From: Jonathan Corbet <corbet@lwn.net>
To: Borislav Petkov <bp@alien8.de>
Cc: x86-ml <x86@kernel.org>, lkml <linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org>
Subject: Re: [PATCH] Documentation/submitting-patches: Add blurb about backtraces in commit messages
Date: Mon, 4 Jan 2021 16:19:11 -0700 [thread overview]
Message-ID: <20210104161911.38eb3e1e@lwn.net> (raw)
In-Reply-To: <20201222130555.GA13463@zn.tnic>
[Digging out from under the pile of mail...]
> From: Borislav Petkov <bp@suse.de>
> Date: Tue, 22 Dec 2020 13:58:22 +0100
>
> Document that backtraces in commit messages should be trimmed down to
> the useful information only.
>
> This has been carved out from a tip subsystem handbook patchset by
> Thomas Gleixner:
>
> https://lkml.kernel.org/r/20181107171010.421878737@linutronix.de
>
> and incorporates follow-on comments.
>
> Signed-off-by: Borislav Petkov <bp@suse.de>
> ---
> Documentation/process/submitting-patches.rst | 20 ++++++++++++++++++++
> 1 file changed, 20 insertions(+)
>
> diff --git a/Documentation/process/submitting-patches.rst b/Documentation/process/submitting-patches.rst
> index 5ba54120bef7..0ffb21366381 100644
> --- a/Documentation/process/submitting-patches.rst
> +++ b/Documentation/process/submitting-patches.rst
> @@ -679,6 +679,26 @@ generates appropriate diffstats by default.)
> See more details on the proper patch format in the following
> references.
>
> +Backtraces in commit mesages
> +^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
> +
> +Backtraces help document the call chain leading to a problem. However,
> +not all backtraces are helpful. For example, early boot call chains are
> +unique and obvious. Copying the full dmesg output verbatim, however,
> +adds distracting information like timestamps, module lists, register and
> +stack dumps.
> +
> +Therefore, the most useful backtraces should distill the relevant
> +information from the dump, which makes it easier to focus on the real
> +issue. Here is an example of a well-trimmed backtrace::
> +
> + unchecked MSR access error: WRMSR to 0xd51 (tried to write 0x0000000000000064)
> + at rIP: 0xffffffffae059994 (native_write_msr+0x4/0x20)
> + Call Trace:
> + mba_wrmsr
> + update_domains
> + rdtgroup_mkdir
> +
So I have some questions, I guess... How often is a backtrace *in a commit
message* really helpful at all? The value in problem reports is clear, but
I'm not sure how often having a backtrace in a commit message will really
help the reader understand why the patch was written. But perhaps I'm
wrong?
If we do want this advice in our already-too-long submitting-patches
document, we should perhaps give some advice as to what is "relevant
information" and what is not?
Thanks,
jon
next prev parent reply other threads:[~2021-01-04 23:19 UTC|newest]
Thread overview: 22+ messages / expand[flat|nested] mbox.gz Atom feed top
2020-12-17 18:37 [PATCH] Documentation/submitting-patches: Document the SoB chain Borislav Petkov
2020-12-21 16:54 ` Jonathan Corbet
2020-12-22 13:05 ` [PATCH] Documentation/submitting-patches: Add blurb about backtraces in commit messages Borislav Petkov
2020-12-22 18:59 ` Sean Christopherson
2020-12-22 19:25 ` Borislav Petkov
2020-12-28 17:59 ` Sean Christopherson
2020-12-28 18:15 ` Borislav Petkov
2020-12-28 19:02 ` Sean Christopherson
2021-01-04 23:19 ` Jonathan Corbet [this message]
2021-01-05 10:48 ` Borislav Petkov
2021-02-02 15:43 ` Borislav Petkov
2021-02-04 21:20 ` Jonathan Corbet
2021-02-15 14:19 ` [PATCH] Documentation/submitting-patches: Extend commit message layout description Borislav Petkov
2021-02-25 11:40 ` Robert Richter
2021-03-01 22:10 ` Jonathan Corbet
2021-04-13 11:38 ` [PATCH] Documentation/submitting-patches: Document RESEND tag on patches Borislav Petkov
2021-04-13 21:02 ` Jonathan Corbet
2021-04-15 6:05 ` Borislav Petkov
2021-05-31 14:35 ` Borislav Petkov
2021-06-01 22:27 ` Jonathan Corbet
2021-06-01 22:31 ` Randy Dunlap
2021-06-01 22:37 ` Borislav Petkov
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