24 files changed, 66 insertions, 115 deletions
diff --git a/arch/s390/kernel/debug.c b/arch/s390/kernel/debug.c
index 071c81f179ef..0168472b2fdf 100644
--- a/arch/s390/kernel/debug.c
+++ b/arch/s390/kernel/debug.c
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@
 #include <linux/errno.h>
 #include <linux/slab.h>
 #include <linux/ctype.h>
+#include <linux/string.h>
 #include <linux/sysctl.h>
 #include <asm/uaccess.h>
 #include <linux/module.h>
@@ -1178,7 +1179,7 @@ debug_get_uint(char *buf)
 {
        int rc;
-        for(; isspace(*buf); buf++);
+        buf = skip_spaces(buf);
        rc = simple_strtoul(buf, &buf, 10);
        if(*buf){
                rc = -EINVAL;
diff --git a/arch/um/drivers/mconsole_kern.c b/arch/um/drivers/mconsole_kern.c
index f0fa47f10e6c..51069245b79a 100644
--- a/arch/um/drivers/mconsole_kern.c
+++ b/arch/um/drivers/mconsole_kern.c
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
 #include <linux/console.h>
 #include <linux/ctype.h>
+#include <linux/string.h>
 #include <linux/interrupt.h>
 #include <linux/list.h>
 #include <linux/mm.h>
@@ -131,7 +132,7 @@ void mconsole_proc(struct mc_request *req)
        char *ptr = req->request.data, *buf;
        ptr += strlen("proc");
-        while (isspace(*ptr)) ptr++;
+        ptr = skip_spaces(ptr);
        proc = get_fs_type("proc");
        if (proc == NULL) {
@@ -212,8 +213,7 @@ void mconsole_proc(struct mc_request *req)
        char *ptr = req->request.data;
        ptr += strlen("proc");
-        while (isspace(*ptr))
+        ptr = skip_spaces(ptr);
-                ptr++;
        snprintf(path, sizeof(path), "/proc/%s", ptr);
        fd = sys_open(path, 0, 0);
@@ -560,8 +560,7 @@ void mconsole_config(struct mc_request *req)
        int err;
        ptr += strlen("config");
-        while (isspace(*ptr))
+        ptr = skip_spaces(ptr);
-                ptr++;
        dev = mconsole_find_dev(ptr);
        if (dev == NULL) {
                mconsole_reply(req, "Bad configuration option", 1, 0);
@@ -588,7 +587,7 @@ void mconsole_remove(struct mc_request *req)
        int err, start, end, n;
        ptr += strlen("remove");
-        while (isspace(*ptr)) ptr++;
+        ptr = skip_spaces(ptr);
        dev = mconsole_find_dev(ptr);
        if (dev == NULL) {
                mconsole_reply(req, "Bad remove option", 1, 0);
@@ -712,7 +711,7 @@ void mconsole_sysrq(struct mc_request *req)
        char *ptr = req->request.data;
        ptr += strlen("sysrq");
-        while (isspace(*ptr)) ptr++;
+        ptr = skip_spaces(ptr);
        /*
         * With 'b', the system will shut down without a chance to reply,
@@ -757,8 +756,7 @@ void mconsole_stack(struct mc_request *req)
         */
        ptr += strlen("stack");
-        while (isspace(*ptr))
+        ptr = skip_spaces(ptr);
-                ptr++;
        /*
         * Should really check for multiple pids or reject bad args here
diff --git a/arch/x86/kernel/cpu/mtrr/if.c b/arch/x86/kernel/cpu/mtrr/if.c
index 3c1b12d461d1..e006e56f699c 100644
--- a/arch/x86/kernel/cpu/mtrr/if.c
+++ b/arch/x86/kernel/cpu/mtrr/if.c
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 #include <linux/proc_fs.h>
 #include <linux/module.h>
 #include <linux/ctype.h>
+#include <linux/string.h>
 #include <linux/init.h>
 #define LINE_SIZE 80
@@ -133,8 +134,7 @@ mtrr_write(struct file *file, const char __user *buf, size_t len, loff_t * ppos)
                return -EINVAL;
        base = simple_strtoull(line + 5, &ptr, 0);
-        while (isspace(*ptr))
+        ptr = skip_spaces(ptr);
-                ptr++;
        if (strncmp(ptr, "size=", 5))
                return -EINVAL;
@@ -142,14 +142,11 @@ mtrr_write(struct file *file, const char __user *buf, size_t len, loff_t * ppos)
        size = simple_strtoull(ptr + 5, &ptr, 0);
        if ((base & 0xfff) || (size & 0xfff))
                return -EINVAL;
-        while (isspace(*ptr))
+        ptr = skip_spaces(ptr);
-                ptr++;
        if (strncmp(ptr, "type=", 5))
                return -EINVAL;
-        ptr += 5;
+        ptr = skip_spaces(ptr + 5);
-        while (isspace(*ptr))
-                ptr++;
        for (i = 0; i < MTRR_NUM_TYPES; ++i) {
                if (strcmp(ptr, mtrr_strings[i]))
diff --git a/drivers/leds/led-class.c b/drivers/leds/led-class.c
index f2cc13d76810..782f95822eab 100644
--- a/drivers/leds/led-class.c
+++ b/drivers/leds/led-class.c
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ static ssize_t led_brightness_store(struct device *dev,
        unsigned long state = simple_strtoul(buf, &after, 10);
        size_t count = after - buf;
-        if (*after && isspace(*after))
+        if (isspace(*after))
                count++;
        if (count == size) {
diff --git a/drivers/leds/ledtrig-timer.c b/drivers/leds/ledtrig-timer.c
index 3b83406de752..38b3378be442 100644
--- a/drivers/leds/ledtrig-timer.c
+++ b/drivers/leds/ledtrig-timer.c
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ static ssize_t led_delay_on_store(struct device *dev,
        unsigned long state = simple_strtoul(buf, &after, 10);
        size_t count = after - buf;
-        if (*after && isspace(*after))
+        if (isspace(*after))
                count++;
        if (count == size) {
@@ -127,7 +127,7 @@ static ssize_t led_delay_off_store(struct device *dev,
        unsigned long state = simple_strtoul(buf, &after, 10);
        size_t count = after - buf;
-        if (*after && isspace(*after))
+        if (isspace(*after))
                count++;
        if (count == size) {
diff --git a/drivers/md/dm-table.c b/drivers/md/dm-table.c
index 1a6cb3c7822e..91976e8fae5f 100644
--- a/drivers/md/dm-table.c
+++ b/drivers/md/dm-table.c
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@
 #include <linux/blkdev.h>
 #include <linux/namei.h>
 #include <linux/ctype.h>
+#include <linux/string.h>
 #include <linux/slab.h>
 #include <linux/interrupt.h>
 #include <linux/mutex.h>
@@ -600,11 +601,8 @@ int dm_split_args(int *argc, char ***argvp, char *input)
                return -ENOMEM;
        while (1) {
-                start = end;
                /* Skip whitespace */
-                while (*start && isspace(*start))
+                start = skip_spaces(end);
-                        start++;
                if (!*start)
                        break;  /* success, we hit the end */
diff --git a/drivers/md/md.c b/drivers/md/md.c
index e1f3c1715cca..6f9148623a4d 100644
--- a/drivers/md/md.c
+++ b/drivers/md/md.c
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@
 #include <linux/buffer_head.h> /* for invalidate_bdev */
 #include <linux/poll.h>
 #include <linux/ctype.h>
+#include <linux/string.h>
 #include <linux/hdreg.h>
 #include <linux/proc_fs.h>
 #include <linux/random.h>
@@ -3439,8 +3440,7 @@ bitmap_store(mddev_t *mddev, const char *buf, size_t len)
                }
                if (*end && !isspace(*end)) break;
                bitmap_dirty_bits(mddev->bitmap, chunk, end_chunk);
-                buf = end;
+                buf = skip_spaces(end);
-                while (isspace(*buf)) buf++;
        }
        bitmap_unplug(mddev->bitmap); /* flush the bits to disk */
 out:
diff --git a/drivers/parisc/pdc_stable.c b/drivers/parisc/pdc_stable.c
index 13a64bc081b6..0bc5d474b168 100644
--- a/drivers/parisc/pdc_stable.c
+++ b/drivers/parisc/pdc_stable.c
@@ -779,12 +779,9 @@ static ssize_t pdcs_auto_write(struct kobject *kobj,
        read_unlock(&pathentry->rw_lock);
        
        DPRINTK("%s: flags before: 0x%X\n", __func__, flags);
-                        
-        temp = in;
+        temp = skip_spaces(in);
-        
-        while (*temp && isspace(*temp))
-                temp++;
-        
        c = *temp++ - '0';
        if ((c != 0) && (c != 1))
                goto parse_error;
diff --git a/drivers/platform/x86/thinkpad_acpi.c b/drivers/platform/x86/thinkpad_acpi.c
index 0ed84806f8ae..cf61d6a8ef6f 100644
--- a/drivers/platform/x86/thinkpad_acpi.c
+++ b/drivers/platform/x86/thinkpad_acpi.c
@@ -1006,11 +1006,8 @@ static int parse_strtoul(const char *buf,
 {
        char *endp;
-        while (*buf && isspace(*buf))
+        *value = simple_strtoul(skip_spaces(buf), &endp, 0);
-                buf++;
+        endp = skip_spaces(endp);
-        *value = simple_strtoul(buf, &endp, 0);
-        while (*endp && isspace(*endp))
-                endp++;
        if (*endp || *value > max)
                return -EINVAL;
diff --git a/drivers/pnp/interface.c b/drivers/pnp/interface.c
index c3f1c8e9d254..68b0c04987e4 100644
--- a/drivers/pnp/interface.c
+++ b/drivers/pnp/interface.c
@@ -310,8 +310,7 @@ static ssize_t pnp_set_current_resources(struct device *dmdev,
                goto done;
        }
-        while (isspace(*buf))
+        buf = skip_spaces(buf);
-                ++buf;
        if (!strnicmp(buf, "disable", 7)) {
                retval = pnp_disable_dev(dev);
                goto done;
@@ -353,19 +352,13 @@ static ssize_t pnp_set_current_resources(struct device *dmdev,
                pnp_init_resources(dev);
                mutex_lock(&pnp_res_mutex);
                while (1) {
-                        while (isspace(*buf))
+                        buf = skip_spaces(buf);
-                                ++buf;
                        if (!strnicmp(buf, "io", 2)) {
-                                buf += 2;
+                                buf = skip_spaces(buf + 2);
-                                while (isspace(*buf))
-                                        ++buf;
                                start = simple_strtoul(buf, &buf, 0);
-                                while (isspace(*buf))
+                                buf = skip_spaces(buf);
-                                        ++buf;
                                if (*buf == '-') {
-                                        buf += 1;
+                                        buf = skip_spaces(buf + 1);
-                                        while (isspace(*buf))
-                                                ++buf;
                                        end = simple_strtoul(buf, &buf, 0);
                                } else
                                        end = start;
@@ -373,16 +366,11 @@ static ssize_t pnp_set_current_resources(struct device *dmdev,
                                continue;
                        }
                        if (!strnicmp(buf, "mem", 3)) {
-                                buf += 3;
+                                buf = skip_spaces(buf + 3);
-                                while (isspace(*buf))
-                                        ++buf;
                                start = simple_strtoul(buf, &buf, 0);
-                                while (isspace(*buf))
+                                buf = skip_spaces(buf);
-                                        ++buf;
                                if (*buf == '-') {
-                                        buf += 1;
+                                        buf = skip_spaces(buf + 1);
-                                        while (isspace(*buf))
-                                                ++buf;
                                        end = simple_strtoul(buf, &buf, 0);
                                } else
                                        end = start;
@@ -390,17 +378,13 @@ static ssize_t pnp_set_current_resources(struct device *dmdev,
                                continue;
                        }
                        if (!strnicmp(buf, "irq", 3)) {
-                                buf += 3;
+                                buf = skip_spaces(buf + 3);
-                                while (isspace(*buf))
-                                        ++buf;
                                start = simple_strtoul(buf, &buf, 0);
                                pnp_add_irq_resource(dev, start, 0);
                                continue;
                        }
                        if (!strnicmp(buf, "dma", 3)) {
-                                buf += 3;
+                                buf = skip_spaces(buf + 3);
-                                while (isspace(*buf))
-                                        ++buf;
                                start = simple_strtoul(buf, &buf, 0);
                                pnp_add_dma_resource(dev, start, 0);
                                continue;
diff --git a/drivers/s390/block/dasd_proc.c b/drivers/s390/block/dasd_proc.c
index 5f23eca82804..6315fbd8e68b 100644
--- a/drivers/s390/block/dasd_proc.c
+++ b/drivers/s390/block/dasd_proc.c
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@
 #define KMSG_COMPONENT "dasd"
 #include <linux/ctype.h>
+#include <linux/string.h>
 #include <linux/seq_file.h>
 #include <linux/vmalloc.h>
 #include <linux/proc_fs.h>
@@ -272,10 +273,10 @@ dasd_statistics_write(struct file *file, const char __user *user_buf,
        DBF_EVENT(DBF_DEBUG, "/proc/dasd/statictics: '%s'\n", buffer);
        /* check for valid verbs */
-        for (str = buffer; isspace(*str); str++);
+        str = skip_spaces(buffer);
        if (strncmp(str, "set", 3) == 0 && isspace(str[3])) {
                /* 'set xxx' was given */
-                for (str = str + 4; isspace(*str); str++);
+                str = skip_spaces(str + 4);
                if (strcmp(str, "on") == 0) {
                        /* switch on statistics profiling */
                        dasd_profile_level = DASD_PROFILE_ON;
diff --git a/drivers/video/backlight/lcd.c b/drivers/video/backlight/lcd.c
index a482dd7b0311..9b3be74cee5a 100644
--- a/drivers/video/backlight/lcd.c
+++ b/drivers/video/backlight/lcd.c
@@ -101,7 +101,7 @@ static ssize_t lcd_store_power(struct device *dev,
        int power = simple_strtoul(buf, &endp, 0);
        size_t size = endp - buf;
-        if (*endp && isspace(*endp))
+        if (isspace(*endp))
                size++;
        if (size != count)
                return -EINVAL;
@@ -140,7 +140,7 @@ static ssize_t lcd_store_contrast(struct device *dev,
        int contrast = simple_strtoul(buf, &endp, 0);
        size_t size = endp - buf;
-        if (*endp && isspace(*endp))
+        if (isspace(*endp))
                size++;
        if (size != count)
                return -EINVAL;
diff --git a/drivers/video/display/display-sysfs.c b/drivers/video/display/display-sysfs.c
index 4830b1bf51e5..80abbf323b99 100644
--- a/drivers/video/display/display-sysfs.c
+++ b/drivers/video/display/display-sysfs.c
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ static ssize_t display_store_contrast(struct device *dev,
        contrast = simple_strtoul(buf, &endp, 0);
        size = endp - buf;
-        if (*endp && isspace(*endp))
+        if (isspace(*endp))
                size++;
        if (size != count)
diff --git a/drivers/video/output.c b/drivers/video/output.c
index 5e6439ae7394..5137aa016b83 100644
--- a/drivers/video/output.c
+++ b/drivers/video/output.c
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ static ssize_t video_output_store_state(struct device *dev,
        int request_state = simple_strtoul(buf,&endp,0);
        size_t size = endp - buf;
-        if (*endp && isspace(*endp))
+        if (isspace(*endp))
                size++;
        if (size != count)
                return -EINVAL;
diff --git a/fs/cachefiles/daemon.c b/fs/cachefiles/daemon.c
index 4618516dd994..c2413561ea75 100644
--- a/fs/cachefiles/daemon.c
+++ b/fs/cachefiles/daemon.c
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@
 #include <linux/mount.h>
 #include <linux/statfs.h>
 #include <linux/ctype.h>
+#include <linux/string.h>
 #include <linux/fs_struct.h>
 #include "internal.h"
@@ -257,8 +258,7 @@ static ssize_t cachefiles_daemon_write(struct file *file,
                if (args == data)
                        goto error;
                *args = '\0';
-                for (args++; isspace(*args); args++)
+                args = skip_spaces(++args);
-                        continue;
        }
        /* run the appropriate command handler */
diff --git a/fs/ext4/super.c b/fs/ext4/super.c
index 768c111a77ec..827bde1f2594 100644
--- a/fs/ext4/super.c
+++ b/fs/ext4/super.c
@@ -2137,11 +2137,8 @@ static int parse_strtoul(const char *buf,
 {
        char *endp;
-        while (*buf && isspace(*buf))
+        *value = simple_strtoul(skip_spaces(buf), &endp, 0);
-                buf++;
+        endp = skip_spaces(endp);
-        *value = simple_strtoul(buf, &endp, 0);
-        while (*endp && isspace(*endp))
-                endp++;
        if (*endp || *value > max)
                return -EINVAL;
diff --git a/kernel/params.c b/kernel/params.c
index d656c276508d..cf1b69183127 100644
--- a/kernel/params.c
+++ b/kernel/params.c
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@
 #include <linux/err.h>
 #include <linux/slab.h>
 #include <linux/ctype.h>
+#include <linux/string.h>
 #if 0
 #define DEBUGP printk
@@ -122,9 +123,7 @@ static char *next_arg(char *args, char **param, char **val)
                next = args + i;
        /* Chew up trailing spaces. */
-        while (isspace(*next))
+        return skip_spaces(next);
-                next++;
-        return next;
 }
 /* Args looks like "foo=bar,bar2 baz=fuz wiz". */
@@ -139,8 +138,7 @@ int parse_args(const char *name,
        DEBUGP("Parsing ARGS: %s\n", args);
        /* Chew leading spaces */
-        while (isspace(*args))
+        args = skip_spaces(args);
-                args++;
        while (*args) {
                int ret;
diff --git a/lib/argv_split.c b/lib/argv_split.c
index 5205a8dae5bc..4b1b083f219c 100644
--- a/lib/argv_split.c
+++ b/lib/argv_split.c
@@ -4,17 +4,10 @@
 #include <linux/kernel.h>
 #include <linux/ctype.h>
+#include <linux/string.h>
 #include <linux/slab.h>
 #include <linux/module.h>
-static const char *skip_sep(const char *cp)
-{
-        while (*cp && isspace(*cp))
-                cp++;
-        return cp;
-}
 static const char *skip_arg(const char *cp)
 {
        while (*cp && !isspace(*cp))
@@ -28,7 +21,7 @@ static int count_argc(const char *str)
        int count = 0;
        while (*str) {
-                str = skip_sep(str);
+                str = skip_spaces(str);
                if (*str) {
                        count++;
                        str = skip_arg(str);
@@ -82,7 +75,7 @@ char **argv_split(gfp_t gfp, const char *str, int *argcp)
        argvp = argv;
        while (*str) {
-                str = skip_sep(str);
+                str = skip_spaces(str);
                if (*str) {
                        const char *p = str;
diff --git a/lib/dynamic_debug.c b/lib/dynamic_debug.c
index e22c148e4b7f..f93502915988 100644
--- a/lib/dynamic_debug.c
+++ b/lib/dynamic_debug.c
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@
 #include <linux/list.h>
 #include <linux/sysctl.h>
 #include <linux/ctype.h>
+#include <linux/string.h>
 #include <linux/uaccess.h>
 #include <linux/dynamic_debug.h>
 #include <linux/debugfs.h>
@@ -209,8 +210,7 @@ static int ddebug_tokenize(char *buf, char *words[], int maxwords)
                char *end;
                /* Skip leading whitespace */
-                while (*buf && isspace(*buf))
+                buf = skip_spaces(buf);
-                        buf++;
                if (!*buf)
                        break;  /* oh, it was trailing whitespace */
diff --git a/lib/vsprintf.c b/lib/vsprintf.c
index c50733a690f0..7857d4dd62d3 100644
--- a/lib/vsprintf.c
+++ b/lib/vsprintf.c
@@ -1766,13 +1766,6 @@ EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(bprintf);
 #endif /* CONFIG_BINARY_PRINTF */
-static noinline char *skip_space(const char *str)
-{
-        while (isspace(*str))
-                ++str;
-        return (char *)str;
-}
 /**
 * vsscanf - Unformat a buffer into a list of arguments
 * @buf:        input buffer
@@ -1794,8 +1787,8 @@ int vsscanf(const char *buf, const char *fmt, va_list args)
                 * white space, including none, in the input.
                 */
                if (isspace(*fmt)) {
-                        fmt = skip_space(fmt);
+                        fmt = skip_spaces(++fmt);
-                        str = skip_space(str);
+                        str = skip_spaces(str);
                }
                /* anything that is not a conversion must match exactly */
@@ -1865,7 +1858,7 @@ int vsscanf(const char *buf, const char *fmt, va_list args)
                        if (field_width == -1)
                                field_width = INT_MAX;
                        /* first, skip leading white space in buffer */
-                        str = skip_space(str);
+                        str = skip_spaces(str);
                        /* now copy until next white space */
                        while (*str && !isspace(*str) && field_width--)
@@ -1907,7 +1900,7 @@ int vsscanf(const char *buf, const char *fmt, va_list args)
                /* have some sort of integer conversion.
                 * first, skip white space in buffer.
                 */
-                str = skip_space(str);
+                str = skip_spaces(str);
                digit = *str;
                if (is_sign && digit == '-')
diff --git a/net/irda/irnet/irnet.h b/net/irda/irnet/irnet.h
index b001c361ad30..4300df35d37d 100644
--- a/net/irda/irnet/irnet.h
+++ b/net/irda/irnet/irnet.h
@@ -249,6 +249,7 @@
 #include <linux/poll.h>
 #include <linux/capability.h>
 #include <linux/ctype.h>        /* isspace() */
+#include <linux/string.h>       /* skip_spaces() */
 #include <asm/uaccess.h>
 #include <linux/init.h>
diff --git a/net/irda/irnet/irnet_ppp.c b/net/irda/irnet/irnet_ppp.c
index 7dea882dbb75..156020d138b5 100644
--- a/net/irda/irnet/irnet_ppp.c
+++ b/net/irda/irnet/irnet_ppp.c
@@ -76,9 +76,8 @@ irnet_ctrl_write(irnet_socket *	ap,
      /* Look at the next command */
      start = next;
-      /* Scrap whitespaces before the command */
+        /* Scrap whitespaces before the command */
-      while(isspace(*start))
+        start = skip_spaces(start);
-        start++;
      /* ',' is our command separator */
      next = strchr(start, ',');
@@ -133,8 +132,7 @@ irnet_ctrl_write(irnet_socket *	ap,
              char *    endp;
              /* Scrap whitespaces before the command */
-              while(isspace(*begp))
+              begp = skip_spaces(begp);
-                begp++;
              /* Convert argument to a number (last arg is the base) */
              addr = simple_strtoul(begp, &endp, 16);
diff --git a/net/netfilter/xt_recent.c b/net/netfilter/xt_recent.c
index eb0ceb846527..fc70a49c0afd 100644
--- a/net/netfilter/xt_recent.c
+++ b/net/netfilter/xt_recent.c
@@ -482,8 +482,7 @@ static ssize_t recent_old_proc_write(struct file *file,
        if (copy_from_user(buf, input, size))
                return -EFAULT;
-        while (isspace(*c))
+        c = skip_spaces(c);
-                c++;
        if (size - (c - buf) < 5)
                return c - buf;
diff --git a/sound/pci/hda/hda_hwdep.c b/sound/pci/hda/hda_hwdep.c
index d24328661c6a..40ccb419b6e9 100644
--- a/sound/pci/hda/hda_hwdep.c
+++ b/sound/pci/hda/hda_hwdep.c
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@
 #include <linux/compat.h>
 #include <linux/mutex.h>
 #include <linux/ctype.h>
+#include <linux/string.h>
 #include <linux/firmware.h>
 #include <sound/core.h>
 #include "hda_codec.h"
@@ -428,8 +429,7 @@ static int parse_hints(struct hda_codec *codec, const char *buf)
        char *key, *val;
        struct hda_hint *hint;
-        while (isspace(*buf))
+        buf = skip_spaces(buf);
-                buf++;
        if (!*buf || *buf == '#' || *buf == '\n')
                return 0;
        if (*buf == '=')
@@ -444,8 +444,7 @@ static int parse_hints(struct hda_codec *codec, const char *buf)
                return -EINVAL;
        }
        *val++ = 0;
-        while (isspace(*val))
+        val = skip_spaces(val);
-                val++;
        remove_trail_spaces(key);
        remove_trail_spaces(val);
        hint = get_hint(codec, key);