diff mbox

[V2] checkpatch: Flag code that returns a negative number less than 1

Message ID 1464984122-16381-1-git-send-email-nm@ti.com
State New
Headers show

Commit Message

Nishanth Menon June 3, 2016, 8:02 p.m. UTC
In some functions, returning a -ve decimal value is actually a valid
return condition when the function is returning a value, however, it
can also be misused for returning an error value that should ideally
be a valid error code defined in include/uapi/asm-generic/errno-base.h
or include/uapi/asm-generic/errno.h. The notable exception is "-1"
which has quiet a history of usage as pointed out by Joe Perches.

Considering typical error of doing the following:
int fn(void)
{
	/* ... error condition ... */
	return -2;
}

void fn1(void)
{
	/* some code */
	if (fn() < 0) {
		pr_err("Error occurred\n");
		return;
	}
	/* other cases... */
}

Flag this as a check case for developer verification.

The check is done for negative values less than 1 and tools
directory is exempt from this requirement based on Joe Perches'
suggestion.

Suggested-by: Joe Perches <joe@perches.com>
Signed-off-by: Nishanth Menon <nm@ti.com>

---
Changes in V2:
	- change in regex for check for check for less than 1
	- Update in commit message to the effect
	- Added Suggested-by for Joe's recommendation on regex.

V1: https://patchwork.kernel.org/patch/9153345/

 scripts/checkpatch.pl | 6 ++++++
 1 file changed, 6 insertions(+)

-- 
2.8.0

Comments

Nishanth Menon June 3, 2016, 8:46 p.m. UTC | #1
On 06/03/2016 03:42 PM, Joe Perches wrote:
> On Fri, 2016-06-03 at 15:02 -0500, Nishanth Menon wrote:

>> In some functions, returning a -ve decimal value is actually a valid

>> return condition when the function is returning a value, however, it

>> can also be misused for returning an error value that should ideally

>> be a valid error code defined in include/uapi/asm-generic/errno-base.h

>> or include/uapi/asm-generic/errno.h. The notable exception is "-1"

>> which has quiet a history of usage as pointed out by Joe Perches.

>>

>> Considering typical error of doing the following:

>> int fn(void)

>> {

>> 	/* ... error condition ... */

>> 	return -2;

>> }

>>

>> void fn1(void)

>> {

>> 	/* some code */

>> 	if (fn() < 0) {

>> 		pr_err("Error occurred\n");

>> 		return;

>> 	}

>> 	/* other cases... */

>> }

>>

>> Flag this as a check case for developer verification.

>>

>> The check is done for negative values less than 1 and tools

>> directory is exempt from this requirement based on Joe Perches'

>> suggestion.

>>

>> Suggested-by: Joe Perches <joe@perches.com>

> 

> No, I didn't suggest this.


Sorry, I had hoped to give you credit for the recommended regex
optimization and recommendations you gave.

> I'm not at all sure it's even a good idea.


OK. I can drop this if we'd not want to go down this road. we can
catch stuff in review as much as possible, I was hoping we can catch
the easy ones by forcing a relook by developers.

> 

>> Signed-off-by: Nishanth Menon <nm@ti.com>

>> ---

>> Changes in V2:

>> 	- change in regex for check for check for less than 1

>> 	- Update in commit message to the effect

>> 	- Added Suggested-by for Joe's recommendation on regex.

>>

>> V1: https://patchwork.kernel.org/patch/9153345/

>>

>>  scripts/checkpatch.pl | 6 ++++++

>>  1 file changed, 6 insertions(+)

>>

>> diff --git a/scripts/checkpatch.pl b/scripts/checkpatch.pl

>> index 4904ced676d4..a2e677b5fd78 100755

>> --- a/scripts/checkpatch.pl

>> +++ b/scripts/checkpatch.pl

>> @@ -4351,6 +4351,12 @@ sub process {

>>  			}

>>  		}

>>  

>> +# return with a value is not usually a good sign, unless the function is supposed to return a value

>> +		if ($realfile !~ /^tools/ && defined($stat) && $stat =~ /^.\s*return\s*-\s*(?!1\b)\d+\s*;/s) {

> 

> I think

> 	if ($realfile != /^tools/ && $line =~ /\breturn\s*-\s*(?!1\b)\d+\s*;/

> would be better as it would catch return -2 in a macro or a

> multi-line statement like

> 	if (<foo>) return -2;

> 

Nice.

>> +			CHK("RETURN_NUMBER",

>> +			    "Suspect error return with a value, If this is error value, refer to include/uapi/asm-generic/errno-base.h  and include/uapi/asm-generic/errno.h\n" . $herecurr);

> 

> That's an awfully long message.

> 

> Maybe something like:

> 	"Perhaps better to use standard ERRNO system error symbols"

> 


Fair enough. Will hold off a respin based on direction we would like
to take.


-- 
Regards,
Nishanth Menon
diff mbox

Patch

diff --git a/scripts/checkpatch.pl b/scripts/checkpatch.pl
index 4904ced676d4..a2e677b5fd78 100755
--- a/scripts/checkpatch.pl
+++ b/scripts/checkpatch.pl
@@ -4351,6 +4351,12 @@  sub process {
 			}
 		}
 
+# return with a value is not usually a good sign, unless the function is supposed to return a value
+		if ($realfile !~ /^tools/ && defined($stat) && $stat =~ /^.\s*return\s*-\s*(?!1\b)\d+\s*;/s) {
+			CHK("RETURN_NUMBER",
+			    "Suspect error return with a value, If this is error value, refer to include/uapi/asm-generic/errno-base.h  and include/uapi/asm-generic/errno.h\n" . $herecurr);
+		}
+
 # unnecessary return in a void function
 # at end-of-function, with the previous line a single leading tab, then return;
 # and the line before that not a goto label target like "out:"