linux-kernel - [PATCH v2] docs: ftrace: clarify when tracing is disabled by the trace file

lists.openwall.net		lists / announce owl-users owl-dev john-users john-dev passwdqc-users yescrypt popa3d-users / oss-security kernel-hardening musl sabotage tlsify passwords / crypt-dev xvendor / Bugtraq Full-Disclosure linux-kernel linux-netdev linux-ext4 linux-hardening linux-cve-announce PHC
Open Source and information security mailing list archives

Hash Suite: Windows password security audit tool. GUI, reports in PDF.

[<prev] [next>] [<thread-prev] [thread-next>] [day] [month] [year] [list]

Message-Id: <20190831153500.7399-1-peter@lekensteyn.nl>
Date:   Sat, 31 Aug 2019 16:35:00 +0100
From:   Peter Wu <peter@...ensteyn.nl>
To:     Steven Rostedt <rostedt@...dmis.org>,
        Ingo Molnar <mingo@...hat.com>,
        Jonathan Corbet <corbet@....net>
Cc:     linux-doc@...r.kernel.org, linux-kernel@...r.kernel.org,
        Alexei Starovoitov <alexei.starovoitov@...il.com>
Subject: [PATCH v2] docs: ftrace: clarify when tracing is disabled by the trace file

The current text could mislead the user into believing that only read()
disables tracing. Clarify that any open() call that requests read access
disables tracing.

Link: https://lkml.kernel.org/r/CAADnVQ+hU6QOC_dPmpjnuv=9g4SQEeaMEMqXOS2WpMj=q=LdiQ@mail.gmail.com
Signed-off-by: Peter Wu <peter@...ensteyn.nl>
---
v2: fix typo s/trace_file/trace_pipe/ (spotted by Steven)
---
 Documentation/trace/ftrace.rst | 13 +++++++++----
 1 file changed, 9 insertions(+), 4 deletions(-)

diff --git a/Documentation/trace/ftrace.rst b/Documentation/trace/ftrace.rst
index f60079259669..e3060eedb22d 100644
--- a/Documentation/trace/ftrace.rst
+++ b/Documentation/trace/ftrace.rst
@@ -125,7 +125,8 @@ of ftrace. Here is a list of some of the key files:
 
 	This file holds the output of the trace in a human
 	readable format (described below). Note, tracing is temporarily
-	disabled while this file is being read (opened).
+	disabled when the file is open for reading. Once all readers
+	are closed, tracing is re-enabled.
 
   trace_pipe:
 
@@ -139,8 +140,9 @@ of ftrace. Here is a list of some of the key files:
 	will not be read again with a sequential read. The
 	"trace" file is static, and if the tracer is not
 	adding more data, it will display the same
-	information every time it is read. This file will not
-	disable tracing while being read.
+	information every time it is read. Unlike the
+	"trace" file, opening this file for reading will not
+	temporarily disable tracing.
 
   trace_options:
 
@@ -3153,7 +3155,10 @@ different. The trace is live.
 
 
 Note, reading the trace_pipe file will block until more input is
-added.
+added. This is contrary to the trace file. If any process opened
+the trace file for reading, it will actually disable tracing and
+prevent new entries from being added. The trace_pipe file does
+not have this limitation.
 
 trace entries
 -------------
-- 
2.22.0