Re: [PATCH 4/4] asm-generic/bitsperlong.h: Add sanity checks for __BITS_PER_LONG

Thomas Weißschuh
2026-01-19T10:13:15Z

On Mon, Jan 19, 2026 at 10:06:19AM +0000, David Laight wrote:
> On Fri, 16 Jan 2026 08:40:27 +0100
> Thomas Weißschuh <thomas.weissschuh@linutronix.de> wrote:
>
> > The value of __BITS_PER_LONG from architecture-specific logic should
> > always match the generic one if that is available. It should also match
> > the actual C type 'long'.
> >
> > Mismatches can happen for example when building the compat vDSO. Either
> > during the compilation, see commit 9a6d3ff10f7f ("arm64: uapi: Provide
> > correct __BITS_PER_LONG for the compat vDSO"), or when running sparse
> > when mismatched CHECKFLAGS are inherited from the kernel build.
> >
> > Add some consistency checks which detect such issues early and clearly.
> > The tests are added to the UAPI header to make sure it is also used when
> > building the vDSO as that is not supposed to use regular kernel headers.
> >
> > The kernel-interal BITS_PER_LONG is not checked as it is derived from
> > CONFIG_64BIT and therefore breaks for the compat vDSO. See the similar,
> > deactivated check in include/asm-generic/bitsperlong.h.
> >
> > Signed-off-by: Thomas Weißschuh <thomas.weissschuh@linutronix.de>
> > ---
> > include/uapi/asm-generic/bitsperlong.h | 14 ++++++++++++++
> > 1 file changed, 14 insertions(+)
> >
> > diff --git a/include/uapi/asm-generic/bitsperlong.h b/include/uapi/asm-generic/bitsperlong.h
> > index fadb3f857f28..9d762097ae0c 100644
> > --- a/include/uapi/asm-generic/bitsperlong.h
> > +++ b/include/uapi/asm-generic/bitsperlong.h
> > @@ -28,4 +28,18 @@
> > #define __BITS_PER_LONG_LONG 64
> > #endif
> >
> > +/* Consistency checks */
> > +#ifdef __KERNEL__
> > +#if defined(__CHAR_BIT__) && defined(__SIZEOF_LONG__)
> > +#if __BITS_PER_LONG != (__CHAR_BIT__ * __SIZEOF_LONG__)
> > +#error Inconsistent word size. Check uapi/asm/bitsperlong.h
> > +#endif
> > +#endif
> > +
> > +#ifndef __ASSEMBLER__
> > +_Static_assert(sizeof(long) * 8 == __BITS_PER_LONG,
> > + "Inconsistent word size. Check uapi/asm/bitsperlong.h");
>
> nak...
>
> You can't assume the compiler has _Static_assert().
> All the ones that do probably define __SIZEOF_LONG__.
> You could use something 'old-school' like:
> typedef char __inconsistent_long_size[1 - 2 * (sizeof(long) * 8 != __BITS_PER_LONG))];

This is only used when building the kernel, it never actually reaches
userspace. And all supported compilers for the kernel do have _Static_assert().
As indicated by other users of _Static_assert() we have elsewhere in the tree.

>
> David
>
> > +#endif
> > +#endif /* __KERNEL__ */
> > +
> > #endif /* _UAPI__ASM_GENERIC_BITS_PER_LONG */