Re: + atomic-improve-atomic_inc_unless_negative-atomic_dec_unless_positive .patch added to -mm tree

Re: + atomic-improve-atomic_inc_unless_negative-atomic_dec_unless_positive .patch added to -mm tree

[Oleg Nesterov]

> From: Ming Lei <tom.leiming@gmail.com>
> Subject: atomic: improve atomic_inc_unless_negative/atomic_dec_unless_positive
>
> Generally, both atomic_inc_unless_negative() and
> atomic_dec_unless_positive() need at least two atomic_cmpxchg() to
> complete the atomic operation.  In fact, the 1st atomic_cmpxchg() is just
> used to read current value of the atomic variable at most times.

Agreed, this looks ugly...

But can't we make a simpler patch and keep the code simple/readable ?

Oleg.

--- x/include/linux/atomic.h
+++ x/include/linux/atomic.h
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ static inline int atomic_inc_not_zero_hi
 static inline int atomic_inc_unless_negative(atomic_t *p)
 {
 	int v, v1;
-	for (v = 0; v >= 0; v = v1) {
+	for (v = atomic_read(p); v >= 0; v = v1) {
 		v1 = atomic_cmpxchg(p, v, v + 1);
 		if (likely(v1 == v))
 			return 1;
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ static inline int atomic_inc_unless_nega
 static inline int atomic_dec_unless_positive(atomic_t *p)
 {
 	int v, v1;
-	for (v = 0; v <= 0; v = v1) {
+	for (v = atomic_read(p); v <= 0; v = v1) {
 		v1 = atomic_cmpxchg(p, v, v - 1);
 		if (likely(v1 == v))
 			return 1;

Re: + atomic-improve-atomic_inc_unless_negative-atomic_dec_unless_positive .patch added to -mm tree

[Ming Lei]

On Fri, Mar 15, 2013 at 12:24 AM, Oleg Nesterov <oleg@redhat.com> wrote:
>> From: Ming Lei <tom.leiming@gmail.com>
>> Subject: atomic: improve atomic_inc_unless_negative/atomic_dec_unless_positive
>>
>> Generally, both atomic_inc_unless_negative() and
>> atomic_dec_unless_positive() need at least two atomic_cmpxchg() to
>> complete the atomic operation.  In fact, the 1st atomic_cmpxchg() is just
>> used to read current value of the atomic variable at most times.
>
> Agreed, this looks ugly...
>
> But can't we make a simpler patch and keep the code simple/readable ?
>
> Oleg.
>
> --- x/include/linux/atomic.h
> +++ x/include/linux/atomic.h
> @@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ static inline int atomic_inc_not_zero_hi
>  static inline int atomic_inc_unless_negative(atomic_t *p)
>  {
>         int v, v1;
> -       for (v = 0; v >= 0; v = v1) {
> +       for (v = atomic_read(p); v >= 0; v = v1) {
>                 v1 = atomic_cmpxchg(p, v, v + 1);

Unfortunately, the above will exchange the current value even though
it is negative, so it isn't correct.

>                 if (likely(v1 == v))
>                         return 1;
> @@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ static inline int atomic_inc_unless_nega
>  static inline int atomic_dec_unless_positive(atomic_t *p)
>  {
>         int v, v1;
> -       for (v = 0; v <= 0; v = v1) {
> +       for (v = atomic_read(p); v <= 0; v = v1) {
>                 v1 = atomic_cmpxchg(p, v, v - 1);

Similar with above.

>                 if (likely(v1 == v))
>                         return 1;
>


Thanks,
-- 
Ming Lei

Re: + atomic-improve-atomic_inc_unless_negative-atomic_dec_unless_positive .patch added to -mm tree

[Oleg Nesterov]

On 03/15, Ming Lei wrote:
>
> On Fri, Mar 15, 2013 at 12:24 AM, Oleg Nesterov <oleg@redhat.com> wrote:
> >  static inline int atomic_inc_unless_negative(atomic_t *p)
> >  {
> >         int v, v1;
> > -       for (v = 0; v >= 0; v = v1) {
> > +       for (v = atomic_read(p); v >= 0; v = v1) {
> >                 v1 = atomic_cmpxchg(p, v, v + 1);
>
> Unfortunately, the above will exchange the current value even though
> it is negative, so it isn't correct.

Hmm, why? We always check "v >= 0" before we try to do
atomic_cmpxchg(old => v) ?

Oleg.

Re: + atomic-improve-atomic_inc_unless_negative-atomic_dec_unless_positive .patch added to -mm tree

[Ming Lei]

On Fri, Mar 15, 2013 at 9:46 PM, Oleg Nesterov <oleg@redhat.com> wrote:
> On 03/15, Ming Lei wrote:
>>
>> On Fri, Mar 15, 2013 at 12:24 AM, Oleg Nesterov <oleg@redhat.com> wrote:
>> >  static inline int atomic_inc_unless_negative(atomic_t *p)
>> >  {
>> >         int v, v1;
>> > -       for (v = 0; v >= 0; v = v1) {
>> > +       for (v = atomic_read(p); v >= 0; v = v1) {
>> >                 v1 = atomic_cmpxchg(p, v, v + 1);
>>
>> Unfortunately, the above will exchange the current value even though
>> it is negative, so it isn't correct.
>
> Hmm, why? We always check "v >= 0" before we try to do
> atomic_cmpxchg(old => v) ?

Sorry, yes, you are right. But then your patch is basically same with the
previous one, isn't it?  And has same problem, see below discussion:

http://marc.info/?t=136284366900001&r=1&w=2


Thanks,
-- 
Ming Lei

Re: + atomic-improve-atomic_inc_unless_negative-atomic_dec_unless_positive .patch added to -mm tree

[Oleg Nesterov]

On 03/15, Ming Lei wrote:
>
> On Fri, Mar 15, 2013 at 9:46 PM, Oleg Nesterov <oleg@redhat.com> wrote:
> > On 03/15, Ming Lei wrote:
> >>
> >> On Fri, Mar 15, 2013 at 12:24 AM, Oleg Nesterov <oleg@redhat.com> wrote:
> >> >  static inline int atomic_inc_unless_negative(atomic_t *p)
> >> >  {
> >> >         int v, v1;
> >> > -       for (v = 0; v >= 0; v = v1) {
> >> > +       for (v = atomic_read(p); v >= 0; v = v1) {
> >> >                 v1 = atomic_cmpxchg(p, v, v + 1);
> >>
> >> Unfortunately, the above will exchange the current value even though
> >> it is negative, so it isn't correct.
> >
> > Hmm, why? We always check "v >= 0" before we try to do
> > atomic_cmpxchg(old => v) ?
>
> Sorry, yes, you are right. But then your patch is basically same with the
> previous one, isn't it?

Sure, the logic is the same, just the patch (and the code) looks simpler
and more understandable.

> And has same problem, see below discussion:
>
> http://marc.info/?t=136284366900001&r=1&w=2

The lack of the barrier?

I thought about this, this should be fine? atomic_add_unless() has the same
"problem", but this is documented in atomic_ops.txt:

	atomic_add_unless requires explicit memory barriers around the operation
	unless it fails (returns 0).

I thought that atomic_add_unless_negative() should have the same
guarantees?

Paul? Frederic?

Oleg.

Re: + atomic-improve-atomic_inc_unless_negative-atomic_dec_unless_positive .patch added to -mm tree

[Frederic Weisbecker]

2013/3/15 Oleg Nesterov <oleg@redhat.com>:
> On 03/15, Ming Lei wrote:
>>
>> On Fri, Mar 15, 2013 at 9:46 PM, Oleg Nesterov <oleg@redhat.com> wrote:
>> > On 03/15, Ming Lei wrote:
>> >>
>> >> On Fri, Mar 15, 2013 at 12:24 AM, Oleg Nesterov <oleg@redhat.com> wrote:
>> >> >  static inline int atomic_inc_unless_negative(atomic_t *p)
>> >> >  {
>> >> >         int v, v1;
>> >> > -       for (v = 0; v >= 0; v = v1) {
>> >> > +       for (v = atomic_read(p); v >= 0; v = v1) {
>> >> >                 v1 = atomic_cmpxchg(p, v, v + 1);
>> >>
>> >> Unfortunately, the above will exchange the current value even though
>> >> it is negative, so it isn't correct.
>> >
>> > Hmm, why? We always check "v >= 0" before we try to do
>> > atomic_cmpxchg(old => v) ?
>>
>> Sorry, yes, you are right. But then your patch is basically same with the
>> previous one, isn't it?
>
> Sure, the logic is the same, just the patch (and the code) looks simpler
> and more understandable.
>
>> And has same problem, see below discussion:
>>
>> http://marc.info/?t=136284366900001&r=1&w=2
>
> The lack of the barrier?
>
> I thought about this, this should be fine? atomic_add_unless() has the same
> "problem", but this is documented in atomic_ops.txt:
>
>         atomic_add_unless requires explicit memory barriers around the operation
>         unless it fails (returns 0).
>
> I thought that atomic_add_unless_negative() should have the same
> guarantees?

I feel very uncomfortable with that. The memory barrier is needed
anyway to make sure we don't deal with a stale value of the atomic val
(wrt. ordering against another object).
The following should really be expected to work without added barrier:

void put_object(foo *obj)
{
      if (atomic_dec_return(obj->ref) == -1)
          free_rcu(obj);
}

bool try_get_object(foo *obj)
{
      if (atomic_add_unless_negative(obj, 1))
           return true;
      return false;
}

= CPU 0 =                = CPU 1
                                rcu_read_lock()
put_object(obj0);
                                obj = rcu_derefr(obj0);
rcu_assign_ptr(obj0, NULL);
                                if (try_get_object(obj))
                                     do_something...
                                else
                                     object is dying
                                rcu_read_unlock()


But anyway I must defer on Paul, he's the specialist here.

Re: + atomic-improve-atomic_inc_unless_negative-atomic_dec_unless_positive .patch added to -mm tree

[Oleg Nesterov]

On 03/15, Frederic Weisbecker wrote:
>
> > The lack of the barrier?
> >
> > I thought about this, this should be fine? atomic_add_unless() has the same
> > "problem", but this is documented in atomic_ops.txt:
> >
> >         atomic_add_unless requires explicit memory barriers around the operation
> >         unless it fails (returns 0).
> >
> > I thought that atomic_add_unless_negative() should have the same
> > guarantees?
>
> I feel very uncomfortable with that. The memory barrier is needed
> anyway to make sure we don't deal with a stale value of the atomic val
> (wrt. ordering against another object).
> The following should really be expected to work without added barrier:
>
> void put_object(foo *obj)
> {
>       if (atomic_dec_return(obj->ref) == -1)
>           free_rcu(obj);
> }
>
> bool try_get_object(foo *obj)
> {
>       if (atomic_add_unless_negative(obj, 1))
>            return true;
>       return false;
> }
>
> = CPU 0 =                = CPU 1
>                                 rcu_read_lock()
> put_object(obj0);
>                                 obj = rcu_derefr(obj0);
> rcu_assign_ptr(obj0, NULL);

(I guess you meant rcu_assign_ptr() then put_object())

>                                 if (try_get_object(obj))
>                                      do_something...
>                                 else
>                                      object is dying
>                                 rcu_read_unlock()

I must have missed something.

do_something() looks fine, if atomic_add_unless_negative() succeeds
we do have a barrier?

Anyway, I understand that it is possible to write the code which
won't work without the uncoditional mb().

My point was: should we fix atomic_add_unless() then? If not, why
should atomic_add_unless_negative() differ?

Oleg.

Re: + atomic-improve-atomic_inc_unless_negative-atomic_dec_unless_positive .patch added to -mm tree

[Frederic Weisbecker]

2013/3/15 Oleg Nesterov <oleg@redhat.com>:
> On 03/15, Frederic Weisbecker wrote:
>>
>> > The lack of the barrier?
>> >
>> > I thought about this, this should be fine? atomic_add_unless() has the same
>> > "problem", but this is documented in atomic_ops.txt:
>> >
>> >         atomic_add_unless requires explicit memory barriers around the operation
>> >         unless it fails (returns 0).
>> >
>> > I thought that atomic_add_unless_negative() should have the same
>> > guarantees?
>>
>> I feel very uncomfortable with that. The memory barrier is needed
>> anyway to make sure we don't deal with a stale value of the atomic val
>> (wrt. ordering against another object).
>> The following should really be expected to work without added barrier:
>>
>> void put_object(foo *obj)
>> {
>>       if (atomic_dec_return(obj->ref) == -1)
>>           free_rcu(obj);
>> }
>>
>> bool try_get_object(foo *obj)
>> {
>>       if (atomic_add_unless_negative(obj, 1))
>>            return true;
>>       return false;
>> }
>>
>> = CPU 0 =                = CPU 1
>>                                 rcu_read_lock()
>> put_object(obj0);
>>                                 obj = rcu_derefr(obj0);
>> rcu_assign_ptr(obj0, NULL);
>
> (I guess you meant rcu_assign_ptr() then put_object())

Right.

>
>>                                 if (try_get_object(obj))
>>                                      do_something...
>>                                 else
>>                                      object is dying
>>                                 rcu_read_unlock()
>
> I must have missed something.
>
> do_something() looks fine, if atomic_add_unless_negative() succeeds
> we do have a barrier?

Ok, I guess the guarantee of a barrier in case of failure is probably
not needed. But since the only way to safely read the atomic value is
a cmpxchg like operation, I guess a barrier must be involved in any
case.

Using atomic_read() may return some stale value.

>
> Anyway, I understand that it is possible to write the code which
> won't work without the uncoditional mb().

Yeah that's my fear.

>
> My point was: should we fix atomic_add_unless() then? If not, why
> should atomic_add_unless_negative() differ?

They shouldn't differ I guess.

Re: + atomic-improve-atomic_inc_unless_negative-atomic_dec_unless_positive .patch added to -mm tree

[Paul E. McKenney]

On Fri, Mar 15, 2013 at 07:34:32PM +0100, Frederic Weisbecker wrote:
> 2013/3/15 Oleg Nesterov <oleg@redhat.com>:
> > On 03/15, Frederic Weisbecker wrote:
> >>
> >> > The lack of the barrier?
> >> >
> >> > I thought about this, this should be fine? atomic_add_unless() has the same
> >> > "problem", but this is documented in atomic_ops.txt:
> >> >
> >> >         atomic_add_unless requires explicit memory barriers around the operation
> >> >         unless it fails (returns 0).
> >> >
> >> > I thought that atomic_add_unless_negative() should have the same
> >> > guarantees?
> >>
> >> I feel very uncomfortable with that. The memory barrier is needed
> >> anyway to make sure we don't deal with a stale value of the atomic val
> >> (wrt. ordering against another object).
> >> The following should really be expected to work without added barrier:
> >>
> >> void put_object(foo *obj)
> >> {
> >>       if (atomic_dec_return(obj->ref) == -1)
> >>           free_rcu(obj);
> >> }
> >>
> >> bool try_get_object(foo *obj)
> >> {
> >>       if (atomic_add_unless_negative(obj, 1))
> >>            return true;
> >>       return false;
> >> }
> >>
> >> = CPU 0 =                = CPU 1
> >>                                 rcu_read_lock()
> >> put_object(obj0);
> >>                                 obj = rcu_derefr(obj0);
> >> rcu_assign_ptr(obj0, NULL);
> >
> > (I guess you meant rcu_assign_ptr() then put_object())
> 
> Right.
> 
> >
> >>                                 if (try_get_object(obj))
> >>                                      do_something...
> >>                                 else
> >>                                      object is dying
> >>                                 rcu_read_unlock()
> >
> > I must have missed something.
> >
> > do_something() looks fine, if atomic_add_unless_negative() succeeds
> > we do have a barrier?
> 
> Ok, I guess the guarantee of a barrier in case of failure is probably
> not needed. But since the only way to safely read the atomic value is
> a cmpxchg like operation, I guess a barrier must be involved in any
> case.
> 
> Using atomic_read() may return some stale value.
> 
> >
> > Anyway, I understand that it is possible to write the code which
> > won't work without the uncoditional mb().
> 
> Yeah that's my fear.
> 
> >
> > My point was: should we fix atomic_add_unless() then? If not, why
> > should atomic_add_unless_negative() differ?
> 
> They shouldn't differ I guess.

Completely agreed.  It is not like memory ordering is simple, so we should
keep the rules simple.  Atomic primitives that sometimes imply a memory
barrier seems a bit over the top.

The rule is that if an atomic primitive returns non-void, then there is
a full memory barrier before and after.  This applies to primitives
returning boolean as well, with atomic_dec_and_test() setting this
precedent from what I can see.

							Thanx, Paul

Re: + atomic-improve-atomic_inc_unless_negative-atomic_dec_unless_positive .patch added to -mm tree

[Oleg Nesterov]

On 03/15, Frederic Weisbecker wrote:
>
> 2013/3/15 Oleg Nesterov <oleg@redhat.com>:
> >
> > do_something() looks fine, if atomic_add_unless_negative() succeeds
> > we do have a barrier?
>
> Ok, I guess the guarantee of a barrier in case of failure is probably
> not needed. But since the only way to safely read the atomic value is
> a cmpxchg like operation, I guess a barrier must be involved in any
> case.
>
> Using atomic_read() may return some stale value.

Oh, if the lack of the barrier is fine, then "stale" should be fine
too, I think. I bet you can't describe accurately what "stale" can
actually mean in this case ;)

If, say, atomic_inc_unless_negative(p) sees the stale value < 0, it
was actually negative somewhere in the past. If it was changed later,
we can pretend that atomic_inc_unless_negative() was called before
the change which makes it positive.

> > Anyway, I understand that it is possible to write the code which
> > won't work without the uncoditional mb().
>
> Yeah that's my fear.

I see... well personally I can't imagine the "natural" (non-artificial)
code example which needs mb() in case of failure.


However, I have to agree with Paul's "It is not like memory ordering is
simple", so I won't argue.

> > My point was: should we fix atomic_add_unless() then? If not, why
> > should atomic_add_unless_negative() differ?
>
> They shouldn't differ I guess.

Agreed, they shouldn't.

Oleg.

Re: + atomic-improve-atomic_inc_unless_negative-atomic_dec_unless_positive .patch added to -mm tree

[Oleg Nesterov]

On 03/15, Paul E. McKenney wrote:
>
> On Fri, Mar 15, 2013 at 07:34:32PM +0100, Frederic Weisbecker wrote:
> > 2013/3/15 Oleg Nesterov <oleg@redhat.com>:
> > >
> > > My point was: should we fix atomic_add_unless() then? If not, why
> > > should atomic_add_unless_negative() differ?
> >
> > They shouldn't differ I guess.
>
> Completely agreed.  It is not like memory ordering is simple, so we should
> keep the rules simple.

It is hardly possible to argue with this ;)

> The rule is that if an atomic primitive returns non-void, then there is
> a full memory barrier before and after.

This case is documented...

> This applies to primitives
> returning boolean as well, with atomic_dec_and_test() setting this
> precedent from what I can see.

I don't think this is the "fair" comparison. Unlike atomic_add_unless(),
atomic_dec_and_test() always changes the memory even if it "fails".

If atomic_add_unless() returns 0, nothing was changed and if we add
the barrier it is not clear what it should be paired with.


But OK. I have to agree that "keep the rules simple" makes sense, so
we should change atomic_add_unless() as well.

Oleg.

Re: + atomic-improve-atomic_inc_unless_negative-atomic_dec_unless_positive .patch added to -mm tree

[Paul E. McKenney]

On Sat, Mar 16, 2013 at 07:30:22PM +0100, Oleg Nesterov wrote:
> On 03/15, Paul E. McKenney wrote:
> >
> > On Fri, Mar 15, 2013 at 07:34:32PM +0100, Frederic Weisbecker wrote:
> > > 2013/3/15 Oleg Nesterov <oleg@redhat.com>:
> > > >
> > > > My point was: should we fix atomic_add_unless() then? If not, why
> > > > should atomic_add_unless_negative() differ?
> > >
> > > They shouldn't differ I guess.
> >
> > Completely agreed.  It is not like memory ordering is simple, so we should
> > keep the rules simple.
> 
> It is hardly possible to argue with this ;)
> 
> > The rule is that if an atomic primitive returns non-void, then there is
> > a full memory barrier before and after.
> 
> This case is documented...
> 
> > This applies to primitives
> > returning boolean as well, with atomic_dec_and_test() setting this
> > precedent from what I can see.
> 
> I don't think this is the "fair" comparison. Unlike atomic_add_unless(),
> atomic_dec_and_test() always changes the memory even if it "fails".
> 
> If atomic_add_unless() returns 0, nothing was changed and if we add
> the barrier it is not clear what it should be paired with.
> 
> But OK. I have to agree that "keep the rules simple" makes sense, so
> we should change atomic_add_unless() as well.

Agreed!

							Thanx, Paul

Re: + atomic-improve-atomic_inc_unless_negative-atomic_dec_unless_positive .patch added to -mm tree

[Oleg Nesterov]

On 03/17, Paul E. McKenney wrote:
>
> On Sat, Mar 16, 2013 at 07:30:22PM +0100, Oleg Nesterov wrote:
> >
> > > The rule is that if an atomic primitive returns non-void, then there is
> > > a full memory barrier before and after.
> >
> > This case is documented...
> >
> > > This applies to primitives
> > > returning boolean as well, with atomic_dec_and_test() setting this
> > > precedent from what I can see.
> >
> > I don't think this is the "fair" comparison. Unlike atomic_add_unless(),
> > atomic_dec_and_test() always changes the memory even if it "fails".
> >
> > If atomic_add_unless() returns 0, nothing was changed and if we add
> > the barrier it is not clear what it should be paired with.
> >
> > But OK. I have to agree that "keep the rules simple" makes sense, so
> > we should change atomic_add_unless() as well.
>
> Agreed!

OK... since nobody volunteered to make a patch, what do you think about
the change below?

It should "fix" atomic_add_unless() (only on x86) and optimize
atomic_inc/dec_unless.

With this change atomic_*_unless() can do the unnecessary mb() after
cmpxchg() fails, but I think this case is very unlikely.

And, in the likely case atomic_inc/dec_unless avoids the 1st cmpxchg()
which in most cases just reads the memory for the next cmpxchg().

Oleg.

--- x/arch/x86/include/asm/atomic.h
+++ x/arch/x86/include/asm/atomic.h
@@ -212,15 +212,12 @@ static inline int atomic_xchg(atomic_t *
 static inline int __atomic_add_unless(atomic_t *v, int a, int u)
 {
 	int c, old;
-	c = atomic_read(v);
-	for (;;) {
-		if (unlikely(c == (u)))
-			break;
-		old = atomic_cmpxchg((v), c, c + (a));
+	for (c = atomic_read(v); c != u; c = old) {
+		old = atomic_cmpxchg(v, c, c + a);
 		if (likely(old == c))
-			break;
-		c = old;
+			return c;
 	}
+	smp_mb();
 	return c;
 }
 
--- x/include/linux/atomic.h
+++ x/include/linux/atomic.h
@@ -64,11 +64,12 @@ static inline int atomic_inc_not_zero_hi
 static inline int atomic_inc_unless_negative(atomic_t *p)
 {
 	int v, v1;
-	for (v = 0; v >= 0; v = v1) {
+	for (v = atomic_read(p); v >= 0; v = v1) {
 		v1 = atomic_cmpxchg(p, v, v + 1);
 		if (likely(v1 == v))
 			return 1;
 	}
+	smp_mb();
 	return 0;
 }
 #endif
@@ -77,11 +78,12 @@ static inline int atomic_inc_unless_nega
 static inline int atomic_dec_unless_positive(atomic_t *p)
 {
 	int v, v1;
-	for (v = 0; v <= 0; v = v1) {
+	for (atomic_read(p); v <= 0; v = v1) {
 		v1 = atomic_cmpxchg(p, v, v - 1);
 		if (likely(v1 == v))
 			return 1;
 	}
+	smp_mb();
 	return 0;
 }
 #endif

Re: + atomic-improve-atomic_inc_unless_negative-atomic_dec_unless_positive .patch added to -mm tree

[Paul E. McKenney]

On Thu, Mar 21, 2013 at 06:08:27PM +0100, Oleg Nesterov wrote:
> On 03/17, Paul E. McKenney wrote:
> >
> > On Sat, Mar 16, 2013 at 07:30:22PM +0100, Oleg Nesterov wrote:
> > >
> > > > The rule is that if an atomic primitive returns non-void, then there is
> > > > a full memory barrier before and after.
> > >
> > > This case is documented...
> > >
> > > > This applies to primitives
> > > > returning boolean as well, with atomic_dec_and_test() setting this
> > > > precedent from what I can see.
> > >
> > > I don't think this is the "fair" comparison. Unlike atomic_add_unless(),
> > > atomic_dec_and_test() always changes the memory even if it "fails".
> > >
> > > If atomic_add_unless() returns 0, nothing was changed and if we add
> > > the barrier it is not clear what it should be paired with.
> > >
> > > But OK. I have to agree that "keep the rules simple" makes sense, so
> > > we should change atomic_add_unless() as well.
> >
> > Agreed!
> 
> OK... since nobody volunteered to make a patch, what do you think about
> the change below?
> 
> It should "fix" atomic_add_unless() (only on x86) and optimize
> atomic_inc/dec_unless.
> 
> With this change atomic_*_unless() can do the unnecessary mb() after
> cmpxchg() fails, but I think this case is very unlikely.
> 
> And, in the likely case atomic_inc/dec_unless avoids the 1st cmpxchg()
> which in most cases just reads the memory for the next cmpxchg().

Thank you, Oleg!

Reviewed-by: Paul E. McKenney <paulmck@linux.vnet.ibm.com>

> Oleg.
> 
> --- x/arch/x86/include/asm/atomic.h
> +++ x/arch/x86/include/asm/atomic.h
> @@ -212,15 +212,12 @@ static inline int atomic_xchg(atomic_t *
>  static inline int __atomic_add_unless(atomic_t *v, int a, int u)
>  {
>  	int c, old;
> -	c = atomic_read(v);
> -	for (;;) {
> -		if (unlikely(c == (u)))
> -			break;
> -		old = atomic_cmpxchg((v), c, c + (a));
> +	for (c = atomic_read(v); c != u; c = old) {
> +		old = atomic_cmpxchg(v, c, c + a);
>  		if (likely(old == c))
> -			break;
> -		c = old;
> +			return c;
>  	}
> +	smp_mb();
>  	return c;
>  }
> 
> --- x/include/linux/atomic.h
> +++ x/include/linux/atomic.h
> @@ -64,11 +64,12 @@ static inline int atomic_inc_not_zero_hi
>  static inline int atomic_inc_unless_negative(atomic_t *p)
>  {
>  	int v, v1;
> -	for (v = 0; v >= 0; v = v1) {
> +	for (v = atomic_read(p); v >= 0; v = v1) {
>  		v1 = atomic_cmpxchg(p, v, v + 1);
>  		if (likely(v1 == v))
>  			return 1;
>  	}
> +	smp_mb();
>  	return 0;
>  }
>  #endif
> @@ -77,11 +78,12 @@ static inline int atomic_inc_unless_nega
>  static inline int atomic_dec_unless_positive(atomic_t *p)
>  {
>  	int v, v1;
> -	for (v = 0; v <= 0; v = v1) {
> +	for (atomic_read(p); v <= 0; v = v1) {
>  		v1 = atomic_cmpxchg(p, v, v - 1);
>  		if (likely(v1 == v))
>  			return 1;
>  	}
> +	smp_mb();
>  	return 0;
>  }
>  #endif
> 

Re: + atomic-improve-atomic_inc_unless_negative-atomic_dec_unless_positive .patch added to -mm tree

[Eric Dumazet]

On Thu, 2013-03-21 at 18:08 +0100, Oleg Nesterov wrote:

> OK... since nobody volunteered to make a patch, what do you think about
> the change below?
> 
> It should "fix" atomic_add_unless() (only on x86) and optimize
> atomic_inc/dec_unless.
> 
> With this change atomic_*_unless() can do the unnecessary mb() after
> cmpxchg() fails, but I think this case is very unlikely.
> 
> And, in the likely case atomic_inc/dec_unless avoids the 1st cmpxchg()
> which in most cases just reads the memory for the next cmpxchg().
> 
> Oleg.

Hmm, cmpxchg() has different effect on MESI transaction, than a plain
read.

Given there is a single user of atomic_inc_unless_negative(),
(get_write_access(struct inode *inode) )

maybe the 'hint' idea used in atomic_inc_not_zero_hint() could be used.

(The caller might know what is the expected current value, instead of
using atomic_read() and possibly not use appropriate transaction)

Re: + atomic-improve-atomic_inc_unless_negative-atomic_dec_unless_positive .patch added to -mm tree

[Oleg Nesterov]

On 03/21, Eric Dumazet wrote:
>
> On Thu, 2013-03-21 at 18:08 +0100, Oleg Nesterov wrote:
>
> > OK... since nobody volunteered to make a patch, what do you think about
> > the change below?
> >
> > It should "fix" atomic_add_unless() (only on x86) and optimize
> > atomic_inc/dec_unless.
> >
> > With this change atomic_*_unless() can do the unnecessary mb() after
> > cmpxchg() fails, but I think this case is very unlikely.
> >
> > And, in the likely case atomic_inc/dec_unless avoids the 1st cmpxchg()
> > which in most cases just reads the memory for the next cmpxchg().
> >
> > Oleg.
>
> Hmm, cmpxchg() has different effect on MESI transaction, than a plain
> read.

But this doesn't matter?

We will do cmpxchg() anyway. Unless we can see that it will fail.

Or could you explain what I missed?

> maybe the 'hint' idea used in atomic_inc_not_zero_hint() could be used.

To me, it would be better to kill atomic_inc_not_zero_hint() or unify
unify it with atomic_inc_not_zero(). But this is another story.

Oleg.

Re: + atomic-improve-atomic_inc_unless_negative-atomic_dec_unless_positive .patch added to -mm tree

[Eric Dumazet]

On Thu, 2013-03-21 at 19:30 +0100, Oleg Nesterov wrote:

> To me, it would be better to kill atomic_inc_not_zero_hint() or unify
> unify it with atomic_inc_not_zero(). But this is another story.

git is your friend.

I suggest you read 3f9d35b9514 changelog before killing it, thanks.

Re: + atomic-improve-atomic_inc_unless_negative-atomic_dec_unless_positive .patch added to -mm tree

[Oleg Nesterov]

On 03/21, Eric Dumazet wrote:
>
> On Thu, 2013-03-21 at 19:30 +0100, Oleg Nesterov wrote:
>
> > To me, it would be better to kill atomic_inc_not_zero_hint() or unify
> > unify it with atomic_inc_not_zero(). But this is another story.
>
> git is your friend.
>
> I suggest you read 3f9d35b9514 changelog before killing it, thanks.

Thanks Eric for your friendly suggestion.

But I didn't mean we should kill this optimization. Yes, I am wondering
if we can avoid inc_not_zero_hint _or_ unify with add_unless. But let me
repeat, this is another story.


Perhaps I misread your previous email... I understood it as if you think
the patch I sent is wrong. No?

If you meant that get_write_access() can predict the current value of
i_writecount... how? And even if we could, why we cant/shouldnt try to
optimize the generic atomic_inc_unless_negative()?

So what did you actually mean?

Oleg.

Re: + atomic-improve-atomic_inc_unless_negative-atomic_dec_unless_positive .patch added to -mm tree

[Paul E. McKenney]

On Thu, Mar 21, 2013 at 03:56:58PM -0700, Eric Dumazet wrote:
> On Thu, 2013-03-21 at 19:30 +0100, Oleg Nesterov wrote:
> 
> > To me, it would be better to kill atomic_inc_not_zero_hint() or unify
> > unify it with atomic_inc_not_zero(). But this is another story.
> 
> git is your friend.
> 
> I suggest you read 3f9d35b9514 changelog before killing it, thanks.

Hello, Eric,

Does the addition of a memory barrier in the not-zero case impose
too large a performance penalty?

							Thanx, Paul