ocfs2: Replace zero-length array with flexible-array member

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]

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")

Signed-off-by Gustavo A. R. Silva <[email protected]>

---
 fs/ocfs2/journal.c | 2 +-
 1 file changed, 1 insertion(+), 1 deletion(-)

fs/ocfs2/journal.c +1 -1

index 68ba354cf361..b425f0b01dce 100644
@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ enum ocfs2_replay_state {
 struct ocfs2_replay_map {
 	unsigned int rm_slots;
 	enum ocfs2_replay_state rm_state;
-	unsigned char rm_replay_slots[0];
+	unsigned char rm_replay_slots[];
 };
 
 static void ocfs2_replay_map_set_state(struct ocfs2_super *osb, int state)

Hi all,

Friendly ping: Who can take this?

Thanks
--
Gustavo

Quoted 47 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]

This issue was found with the help of Coccinelle.

[1] https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://gcc.gnu.org/onlinedocs/gcc/Zero-Length.html__;!!GqivPVa7Brio!IqIf1kXINaofUdjTQKfUAjzgxIXeGsrvqMv7P5eK_l094j-wNPLRzzZ6U0LKmQmDvBq4SA$
[2] https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://github.com/KSPP/linux/issues/21__;!!GqivPVa7Brio!IqIf1kXINaofUdjTQKfUAjzgxIXeGsrvqMv7P5eK_l094j-wNPLRzzZ6U0LKmQmeutI_Bg$
[3] commit 76497732932f ("cxgb3/l2t: Fix undefined behaviour")

Signed-off-by Gustavo A. R. Silva <[email protected]>

---
 fs/ocfs2/journal.c | 2 +-
 1 file changed, 1 insertion(+), 1 deletion(-)

fs/ocfs2/journal.c +1 -1

index 68ba354cf361..b425f0b01dce 100644
@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ enum ocfs2_replay_state {
 struct ocfs2_replay_map {
 	unsigned int rm_slots;
 	enum ocfs2_replay_state rm_state;
-	unsigned char rm_replay_slots[0];
+	unsigned char rm_replay_slots[];
 };
 
 static void ocfs2_replay_map_set_state(struct ocfs2_super *osb, int state)

Sorry for the late replay since I've missed the original mail. This patch looks good to me.

Acked-by Joseph Qi <[email protected]>

Quoted 56 lines

Hi all,

Friendly ping: Who can take this?

Thanks
--
Gustavo

Quoted 47 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]

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")

Signed-off-by Gustavo A. R. Silva <[email protected]>

---
 fs/ocfs2/journal.c | 2 +-
 1 file changed, 1 insertion(+), 1 deletion(-)

fs/ocfs2/journal.c +1 -1

index 68ba354cf361..b425f0b01dce 100644
@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ enum ocfs2_replay_state {
 struct ocfs2_replay_map {
 	unsigned int rm_slots;
 	enum ocfs2_replay_state rm_state;
-	unsigned char rm_replay_slots[0];
+	unsigned char rm_replay_slots[];
 };
 
 static void ocfs2_replay_map_set_state(struct ocfs2_super *osb, int state)