Re: should new kfifo implementation really be exporting that much?

["Robert P. J. Day" <rpjday@crashcourse.ca>]

On Sun, 21 Mar 2010, Jon Masters wrote:

> On Sun, Mar 14, 2010 at 12:49:08PM -0400, Robert P. J. Day wrote:
> > On Sun, 14 Mar 2010, Tilman Schmidt wrote:
> >
> > > Am 14.03.2010 15:57 schrieb Robert P. J. Day:
> > > >   as a short followup, kfifo.h strongly implies that a lot of the
> > > > above shouldn't be exported:
> > > >
> > > > ...
> > > > /*
> > > >  * __kfifo_in_... internal functions for put date into the fifo
> > > >  * do not call it directly, use kfifo_in_rec() instead
> > > >  */
> > > > ...
> > > >
> > > >   anyway, you get the idea.  it would seem that a lot of those EXPORTs
> > > > should be removed, no?
> > >
> > > If you look at kfifo_in_rec(), it's a static inline void
> > > function defined in kfifo.h and which calls __kfifo_in_generic()
> > > or __kfifo_in_rec(). I don't think you'll be able to make that
> > > work without exporting those functions.
> >
> >   huh.  i believe you're correct.  i'll take a closer look but i
> > still get this feeling that there's something ... messy about that
> > API. case in point:  kfifo_in_rec() is *not* being exported, but a
> > routine that it invokes -- __kfifo_in_generic() -- *is* being
> > exported. doesn't that just seem a bit backwards?
>
> I believe it would be a good idea to have an export type explicitly
> covering symbols that are exported solely for the use of inlines,
> just for tidying up these situations. EXPORT_SYMBOL_INTERNAL?

  i wasn't suggesting anything as drastic as inventing a new export
level :-), i just wanted to verify that the current situation as to
what's currently exported related to kfifo just seemed a bit odd and
inconsistent.  but a new export level might support the removal of a
considerable amount from the fully-exported namespace.

rday
--

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Robert P. J. Day                               Waterloo, Ontario, CANADA

            Linux Consulting, Training and Kernel Pedantry.

Web page:                                          http://crashcourse.ca
Twitter:                                       http://twitter.com/rpjday
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