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-rw-r--r--Documentation/filesystems/configfs/configfs.txt57
-rw-r--r--Documentation/filesystems/configfs/configfs_example.c2
2 files changed, 49 insertions, 10 deletions
diff --git a/Documentation/filesystems/configfs/configfs.txt b/Documentation/filesystems/configfs/configfs.txt
index b34cdb50eab4..d1b98257d000 100644
--- a/Documentation/filesystems/configfs/configfs.txt
+++ b/Documentation/filesystems/configfs/configfs.txt
@@ -238,6 +238,8 @@ config_item_type.
238 struct config_group *(*make_group)(struct config_group *group, 238 struct config_group *(*make_group)(struct config_group *group,
239 const char *name); 239 const char *name);
240 int (*commit_item)(struct config_item *item); 240 int (*commit_item)(struct config_item *item);
241 void (*disconnect_notify)(struct config_group *group,
242 struct config_item *item);
241 void (*drop_item)(struct config_group *group, 243 void (*drop_item)(struct config_group *group,
242 struct config_item *item); 244 struct config_item *item);
243 }; 245 };
@@ -268,6 +270,16 @@ the item in other threads, the memory is safe. It may take some time
268for the item to actually disappear from the subsystem's usage. But it 270for the item to actually disappear from the subsystem's usage. But it
269is gone from configfs. 271is gone from configfs.
270 272
273When drop_item() is called, the item's linkage has already been torn
274down. It no longer has a reference on its parent and has no place in
275the item hierarchy. If a client needs to do some cleanup before this
276teardown happens, the subsystem can implement the
277ct_group_ops->disconnect_notify() method. The method is called after
278configfs has removed the item from the filesystem view but before the
279item is removed from its parent group. Like drop_item(),
280disconnect_notify() is void and cannot fail. Client subsystems should
281not drop any references here, as they still must do it in drop_item().
282
271A config_group cannot be removed while it still has child items. This 283A config_group cannot be removed while it still has child items. This
272is implemented in the configfs rmdir(2) code. ->drop_item() will not be 284is implemented in the configfs rmdir(2) code. ->drop_item() will not be
273called, as the item has not been dropped. rmdir(2) will fail, as the 285called, as the item has not been dropped. rmdir(2) will fail, as the
@@ -280,18 +292,18 @@ tells configfs to make the subsystem appear in the file tree.
280 292
281 struct configfs_subsystem { 293 struct configfs_subsystem {
282 struct config_group su_group; 294 struct config_group su_group;
283 struct semaphore su_sem; 295 struct mutex su_mutex;
284 }; 296 };
285 297
286 int configfs_register_subsystem(struct configfs_subsystem *subsys); 298 int configfs_register_subsystem(struct configfs_subsystem *subsys);
287 void configfs_unregister_subsystem(struct configfs_subsystem *subsys); 299 void configfs_unregister_subsystem(struct configfs_subsystem *subsys);
288 300
289 A subsystem consists of a toplevel config_group and a semaphore. 301 A subsystem consists of a toplevel config_group and a mutex.
290The group is where child config_items are created. For a subsystem, 302The group is where child config_items are created. For a subsystem,
291this group is usually defined statically. Before calling 303this group is usually defined statically. Before calling
292configfs_register_subsystem(), the subsystem must have initialized the 304configfs_register_subsystem(), the subsystem must have initialized the
293group via the usual group _init() functions, and it must also have 305group via the usual group _init() functions, and it must also have
294initialized the semaphore. 306initialized the mutex.
295 When the register call returns, the subsystem is live, and it 307 When the register call returns, the subsystem is live, and it
296will be visible via configfs. At that point, mkdir(2) can be called and 308will be visible via configfs. At that point, mkdir(2) can be called and
297the subsystem must be ready for it. 309the subsystem must be ready for it.
@@ -303,7 +315,7 @@ subsystem/group and the simple_child item in configfs_example.c It
303shows a trivial object displaying and storing an attribute, and a simple 315shows a trivial object displaying and storing an attribute, and a simple
304group creating and destroying these children. 316group creating and destroying these children.
305 317
306[Hierarchy Navigation and the Subsystem Semaphore] 318[Hierarchy Navigation and the Subsystem Mutex]
307 319
308There is an extra bonus that configfs provides. The config_groups and 320There is an extra bonus that configfs provides. The config_groups and
309config_items are arranged in a hierarchy due to the fact that they 321config_items are arranged in a hierarchy due to the fact that they
@@ -314,19 +326,19 @@ and config_item->ci_parent structure members.
314 326
315A subsystem can navigate the cg_children list and the ci_parent pointer 327A subsystem can navigate the cg_children list and the ci_parent pointer
316to see the tree created by the subsystem. This can race with configfs' 328to see the tree created by the subsystem. This can race with configfs'
317management of the hierarchy, so configfs uses the subsystem semaphore to 329management of the hierarchy, so configfs uses the subsystem mutex to
318protect modifications. Whenever a subsystem wants to navigate the 330protect modifications. Whenever a subsystem wants to navigate the
319hierarchy, it must do so under the protection of the subsystem 331hierarchy, it must do so under the protection of the subsystem
320semaphore. 332mutex.
321 333
322A subsystem will be prevented from acquiring the semaphore while a newly 334A subsystem will be prevented from acquiring the mutex while a newly
323allocated item has not been linked into this hierarchy. Similarly, it 335allocated item has not been linked into this hierarchy. Similarly, it
324will not be able to acquire the semaphore while a dropping item has not 336will not be able to acquire the mutex while a dropping item has not
325yet been unlinked. This means that an item's ci_parent pointer will 337yet been unlinked. This means that an item's ci_parent pointer will
326never be NULL while the item is in configfs, and that an item will only 338never be NULL while the item is in configfs, and that an item will only
327be in its parent's cg_children list for the same duration. This allows 339be in its parent's cg_children list for the same duration. This allows
328a subsystem to trust ci_parent and cg_children while they hold the 340a subsystem to trust ci_parent and cg_children while they hold the
329semaphore. 341mutex.
330 342
331[Item Aggregation Via symlink(2)] 343[Item Aggregation Via symlink(2)]
332 344
@@ -386,6 +398,33 @@ As a consequence of this, default_groups cannot be removed directly via
386rmdir(2). They also are not considered when rmdir(2) on the parent 398rmdir(2). They also are not considered when rmdir(2) on the parent
387group is checking for children. 399group is checking for children.
388 400
401[Dependant Subsystems]
402
403Sometimes other drivers depend on particular configfs items. For
404example, ocfs2 mounts depend on a heartbeat region item. If that
405region item is removed with rmdir(2), the ocfs2 mount must BUG or go
406readonly. Not happy.
407
408configfs provides two additional API calls: configfs_depend_item() and
409configfs_undepend_item(). A client driver can call
410configfs_depend_item() on an existing item to tell configfs that it is
411depended on. configfs will then return -EBUSY from rmdir(2) for that
412item. When the item is no longer depended on, the client driver calls
413configfs_undepend_item() on it.
414
415These API cannot be called underneath any configfs callbacks, as
416they will conflict. They can block and allocate. A client driver
417probably shouldn't calling them of its own gumption. Rather it should
418be providing an API that external subsystems call.
419
420How does this work? Imagine the ocfs2 mount process. When it mounts,
421it asks for a heartbeat region item. This is done via a call into the
422heartbeat code. Inside the heartbeat code, the region item is looked
423up. Here, the heartbeat code calls configfs_depend_item(). If it
424succeeds, then heartbeat knows the region is safe to give to ocfs2.
425If it fails, it was being torn down anyway, and heartbeat can gracefully
426pass up an error.
427
389[Committable Items] 428[Committable Items]
390 429
391NOTE: Committable items are currently unimplemented. 430NOTE: Committable items are currently unimplemented.
diff --git a/Documentation/filesystems/configfs/configfs_example.c b/Documentation/filesystems/configfs/configfs_example.c
index 2d6a14a463e0..e56d49264b39 100644
--- a/Documentation/filesystems/configfs/configfs_example.c
+++ b/Documentation/filesystems/configfs/configfs_example.c
@@ -453,7 +453,7 @@ static int __init configfs_example_init(void)
453 subsys = example_subsys[i]; 453 subsys = example_subsys[i];
454 454
455 config_group_init(&subsys->su_group); 455 config_group_init(&subsys->su_group);
456 init_MUTEX(&subsys->su_sem); 456 mutex_init(&subsys->su_mutex);
457 ret = configfs_register_subsystem(subsys); 457 ret = configfs_register_subsystem(subsys);
458 if (ret) { 458 if (ret) {
459 printk(KERN_ERR "Error %d while registering subsystem %s\n", 459 printk(KERN_ERR "Error %d while registering subsystem %s\n",