The current codebase makes use of the zero-length array language
extension to the C90 standard, but the preferred mechanism to declare
variable-length types such as these ones is a flexible array member[1][2],
introduced in C99:
struct foo {
int stuff;
struct boo array[];
};
By making use of the mechanism above, we will get a compiler warning
in case the flexible array does not occur last in the structure, which
will help us prevent some kind of undefined behavior bugs from being
inadvertently introduced[3] to the codebase from now on.
Also, notice that, dynamic memory allocations won't be affected by
this change:
"Flexible array members have incomplete type, and so the sizeof operator
may not be applied. As a quirk of the original implementation of
zero-length arrays, sizeof evaluates to zero."[1]
sizeof(flexible-array-member) triggers a warning because flexible array
members have incomplete type[1]. There are some instances of code in
which the sizeof operator is being incorrectly/erroneously applied to
zero-length arrays and the result is zero. Such instances may be hiding
some bugs. So, this work (flexible-array member conversions) will also
help to get completely rid of those sorts of issues.
This issue was found with the help of Coccinelle.
[1] https://gcc.gnu.org/onlinedocs/gcc/Zero-Length.html
[2] https://github.com/KSPP/linux/issues/21
[3] commit 76497732932f ("cxgb3/l2t: Fix undefined behaviour")
Signed-off-by: Gustavo A. R. Silva <[email protected]>
---
include/linux/can/skb.h | 2 +-
1 file changed, 1 insertion(+), 1 deletion(-)
diff --git a/include/linux/can/skb.h b/include/linux/can/skb.h
index a954def26c0d..900b9f4e0605 100644
--- a/include/linux/can/skb.h
+++ b/include/linux/can/skb.h
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@
struct can_skb_priv {
int ifindex;
int skbcnt;
- struct can_frame cf[0];
+ struct can_frame cf[];
};
static inline struct can_skb_priv *can_skb_prv(struct sk_buff *skb)
On 2020-05-07 20:51, Gustavo A. R. Silva wrote:
> The current codebase makes use of the zero-length array language
> extension to the C90 standard, but the preferred mechanism to declare
> variable-length types such as these ones is a flexible array member[1][2],
> introduced in C99:
>
> struct foo {
> int stuff;
> struct boo array[];
> };
>
> By making use of the mechanism above, we will get a compiler warning
> in case the flexible array does not occur last in the structure, which
> will help us prevent some kind of undefined behavior bugs from being
> inadvertently introduced[3] to the codebase from now on.
>
> Also, notice that, dynamic memory allocations won't be affected by
> this change:
>
> "Flexible array members have incomplete type, and so the sizeof operator
> may not be applied. As a quirk of the original implementation of
> zero-length arrays, sizeof evaluates to zero."[1]
>
> sizeof(flexible-array-member) triggers a warning because flexible array
> members have incomplete type[1]. There are some instances of code in
> which the sizeof operator is being incorrectly/erroneously applied to
> zero-length arrays and the result is zero. Such instances may be hiding
> some bugs. So, this work (flexible-array member conversions) will also
> help to get completely rid of those sorts of issues.
>
> This issue was found with the help of Coccinelle.
>
> [1] https://gcc.gnu.org/onlinedocs/gcc/Zero-Length.html
> [2] https://github.com/KSPP/linux/issues/21
> [3] commit 76497732932f ("cxgb3/l2t: Fix undefined behaviour")
>
> Signed-off-by: Gustavo A. R. Silva <[email protected]>
> ---
> include/linux/can/skb.h | 2 +-
> 1 file changed, 1 insertion(+), 1 deletion(-)
>
> diff --git a/include/linux/can/skb.h b/include/linux/can/skb.h
> index a954def26c0d..900b9f4e0605 100644
> --- a/include/linux/can/skb.h
> +++ b/include/linux/can/skb.h
> @@ -34,7 +34,7 @@
> struct can_skb_priv {
> int ifindex;
> int skbcnt;
> - struct can_frame cf[0];
> + struct can_frame cf[];
> };
>
> static inline struct can_skb_priv *can_skb_prv(struct sk_buff *skb)
>
Acked-by: Oliver Hartkopp <[email protected]>
@Gustavo: Just to be sure:
From the referenced URLs I got the information that the sizeof()
operator causes problems when applied to e.g. cf[0].
We don't have this case in our code - but one question remains to me:
We are using the above construct to ensure the padding between the two
'int' values and the struct can_frame which enforces a 64 bit alignment.
This intention is not affected by the patch, right?
Best,
Oliver
Hi Oliver,
Sorry for the late reply. I totally lost track of this thread. :/
Please, see my comments below...
On 5/12/20 08:30, Oliver Hartkopp wrote:
>
>
> On 2020-05-07 20:51, Gustavo A. R. Silva wrote:
>> The current codebase makes use of the zero-length array language
>> extension to the C90 standard, but the preferred mechanism to declare
>> variable-length types such as these ones is a flexible array member[1][2],
>> introduced in C99:
>>
>> struct foo {
>> int stuff;
>> struct boo array[];
>> };
>>
>> By making use of the mechanism above, we will get a compiler warning
>> in case the flexible array does not occur last in the structure, which
>> will help us prevent some kind of undefined behavior bugs from being
>> inadvertently introduced[3] to the codebase from now on.
>>
>> Also, notice that, dynamic memory allocations won't be affected by
>> this change:
>>
>> "Flexible array members have incomplete type, and so the sizeof operator
>> may not be applied. As a quirk of the original implementation of
>> zero-length arrays, sizeof evaluates to zero."[1]
>>
>> sizeof(flexible-array-member) triggers a warning because flexible array
>> members have incomplete type[1]. There are some instances of code in
>> which the sizeof operator is being incorrectly/erroneously applied to
>> zero-length arrays and the result is zero. Such instances may be hiding
>> some bugs. So, this work (flexible-array member conversions) will also
>> help to get completely rid of those sorts of issues.
>>
>> This issue was found with the help of Coccinelle.
>>
>> [1] https://gcc.gnu.org/onlinedocs/gcc/Zero-Length.html
>> [2] https://github.com/KSPP/linux/issues/21
>> [3] commit 76497732932f ("cxgb3/l2t: Fix undefined behaviour")
>>
>> Signed-off-by: Gustavo A. R. Silva <[email protected]>
>> ---
>> include/linux/can/skb.h | 2 +-
>> 1 file changed, 1 insertion(+), 1 deletion(-)
>>
>> diff --git a/include/linux/can/skb.h b/include/linux/can/skb.h
>> index a954def26c0d..900b9f4e0605 100644
>> --- a/include/linux/can/skb.h
>> +++ b/include/linux/can/skb.h
>> @@ -34,7 +34,7 @@
>> struct can_skb_priv {
>> int ifindex;
>> int skbcnt;
>> - struct can_frame cf[0];
>> + struct can_frame cf[];
>> };
>> static inline struct can_skb_priv *can_skb_prv(struct sk_buff *skb)
>>
>
> Acked-by: Oliver Hartkopp <[email protected]>
>
> @Gustavo: Just to be sure:
>
> From the referenced URLs I got the information that the sizeof() operator causes problems when applied to e.g. cf[0].
>
> We don't have this case in our code - but one question remains to me:
>
> We are using the above construct to ensure the padding between the two 'int' values and the struct can_frame which enforces a 64 bit alignment.
>
> This intention is not affected by the patch, right?
>
pahole shows exactly the same output either if cf is a zero-length array or
a flexible-array member:
$ pahole -C 'can_skb_priv' drivers/net/can/dev.o
struct can_skb_priv {
int ifindex; /* 0 4 */
int skbcnt; /* 4 4 */
struct can_frame cf[] __attribute__((__aligned__(8))); /* 8 0 */
/* size: 8, cachelines: 1, members: 3 */
/* forced alignments: 1 */
/* last cacheline: 8 bytes */
} __attribute__((__aligned__(8)));
So, it seems everything should fine. :)
Thanks
--
Gustavo
Hi Gustavo,
On 04.06.20 02:58, Gustavo A. R. Silva wrote:
> Sorry for the late reply. I totally lost track of this thread. :/
NP. At least your workflow seems to work :o)
> pahole shows exactly the same output either if cf is a zero-length array or
> a flexible-array member:
>
> $ pahole -C 'can_skb_priv' drivers/net/can/dev.o
>
> struct can_skb_priv {
> int ifindex; /* 0 4 */
> int skbcnt; /* 4 4 */
> struct can_frame cf[] __attribute__((__aligned__(8))); /* 8 0 */
>
> /* size: 8, cachelines: 1, members: 3 */
> /* forced alignments: 1 */
> /* last cacheline: 8 bytes */
> } __attribute__((__aligned__(8)));
>
> So, it seems everything should fine. :)
Great! Thanks for the info - and how I could have checked it on my own, too.
Best,
Oliver
On Thu, Jun 04, 2020 at 08:31:55AM +0200, Oliver Hartkopp wrote:
>
> Great! Thanks for the info - and how I could have checked it on my own, too.
>
No problem. :)
Thanks
--
Gustavo