WARN_ON_SMP(): Add comment to explain ({0;})

The define to use ({0;}) for the !CONFIG_SMP case of WARN_ON_SMP()
can be confusing. As the WARN_ON_SMP() needs to be a nop when
CONFIG_SMP is not set, including all its parameters must not be
evaluated, and that it must work as both a stand alone statement
and inside an if condition, we define it to a funky ({0;}).

A simple "0" will not work as it causes gcc to give the warning that
the statement has no effect.

As this strange definition has raised a few eyebrows from some
major kernel developers, it is wise to document why we create such
a work of art.

Cc: Linus Torvalds <torvalds@linux-foundation.org>
Cc: Alexey Dobriyan <adobriyan@gmail.com>
Signed-off-by: Steven Rostedt <rostedt@goodmis.org>

1 files changed, 7 insertions, 0 deletions

diff --git a/include/asm-generic/bug.h b/include/asm-generic/bug.h
index f2d2faf4d9ae..e5a3f5880001 100644
--- a/include/asm-generic/bug.h
+++ b/include/asm-generic/bug.h
@@ -194,6 +194,13 @@ extern void warn_slowpath_null(const char *file, const int line);
 #ifdef CONFIG_SMP
 # define WARN_ON_SMP(x)                 WARN_ON(x)
 #else
+/*
+ * Use of ({0;}) because WARN_ON_SMP(x) may be used either as
+ * a stand alone line statement or as a condition in an if ()
+ * statement.
+ * A simple "0" would cause gcc to give a "statement has no effect"
+ * warning.
+ */
 # define WARN_ON_SMP(x)                 ({0;})
 #endif