linux-kernel - Re: [RFC PATCH] block: all callers should check blkdev_issue

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Message-ID: <20120701072836.GA13247@dhcp-172-17-9-228.mtv.corp.google.com>
Date:	Sun, 1 Jul 2012 00:28:38 -0700
From:	Joel Becker <jlbec@...lplan.org>
To:	Mike Snitzer <snitzer@...hat.com>
Cc:	Christoph Hellwig <hch@...radead.org>, axboe@...nel.dk,
	linux-kernel@...r.kernel.org, linux-fsdevel@...r.kernel.org,
	tj@...nel.org, jmoyer@...hat.com, vgoyal@...hat.com,
	dm-devel@...hat.com
Subject: Re: [RFC PATCH] block: all callers should check
 blkdev_issue_flush's return

On Tue, Jun 26, 2012 at 11:57:50AM -0400, Mike Snitzer wrote:
> On Tue, Jun 26 2012 at 11:51am -0400,
> Christoph Hellwig <hch@...radead.org> wrote:
> 
> > On Tue, Jun 26, 2012 at 11:27:25AM -0400, Mike Snitzer wrote:
> > > It is concerning that a FLUSH may fail but the blkdev_issue_flush
> > > callers assume it will always succeed.
> > > 
> > > Each blkdev_issue_flush caller should come to terms with the reality
> > > that a FLUSH may fail -- the file_operations' .fsync methods in
> > > particular.  nilfs2 is the only filesystem that checks
> > > blkdev_issue_flush's return.
> > 
> > Good spot, but it would be way better if you actually provided patches
> > to fix this instead of just adding more compiler warnings.
> 
> Alasdair pointed this issue out in response to me asserting that
> blkdev_issue_flush does return non-void.  But anyway, others knowing
> about this issue is half the battle. ;)
> 
> Most .fsync methods are straight-forward to convert but I'd prefer each
> filesystem maintainer actively audit all blkdev_issue_flush calls.

So send it out with maintainers on cc: and get Acks.  That way we have a
coherent patch series cleaning up the in-tree filesystems, rather than a
bunch of warnings for every compile until the maintainers notice.

Joel


-- 

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			http://www.jlbec.org/
			jlbec@...lplan.org
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