Messages in this thread | | | Date | Wed, 18 Oct 2017 10:25:48 -0600 | From | Jonathan Corbet <> | Subject | Re: [PATCH] ftrace/docs: Add documentation on how to use ftrace from within the kernel |
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On Mon, 9 Oct 2017 15:32:30 -0400 Steven Rostedt <rostedt@goodmis.org> wrote:
> With the coming removal of jprobes, using ftrace callbacks is one of the > utilities that replace the jprobes functionality. Having a document that > explains how to use ftrace as such will help in the transition from jprobes > to ftrace. This document is for kernel developers that require attaching a > callback to a function within the kernel.
So I'm sorry, this kind of fell through the cracks. There seem to be a lot of cracks recently...
It generally looks good, and could be merged in this form, but I'm gonna poke at the RST side of it for just a bit.
> Link: http://lkml.kernel.org/r/150724519527.5014.10207042218696587159.stgit@devbox > > Signed-off-by: Steven Rostedt (VMware) <rostedt@goodmis.org> > --- > Documentation/trace/ftrace-uses.rst | 297 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ > 1 file changed, 297 insertions(+) > create mode 100644 Documentation/trace/ftrace-uses.rst
You've created an RST file here, but haven't hooked it into the overall document build. It could go in the development tools book, or we could consider whether a separate tracing manual will eventually make sense?
> diff --git a/Documentation/trace/ftrace-uses.rst b/Documentation/trace/ftrace-uses.rst > new file mode 100644 > index 0000000..5914d71 > --- /dev/null > +++ b/Documentation/trace/ftrace-uses.rst > @@ -0,0 +1,297 @@ > + Using ftrace to hook to functions > + ================================= > + > +Copyright 2017 VMware Inc. > + Author: Steven Rostedt <srostedt@goodmis.org> > + License: The GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.2 > + (dual licensed under the GPL v2)
This isn't proper RST and may not format up the way you expect it to.
> +Written for: 4.14 > + > +Introduction > +------------ > + > +The ftrace infrastructure was originially created to attach callbacks to the > +beginning of functions in order to record and trace the flow of the kernel. > +But callbacks to the start of a function can have other use cases. Either > +for live kernel patching, or for security monitoring. This document describes > +how to use ftrace to implement your own function callbacks. > + > + > +The ftrace context > +==================
In Documentation/doc-guide/sphinx.rst we have some recommended conventions for subsection headers; it would be good to follow them. This, again, will not format the way you expect.
> +WARNING: The ability to add a callback to almost any function within the > +kernel comes with risks. A callback can be called from any context > +(normal, softirq, irq, and NMI). Callbacks can also be called just before > +going to idle, during CPU bring up and takedown, or going to user space. > +This requires extra care to what can be done inside a callback. A callback > +can be called outside the protective scope of RCU. > + > +The ftrace infrastructure has some protections agains recursions and RCU > +but one must still be very careful how they use the callbacks. > + > + > +The ftrace_ops structure > +======================== > + > +To register a function callback, a ftrace_ops is required. This structure > +is used to tell ftrace what function should be called as the callback > +as well as what protections the callback will perform and not require > +ftrace to handle. > + > +There is only one field that is needed to be set when registering > +an ftrace_ops with ftrace:: > + > + struct ftrace_ops ops = { > + .func = my_callback_func, > + .flags = MY_FTRACE_FLAGS > + .private = any_private_data_structure, > + }; > + > +Both .flags and .private are optional. Only .func is required. > + > +To enable tracing call:: > + > + register_ftrace_function(&ops); > + > +To disable tracing call:: > + > + unregister_ftrace_function(&ops); > + > +The above is defined by including the header:: > + > + #include <linux/ftrace.h> > + > +The registered callback will start being called some time after the > +register_ftrace_function() is called and before it returns. The exact time > +that callbacks start being called is dependent upon architecture and scheduling > +of services. The callback itself will have to handle any synchronization if it > +must begin at an exact moment. > + > +The unregister_ftrace_function() will guarantee that the callback is > +no longer being called by functions after the unregister_ftrace_function() > +returns. Note that to perform this guarantee, the unregister_ftrace_function() > +may take some time to finish. > + > + > +The callback function > +===================== > + > +The prototype of the callback function is as follows (as of v4.14)::
This would be nice to pull directly from the kerneldoc comments if possible.
> + void callback_func(unsigned long ip, unsigned long parent_ip, > + struct ftrace_ops *op, struct pt_regs *regs); > + > +@ip > + This is the instruction pointer of the function that is being traced. > + (where the fentry or mcount is within the function) > + > +@parent_ip > + This is the instruction pointer of the function that called the > + the function being traced (where the call of the function occurred). > + > +@op > + This is a pointer to ftrace_ops that was used to register the callback. > + This can be used to pass data to the callback via the private pointer. > + > +@regs > + If the FTRACE_OPS_FL_SAVE_REGS or FTRACE_OPS_FL_SAVE_REGS_IF_SUPPORTED > + flags are set in the ftrace_ops structure, then this will be pointing > + to the pt_regs structure like it would be if an breakpoint was placed > + at the start of the function where ftrace was tracing. Otherwise it > + either contains garbage, or NULL. > + > + > +The ftrace FLAGS > +================ > + > +The ftrace_ops flags are all defined and documented in include/linux/ftrace.h. > +Some of the flags are used for internal infrastructure of ftrace, but the > +ones that users should be aware of are the following: > + > +FTRACE_OPS_FL_PER_CPU > + When set, the callback is only when the defined CPU has been > + "enabled" to do so. After the callback is registered, all > + CPUs are set to disable, and the callback is not called. > + In order to enable or disalble a CPU to call a given callback, > + use one of the following functions. > + > +::
You could say "use one of the following functions::" (as you did above) and avoid the separate :: line.
> +| void ftrace_function_local_enable(struct ftrace_ops *ops); > +| void ftrace_function_local_disable(struct ftrace_ops *ops); > + > + These two functions must be called with preemption disabled. > +
> [...]
> + > +See Filter Commands in :file:`Documentation/trace/ftrace.txt`.
So when do we get that RSTified so this can be a direct cross reference? :)
> [...]
Thanks for doing this,
jon
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