Based on kernel version 4.16.1. Page generated on 2018-04-09 11:53 EST.
1 =================================== 2 Using flexible arrays in the kernel 3 =================================== 4 5 :Updated: Last updated for 2.6.32 6 :Author: Jonathan Corbet <corbet@lwn.net> 7 8 Large contiguous memory allocations can be unreliable in the Linux kernel. 9 Kernel programmers will sometimes respond to this problem by allocating 10 pages with vmalloc(). This solution not ideal, though. On 32-bit systems, 11 memory from vmalloc() must be mapped into a relatively small address space; 12 it's easy to run out. On SMP systems, the page table changes required by 13 vmalloc() allocations can require expensive cross-processor interrupts on 14 all CPUs. And, on all systems, use of space in the vmalloc() range 15 increases pressure on the translation lookaside buffer (TLB), reducing the 16 performance of the system. 17 18 In many cases, the need for memory from vmalloc() can be eliminated by 19 piecing together an array from smaller parts; the flexible array library 20 exists to make this task easier. 21 22 A flexible array holds an arbitrary (within limits) number of fixed-sized 23 objects, accessed via an integer index. Sparse arrays are handled 24 reasonably well. Only single-page allocations are made, so memory 25 allocation failures should be relatively rare. The down sides are that the 26 arrays cannot be indexed directly, individual object size cannot exceed the 27 system page size, and putting data into a flexible array requires a copy 28 operation. It's also worth noting that flexible arrays do no internal 29 locking at all; if concurrent access to an array is possible, then the 30 caller must arrange for appropriate mutual exclusion. 31 32 The creation of a flexible array is done with:: 33 34 #include <linux/flex_array.h> 35 36 struct flex_array *flex_array_alloc(int element_size, 37 unsigned int total, 38 gfp_t flags); 39 40 The individual object size is provided by element_size, while total is the 41 maximum number of objects which can be stored in the array. The flags 42 argument is passed directly to the internal memory allocation calls. With 43 the current code, using flags to ask for high memory is likely to lead to 44 notably unpleasant side effects. 45 46 It is also possible to define flexible arrays at compile time with:: 47 48 DEFINE_FLEX_ARRAY(name, element_size, total); 49 50 This macro will result in a definition of an array with the given name; the 51 element size and total will be checked for validity at compile time. 52 53 Storing data into a flexible array is accomplished with a call to:: 54 55 int flex_array_put(struct flex_array *array, unsigned int element_nr, 56 void *src, gfp_t flags); 57 58 This call will copy the data from src into the array, in the position 59 indicated by element_nr (which must be less than the maximum specified when 60 the array was created). If any memory allocations must be performed, flags 61 will be used. The return value is zero on success, a negative error code 62 otherwise. 63 64 There might possibly be a need to store data into a flexible array while 65 running in some sort of atomic context; in this situation, sleeping in the 66 memory allocator would be a bad thing. That can be avoided by using 67 GFP_ATOMIC for the flags value, but, often, there is a better way. The 68 trick is to ensure that any needed memory allocations are done before 69 entering atomic context, using:: 70 71 int flex_array_prealloc(struct flex_array *array, unsigned int start, 72 unsigned int nr_elements, gfp_t flags); 73 74 This function will ensure that memory for the elements indexed in the range 75 defined by start and nr_elements has been allocated. Thereafter, a 76 flex_array_put() call on an element in that range is guaranteed not to 77 block. 78 79 Getting data back out of the array is done with:: 80 81 void *flex_array_get(struct flex_array *fa, unsigned int element_nr); 82 83 The return value is a pointer to the data element, or NULL if that 84 particular element has never been allocated. 85 86 Note that it is possible to get back a valid pointer for an element which 87 has never been stored in the array. Memory for array elements is allocated 88 one page at a time; a single allocation could provide memory for several 89 adjacent elements. Flexible array elements are normally initialized to the 90 value FLEX_ARRAY_FREE (defined as 0x6c in <linux/poison.h>), so errors 91 involving that number probably result from use of unstored array entries. 92 Note that, if array elements are allocated with __GFP_ZERO, they will be 93 initialized to zero and this poisoning will not happen. 94 95 Individual elements in the array can be cleared with:: 96 97 int flex_array_clear(struct flex_array *array, unsigned int element_nr); 98 99 This function will set the given element to FLEX_ARRAY_FREE and return 100 zero. If storage for the indicated element is not allocated for the array, 101 flex_array_clear() will return -EINVAL instead. Note that clearing an 102 element does not release the storage associated with it; to reduce the 103 allocated size of an array, call:: 104 105 int flex_array_shrink(struct flex_array *array); 106 107 The return value will be the number of pages of memory actually freed. 108 This function works by scanning the array for pages containing nothing but 109 FLEX_ARRAY_FREE bytes, so (1) it can be expensive, and (2) it will not work 110 if the array's pages are allocated with __GFP_ZERO. 111 112 It is possible to remove all elements of an array with a call to:: 113 114 void flex_array_free_parts(struct flex_array *array); 115 116 This call frees all elements, but leaves the array itself in place. 117 Freeing the entire array is done with:: 118 119 void flex_array_free(struct flex_array *array); 120 121 As of this writing, there are no users of flexible arrays in the mainline 122 kernel. The functions described here are also not exported to modules; 123 that will probably be fixed when somebody comes up with a need for it.