Re: [PATCH] staging: sm750fb: constify g_fbmode array

Re: [PATCH] staging: sm750fb: constify g_fbmode array

[Greg KH]

On Mon, Mar 09, 2026 at 09:49:57AM +0000, dipesh chaudhary wrote:
> 
> Fix checkpatch warning for static const char array. Make the array of pointers read-only to improve memory safety.
> 
> Signed-off-by: dipesh chaudhary <me@dipeshchaudhary.in>
> ---
>  Makefile                        | 6 +++---
>  drivers/staging/sm750fb/sm750.c | 2 +-
>  2 files changed, 4 insertions(+), 4 deletions(-)
> 
> diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
> index df471d4212cc..e944c6e71e81 100644
> --- a/Makefile
> +++ b/Makefile
> @@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
>  # SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-2.0
> -VERSION = 6
> -PATCHLEVEL = 19
> +VERSION = 7
> +PATCHLEVEL = 0
>  SUBLEVEL = 0
> -EXTRAVERSION =
> +EXTRAVERSION = -rc1
>  NAME = Baby Opossum Posse
>  
>  # *DOCUMENTATION*

Why have you changed the Makefile?

And did you test-build your change?

thanks,

greg k-h

Re: [PATCH] staging: sm750fb: constify g_fbmode array

[dipesh chaudhary]

Hi Greg,

You were absolutely right. I just set up my local build environment and ran `make drivers/staging/sm750fb/sm750.o`, and it immediately threw `error: assignment of read-only location`.

I fell into the classic checkpatch trap. I blindly applied the `const` suggestion without checking the surrounding code, failing to realize the driver dynamically writes to `g_fbmode` during runtime in `sm750fb_setup` and `lynxfb_set_fbinfo`. 

Thank you for pushing me to test-build. I will drop this patch entirely, as the checkpatch warning is a false positive here. I have learned a valuable lesson about not trusting static analysis scripts over actually reading the C code and compiling it.

Best regards,
Dipesh Chaudhary

Re: [PATCH] staging: sm750fb: constify g_fbmode array

[dipesh chaudhary]

Hi Greg,

On Mon, Mar 09, 2026 at 09:49:57AM +0000, dipesh chaudhary wrote:
> --- a/Makefile
> +++ b/Makefile
> @@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
>  # SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-2.0
> -VERSION = 6
> -PATCHLEVEL = 19
> +VERSION = 7
> +PATCHLEVEL = 0
>  SUBLEVEL = 0
> -EXTRAVERSION =
> +EXTRAVERSION = -rc1

> Why have you changed the Makefile?

I sincerely apologize for that. This is my very first kernel patch, and I was experimenting with the Makefile earlier on my local machine. I accidentally staged and included it in my commit alongside the driver fix without realizing it.

> And did you test-build your change?

To be completely honest, no. I only ran `checkpatch.pl` to verify the warning was resolved. 

I will clean up my Git tree, figure out how to test-build the specific sm750 module locally, and then submit a clean v2 patch. Thank you for your patience with a beginner.

Best regards,
Dipesh Chaudhary

[PATCH] staging: sm750fb: constify g_fbmode array

[dipesh chaudhary]

Fix checkpatch warning for static const char array. Make the array of pointers read-only to improve memory safety.

Signed-off-by: dipesh chaudhary <me@dipeshchaudhary.in>
---
 Makefile                        | 6 +++---
 drivers/staging/sm750fb/sm750.c | 2 +-
 2 files changed, 4 insertions(+), 4 deletions(-)

diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index df471d4212cc..e944c6e71e81 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
 # SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-2.0
-VERSION = 6
-PATCHLEVEL = 19
+VERSION = 7
+PATCHLEVEL = 0
 SUBLEVEL = 0
-EXTRAVERSION =
+EXTRAVERSION = -rc1
 NAME = Baby Opossum Posse
 
 # *DOCUMENTATION*
diff --git a/drivers/staging/sm750fb/sm750.c b/drivers/staging/sm750fb/sm750.c
index dec1f6b88a7d..08d4979c6755 100644
--- a/drivers/staging/sm750fb/sm750.c
+++ b/drivers/staging/sm750fb/sm750.c
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@
 static int g_hwcursor = 1;
 static int g_noaccel;
 static int g_nomtrr;
-static const char *g_fbmode[] = {NULL, NULL};
+static const char * const g_fbmode[] = {NULL, NULL};
 static const char *g_def_fbmode = "1024x768-32@60";
 static char *g_settings;
 static int g_dualview;
-- 
2.47.3