[RFC] kobject_init changes - take 2

[RFC] kobject_init changes - take 2

[Greg KH]

After Alan pointed out my stupidity, here are some new patches :)

They add three new functions:
	kobject_init_ng()
	kobject_add_ng()
	kobject_init_and_add()

The "_ng" portion will go away after all of the current kernel users of
kobject_init() and kobject_add() are converted over.

There's also a second patch that shows how they are used, and how this
actually saves code in the callers.

Any further objections about these changes?

thanks,

greg k-h

[RFC] kobject: add kobject_init_ng, kobject_add_ng, and kobject_init_and_add functions

[Greg KH]

This is what the kobject_init function is going to become.  Add it to
the kernel and then we can convert over the current kobject_init() users
before renaming it.

Also add a kobject_init_and_add function which bundles up what a lot of
the current callers want to do all at once, and it properly handles the
memory usages, unlike kobject_register();

Cc: Kay Sievers <kay.sievers@vrfy.org>
Signed-off-by: Greg Kroah-Hartman <gregkh@suse.de>

---
 include/linux/kobject.h |   11 ++-
 lib/kobject.c           |  152 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++--
 2 files changed, 156 insertions(+), 7 deletions(-)

--- a/include/linux/kobject.h
+++ b/include/linux/kobject.h
@@ -79,9 +79,16 @@ static inline const char * kobject_name(
 }
 
 extern void kobject_init(struct kobject *);
-extern void kobject_cleanup(struct kobject *);
-
+extern void kobject_init_ng(struct kobject *kobj, struct kobj_type *ktype);
 extern int __must_check kobject_add(struct kobject *);
+extern int __must_check kobject_add_ng(struct kobject *kobj,
+				       struct kobject *parent,
+				       const char *fmt, ...);
+extern int __must_check kobject_init_and_add(struct kobject *kobj,
+					     struct kobj_type *ktype,
+					     struct kobject *parent,
+					     const char *fmt, ...);
+
 extern void kobject_del(struct kobject *);
 
 extern struct kobject * __must_check kobject_create(const char *name,
--- a/lib/kobject.c
+++ b/lib/kobject.c
@@ -348,6 +348,149 @@ int kobject_set_name(struct kobject *kob
 EXPORT_SYMBOL(kobject_set_name);
 
 /**
+ * kobject_init_ng - initialize a kobject structure
+ * @kobj: pointer to the kobject to initialize
+ * @ktype: pointer to the ktype for this kobject.
+ * @parent: pointer to the parent of this kobject.
+ * @fmt: the name of the kobject.
+ *
+ * This function will properly initialize a kobject such that it can then
+ * be passed to the kobject_add() call.
+ *
+ * If the function returns an error, the memory allocated by the kobject
+ * can be safely freed, no other functions need to be called.
+ */
+void kobject_init_ng(struct kobject *kobj, struct kobj_type *ktype)
+{
+	char *err_str;
+
+	if (!kobj) {
+		err_str = "invalid kobject pointer!";
+		goto error;
+	}
+	if (!ktype) {
+		err_str = "must have a ktype to be initialized properly!\n";
+		goto error;
+	}
+	if (atomic_read(&kobj->kref.refcount)) {
+		/* do not error out as sometimes we can recover */
+		printk(KERN_ERR "kobject: reference count is already set, "
+		       "something is seriously wrong.\n");
+		dump_stack();
+	}
+
+	kref_init(&kobj->kref);
+	INIT_LIST_HEAD(&kobj->entry);
+	kobj->ktype = ktype;
+	return;
+
+error:
+	printk(KERN_ERR "kobject: %s\n", err_str);
+	dump_stack();
+}
+EXPORT_SYMBOL(kobject_init_ng);
+
+static int kobject_add_varg(struct kobject *kobj, struct kobject *parent,
+			    const char *fmt, va_list vargs)
+{
+	va_list aq;
+	int retval;
+
+	va_copy(aq, vargs);
+	retval = kobject_set_name_vargs(kobj, fmt, aq);
+	va_end(aq);
+	if (retval) {
+		printk(KERN_ERR "kobject: can not set name properly!\n");
+		return retval;
+	}
+	kobj->parent = parent;
+	return kobject_add(kobj);
+}
+
+/**
+ * kobject_add_ng - the main kobject add function
+ * @kobj: the kobject to add
+ * @parent: pointer to the parent of the kobject.
+ *
+ * The kobject name is set and added to the kobject hierarchy in this
+ * function.
+ *
+ * If @parent is set, then the parent of the @kobj will be set to it.
+ * If @parent is NULL, then the parent of the @kobj will be set to the
+ * kobject associted with the kset assigned to this kobject.  If no kset
+ * is assigned to the kobject, then the kobject will be located in the
+ * root of the sysfs tree.
+ *
+ * If this function returns an error, kobject_put() must be called to
+ * properly clean up the memory associated with the object.
+ *
+ * If the function is successful, the only way to properly clean up the
+ * memory is with a call to kobject_del().
+ *
+ * Under no instance should the kobject that is passed to this function
+ * be directly freed with a call to kfree(), that can leak memory.
+ */
+int kobject_add_ng(struct kobject *kobj, struct kobject *parent,
+		   const char *fmt, ...)
+{
+	va_list args;
+	int retval;
+
+	if (!kobj)
+		return -EINVAL;
+
+	va_start(args, fmt);
+	retval = kobject_set_name_vargs(kobj, fmt, args);
+	va_end(args);
+	if (retval) {
+		printk(KERN_ERR "kobject: can not set name properly!\n");
+		return retval;
+	}
+	kobj->parent = parent;
+	return kobject_add(kobj);
+}
+EXPORT_SYMBOL(kobject_add_ng);
+
+/**
+ * kobject_init_and_add - initialize a kobject structure and add it to the kobject hierarchy
+ * @kobj: pointer to the kobject to initialize
+ * @ktype: pointer to the ktype for this kobject.
+ * @parent: pointer to the parent of this kobject.
+ * @fmt: the name of the kobject.
+ *
+ * This function will properly initialize a kobject and then call
+ * kobject_add().
+ *
+ * If the function returns an error, the kobject passed to this function
+ * must be cleaned up by calling kobject_put(), and not by directly
+ * trying to call kfree() on the kobject.
+ *
+ * If this function succeeds, the only way to properly clean up the
+ * kobject is to call kobject_destroy(), which will clean up all of the
+ * needed sysfs objects, and the kobject itself (by calling back to the
+ * ktype->release() function.)
+ *
+ * Note that the kobject_uevent() call should be called after this
+ * function succeeds, so that userspace can properly know that the
+ * kobject was created.
+ */
+int kobject_init_and_add(struct kobject *kobj, struct kobj_type *ktype,
+			 struct kobject *parent, const char *fmt, ...)
+{
+	va_list args;
+	int retval;
+
+	kobject_init_ng(kobj, ktype);
+
+	va_start(args, fmt);
+	retval = kobject_add_varg(kobj, parent, fmt, args);
+	va_end(args);
+
+	return retval;
+}
+EXPORT_SYMBOL(kobject_init_and_add);
+
+/**
  *	kobject_rename - change the name of an object
  *	@kobj:	object in question.
  *	@new_name: object's new name
@@ -502,12 +645,11 @@ struct kobject * kobject_get(struct kobj
 	return kobj;
 }
 
-/**
- *	kobject_cleanup - free kobject resources. 
- *	@kobj:	object.
+/*
+ * kobject_cleanup - free kobject resources.
+ * @kobj: object.
  */
-
-void kobject_cleanup(struct kobject * kobj)
+static void kobject_cleanup(struct kobject *kobj)
 {
 	struct kobj_type * t = get_ktype(kobj);
 	struct kset * s = kobj->kset;

[RFC] kobject: the new functions in use

[Greg KH]

Here's an example of a number of different places in the kernel that
have been converted from the older kobject functions to the new
versions.

Signed-off-by: Greg Kroah-Hartman <gregkh@suse.de>

---
 fs/char_dev.c      |    6 ++----
 kernel/module.c    |   14 ++++++--------
 kernel/params.c    |    6 ++----
 kernel/user.c      |    9 ++++-----
 mm/slub.c          |    9 ++++-----
 net/bridge/br_if.c |   10 +++-------
 6 files changed, 21 insertions(+), 33 deletions(-)

--- a/fs/char_dev.c
+++ b/fs/char_dev.c
@@ -510,9 +510,8 @@ struct cdev *cdev_alloc(void)
 {
 	struct cdev *p = kzalloc(sizeof(struct cdev), GFP_KERNEL);
 	if (p) {
-		p->kobj.ktype = &ktype_cdev_dynamic;
 		INIT_LIST_HEAD(&p->list);
-		kobject_init(&p->kobj);
+		kobject_init_ng(&p->kobj, &ktype_cdev_dynamic);
 	}
 	return p;
 }
@@ -529,8 +528,7 @@ void cdev_init(struct cdev *cdev, const 
 {
 	memset(cdev, 0, sizeof *cdev);
 	INIT_LIST_HEAD(&cdev->list);
-	cdev->kobj.ktype = &ktype_cdev_default;
-	kobject_init(&cdev->kobj);
+	kobject_init_ng(&cdev->kobj, &ktype_cdev_default);
 	cdev->ops = fops;
 }
 
--- a/kernel/module.c
+++ b/kernel/module.c
@@ -1218,18 +1218,16 @@ int mod_sysfs_init(struct module *mod)
 		err = -EINVAL;
 		goto out;
 	}
-	memset(&mod->mkobj.kobj, 0, sizeof(mod->mkobj.kobj));
-	err = kobject_set_name(&mod->mkobj.kobj, "%s", mod->name);
-	if (err)
-		goto out;
-	mod->mkobj.kobj.kset = module_kset;
-	mod->mkobj.kobj.ktype = &module_ktype;
 	mod->mkobj.mod = mod;
 
-	kobject_init(&mod->mkobj.kobj);
+	memset(&mod->mkobj.kobj, 0, sizeof(mod->mkobj.kobj));
+	mod->mkobj.kobj.kset = module_kset;
+	err = kobject_init_and_add(&mod->mkobj.kobj, &module_ktype, NULL,
+				   "%s", mod->name);
+	if (err)
+		kobject_put(&mod->mkobj.kobj);
 
 	/* delay uevent until full sysfs population */
-	err = kobject_add(&mod->mkobj.kobj);
 out:
 	return err;
 }
--- a/kernel/params.c
+++ b/kernel/params.c
@@ -561,11 +561,9 @@ static void __init kernel_param_sysfs_se
 
 	mk->mod = THIS_MODULE;
 	mk->kobj.kset = module_kset;
-	mk->kobj.ktype = &module_ktype;
-	kobject_set_name(&mk->kobj, name);
-	kobject_init(&mk->kobj);
-	ret = kobject_add(&mk->kobj);
+	ret = kobject_init_and_add(&mk->kobj, &module_ktype, NULL, "%s", name);
 	if (ret) {
+		kobject_put(&mk->kobj);
 		printk(KERN_ERR "Module '%s' failed to be added to sysfs, "
 		      "error number %d\n", name, ret);
 		printk(KERN_ERR	"The system will be unstable now.\n");
--- a/kernel/user.c
+++ b/kernel/user.c
@@ -181,13 +181,12 @@ static int uids_user_create(struct user_
 	int error;
 
 	memset(kobj, 0, sizeof(struct kobject));
-	kobj->ktype = &uids_ktype;
 	kobj->kset = uids_kset;
-	kobject_init(kobj);
-	kobject_set_name(&up->kobj, "%d", up->uid);
-	error = kobject_add(kobj);
-	if (error)
+	error = kobject_init_and_add(kobj, &uids_ktype, NULL, "%d", up->uid);
+	if (error) {
+		kobject_put(kobj);
 		goto done;
+	}
 
 	kobject_uevent(kobj, KOBJ_ADD);
 done:
--- a/mm/slub.c
+++ b/mm/slub.c
@@ -4021,13 +4021,12 @@ static int sysfs_slab_add(struct kmem_ca
 		name = create_unique_id(s);
 	}
 
-	kobject_set_name(&s->kobj, name);
 	s->kobj.kset = slab_kset;
-	s->kobj.ktype = &slab_ktype;
-	kobject_init(&s->kobj);
-	err = kobject_add(&s->kobj);
-	if (err)
+	err = kobject_init_and_add(&s->kobj, &slab_ktype, NULL, name);
+	if (err) {
+		kobject_put(&s->kobj);
 		return err;
+	}
 
 	err = sysfs_create_group(&s->kobj, &slab_attr_group);
 	if (err)
--- a/net/bridge/br_if.c
+++ b/net/bridge/br_if.c
@@ -258,12 +258,6 @@ static struct net_bridge_port *new_nbp(s
 	p->state = BR_STATE_DISABLED;
 	br_stp_port_timer_init(p);
 
-	kobject_init(&p->kobj);
-	kobject_set_name(&p->kobj, SYSFS_BRIDGE_PORT_ATTR);
-	p->kobj.ktype = &brport_ktype;
-	p->kobj.parent = &(dev->dev.kobj);
-	p->kobj.kset = NULL;
-
 	return p;
 }
 
@@ -379,7 +373,8 @@ int br_add_if(struct net_bridge *br, str
 	if (IS_ERR(p))
 		return PTR_ERR(p);
 
-	err = kobject_add(&p->kobj);
+	err = kobject_init_and_add(&p->kobj, &brport_ktype, &(dev->dev.kobj),
+				   SYSFS_BRIDGE_PORT_ATTR);
 	if (err)
 		goto err0;
 
@@ -416,6 +411,7 @@ err2:
 	br_fdb_delete_by_port(br, p, 1);
 err1:
 	kobject_del(&p->kobj);
+	return err;
 err0:
 	kobject_put(&p->kobj);
 	return err;

Re: [RFC] kobject: add kobject_init_ng, kobject_add_ng, and kobject_init_and_add functions

[Alan Stern]

On Fri, 30 Nov 2007, Greg KH wrote:

>  /**
> + * kobject_init_ng - initialize a kobject structure
> + * @kobj: pointer to the kobject to initialize
> + * @ktype: pointer to the ktype for this kobject.
> + * @parent: pointer to the parent of this kobject.
> + * @fmt: the name of the kobject.
> + *
> + * This function will properly initialize a kobject such that it can then
> + * be passed to the kobject_add() call.
> + *
> + * If the function returns an error, the memory allocated by the kobject
> + * can be safely freed, no other functions need to be called.
> + */
> +void kobject_init_ng(struct kobject *kobj, struct kobj_type *ktype)

Kerneldoc needs to be updated -- no @parent or @fmt.  Also no error
returns.  But you could say that after this routine runs, the kobject
should be deallocated by kobject_put() and not by calling kfree()
directly.

> +/**
> + * kobject_add_ng - the main kobject add function
> + * @kobj: the kobject to add
> + * @parent: pointer to the parent of the kobject.
> + *
> + * The kobject name is set and added to the kobject hierarchy in this
> + * function.
> + *
> + * If @parent is set, then the parent of the @kobj will be set to it.
> + * If @parent is NULL, then the parent of the @kobj will be set to the
> + * kobject associted with the kset assigned to this kobject.  If no kset
> + * is assigned to the kobject, then the kobject will be located in the
> + * root of the sysfs tree.
> + *
> + * If this function returns an error, kobject_put() must be called to
> + * properly clean up the memory associated with the object.
> + *
> + * If the function is successful, the only way to properly clean up the
> + * memory is with a call to kobject_del().

In which case kobject_put() isn't needed?

> + *
> + * Under no instance should the kobject that is passed to this function
> + * be directly freed with a call to kfree(), that can leak memory.
> + */

Should you say something here about uevents?

> +int kobject_add_ng(struct kobject *kobj, struct kobject *parent,
> +		   const char *fmt, ...)
> +{
> +	va_list args;
> +	int retval;
> +
> +	if (!kobj)
> +		return -EINVAL;
> +
> +	va_start(args, fmt);
> +	retval = kobject_set_name_vargs(kobj, fmt, args);
> +	va_end(args);
> +	if (retval) {
> +		printk(KERN_ERR "kobject: can not set name properly!\n");
> +		return retval;
> +	}
> +	kobj->parent = parent;
> +	return kobject_add(kobj);
> +}
> +EXPORT_SYMBOL(kobject_add_ng);

Looks like this should call kobject_add_varg() instead of duplicating
its code.

> +/**
> + * kobject_init_and_add - initialize a kobject structure and add it to the kobject hierarchy
> + * @kobj: pointer to the kobject to initialize
> + * @ktype: pointer to the ktype for this kobject.
> + * @parent: pointer to the parent of this kobject.
> + * @fmt: the name of the kobject.
> + *
> + * This function will properly initialize a kobject and then call
> + * kobject_add().
> + *
> + * If the function returns an error, the kobject passed to this function
> + * must be cleaned up by calling kobject_put(), and not by directly
> + * trying to call kfree() on the kobject.
> + *
> + * If this function succeeds, the only way to properly clean up the
> + * kobject is to call kobject_destroy(), which will clean up all of the

kobject_destroy()?  Where did that come from?  Or did you mean 
kobject_del()?

> + * needed sysfs objects, and the kobject itself (by calling back to the
> + * ktype->release() function.)
> + *
> + * Note that the kobject_uevent() call should be called after this
> + * function succeeds, so that userspace can properly know that the
> + * kobject was created.
> + */

Could the comments be made shorter by saying merely that this routine 
combines calls to kobject_init() and kobject_add_ng()?

> +int kobject_init_and_add(struct kobject *kobj, struct kobj_type *ktype,
> +			 struct kobject *parent, const char *fmt, ...)
> +{
> +	va_list args;
> +	int retval;
> +
> +	kobject_init_ng(kobj, ktype);
> +
> +	va_start(args, fmt);
> +	retval = kobject_add_varg(kobj, parent, fmt, args);
> +	va_end(args);
> +
> +	return retval;
> +}
> +EXPORT_SYMBOL(kobject_init_and_add);

Looks okay.

Did you want to add an extra kobject_put() to the end of kobject_del()?  
Or did you want to define a new kobject_destroy() that combines calls 
to kobject_del() and kobject_put()?

Alan Stern

Re: [RFC] kobject: add kobject_init_ng, kobject_add_ng, and kobject_init_and_add functions

[Cornelia Huck]

On Fri, 30 Nov 2007 22:29:39 -0500 (EST),
Alan Stern <stern@rowland.harvard.edu> wrote:

> On Fri, 30 Nov 2007, Greg KH wrote:
> 
> >  /**
> > + * kobject_init_ng - initialize a kobject structure
> > + * @kobj: pointer to the kobject to initialize
> > + * @ktype: pointer to the ktype for this kobject.
> > + * @parent: pointer to the parent of this kobject.
> > + * @fmt: the name of the kobject.
> > + *
> > + * This function will properly initialize a kobject such that it can then
> > + * be passed to the kobject_add() call.
> > + *
> > + * If the function returns an error, the memory allocated by the kobject
> > + * can be safely freed, no other functions need to be called.
> > + */
> > +void kobject_init_ng(struct kobject *kobj, struct kobj_type *ktype)
> 
> Kerneldoc needs to be updated -- no @parent or @fmt.  Also no error
> returns.  But you could say that after this routine runs, the kobject
> should be deallocated by kobject_put() and not by calling kfree()
> directly.

Hm, after calling kobject_init_ng() is also the earliest point that you
can rely on kobject_put() really cleaning stuff up. Both kobject_put()
and kfree() are fine then, but I think kobject_put() makes for cleaner
code.

> 
> > +/**
> > + * kobject_add_ng - the main kobject add function
> > + * @kobj: the kobject to add
> > + * @parent: pointer to the parent of the kobject.
> > + *
> > + * The kobject name is set and added to the kobject hierarchy in this
> > + * function.
> > + *
> > + * If @parent is set, then the parent of the @kobj will be set to it.
> > + * If @parent is NULL, then the parent of the @kobj will be set to the
> > + * kobject associted with the kset assigned to this kobject.  If no kset
> > + * is assigned to the kobject, then the kobject will be located in the
> > + * root of the sysfs tree.
> > + *
> > + * If this function returns an error, kobject_put() must be called to
> > + * properly clean up the memory associated with the object.
> > + *
> > + * If the function is successful, the only way to properly clean up the
> > + * memory is with a call to kobject_del().
> 
> In which case kobject_put() isn't needed?

kobject_del() should only undo what kobject_add() did. So kobject_put()
will still be needed to clean up the memory. Perhaps the wording should
be:

If the function is successful, the only way to properly clean up the
kobject is to call kobject_del() for removing the kobject from the
hierarchy and to subsequently call kobject_put() to clean up the memory.

> 
> > + *
> > + * Under no instance should the kobject that is passed to this function
> > + * be directly freed with a call to kfree(), that can leak memory.
> > + */
> 
> Should you say something here about uevents?

Probably not. Callers of kobject_add() always had to create the uevent
themselves; it was only with kobject_register() they could rely on the
uevent being created.

> 
> > +int kobject_add_ng(struct kobject *kobj, struct kobject *parent,
> > +		   const char *fmt, ...)
> > +{
> > +	va_list args;
> > +	int retval;
> > +
> > +	if (!kobj)
> > +		return -EINVAL;
> > +
> > +	va_start(args, fmt);
> > +	retval = kobject_set_name_vargs(kobj, fmt, args);
> > +	va_end(args);
> > +	if (retval) {
> > +		printk(KERN_ERR "kobject: can not set name properly!\n");
> > +		return retval;
> > +	}
> > +	kobj->parent = parent;
> > +	return kobject_add(kobj);
> > +}
> > +EXPORT_SYMBOL(kobject_add_ng);
> 
> Looks like this should call kobject_add_varg() instead of duplicating
> its code.

Agreed. And how about "cannot" or "could not" instead of "can not"?

> 
> > +/**
> > + * kobject_init_and_add - initialize a kobject structure and add it to the kobject hierarchy
> > + * @kobj: pointer to the kobject to initialize
> > + * @ktype: pointer to the ktype for this kobject.
> > + * @parent: pointer to the parent of this kobject.
> > + * @fmt: the name of the kobject.
> > + *
> > + * This function will properly initialize a kobject and then call
> > + * kobject_add().
> > + *
> > + * If the function returns an error, the kobject passed to this function
> > + * must be cleaned up by calling kobject_put(), and not by directly
> > + * trying to call kfree() on the kobject.
> > + *
> > + * If this function succeeds, the only way to properly clean up the
> > + * kobject is to call kobject_destroy(), which will clean up all of the
> 
> kobject_destroy()?  Where did that come from?  Or did you mean 
> kobject_del()?

This sentence makes only sense if kobject_destroy() is something like
kobject_unregister_ng().

> 
> > + * needed sysfs objects, and the kobject itself (by calling back to the
> > + * ktype->release() function.)
> > + *
> > + * Note that the kobject_uevent() call should be called after this
> > + * function succeeds, so that userspace can properly know that the
> > + * kobject was created.
> > + */
> 
> Could the comments be made shorter by saying merely that this routine 
> combines calls to kobject_init() and kobject_add_ng()?

I think it should be made explicit which actions are OK after failure
or success of this function since that is what people easily get wrong.

> 
> > +int kobject_init_and_add(struct kobject *kobj, struct kobj_type *ktype,
> > +			 struct kobject *parent, const char *fmt, ...)
> > +{
> > +	va_list args;
> > +	int retval;
> > +
> > +	kobject_init_ng(kobj, ktype);
> > +
> > +	va_start(args, fmt);
> > +	retval = kobject_add_varg(kobj, parent, fmt, args);
> > +	va_end(args);
> > +
> > +	return retval;
> > +}
> > +EXPORT_SYMBOL(kobject_init_and_add);
> 
> Looks okay.

Agreed.

> 
> Did you want to add an extra kobject_put() to the end of kobject_del()?  

This would be surprising: I wouldn't expect a kobject to be cleaned up
just because I removed it from the hierarchy.

> Or did you want to define a new kobject_destroy() that combines calls 
> to kobject_del() and kobject_put()?

This looks saner.

Re: [RFC] kobject: add kobject_init_ng, kobject_add_ng, and kobject_init_and_add functions

[Greg KH]

On Mon, Dec 03, 2007 at 01:00:03PM +0100, Cornelia Huck wrote:
> On Fri, 30 Nov 2007 22:29:39 -0500 (EST),
> Alan Stern <stern@rowland.harvard.edu> wrote:
> 
> > On Fri, 30 Nov 2007, Greg KH wrote:
> > 
> > > +/**
> > > + * kobject_add_ng - the main kobject add function
> > > + * @kobj: the kobject to add
> > > + * @parent: pointer to the parent of the kobject.
> > > + *
> > > + * The kobject name is set and added to the kobject hierarchy in this
> > > + * function.
> > > + *
> > > + * If @parent is set, then the parent of the @kobj will be set to it.
> > > + * If @parent is NULL, then the parent of the @kobj will be set to the
> > > + * kobject associted with the kset assigned to this kobject.  If no kset
> > > + * is assigned to the kobject, then the kobject will be located in the
> > > + * root of the sysfs tree.
> > > + *
> > > + * If this function returns an error, kobject_put() must be called to
> > > + * properly clean up the memory associated with the object.
> > > + *
> > > + * If the function is successful, the only way to properly clean up the
> > > + * memory is with a call to kobject_del().
> > 
> > In which case kobject_put() isn't needed?
> 
> kobject_del() should only undo what kobject_add() did. So kobject_put()
> will still be needed to clean up the memory. Perhaps the wording should
> be:
> 
> If the function is successful, the only way to properly clean up the
> kobject is to call kobject_del() for removing the kobject from the
> hierarchy and to subsequently call kobject_put() to clean up the memory.

But that's not what the code does today in the kobject_del() function.
So for now, let's leave what we have.

thanks,

greg k-h

Re: [RFC] kobject: add kobject_init_ng, kobject_add_ng, and kobject_init_and_add functions

[Cornelia Huck]

On Mon, 3 Dec 2007 11:06:26 -0800,
Greg KH <greg@kroah.com> wrote:

> On Mon, Dec 03, 2007 at 01:00:03PM +0100, Cornelia Huck wrote:
> > On Fri, 30 Nov 2007 22:29:39 -0500 (EST),
> > Alan Stern <stern@rowland.harvard.edu> wrote:
> > 
> > > On Fri, 30 Nov 2007, Greg KH wrote:
> > > 
> > > > +/**
> > > > + * kobject_add_ng - the main kobject add function
> > > > + * @kobj: the kobject to add
> > > > + * @parent: pointer to the parent of the kobject.
> > > > + *
> > > > + * The kobject name is set and added to the kobject hierarchy in this
> > > > + * function.
> > > > + *
> > > > + * If @parent is set, then the parent of the @kobj will be set to it.
> > > > + * If @parent is NULL, then the parent of the @kobj will be set to the
> > > > + * kobject associted with the kset assigned to this kobject.  If no kset
> > > > + * is assigned to the kobject, then the kobject will be located in the
> > > > + * root of the sysfs tree.
> > > > + *
> > > > + * If this function returns an error, kobject_put() must be called to
> > > > + * properly clean up the memory associated with the object.
> > > > + *
> > > > + * If the function is successful, the only way to properly clean up the
> > > > + * memory is with a call to kobject_del().
> > > 
> > > In which case kobject_put() isn't needed?
> > 
> > kobject_del() should only undo what kobject_add() did. So kobject_put()
> > will still be needed to clean up the memory. Perhaps the wording should
> > be:
> > 
> > If the function is successful, the only way to properly clean up the
> > kobject is to call kobject_del() for removing the kobject from the
> > hierarchy and to subsequently call kobject_put() to clean up the memory.
> 
> But that's not what the code does today in the kobject_del() function.

Hm, if I'm not completely confused, kobject_del() just gives up the
extra reference obtained by kobject_add(). That leaves the initial
reference we got via kobject_init(_ng)(). If we want to clean up the
memory, we need to give up that reference as well.

Re: [RFC] kobject: add kobject_init_ng, kobject_add_ng, and kobject_init_and_add functions

[Alan Stern]

On Tue, 4 Dec 2007, Cornelia Huck wrote:

> > > > > + * If the function is successful, the only way to properly clean up the
> > > > > + * memory is with a call to kobject_del().
> > > > 
> > > > In which case kobject_put() isn't needed?
> > > 
> > > kobject_del() should only undo what kobject_add() did. So kobject_put()
> > > will still be needed to clean up the memory. Perhaps the wording should
> > > be:
> > > 
> > > If the function is successful, the only way to properly clean up the
> > > kobject is to call kobject_del() for removing the kobject from the
> > > hierarchy and to subsequently call kobject_put() to clean up the memory.
> > 
> > But that's not what the code does today in the kobject_del() function.
> 
> Hm, if I'm not completely confused, kobject_del() just gives up the
> extra reference obtained by kobject_add(). That leaves the initial
> reference we got via kobject_init(_ng)(). If we want to clean up the
> memory, we need to give up that reference as well.

That's right.  Furthermore there are other parts of the kernel that 
expect to do the kobject_del() and the final kobject_put() separately.  
For example, the driver core does kobject_del() as part of device_del() 
and then it does the final kobject_put() as part of put_device().

Alan Stern

Re: [RFC] kobject: add kobject_init_ng, kobject_add_ng, and kobject_init_and_add functions

[Greg KH]

On Fri, Nov 30, 2007 at 10:29:39PM -0500, Alan Stern wrote:
> On Fri, 30 Nov 2007, Greg KH wrote:
> 
> >  /**
> > + * kobject_init_ng - initialize a kobject structure
> > + * @kobj: pointer to the kobject to initialize
> > + * @ktype: pointer to the ktype for this kobject.
> > + * @parent: pointer to the parent of this kobject.
> > + * @fmt: the name of the kobject.
> > + *
> > + * This function will properly initialize a kobject such that it can then
> > + * be passed to the kobject_add() call.
> > + *
> > + * If the function returns an error, the memory allocated by the kobject
> > + * can be safely freed, no other functions need to be called.
> > + */
> > +void kobject_init_ng(struct kobject *kobj, struct kobj_type *ktype)
> 
> Kerneldoc needs to be updated -- no @parent or @fmt.  Also no error
> returns.  But you could say that after this routine runs, the kobject
> should be deallocated by kobject_put() and not by calling kfree()
> directly.

Thanks, have now updated the comments.

> > +/**
> > + * kobject_add_ng - the main kobject add function
> > + * @kobj: the kobject to add
> > + * @parent: pointer to the parent of the kobject.
> > + *
> > + * The kobject name is set and added to the kobject hierarchy in this
> > + * function.
> > + *
> > + * If @parent is set, then the parent of the @kobj will be set to it.
> > + * If @parent is NULL, then the parent of the @kobj will be set to the
> > + * kobject associted with the kset assigned to this kobject.  If no kset
> > + * is assigned to the kobject, then the kobject will be located in the
> > + * root of the sysfs tree.
> > + *
> > + * If this function returns an error, kobject_put() must be called to
> > + * properly clean up the memory associated with the object.
> > + *
> > + * If the function is successful, the only way to properly clean up the
> > + * memory is with a call to kobject_del().
> 
> In which case kobject_put() isn't needed?

Yes, now documented.

> > + *
> > + * Under no instance should the kobject that is passed to this function
> > + * be directly freed with a call to kfree(), that can leak memory.
> > + */
> 
> Should you say something here about uevents?

Can't hurt, I added a sentance to it.

> > +int kobject_add_ng(struct kobject *kobj, struct kobject *parent,
> > +		   const char *fmt, ...)
> > +{
> > +	va_list args;
> > +	int retval;
> > +
> > +	if (!kobj)
> > +		return -EINVAL;
> > +
> > +	va_start(args, fmt);
> > +	retval = kobject_set_name_vargs(kobj, fmt, args);
> > +	va_end(args);
> > +	if (retval) {
> > +		printk(KERN_ERR "kobject: can not set name properly!\n");
> > +		return retval;
> > +	}
> > +	kobj->parent = parent;
> > +	return kobject_add(kobj);
> > +}
> > +EXPORT_SYMBOL(kobject_add_ng);
> 
> Looks like this should call kobject_add_varg() instead of duplicating
> its code.

Oops, yes, I ment to do that, thanks for pointing out I missed it.  Now
fixed.

> > +/**
> > + * kobject_init_and_add - initialize a kobject structure and add it to the kobject hierarchy
> > + * @kobj: pointer to the kobject to initialize
> > + * @ktype: pointer to the ktype for this kobject.
> > + * @parent: pointer to the parent of this kobject.
> > + * @fmt: the name of the kobject.
> > + *
> > + * This function will properly initialize a kobject and then call
> > + * kobject_add().
> > + *
> > + * If the function returns an error, the kobject passed to this function
> > + * must be cleaned up by calling kobject_put(), and not by directly
> > + * trying to call kfree() on the kobject.
> > + *
> > + * If this function succeeds, the only way to properly clean up the
> > + * kobject is to call kobject_destroy(), which will clean up all of the
> 
> kobject_destroy()?  Where did that come from?  Or did you mean 
> kobject_del()?

Yes, stupid me...

> > + * needed sysfs objects, and the kobject itself (by calling back to the
> > + * ktype->release() function.)
> > + *
> > + * Note that the kobject_uevent() call should be called after this
> > + * function succeeds, so that userspace can properly know that the
> > + * kobject was created.
> > + */
> 
> Could the comments be made shorter by saying merely that this routine 
> combines calls to kobject_init() and kobject_add_ng()?

Good idea, now done.

> > +int kobject_init_and_add(struct kobject *kobj, struct kobj_type *ktype,
> > +			 struct kobject *parent, const char *fmt, ...)
> > +{
> > +	va_list args;
> > +	int retval;
> > +
> > +	kobject_init_ng(kobj, ktype);
> > +
> > +	va_start(args, fmt);
> > +	retval = kobject_add_varg(kobj, parent, fmt, args);
> > +	va_end(args);
> > +
> > +	return retval;
> > +}
> > +EXPORT_SYMBOL(kobject_init_and_add);
> 
> Looks okay.
> 
> Did you want to add an extra kobject_put() to the end of kobject_del()?  
> Or did you want to define a new kobject_destroy() that combines calls 
> to kobject_del() and kobject_put()?

No, let's keep what we have there on the cleanup path for now.  I have
enough work to clean up the initializion part of the api for now :)


Here's the updated patch, thanks for the review comments.

thanks,

greg k-h

---------------

Date: Thu, 29 Nov 2007 22:38:12 -0800
To: Greg KH <greg@kroah.com>
From: Greg Kroah-Hartman <gregkh@suse.de>
Subject: kobject: add kobject_init_ng, kobject_add_ng, and kobject_init_and_add functions

This is what the kobject_init and kobject_add functions are going to
become.  Add them to the kernel and then we can convert over the current
kobject_init and kobject_add users before renaming it.

Also add a kobject_init_and_add function which bundles up what a lot of
the current callers want to do all at once, and it properly handles the
memory usages, unlike kobject_register();

And we mark kobject_cleanup() as static, as no one outside of the
kobject core uses it, nor should they ever.

Cc: Kay Sievers <kay.sievers@vrfy.org>
Signed-off-by: Greg Kroah-Hartman <gregkh@suse.de>

---
 include/linux/kobject.h |   11 +++
 lib/kobject.c           |  144 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++--
 2 files changed, 148 insertions(+), 7 deletions(-)

--- a/include/linux/kobject.h
+++ b/include/linux/kobject.h
@@ -79,9 +79,16 @@ static inline const char * kobject_name(
 }
 
 extern void kobject_init(struct kobject *);
-extern void kobject_cleanup(struct kobject *);
-
+extern void kobject_init_ng(struct kobject *kobj, struct kobj_type *ktype);
 extern int __must_check kobject_add(struct kobject *);
+extern int __must_check kobject_add_ng(struct kobject *kobj,
+				       struct kobject *parent,
+				       const char *fmt, ...);
+extern int __must_check kobject_init_and_add(struct kobject *kobj,
+					     struct kobj_type *ktype,
+					     struct kobject *parent,
+					     const char *fmt, ...);
+
 extern void kobject_del(struct kobject *);
 
 extern struct kobject * __must_check kobject_create(const char *name,
--- a/lib/kobject.c
+++ b/lib/kobject.c
@@ -290,6 +290,141 @@ int kobject_set_name(struct kobject *kob
 EXPORT_SYMBOL(kobject_set_name);
 
 /**
+ * kobject_init_ng - initialize a kobject structure
+ * @kobj: pointer to the kobject to initialize
+ * @ktype: pointer to the ktype for this kobject.
+ *
+ * This function will properly initialize a kobject such that it can then
+ * be passed to the kobject_add() call.
+ *
+ * After this function is called, the kobject MUST be cleaned up by a call
+ * to kobject_put(), not by a call to kfree directly to ensure that all of
+ * the memory is cleaned up properly.
+ */
+void kobject_init_ng(struct kobject *kobj, struct kobj_type *ktype)
+{
+	char *err_str;
+
+	if (!kobj) {
+		err_str = "invalid kobject pointer!";
+		goto error;
+	}
+	if (!ktype) {
+		err_str = "must have a ktype to be initialized properly!\n";
+		goto error;
+	}
+	if (atomic_read(&kobj->kref.refcount)) {
+		/* do not error out as sometimes we can recover */
+		printk(KERN_ERR "kobject: reference count is already set, "
+		       "something is seriously wrong.\n");
+		dump_stack();
+	}
+
+	kref_init(&kobj->kref);
+	INIT_LIST_HEAD(&kobj->entry);
+	kobj->ktype = ktype;
+	return;
+
+error:
+	printk(KERN_ERR "kobject: %s\n", err_str);
+	dump_stack();
+}
+EXPORT_SYMBOL(kobject_init_ng);
+
+static int kobject_add_varg(struct kobject *kobj, struct kobject *parent,
+			    const char *fmt, va_list vargs)
+{
+	va_list aq;
+	int retval;
+
+	va_copy(aq, vargs);
+	retval = kobject_set_name_vargs(kobj, fmt, aq);
+	va_end(aq);
+	if (retval) {
+		printk(KERN_ERR "kobject: can not set name properly!\n");
+		return retval;
+	}
+	kobj->parent = parent;
+	return kobject_add(kobj);
+}
+
+/**
+ * kobject_add_ng - the main kobject add function
+ * @kobj: the kobject to add
+ * @parent: pointer to the parent of the kobject.
+ * @fmt: format to name the kobject with.
+ *
+ * The kobject name is set and added to the kobject hierarchy in this
+ * function.
+ *
+ * If @parent is set, then the parent of the @kobj will be set to it.
+ * If @parent is NULL, then the parent of the @kobj will be set to the
+ * kobject associted with the kset assigned to this kobject.  If no kset
+ * is assigned to the kobject, then the kobject will be located in the
+ * root of the sysfs tree.
+ *
+ * If this function returns an error, kobject_put() must be called to
+ * properly clean up the memory associated with the object.
+ *
+ * If the function is successful, the only way to properly clean up the
+ * memory is with a call to kobject_del(), in which case, a call to
+ * kobject_put() is not necessary (kobject_del() does the final
+ * kobject_put() to call the release function in the ktype's release
+ * pointer.)
+ *
+ * Under no instance should the kobject that is passed to this function
+ * be directly freed with a call to kfree(), that can leak memory.
+ *
+ * Note, no uevent will be created with this call, the caller should set
+ * up all of the necessary sysfs files for the object and then call
+ * kobject_uevent() with the UEVENT_ADD parameter to ensure that
+ * userspace is properly notified of this kobject's creation.
+ */
+int kobject_add_ng(struct kobject *kobj, struct kobject *parent,
+		   const char *fmt, ...)
+{
+	va_list args;
+	int retval;
+
+	if (!kobj)
+		return -EINVAL;
+
+	va_start(args, fmt);
+	retval = kobject_add_varg(kobj, parent, fmt, args);
+	va_end(args);
+
+	return retval;
+}
+EXPORT_SYMBOL(kobject_add_ng);
+
+/**
+ * kobject_init_and_add - initialize a kobject structure and add it to the kobject hierarchy
+ * @kobj: pointer to the kobject to initialize
+ * @ktype: pointer to the ktype for this kobject.
+ * @parent: pointer to the parent of this kobject.
+ * @fmt: the name of the kobject.
+ *
+ * This function combines the call to kobject_init_ng() and
+ * kobject_add_ng().  The same type of error handling after a call to
+ * kobject_add_ng() and kobject lifetime rules are the same here.
+ */
+int kobject_init_and_add(struct kobject *kobj, struct kobj_type *ktype,
+			 struct kobject *parent, const char *fmt, ...)
+{
+	va_list args;
+	int retval;
+
+	kobject_init_ng(kobj, ktype);
+
+	va_start(args, fmt);
+	retval = kobject_add_varg(kobj, parent, fmt, args);
+	va_end(args);
+
+	return retval;
+}
+EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(kobject_init_and_add);
+
+/**
  *	kobject_rename - change the name of an object
  *	@kobj:	object in question.
  *	@new_name: object's new name
@@ -444,12 +579,11 @@ struct kobject * kobject_get(struct kobj
 	return kobj;
 }
 
-/**
- *	kobject_cleanup - free kobject resources. 
- *	@kobj:	object.
+/*
+ * kobject_cleanup - free kobject resources.
+ * @kobj: object.
  */
-
-void kobject_cleanup(struct kobject * kobj)
+static void kobject_cleanup(struct kobject *kobj)
 {
 	struct kobj_type * t = get_ktype(kobj);
 	struct kset * s = kobj->kset;

Re: [RFC] kobject: add kobject_init_ng, kobject_add_ng, and kobject_init_and_add functions

[Alan Stern]

On Mon, 3 Dec 2007, Greg KH wrote:

> > Did you want to add an extra kobject_put() to the end of kobject_del()?  
> > Or did you want to define a new kobject_destroy() that combines calls 
> > to kobject_del() and kobject_put()?
> 
> No, let's keep what we have there on the cleanup path for now.  I have
> enough work to clean up the initializion part of the api for now :)

> +/**
> + * kobject_add_ng - the main kobject add function
> + * @kobj: the kobject to add
> + * @parent: pointer to the parent of the kobject.
> + * @fmt: format to name the kobject with.
> + *
> + * The kobject name is set and added to the kobject hierarchy in this
> + * function.
> + *
> + * If @parent is set, then the parent of the @kobj will be set to it.
> + * If @parent is NULL, then the parent of the @kobj will be set to the
> + * kobject associted with the kset assigned to this kobject.  If no kset
> + * is assigned to the kobject, then the kobject will be located in the
> + * root of the sysfs tree.
> + *
> + * If this function returns an error, kobject_put() must be called to
> + * properly clean up the memory associated with the object.
> + *
> + * If the function is successful, the only way to properly clean up the
> + * memory is with a call to kobject_del(), in which case, a call to
> + * kobject_put() is not necessary (kobject_del() does the final
> + * kobject_put() to call the release function in the ktype's release
> + * pointer.)

This comment is inconsistent with your decision above not to add an 
extra kobject_put() into kobject_del().  (Unless such a line was added 
while I wasn't looking...)

Alan Stern