ath6kl: Replace zero-length array with flexible-array
Subsystems (3)
PATCH 1/1 ath6kl: 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/net/wireless/ath/ath6kl/core.h | 4 ++-- drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath6kl/debug.c | 2 +- drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath6kl/hif.h | 2 +- 3 files changed, 4 insertions(+), 4 deletions(-)
drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath6kl/core.h +2 -2
@@ -160,7 +160,7 @@ enum ath6kl_fw_capability {struct ath6kl_fw_ie {__le32 id;__le32 len; -u8 data[0 ]; +u8 data[]; };enum ath6kl_hw_flags {
@@ -406,7 +406,7 @@ struct ath6kl_mgmt_buff {u32 id;bool no_cck;size_t len; -u8 buf[0 ]; +u8 buf[]; };struct ath6kl_sta {
drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath6kl/debug.c +1 -1
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ struct ath6kl_fwlog_slot {__le32 length;/* max ATH6KL_FWLOG_PAYLOAD_SIZE bytes */ -u8 payload[0 ]; +u8 payload[]; };#define ATH6KL_FWLOG_MAX_ENTRIES 20
drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath6kl/hif.h +1 -1
@@ -199,7 +199,7 @@ struct hif_scatter_req {u32 scat_q_depth; -struct hif_scatter_item scat_list[0 ]; +struct hif_scatter_item scat_list[]; };struct ath6kl_irq_proc_registers {
Signature · 1 line
2.26.2
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 8 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]>Signed-off-by Kalle Valo <[email protected]>
Patch applied to ath-next branch of ath.git, thanks.
ee4dd7061891 ath6kl: Replace zero-length array with flexible-array
Signature · 3 lines
https://patchwork.kernel.org/patch/11527593/ https://wireless.wiki.kernel.org/en/developers/documentation/submittingpatches