Re: [PATCH] USB: drop misleading usb_set_intfdata() kernel doc

From: Johan Hovold <johan@kernel.org>
To: Oliver Neukum <oneukum@suse.com>
Cc: Greg Kroah-Hartman <gregkh@linuxfoundation.org>,
	Vincent Mailhol <mailhol.vincent@wanadoo.fr>,
	linux-usb@vger.kernel.org, linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org
Subject: Re: [PATCH] USB: drop misleading usb_set_intfdata() kernel doc
Date: Mon, 12 Dec 2022 14:14:07 +0100	[thread overview]
Message-ID: <Y5cpH8aV7aox2Pbd@hovoldconsulting.com> (raw)
In-Reply-To: <4cf7bce3-dfbb-b064-9d91-27616bf11d6a@suse.com>

On Mon, Dec 12, 2022 at 12:13:54PM +0100, Oliver Neukum wrote:
> 
> 
> On 12.12.22 11:31, Johan Hovold wrote:
> > On Mon, Dec 12, 2022 at 11:19:00AM +0100, Oliver Neukum wrote:
> >> On 11.12.22 13:06, Johan Hovold wrote:
> >>
> >>> Due to a misunderstanding, a redundant and misleading kernel doc comment
> >>> for usb_set_intfdata() was recently added which claimed that the driver
> >>> data pointer must not be cleared during disconnect before "all actions
> >>> [are] completed", which is both imprecise and incorrect.
> >>
> >> OK, but is that a reason to remove all kerneldoc? Kerneldoc is generally
> >> a good thing. And if a pointer is NULLed by driver core, that will need
> >> to be in it. IMHO you'd better just remove the questionable part of the
> >> kerneldoc.
> > 
> > Yeah, I started off with just rewriting the kernel doc and removing the
> > obviously incorrect bits, but then there is essentially nothing left of
> > the documentation.
> 
> 1. that the function exists and its purpose

That should be apparent from the function name (and implementation).

> 2. its parameters

Apparent from the prototype.

But sure, it would not show up in generated documentation (like many
other functions).

> most kerneldoc isn't exactly a great revelation. Nevertheless it
> serves a purpose.

Yeah, we have a lot of

	/**
	 * set_x_to_y() - set x to y
	 * @x: the x
	 * @y: the y
	 */

it seems. Not sure how much value there is in that, though.

And in this case there was also no kernel doc for usb_get_intfdata()
which is equally self documenting. Why add redundant docs for only one
of these functions?

I'd rather drop this particular documentation which was added due to a
misunderstanding then go down the rabbit hole of adding mindless kernel
doc to every helper we have.

> > A driver does not need to care that the pointer is cleared by driver
> > core after the driver is unbound. The driver is gone.
> 
> Is that true even with respect to sysfs?

Yes. The (device group) attributes are removed by driver core before
->remove() is called, otherwise you'd have an even bigger issue with the
driver data itself which is typically deallocated before the pointer is
cleared.

Johan