Input: Replace zero-length array with flexible-array
Subsystems (2)
PATCH 1/1 Input: Replace zero-length array with flexible-array
The current codebase makes use of the zero-length array language extension to the C90 standard, but the preferred mechanism to declare variable-length types such as these ones is a flexible array member[1][2], introduced in C99:
struct foo {
int stuff;
struct boo array[];
};By making use of the mechanism above, we will get a compiler warning in case the flexible array does not occur last in the structure, which will help us prevent some kind of undefined behavior bugs from being inadvertently introduced[3] to the codebase from now on.
Also, notice that, dynamic memory allocations won't be affected by this change:
"Flexible array members have incomplete type, and so the sizeof operator may not be applied. As a quirk of the original implementation of zero-length arrays, sizeof evaluates to zero."[1]
sizeof(flexible-array-member) triggers a warning because flexible array members have incomplete type[1]. There are some instances of code in which the sizeof operator is being incorrectly/erroneously applied to zero-length arrays and the result is zero. Such instances may be hiding some bugs. So, this work (flexible-array member conversions) will also help to get completely rid of those sorts of issues.
This issue was found with the help of Coccinelle.
[1] https://gcc.gnu.org/onlinedocs/gcc/Zero-Length.html
[2] https://github.com/KSPP/linux/issues/21
[3] commit 76497732932f ("cxgb3/l2t: Fix undefined behaviour")
--- drivers/input/keyboard/applespi.c | 2 +- 1 file changed, 1 insertion(+), 1 deletion(-)
drivers/input/keyboard/applespi.c +1 -1
@@ -186,7 +186,7 @@ struct touchpad_protocol {u8 number_of_fingers;u8 clicked2;u8 unknown3[16 ]; -struct tp_finger fingers[0 ]; +struct tp_finger fingers[]; };/**
Quoted 29 lines · Gustavo A. R. Silva
The current codebase makes use of the zero-length array language extension to the C90 standard, but the preferred mechanism to declare variable-length types such as these ones is a flexible array member[1][2], introduced in C99:
struct foo { int stuff; struct boo array[]; };By making use of the mechanism above, we will get a compiler warning in case the flexible array does not occur last in the structure, which will help us prevent some kind of undefined behavior bugs from being inadvertently introduced[3] to the codebase from now on.
Also, notice that, dynamic memory allocations won't be affected by this change:
"Flexible array members have incomplete type, and so the sizeof operator may not be applied. As a quirk of the original implementation of zero-length arrays, sizeof evaluates to zero."[1]
sizeof(flexible-array-member) triggers a warning because flexible array members have incomplete type[1]. There are some instances of code in which the sizeof operator is being incorrectly/erroneously applied to zero-length arrays and the result is zero. Such instances may be hiding some bugs. So, this work (flexible-array member conversions) will also help to get completely rid of those sorts of issues.
Quoted 7 lines
This issue was found with the help of Coccinelle.
[1] https://gcc.gnu.org/onlinedocs/gcc/Zero-Length.html
[2] https://github.com/KSPP/linux/issues/21
[3] commit76497732932f("cxgb3/l2t: Fix undefined behaviour")Signed-off-by Gustavo A. R. Silva <[email protected]>
Applied, thank you.
Quoted 18 lines
--- drivers/input/keyboard/applespi.c | 2 +- 1 file changed, 1 insertion(+), 1 deletion(-)drivers/input/keyboard/applespi.c +1
-1@@ -186,7 +186,7 @@ struct touchpad_protocol {u8 number_of_fingers;u8 clicked2;u8 unknown3[16 ]; -struct tp_finger fingers[0 ]; +struct tp_finger fingers[]; };/**
Signature · 1 line
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