrace.h
@@ -742,7 +742,8 @@ static inline unsigned long get_lock_parent_ip(void)
static inline void time_hardirqs_off(unsigned long a0, unsigned long a1) { }
#endif

-#ifdef CONFIG_PREEMPT_TRACER
+#if defined(CONFIG_PREEMPT_TRACER) || \
+ (defined(CONFIG_DEBUG_PREEMPT) && defined(CONFIG_PREEMPTIRQ_EVENTS))
extern void trace_preempt_on(unsigned long a0, unsigned long a1);
extern void trace_preempt_off(unsigned long a0, unsigned long a1);
#else
diff --git a/include/linux/irqflags.h b/include/linux/irqflags.h
index 5dd1272d1ab2..6ad6732a4e98 100644
--- a/include/linux/irqflags.h
+++ b/include/linux/irqflags.h
@@ -44,8 +44,8 @@
# define INIT_TRACE_IRQFLAGS
#endif

-#if defined(CONFIG_IRQSOFF_TRACER) || \
- defined(CONFIG_PREEMPT_TRACER)
+#if defined(CONFIG_IRQSOFF_TRACER) || defined(CONFIG_PREEMPT_TRACER) || \
+ defined(CONFIG_PREEMPTIRQ_EVENTS)
extern void stop_critical_timings(void);
extern void start_critical_timings(void);
#else
diff --git a/include/trace/events/preemptirq.h b/include/trace/events/preemptirq.h
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..601935e32cd1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/include/trace/events/preemptirq.h
@@ -0,0 +1,62 @@
+#ifdef CONFIG_PREEMPTIRQ_EVENTS
+
+#undef TRACE_SYSTEM
+#define TRACE_SYSTEM preemptirq
+
+#if !defined(_TRACE_PREEMPTIRQ_H) || defined(TRACE_HEADER_MULTI_READ)
+#define _TRACE_PREEMPTIRQ_H
+
+#include <linux/ktime.h>
+#include <linux/tracepoint.h>
+#include <linux/string.h>
+#include <asm/sections.h>
+
+DECLARE_EVENT_CLASS(preemptirq_template,
+
+ TP_PROTO(unsigned long ip, unsigned long parent_ip),
+
+ TP_ARGS(ip, parent_ip),
+
+ TP_STRUCT__entry(
+ __field(u32, caller_offs)
+ __field(u32, parent_offs)
+ ),
+
+ TP_fast_assign(
+ __entry->caller_offs = (u32)(ip - (unsigned long)_stext);
+ __entry->parent_offs = (u32)(parent_ip - (unsigned long)_stext);
+ ),
+
+ TP_printk("caller=%pF parent=%pF\n",
+ (void *)((unsigned long)(_stext) + __entry->caller_offs),
+ (void *)((unsigned long)(_stext) + __entry->parent_offs))
+);
+
+DEFINE_EVENT(preemptirq_template, irq_disable,
+ TP_PROTO(unsigned long ip, unsigned long parent_ip),
+ TP_ARGS(ip, parent_ip));
+
+DEFINE_EVENT(preemptirq_template, irq_enable,
+ TP_PROTO(unsigned long ip, unsigned long parent_ip),
+ TP_ARGS(ip, parent_ip));
+
+DEFINE_EVENT(preemptirq_template, preempt_disable,
+ TP_PROTO(unsigned long ip, unsigned long parent_ip),
+ TP_ARGS(ip, parent_ip));
+
+DEFINE_EVENT(preemptirq_template, preempt_enable,
+ TP_PROTO(unsigned long ip, unsigned long parent_ip),
+ TP_ARGS(ip, parent_ip));
+
+#endif /* _TRACE_PREEMPTIRQ_H */
+
+#include <trace/define_trace.h>
+
+#else /* !CONFIG_PREEMPTIRQ_EVENTS */
+
+#define trace_irq_enable(...)
+#define trace_irq_disable(...)
+#define trace_preempt_enable(...)
+#define trace_preempt_disable(...)
+
+#endif
diff --git a/kernel/trace/Kconfig b/kernel/trace/Kconfig
index 434c840e2d82..420666152de8 100644
--- a/kernel/trace/Kconfig
+++ b/kernel/trace/Kconfig
@@ -160,6 +160,15 @@ config FUNCTION_GRAPH_TRACER
address on the current task structure into a stack of calls.


+config PREEMPTIRQ_EVENTS
+ bool "Enable trace events for preempt and irq disable/enable"
+ select TRACE_IRQFLAGS
+ default n
+ help
+ Enable tracing of disable and enable events for preemption and irqs.
+ For tracing preempt disable/enable events, CONFIG_DEBUG_PREEMPT must
+ be enabled.
+
config IRQSOFF_TRACER
bool "Interrupts-off Latency Tracer"
default n
diff --git a/kernel/trace/Makefile b/kernel/trace/Makefile
index 90f2701d92a7..9f62eee61f14 100644
--- a/kernel/trace/Makefile
+++ b/kernel/trace/Makefile
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ obj-$(CONFIG_TRACING) += trace_printk.o
obj-$(CONFIG_TRACING_MAP) += tracing_map.o
obj-$(CONFIG_CONTEXT_SWITCH_TRACER) += trace_sched_switch.o
obj-$(CONFIG_FUNCTION_TRACER) += trace_functions.o
+obj-$(CONFIG_PREEMPTIRQ_EVENTS) += trace_irqsoff.o
obj-$(CONFIG_IRQSOFF_TRACER) += trace_irqsoff.o
obj-$(CONFIG_PREEMPT_TRACER) += trace_irqsoff.o
obj-$(CONFIG_SCHED_TRACER) += trace_sched_wakeup.o
diff --git a/kernel/trace/trace_irqsoff.c b/kernel/trace/trace_irqsoff.c
index 38d65a0535e0..89ff6bd685a2 100644
--- a/kernel/trace/trace_irqsoff.c
+++ b/kernel/trace/trace_irqsoff.c
@@ -16,12 +16,18 @@

#include "trace.h"

+#define CREATE_TRACE_POINTS
+#include <trace/events/preemptirq.h>
+
#if defined(CONFIG_IRQSOFF_TRACER) || defined(CONFIG_PREEMPT_TRACER)
static struct trace_array *irqsoff_trace __read_mostly;
static int tracer_enabled __read_mostly;

static DEFINE_PER_CPU(int, tracing_cpu);

+static DEFINE_PER_CPU(int, tracing_irq_cpu);
+static DEFINE_PER_CPU(int, tracing_preempt_cpu);
+
static DEFINE_RAW_SPINLOCK(max_trace_lock);

enum {
@@ -781,12 +787,24 @@ core_initcall(init_irqsoff_tracer);

void start_critical_timings(void)
{
+ if (this_cpu_read(tracing_preempt_cpu))
+ trace_preempt_enable(CALLER_ADDR0, CALLER_ADDR1);
+
+ if (this_cpu_read(tracing_irq_cpu))
+ trace_irq_enable(CALLER_ADDR0, CALLER_ADDR1);
+
start_critical_timings_tracer();
}
EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(start_critical_timings);

void stop_critical_timings(void)
{
+ if (this_cpu_read(tracing_preempt_cpu))
+ trace_preempt_disable(CALLER_ADDR0, CALLER_ADDR1);
+
+ if (this_cpu_read(tracing_irq_cpu))
+ trace_irq_disable(CALLER_ADDR0, CALLER_ADDR1);
+
stop_critical_timings_tracer();
}
EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(stop_critical_timings);
@@ -794,24 +812,48 @@ EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(stop_critical_timings);
#if defined(CONFIG_TRACE_IRQFLAGS) && !defined(CONFIG_PROVE_LOCKING)
void trace_hardirqs_on(void)
{
+ if (!this_cpu_read(tracing_irq_cpu))
+ return;
+
+ trace_irq_enable(CALLER_ADDR0, CALLER_ADDR1);
tracer_hardirqs_on();
+
+ this_cpu_write(tracing_irq_cpu, 0);
}
EXPORT_SYMBOL(trace_hardirqs_on);

void trace_hardirqs_off(void)
{
+ if (this_cpu_read(tracing_irq_cpu))
+ return;
+
+ this_cpu_write(tracing_irq_cpu, 1);
+
+ trace_irq_disable(CALLER_ADDR0, CALLER_ADDR1);
tracer_hardirqs_off();
}
EXPORT_SYMBOL(trace_hardirqs_off);

__visible void trace_hardirqs_on_caller(unsigned long caller_addr)
{
+ if (!this_cpu_read(tracing_irq_cpu))
+ return;
+
+ trace_irq_enable(CALLER_ADDR0, caller_addr);
tracer_hardirqs_on_caller(caller_addr);
+
+ this_cpu_write(tracing_irq_cpu, 0);
}
EXPORT_SYMBOL(trace_hardirqs_on_caller);

__visible void trace_hardirqs_off_caller(unsigned long caller_addr)
{
+ if (this_cpu_read(tracing_irq_cpu))
+ return;
+
+ this_cpu_write(tracing_irq_cpu, 1);
+
+ trace_irq_disable(CALLER_ADDR0, caller_addr);
tracer_hardirqs_off_caller(caller_addr);
}
EXPORT_SYMBOL(trace_hardirqs_off_caller);
@@ -833,14 +875,27 @@ inline void print_irqtrace_events(struct task_struct *curr)
}
#endif

-#ifdef CONFIG_PREEMPT_TRACER
+#if defined(CONFIG_PREEMPT_TRACER) || \
+ (defined(CONFIG_DEBUG_PREEMPT) && defined(CONFIG_PREEMPTIRQ_EVENTS))
void trace_preempt_on(unsigned long a0, unsigned long a1)
{
+ if (!this_cpu_read(tracing_preempt_cpu))
+ return;
+
+ trace_preempt_enable(a0, a1);
tracer_preempt_on(a0, a1);
+
+ this_cpu_write(tracing_preempt_cpu, 0);
}

void trace_preempt_off(unsigned long a0, unsigned long a1)
{
+ if (this_cpu_read(tracing_preempt_cpu))
+ return;
+
+ this_cpu_write(tracing_preempt_cpu, 1);
+
+ trace_preempt_disable(a0, a1);
tracer_preempt_off(a0, a1);
}
#endif
--
2.14.1.581.gf28d330327-goog

2017-09-07 00:18:34

by Joel Fernandes

[permalink] [raw]
Subject: [PATCH RFC v4 3/3] ftrace: Use correct config option for preemption debug

I notice that CONFIG_PREEMPT_DEBUG doesn't exist, though this code uses it. I
think it wants CONFIG_DEBUG_PREEMPT. Replace it with the same.

Cc: Steven Rostedt <[email protected]>
Cc: Peter Zijlstra <[email protected]>
Cc: [email protected]
Signed-off-by: Joel Fernandes <[email protected]>
---
include/linux/ftrace.h | 4 ++--
1 file changed, 2 insertions(+), 2 deletions(-)

diff --git a/include/linux/ftrace.h b/include/linux/ftrace.h
index 5790ba7a85bd..768e49b8c80f 100644
--- a/include/linux/ftrace.h
+++ b/include/linux/ftrace.h
@@ -307,7 +307,7 @@ DECLARE_PER_CPU(int, disable_stack_tracer);
static inline void stack_tracer_disable(void)
{
/* Preemption or interupts must be disabled */
- if (IS_ENABLED(CONFIG_PREEMPT_DEBUG))
+ if (IS_ENABLED(CONFIG_DEBUG_PREEMPT))
WARN_ON_ONCE(!preempt_count() || !irqs_disabled());
this_cpu_inc(disable_stack_tracer);
}
@@ -320,7 +320,7 @@ static inline void stack_tracer_disable(void)
*/
static inline void stack_tracer_enable(void)
{
- if (IS_ENABLED(CONFIG_PREEMPT_DEBUG))
+ if (IS_ENABLED(CONFIG_DEBUG_PREEMPT))
WARN_ON_ONCE(!preempt_count() || !irqs_disabled());
this_cpu_dec(disable_stack_tracer);
}
--
2.14.1.581.gf28d330327-goog

2017-09-10 09:16:26

by Steven Rostedt

[permalink] [raw]
Subject: Re: [PATCH RFC v4 1/3] tracing/irqsoff: Prepare to add preempt and irq trace events

On Wed, 6 Sep 2017 17:17:50 -0700
Joel Fernandes <[email protected]> wrote:


> +#else /* IRQSOFF_TRACER || PREEMPTOFF_TRACER */
> +
> +#define start_critical_timings_tracer() do { } while (0)
> +#define stop_critical_timings_tracer() do { } while (0)
> +
> +#endif
> +
> +#ifndef CONFIG_IRQSOFF_TRACER
> +#define tracer_hardirqs_on() do { } while (0)
> +#define tracer_hardirqs_off() do { } while (0)
> +#define tracer_hardirqs_on_caller(x) do { } while (0)
> +#define tracer_hardirqs_off_caller(x) do { } while (0)
> +#endif
> +
> +#ifndef CONFIG_PREEMPT_TRACER
> +#define tracer_preempt_on(x, y) do { } while (0)
> +#define tracer_preempt_off(x, y) do { } while (0)
> +#endif

Is there a reason the above is #define and not static inline? The
preferred method is static inline as that allows the compiler to check
types. #define is used if one of the parameters has a struct or
something that is not defined.

-- Steve

2017-09-10 22:21:27

by Joel Fernandes

[permalink] [raw]
Subject: Re: [PATCH RFC v4 1/3] tracing/irqsoff: Prepare to add preempt and irq trace events

Hi Steven,

On Sun, Sep 10, 2017 at 2:06 AM, Steven Rostedt <[email protected]> wrote:
> On Wed, 6 Sep 2017 17:17:50 -0700
> Joel Fernandes <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>
>> +#else /* IRQSOFF_TRACER || PREEMPTOFF_TRACER */
>> +
>> +#define start_critical_timings_tracer() do { } while (0)
>> +#define stop_critical_timings_tracer() do { } while (0)
>> +
>> +#endif
>> +
>> +#ifndef CONFIG_IRQSOFF_TRACER
>> +#define tracer_hardirqs_on() do { } while (0)
>> +#define tracer_hardirqs_off() do { } while (0)
>> +#define tracer_hardirqs_on_caller(x) do { } while (0)
>> +#define tracer_hardirqs_off_caller(x) do { } while (0)
>> +#endif
>> +
>> +#ifndef CONFIG_PREEMPT_TRACER
>> +#define tracer_preempt_on(x, y) do { } while (0)
>> +#define tracer_preempt_off(x, y) do { } while (0)
>> +#endif
>
> Is there a reason the above is #define and not static inline? The
> preferred method is static inline as that allows the compiler to check
> types. #define is used if one of the parameters has a struct or
> something that is not defined.

Sure, I'll make use of static inline in the next version. thanks!

-Joel