Re: [PATCH 01/12] fs/locks: rename some lists and pointers.

J. Bruce Fields
2018-11-09T03:11:40Z

On Fri, Nov 09, 2018 at 11:32:16AM +1100, NeilBrown wrote:
> On Thu, Nov 08 2018, J. Bruce Fields wrote:
>
> > On Mon, Nov 05, 2018 at 12:30:47PM +1100, NeilBrown wrote:
> >> struct file lock contains an 'fl_next' pointer which
> >> is used to point to the lock that this request is blocked
> >> waiting for. So rename it to fl_blocker.
> >>
> >> The fl_blocked list_head in an active lock is the head of a list of
> >> blocked requests. In a request it is a node in that list.
> >> These are two distinct uses, so replace with two list_heads
> >> with different names.
> >> fl_blocked is the head of a list of blocked requests
> >> fl_block is a node on that list.
> >
> > Reading these, I have a lot of trouble keeping fl_blocked, fl_block, and
> > fl_blocker straight. Is it just me?
>
> "Naming is hard" - but that is no excuse.
> I suspect it isn't just you.
>
> I particularly like "fl_blocker".
>
> error = wait_event_interruptible(fl->fl_wait, !fl->fl_blocker);
>
> reads well to me - wait until this lock has a no blocker - i.e. until
> nothing blocks it.
>
> fl_blocked could be fl_blockees (the things that I block), but I doubt
> that is an improvement.

Maybe. The plural might help me remember that it's the head of a list?

> > I guess they form a tree, so fl_children, fl_siblings, and fl_parent
> > might be easier for me to keep straight.
>
> This requires one to know a priori that the tree records which locks
> block which requests, which is obvious to us now, but might not be so
> obvious in 5 years time when we look at this code again.
>
> An I have never really liked the "siblings" naming. 'struct dentry' uses
> "d_child", which is possibly ever more confusing.
> I would like it to be obvious that this is a list-member, not a
> list-head. Rusty once posted patches to allow the list head to be a
> different type to the members, but that fell on deaf ears.
> So
> fl_blocked_member
> might be an improvement - this is a member of the fl_blocked list.
> It would be easier to search for than fl_block - which needs
> fl_block[^a-z] to avoid false positives.

Yeah, maybe, if it's not too long.

> I'd be quite happy to change fl_block is any two people can agree on a
> better name. I'm less inclined to change the others without a really
> good proposal.
>
> Hmmm. what is the inverse of "Block"? If I block you then you .... I
> know, you are a usurper.
> So
> fl_blocker points to the "parent"
> fl_usurpers is a list of "children"
> fl_usurpers_member is my linkage in that list.
> or not.

"Usurper" isn't doing it for me.

Yeah, I've got no clever scheme.

--b.