2013-10-06 22:32:08

by Joel Fernandes

[permalink] [raw]
Subject: [RFC] ARM: kernel: irq: Simplify allocation of stack frame

On receiving IRQ exception in SVC mode, all the SVC mode registers are saved
onto the stack very early on.

The stack frame allocation code for IRQ entry during SVC mode (svc_entry) is
hard to read as 4-less is allocated initially only to be allocated later
implicity using the mov r3, [sp, #-4]! instruction. We make code easier to read
by allocating the 4 bytes on the stack frame in the beginning itself and remove
all instances where 4 bytes is adjusted.

Cc: Russell King <[email protected]>
Cc: Nicolas Pitre <[email protected]>
Cc: Santosh Shilimkar <[email protected]>
Signed-off-by: Joel Fernandes <[email protected]>
---
arch/arm/kernel/entry-armv.S | 10 +++++-----
1 file changed, 5 insertions(+), 5 deletions(-)

diff --git a/arch/arm/kernel/entry-armv.S b/arch/arm/kernel/entry-armv.S
index 9cbe70c..fc5ac2a 100644
--- a/arch/arm/kernel/entry-armv.S
+++ b/arch/arm/kernel/entry-armv.S
@@ -149,7 +149,7 @@ ENDPROC(__und_invalid)
.macro svc_entry, stack_hole=0
UNWIND(.fnstart )
UNWIND(.save {r0 - pc} )
- sub sp, sp, #(S_FRAME_SIZE + \stack_hole - 4)
+ sub sp, sp, #(S_FRAME_SIZE + \stack_hole)
#ifdef CONFIG_THUMB2_KERNEL
SPFIX( str r0, [sp] ) @ temporarily saved
SPFIX( mov r0, sp )
@@ -159,14 +159,14 @@ ENDPROC(__und_invalid)
SPFIX( tst sp, #4 )
#endif
SPFIX( subeq sp, sp, #4 )
- stmia sp, {r1 - r12}
+ stmia sp, {r0 - r12}

ldmia r0, {r3 - r5}
- add r7, sp, #S_SP - 4 @ here for interlock avoidance
+ add r7, sp, #S_SP @ here for interlock avoidance
mov r6, #-1 @ "" "" "" ""
- add r2, sp, #(S_FRAME_SIZE + \stack_hole - 4)
+ add r2, sp, #(S_FRAME_SIZE + \stack_hole)
SPFIX( addeq r2, r2, #4 )
- str r3, [sp, #-4]! @ save the "real" r0 copied
+ str r3, [sp] @ save the "real" r0 copied
@ from the exception stack

mov r3, lr
--
1.8.1.2


2013-10-06 22:47:36

by Russell King - ARM Linux

[permalink] [raw]
Subject: Re: [RFC] ARM: kernel: irq: Simplify allocation of stack frame

On Sun, Oct 06, 2013 at 05:30:47PM -0500, Joel Fernandes wrote:
> On receiving IRQ exception in SVC mode, all the SVC mode registers are saved
> onto the stack very early on.
>
> The stack frame allocation code for IRQ entry during SVC mode (svc_entry) is
> hard to read as 4-less is allocated initially only to be allocated later
> implicity using the mov r3, [sp, #-4]! instruction. We make code easier to read
> by allocating the 4 bytes on the stack frame in the beginning itself and remove
> all instances where 4 bytes is adjusted.

You omit to say that this results in saving one additional register
unnecessarily in the stmia. We could use a stmib there instead which
would avoid that issue while keeping the rest of the change.

2013-10-07 04:57:40

by Joel Fernandes

[permalink] [raw]
Subject: Re: [RFC] ARM: kernel: irq: Simplify allocation of stack frame

On 10/06/2013 05:41 PM, Russell King - ARM Linux wrote:
> On Sun, Oct 06, 2013 at 05:30:47PM -0500, Joel Fernandes wrote:
>> On receiving IRQ exception in SVC mode, all the SVC mode registers are saved
>> onto the stack very early on.
>>
>> The stack frame allocation code for IRQ entry during SVC mode (svc_entry) is
>> hard to read as 4-less is allocated initially only to be allocated later
>> implicity using the mov r3, [sp, #-4]! instruction. We make code easier to read
>> by allocating the 4 bytes on the stack frame in the beginning itself and remove
>> all instances where 4 bytes is adjusted.
>
> You omit to say that this results in saving one additional register

Ok, I will add this detail to the commit message.

> unnecessarily in the stmia. We could use a stmib there instead which
> would avoid that issue while keeping the rest of the change.

But stmib is not available in THUMB mode, so this will break the THUMB builds.

usr_entry does something similar:
ARM( stmib sp, {r1 - r12} )
THUMB( stmia sp, {r0 - r12} )

Let me know your suggestions about using ARM/THUMB macros or stmia for both
cases. Thanks.

Regards,

-Joel

2013-10-07 16:28:40

by Joel Fernandes

[permalink] [raw]
Subject: Re: [RFC] ARM: kernel: irq: Simplify allocation of stack frame

On 10/06/2013 05:41 PM, Russell King - ARM Linux wrote:
> On Sun, Oct 06, 2013 at 05:30:47PM -0500, Joel Fernandes wrote:
>> On receiving IRQ exception in SVC mode, all the SVC mode registers are saved
>> onto the stack very early on.
>>
>> The stack frame allocation code for IRQ entry during SVC mode (svc_entry) is
>> hard to read as 4-less is allocated initially only to be allocated later
>> implicity using the mov r3, [sp, #-4]! instruction. We make code easier to read
>> by allocating the 4 bytes on the stack frame in the beginning itself and remove
>> all instances where 4 bytes is adjusted.
>
> You omit to say that this results in saving one additional register
> unnecessarily in the stmia. We could use a stmib there instead which
> would avoid that issue while keeping the rest of the change.
>

Hi Russel,

BTW I used ETM to check the number of cycles used to store the extra register
with and without this patch and with both cases it takes 7 cycles.

My platform uses Cortex-A8 (AM335x SoC).

Thanks,

-Joel