carl9170: Replace zero-length array with flexible-array
PATCH 1/1 carl9170: 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/carl9170/fwcmd.h | 2 +- drivers/net/wireless/ath/carl9170/hw.h | 2 +- 2 files changed, 2 insertions(+), 2 deletions(-)
drivers/net/wireless/ath/carl9170/fwcmd.h +1 -1
@@ -127,7 +127,7 @@ struct carl9170_write_reg {struct carl9170_write_reg_byte {__le32 addr;__le32 count; -u8 val[0 ]; +u8 val[]; } __packed;#define CARL9170FW_PHY_HT_ENABLE 0x4
drivers/net/wireless/ath/carl9170/hw.h +1 -1
@@ -851,7 +851,7 @@ struct ar9170_stream {__le16 length;__le16 tag; -u8 payload[0 ]; +u8 payload[]; } __packed__aligned(4) ;#define AR9170_STREAM_LEN 4
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]>
This was sent twice so I'm dropping this version.
Patch set to Superseded.
Signature · 3 lines
https://patchwork.kernel.org/patch/11534683/ https://wireless.wiki.kernel.org/en/developers/documentation/submittingpatches