[PATCH net-next v3] ethtool: Clarify len/n_stats fields in/out semantics

[PATCH net-next v3] ethtool: Clarify len/n_stats fields in/out semantics

[Gal Pressman]

Document that the 'len' field in ethtool_gstrings and 'n_stats' field in
ethtool_stats optionally serve dual purposes: on entry they specify the
number of items requested, and on return they indicate the number
actually returned (which is not necessarily the same).

Signed-off-by: Gal Pressman <gal@nvidia.com>
Reviewed-by: Dragos Tatulea <dtatulea@nvidia.com>
---
v2->v3: https://lore.kernel.org/all/20260112115708.244752-1-gal@nvidia.com/
* Remove the 'on return' description (Jakub).

v1->v2: https://lore.kernel.org/all/20260105163923.49104-1-gal@nvidia.com/
* Reword comments (Jakub).
---
 include/uapi/linux/ethtool.h | 18 ++++++++++++++++--
 1 file changed, 16 insertions(+), 2 deletions(-)

diff --git a/include/uapi/linux/ethtool.h b/include/uapi/linux/ethtool.h
index eb7ff2602fbb..7887697e6886 100644
--- a/include/uapi/linux/ethtool.h
+++ b/include/uapi/linux/ethtool.h
@@ -1094,13 +1094,20 @@ enum ethtool_module_fw_flash_status {
  * struct ethtool_gstrings - string set for data tagging
  * @cmd: Command number = %ETHTOOL_GSTRINGS
  * @string_set: String set ID; one of &enum ethtool_stringset
- * @len: On return, the number of strings in the string set
+ * @len: Number of strings in the string set
  * @data: Buffer for strings.  Each string is null-padded to a size of
  *	%ETH_GSTRING_LEN.
  *
  * Users must use %ETHTOOL_GSSET_INFO to find the number of strings in
  * the string set.  They must allocate a buffer of the appropriate
  * size immediately following this structure.
+ *
+ * Setting @len on input is optional (though preferred), but must be zeroed
+ * otherwise.
+ * When set, @len will return the requested count if it matches the actual
+ * count; otherwise, it will be zero.
+ * This prevents issues when the number of strings is different than the
+ * userspace allocation.
  */
 struct ethtool_gstrings {
 	__u32	cmd;
@@ -1177,13 +1184,20 @@ struct ethtool_test {
 /**
  * struct ethtool_stats - device-specific statistics
  * @cmd: Command number = %ETHTOOL_GSTATS
- * @n_stats: On return, the number of statistics
+ * @n_stats: Number of statistics
  * @data: Array of statistics
  *
  * Users must use %ETHTOOL_GSSET_INFO or %ETHTOOL_GDRVINFO to find the
  * number of statistics that will be returned.  They must allocate a
  * buffer of the appropriate size (8 * number of statistics)
  * immediately following this structure.
+ *
+ * Setting @n_stats on input is optional (though preferred), but must be zeroed
+ * otherwise.
+ * When set, @n_stats will return the requested count if it matches the actual
+ * count; otherwise, it will be zero.
+ * This prevents issues when the number of stats is different than the
+ * userspace allocation.
  */
 struct ethtool_stats {
 	__u32	cmd;
-- 
2.40.1

Re: [PATCH net-next v3] ethtool: Clarify len/n_stats fields in/out semantics

[patchwork-bot+netdevbpf]

Hello:

This patch was applied to netdev/net-next.git (main)
by Jakub Kicinski <kuba@kernel.org>:

On Thu, 15 Jan 2026 08:05:44 +0200 you wrote:
> Document that the 'len' field in ethtool_gstrings and 'n_stats' field in
> ethtool_stats optionally serve dual purposes: on entry they specify the
> number of items requested, and on return they indicate the number
> actually returned (which is not necessarily the same).
> 
> Signed-off-by: Gal Pressman <gal@nvidia.com>
> Reviewed-by: Dragos Tatulea <dtatulea@nvidia.com>
> 
> [...]

Here is the summary with links:
  - [net-next,v3] ethtool: Clarify len/n_stats fields in/out semantics
    https://git.kernel.org/netdev/net-next/c/567873005dca

You are awesome, thank you!
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