All of lore.kernel.org
 help / color / mirror / Atom feed
From: tip-bot for Thomas Gleixner <tipbot@zytor.com>
To: linux-tip-commits@vger.kernel.org
Cc: axboe@kernel.dk, marc.zyngier@arm.com, hch@lst.de,
	peterz@infradead.org, mpe@ellerman.id.au, hpa@zytor.com,
	tglx@linutronix.de, keith.busch@intel.com,
	linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org, mingo@kernel.org
Subject: [tip:irq/core] genirq: Remove mask argument from setup_affinity()
Date: Thu, 22 Jun 2017 09:51:29 -0700	[thread overview]
Message-ID: <tip-cba4235e6031e9318d68186f6d765c531cbea4e1@git.kernel.org> (raw)
In-Reply-To: <20170619235444.851571573@linutronix.de>

Commit-ID:  cba4235e6031e9318d68186f6d765c531cbea4e1
Gitweb:     http://git.kernel.org/tip/cba4235e6031e9318d68186f6d765c531cbea4e1
Author:     Thomas Gleixner <tglx@linutronix.de>
AuthorDate: Tue, 20 Jun 2017 01:37:21 +0200
Committer:  Thomas Gleixner <tglx@linutronix.de>
CommitDate: Thu, 22 Jun 2017 18:21:14 +0200

genirq: Remove mask argument from setup_affinity()

No point to have this alloc/free dance of cpumasks. Provide a static mask
for setup_affinity() and protect it proper.

Signed-off-by: Thomas Gleixner <tglx@linutronix.de>
Cc: Jens Axboe <axboe@kernel.dk>
Cc: Marc Zyngier <marc.zyngier@arm.com>
Cc: Michael Ellerman <mpe@ellerman.id.au>
Cc: Keith Busch <keith.busch@intel.com>
Cc: Peter Zijlstra <peterz@infradead.org>
Cc: Christoph Hellwig <hch@lst.de>
Link: http://lkml.kernel.org/r/20170619235444.851571573@linutronix.de

---
 kernel/irq/internals.h |  2 +-
 kernel/irq/manage.c    | 53 ++++++++++++++++++++++----------------------------
 kernel/irq/proc.c      |  8 +++++---
 3 files changed, 29 insertions(+), 34 deletions(-)

diff --git a/kernel/irq/internals.h b/kernel/irq/internals.h
index 094db5b..33ca838 100644
--- a/kernel/irq/internals.h
+++ b/kernel/irq/internals.h
@@ -109,7 +109,7 @@ static inline void unregister_handler_proc(unsigned int irq,
 
 extern bool irq_can_set_affinity_usr(unsigned int irq);
 
-extern int irq_select_affinity_usr(unsigned int irq, struct cpumask *mask);
+extern int irq_select_affinity_usr(unsigned int irq);
 
 extern void irq_set_thread_affinity(struct irq_desc *desc);
 
diff --git a/kernel/irq/manage.c b/kernel/irq/manage.c
index 284f4eb..e2f20d5 100644
--- a/kernel/irq/manage.c
+++ b/kernel/irq/manage.c
@@ -345,15 +345,18 @@ EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(irq_set_affinity_notifier);
 /*
  * Generic version of the affinity autoselector.
  */
-static int setup_affinity(struct irq_desc *desc, struct cpumask *mask)
+static int irq_setup_affinity(struct irq_desc *desc)
 {
 	struct cpumask *set = irq_default_affinity;
-	int node = irq_desc_get_node(desc);
+	int ret, node = irq_desc_get_node(desc);
+	static DEFINE_RAW_SPINLOCK(mask_lock);
+	static struct cpumask mask;
 
 	/* Excludes PER_CPU and NO_BALANCE interrupts */
 	if (!__irq_can_set_affinity(desc))
 		return 0;
 
+	raw_spin_lock(&mask_lock);
 	/*
 	 * Preserve the managed affinity setting and a userspace affinity
 	 * setup, but make sure that one of the targets is online.
@@ -367,43 +370,42 @@ static int setup_affinity(struct irq_desc *desc, struct cpumask *mask)
 			irqd_clear(&desc->irq_data, IRQD_AFFINITY_SET);
 	}
 
-	cpumask_and(mask, cpu_online_mask, set);
+	cpumask_and(&mask, cpu_online_mask, set);
 	if (node != NUMA_NO_NODE) {
 		const struct cpumask *nodemask = cpumask_of_node(node);
 
 		/* make sure at least one of the cpus in nodemask is online */
-		if (cpumask_intersects(mask, nodemask))
-			cpumask_and(mask, mask, nodemask);
+		if (cpumask_intersects(&mask, nodemask))
+			cpumask_and(&mask, &mask, nodemask);
 	}
-	irq_do_set_affinity(&desc->irq_data, mask, false);
-	return 0;
+	ret = irq_do_set_affinity(&desc->irq_data, &mask, false);
+	raw_spin_unlock(&mask_lock);
+	return ret;
 }
 #else
 /* Wrapper for ALPHA specific affinity selector magic */
-static inline int setup_affinity(struct irq_desc *d, struct cpumask *mask)
+int irq_setup_affinity(struct irq_desc *desc)
 {
-	return irq_select_affinity(irq_desc_get_irq(d));
+	return irq_select_affinity(irq_desc_get_irq(desc));
 }
 #endif
 
 /*
- * Called when affinity is set via /proc/irq
+ * Called when a bogus affinity is set via /proc/irq
  */
-int irq_select_affinity_usr(unsigned int irq, struct cpumask *mask)
+int irq_select_affinity_usr(unsigned int irq)
 {
 	struct irq_desc *desc = irq_to_desc(irq);
 	unsigned long flags;
 	int ret;
 
 	raw_spin_lock_irqsave(&desc->lock, flags);
-	ret = setup_affinity(desc, mask);
+	ret = irq_setup_affinity(desc);
 	raw_spin_unlock_irqrestore(&desc->lock, flags);
 	return ret;
 }
-
 #else
-static inline int
-setup_affinity(struct irq_desc *desc, struct cpumask *mask)
+static inline int setup_affinity(struct irq_desc *desc)
 {
 	return 0;
 }
@@ -1128,7 +1130,6 @@ __setup_irq(unsigned int irq, struct irq_desc *desc, struct irqaction *new)
 	struct irqaction *old, **old_ptr;
 	unsigned long flags, thread_mask = 0;
 	int ret, nested, shared = 0;
-	cpumask_var_t mask;
 
 	if (!desc)
 		return -EINVAL;
@@ -1187,11 +1188,6 @@ __setup_irq(unsigned int irq, struct irq_desc *desc, struct irqaction *new)
 		}
 	}
 
-	if (!alloc_cpumask_var(&mask, GFP_KERNEL)) {
-		ret = -ENOMEM;
-		goto out_thread;
-	}
-
 	/*
 	 * Drivers are often written to work w/o knowledge about the
 	 * underlying irq chip implementation, so a request for a
@@ -1256,7 +1252,7 @@ __setup_irq(unsigned int irq, struct irq_desc *desc, struct irqaction *new)
 		 */
 		if (thread_mask == ~0UL) {
 			ret = -EBUSY;
-			goto out_mask;
+			goto out_unlock;
 		}
 		/*
 		 * The thread_mask for the action is or'ed to
@@ -1300,7 +1296,7 @@ __setup_irq(unsigned int irq, struct irq_desc *desc, struct irqaction *new)
 		pr_err("Threaded irq requested with handler=NULL and !ONESHOT for irq %d\n",
 		       irq);
 		ret = -EINVAL;
-		goto out_mask;
+		goto out_unlock;
 	}
 
 	if (!shared) {
@@ -1308,7 +1304,7 @@ __setup_irq(unsigned int irq, struct irq_desc *desc, struct irqaction *new)
 		if (ret) {
 			pr_err("Failed to request resources for %s (irq %d) on irqchip %s\n",
 			       new->name, irq, desc->irq_data.chip->name);
-			goto out_mask;
+			goto out_unlock;
 		}
 
 		init_waitqueue_head(&desc->wait_for_threads);
@@ -1320,7 +1316,7 @@ __setup_irq(unsigned int irq, struct irq_desc *desc, struct irqaction *new)
 
 			if (ret) {
 				irq_release_resources(desc);
-				goto out_mask;
+				goto out_unlock;
 			}
 		}
 
@@ -1357,7 +1353,7 @@ __setup_irq(unsigned int irq, struct irq_desc *desc, struct irqaction *new)
 		}
 
 		/* Set default affinity mask once everything is setup */
-		setup_affinity(desc, mask);
+		irq_setup_affinity(desc);
 
 	} else if (new->flags & IRQF_TRIGGER_MASK) {
 		unsigned int nmsk = new->flags & IRQF_TRIGGER_MASK;
@@ -1401,8 +1397,6 @@ __setup_irq(unsigned int irq, struct irq_desc *desc, struct irqaction *new)
 	irq_add_debugfs_entry(irq, desc);
 	new->dir = NULL;
 	register_handler_proc(irq, new);
-	free_cpumask_var(mask);
-
 	return 0;
 
 mismatch:
@@ -1415,9 +1409,8 @@ mismatch:
 	}
 	ret = -EBUSY;
 
-out_mask:
+out_unlock:
 	raw_spin_unlock_irqrestore(&desc->lock, flags);
-	free_cpumask_var(mask);
 
 out_thread:
 	if (new->thread) {
diff --git a/kernel/irq/proc.c b/kernel/irq/proc.c
index c53edad..d35bb8d 100644
--- a/kernel/irq/proc.c
+++ b/kernel/irq/proc.c
@@ -120,9 +120,11 @@ static ssize_t write_irq_affinity(int type, struct file *file,
 	 * one online CPU still has to be targeted.
 	 */
 	if (!cpumask_intersects(new_value, cpu_online_mask)) {
-		/* Special case for empty set - allow the architecture
-		   code to set default SMP affinity. */
-		err = irq_select_affinity_usr(irq, new_value) ? -EINVAL : count;
+		/*
+		 * Special case for empty set - allow the architecture code
+		 * to set default SMP affinity.
+		 */
+		err = irq_select_affinity_usr(irq) ? -EINVAL : count;
 	} else {
 		irq_set_affinity(irq, new_value);
 		err = count;

  reply	other threads:[~2017-06-22 16:56 UTC|newest]

Thread overview: 133+ messages / expand[flat|nested]  mbox.gz  Atom feed  top
2017-06-19 23:37 [patch 00/55] genirq: Debuggability, consolidation and managed affinities Thomas Gleixner
2017-06-19 23:37 ` [patch 01/55] x86/apic: Add name to irq chip Thomas Gleixner
2017-06-22 16:40   ` [tip:irq/core] " tip-bot for Thomas Gleixner
2017-06-19 23:37 ` [patch 02/55] iommu/amd: " Thomas Gleixner
2017-06-19 23:37   ` Thomas Gleixner
2017-06-21 15:51   ` Joerg Roedel
2017-06-21 15:51     ` Joerg Roedel
2017-06-22 16:40   ` [tip:irq/core] " tip-bot for Thomas Gleixner
2017-06-19 23:37 ` [patch 03/55] iommu/vt-d: " Thomas Gleixner
2017-06-21 15:51   ` Joerg Roedel
2017-06-21 15:51     ` Joerg Roedel
2017-06-22 16:41   ` [tip:irq/core] " tip-bot for Thomas Gleixner
2017-06-19 23:37 ` [patch 04/55] genirq/msi: Prevent overwriting domain name Thomas Gleixner
2017-06-22 16:41   ` [tip:irq/core] " tip-bot for Thomas Gleixner
2017-06-19 23:37 ` [patch 05/55] genirq: Allow fwnode to carry name information only Thomas Gleixner
2017-06-22 16:42   ` [tip:irq/core] " tip-bot for Thomas Gleixner
2017-06-19 23:37 ` [patch 06/55] x86/vector: Create named irq domain Thomas Gleixner
2017-06-22 16:42   ` [tip:irq/core] " tip-bot for Thomas Gleixner
2017-06-19 23:37 ` [patch 07/55] x86/ioapic: " Thomas Gleixner
2017-06-22 16:43   ` [tip:irq/core] " tip-bot for Thomas Gleixner
2017-06-19 23:37 ` [patch 08/55] x86/htirq: Create named domain Thomas Gleixner
2017-06-22 16:44   ` [tip:irq/core] " tip-bot for Thomas Gleixner
2017-06-19 23:37 ` [patch 09/55] x86/uv: Create named irq domain Thomas Gleixner
2017-06-22 16:44   ` [tip:irq/core] " tip-bot for Thomas Gleixner
2017-06-19 23:37 ` [patch 10/55] x86/msi: Provide new iommu irqdomain interface Thomas Gleixner
2017-06-19 23:37   ` Thomas Gleixner
2017-06-22 16:45   ` [tip:irq/core] " tip-bot for Thomas Gleixner
2017-06-19 23:37 ` [patch 11/55] iommu/vt-d: Use named irq domain interface Thomas Gleixner
2017-06-19 23:37   ` Thomas Gleixner
2017-06-21 15:52   ` Joerg Roedel
2017-06-21 15:52     ` Joerg Roedel
2017-06-22 16:45   ` [tip:irq/core] " tip-bot for Thomas Gleixner
2017-06-19 23:37 ` [patch 12/55] iommu/amd: " Thomas Gleixner
2017-06-19 23:37   ` Thomas Gleixner
2017-06-21 15:52   ` Joerg Roedel
2017-06-21 15:52     ` Joerg Roedel
2017-06-22 16:46   ` [tip:irq/core] " tip-bot for Thomas Gleixner
2017-06-19 23:37 ` [patch 13/55] x86/msi: Remove unused remap " Thomas Gleixner
2017-06-22 16:46   ` [tip:irq/core] " tip-bot for Thomas Gleixner
2017-06-19 23:37 ` [patch 14/55] x86/msi: Create named irq domains Thomas Gleixner
2017-06-22 16:47   ` [tip:irq/core] " tip-bot for Thomas Gleixner
2017-06-19 23:37 ` [patch 15/55] PCI: vmd: Create named irq domain Thomas Gleixner
2017-06-19 23:37   ` Thomas Gleixner
2017-06-20 20:07   ` Keith Busch
2017-06-20 20:07     ` Thomas Gleixner
2017-06-20 20:39       ` Thomas Gleixner
2017-06-22 16:47   ` [tip:irq/core] PCI/vmd: " tip-bot for Thomas Gleixner
2017-06-19 23:37 ` [patch 16/55] genirq/irqdomain: Add map counter Thomas Gleixner
2017-06-22 16:48   ` [tip:irq/core] " tip-bot for Thomas Gleixner
2017-06-19 23:37 ` [patch 17/55] genirq/debugfs: Add proper debugfs interface Thomas Gleixner
2017-06-22 16:49   ` [tip:irq/core] " tip-bot for Thomas Gleixner
2017-06-19 23:37 ` [patch 18/55] genirq: Add missing comment for IRQD_STARTED Thomas Gleixner
2017-06-22 16:49   ` [tip:irq/core] " tip-bot for Thomas Gleixner
2017-06-19 23:37 ` [patch 19/55] genirq: Provide irq_fixup_move_pending() Thomas Gleixner
2017-06-20  4:21   ` Dou Liyang
2017-06-20  6:58     ` Thomas Gleixner
2017-06-22 16:50   ` [tip:irq/core] " tip-bot for Thomas Gleixner
2017-06-19 23:37 ` [patch 20/55] x86/irq: Cleanup pending irq move in fixup_irqs() Thomas Gleixner
2017-06-22 16:50   ` [tip:irq/core] " tip-bot for Thomas Gleixner
2017-06-19 23:37 ` [patch 21/55] genirq: Remove mask argument from setup_affinity() Thomas Gleixner
2017-06-22 16:51   ` tip-bot for Thomas Gleixner [this message]
2017-06-19 23:37 ` [patch 22/55] genirq: Rename setup_affinity() to irq_setup_affinity() Thomas Gleixner
2017-06-22 16:52   ` [tip:irq/core] " tip-bot for Thomas Gleixner
2017-06-19 23:37 ` [patch 23/55] genirq: Move initial affinity setup to irq_startup() Thomas Gleixner
2017-06-22 16:52   ` [tip:irq/core] " tip-bot for Thomas Gleixner
2017-06-19 23:37 ` [patch 24/55] genirq: Move pending helpers to internal.h Thomas Gleixner
2017-06-22 16:53   ` [tip:irq/core] " tip-bot for Christoph Hellwig
2017-06-19 23:37 ` [patch 25/55] genirq/cpuhotplug: Remove irq disabling logic Thomas Gleixner
2017-06-22 16:53   ` [tip:irq/core] " tip-bot for Thomas Gleixner
2017-06-19 23:37 ` [patch 26/55] genirq/cpuhotplug: Dont claim success on error Thomas Gleixner
2017-06-22 16:54   ` [tip:irq/core] " tip-bot for Thomas Gleixner
2017-06-19 23:37 ` [patch 27/55] genirq/cpuhotplug: Reorder check logic Thomas Gleixner
2017-06-22 16:54   ` [tip:irq/core] " tip-bot for Thomas Gleixner
2017-06-19 23:37 ` [patch 28/55] genirq/cpuhotplug: Do not migrated shutdown irqs Thomas Gleixner
2017-06-22 16:55   ` [tip:irq/core] " tip-bot for Thomas Gleixner
2017-06-19 23:37 ` [patch 29/55] genirq/cpuhotplug: Add support for cleaning up move in progress Thomas Gleixner
2017-06-22 16:56   ` [tip:irq/core] " tip-bot for Thomas Gleixner
2017-06-19 23:37 ` [patch 30/55] genirq/cpuhotplug: Add support for conditional masking Thomas Gleixner
2017-06-22 16:56   ` [tip:irq/core] " tip-bot for Thomas Gleixner
2017-06-19 23:37 ` [patch 31/55] genirq/cpuhotplug: Set force affinity flag on hotplug migration Thomas Gleixner
2017-06-22 16:57   ` [tip:irq/core] " tip-bot for Thomas Gleixner
2017-06-19 23:37 ` [patch 32/55] x86/irq: Restructure fixup_irqs() Thomas Gleixner
2017-06-20 21:34   ` Keith Busch
2017-06-20 21:28     ` Thomas Gleixner
2017-06-22 16:57   ` [tip:irq/core] " tip-bot for Thomas Gleixner
2017-06-19 23:37 ` [patch 33/55] x86/irq: Use irq_migrate_all_off_this_cpu() Thomas Gleixner
2017-06-22 16:58   ` [tip:irq/core] " tip-bot for Thomas Gleixner
2017-06-19 23:37 ` [patch 34/55] genirq: Move irq_fixup_move_pending() to core Thomas Gleixner
2017-06-22 16:58   ` [tip:irq/core] " tip-bot for Thomas Gleixner
2017-06-19 23:37 ` [patch 35/55] genirq: Remove pointless arg from show_irq_affinity Thomas Gleixner
2017-06-22 16:59   ` [tip:irq/core] " tip-bot for Thomas Gleixner
2017-06-19 23:37 ` [patch 36/55] genirq: Remove pointless gfp argument Thomas Gleixner
2017-06-22 17:00   ` [tip:irq/core] " tip-bot for Thomas Gleixner
2017-06-19 23:37 ` [patch 37/55] genirq/proc: Replace ever repeating type cast Thomas Gleixner
2017-06-22 17:00   ` [tip:irq/core] " tip-bot for Thomas Gleixner
2017-06-19 23:37 ` [patch 38/55] genirq: Introduce effective affinity mask Thomas Gleixner
2017-06-22 17:01   ` [tip:irq/core] " tip-bot for Thomas Gleixner
2017-06-19 23:37 ` [patch 39/55] genirq/cpuhotplug: Use " Thomas Gleixner
2017-06-22 17:01   ` [tip:irq/core] " tip-bot for Thomas Gleixner
2017-06-19 23:37 ` [patch 40/55] x86/apic: Move flat_cpu_mask_to_apicid_and() into C source Thomas Gleixner
2017-06-22 17:02   ` [tip:irq/core] " tip-bot for Thomas Gleixner
2017-06-19 23:37 ` [patch 41/55] x86/uv: Use default_cpu_mask_to_apicid_and() Thomas Gleixner
2017-06-22 17:03   ` [tip:irq/core] " tip-bot for Thomas Gleixner
2017-06-19 23:37 ` [patch 42/55] x86/apic: Move online masking to core code Thomas Gleixner
2017-06-22 17:03   ` [tip:irq/core] " tip-bot for Thomas Gleixner
2017-06-19 23:37 ` [patch 43/55] x86/apic: Move cpumask and " Thomas Gleixner
2017-06-22 17:04   ` [tip:irq/core] " tip-bot for Thomas Gleixner
2017-06-19 23:37 ` [patch 44/55] x86/apic: Add irq_data argument to apic->cpu_mask_to_apicid() Thomas Gleixner
2017-06-22 17:04   ` [tip:irq/core] " tip-bot for Thomas Gleixner
2017-06-19 23:37 ` [patch 45/55] xen/events: Add support for effective affinity mask Thomas Gleixner
2017-06-22 17:05   ` [tip:irq/core] " tip-bot for Thomas Gleixner
2017-06-19 23:37 ` [patch 46/55] x86/apic: Implement effective irq mask update Thomas Gleixner
2017-06-22 17:05   ` [tip:irq/core] " tip-bot for Thomas Gleixner
2017-06-19 23:37 ` [patch 47/55] genirq: Introduce IRQD_MANAGED_SHUTDOWN Thomas Gleixner
2017-06-22 17:06   ` [tip:irq/core] " tip-bot for Thomas Gleixner
2017-06-19 23:37 ` [patch 48/55] genirq: Split out irq_startup() code Thomas Gleixner
2017-06-22 17:06   ` [tip:irq/core] " tip-bot for Thomas Gleixner
2017-06-19 23:37 ` [patch 49/55] genirq: Add force argument to irq_startup() Thomas Gleixner
2017-06-22 17:07   ` [tip:irq/core] " tip-bot for Thomas Gleixner
2017-06-19 23:37 ` [patch 50/55] genirq: Handle managed irqs gracefully in irq_startup() Thomas Gleixner
2017-06-22 17:08   ` [tip:irq/core] " tip-bot for Thomas Gleixner
2017-06-19 23:37 ` [patch 51/55] genirq/cpuhotplug: Handle managed IRQs on CPU hotplug Thomas Gleixner
2017-06-22 17:08   ` [tip:irq/core] " tip-bot for Thomas Gleixner
2017-06-19 23:37 ` [patch 52/55] genirq: Introduce IRQD_SINGLE_TARGET flag Thomas Gleixner
2017-06-22 17:09   ` [tip:irq/core] " tip-bot for Thomas Gleixner
2017-06-19 23:37 ` [patch 53/55] genirq/cpuhotplug: Avoid irq affinity setting for single targets Thomas Gleixner
2017-06-22 17:09   ` [tip:irq/core] " tip-bot for Thomas Gleixner
2017-06-19 23:37 ` [patch 54/55] x86/apic: Mark single target interrupts Thomas Gleixner
2017-06-22 17:10   ` [tip:irq/core] " tip-bot for Thomas Gleixner
2017-06-19 23:37 ` [patch 55/55] genirq/affinity: Assign vectors to all present CPUs Thomas Gleixner
2017-06-19 23:37   ` Thomas Gleixner
2017-06-19 23:37   ` Thomas Gleixner
2017-06-20  9:23 ` [patch 00/55] genirq: Debuggability, consolidation and managed affinities Christoph Hellwig

Reply instructions:

You may reply publicly to this message via plain-text email
using any one of the following methods:

* Save the following mbox file, import it into your mail client,
  and reply-to-all from there: mbox

  Avoid top-posting and favor interleaved quoting:
  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Posting_style#Interleaved_style

* Reply using the --to, --cc, and --in-reply-to
  switches of git-send-email(1):

  git send-email \
    --in-reply-to=tip-cba4235e6031e9318d68186f6d765c531cbea4e1@git.kernel.org \
    --to=tipbot@zytor.com \
    --cc=axboe@kernel.dk \
    --cc=hch@lst.de \
    --cc=hpa@zytor.com \
    --cc=keith.busch@intel.com \
    --cc=linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org \
    --cc=linux-tip-commits@vger.kernel.org \
    --cc=marc.zyngier@arm.com \
    --cc=mingo@kernel.org \
    --cc=mpe@ellerman.id.au \
    --cc=peterz@infradead.org \
    --cc=tglx@linutronix.de \
    /path/to/YOUR_REPLY

  https://kernel.org/pub/software/scm/git/docs/git-send-email.html

* If your mail client supports setting the In-Reply-To header
  via mailto: links, try the mailto: link
Be sure your reply has a Subject: header at the top and a blank line before the message body.
This is an external index of several public inboxes,
see mirroring instructions on how to clone and mirror
all data and code used by this external index.