Messages in this thread | | | Date | Thu, 20 Apr 2006 01:41:12 +0200 | From | Adrian Bunk <> | Subject | Re: [RFC PATCH 1/2] Makefile: export-symbol usage report generator. |
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On Wed, Apr 19, 2006 at 04:25:58PM -0700, Ram Pai wrote: > On Tue, 2006-04-18 at 16:09 +0200, Adrian Bunk wrote: > > On Thu, Apr 13, 2006 at 05:38:26AM -0700, Ram Pai wrote: > > > > > I ran a report to extract export-symbol usage by kernel modules. The results > > > are at http://www.sudhaa.com/~ram/misc/export_report.txt > > > > > > The report lists: > > > 1. All the exported symbols and their usage counts by in-kernel modules. > > > 2. for each in-kernel module, lists the modules and the exported symbols > > > from those modules, that it depends on. > > > > > > Highlights: > > > On x86 architecture > > > (1) 880 exported symbols not used by any in-kernel modules. > > > (2) 1792 exported symbols used only once. > > > > > > I hope this report/tool shall help all inkernel modules to revisit their usage > > > of kernel interfaces. > > > > > > This patch integrates the report-generator into the kernel build process. After > > > applying this patch, invoke 'make export_report' and it creates the report in > > > Documentation/export_report.txt > > >... > > > > I like your patch, but I have observed two issues: > > - please don't force an allmodconfig, simply use the currently compiled > > kernel > > Looking for ideas. Its hard to extract out the imported symbols unless > they are compiled as modules. Running the report on a currently compiled > kernel will miss most of the subsystems that are not compile as modules. > Hence the report wont be complete. Any suggestions? >...
- it's a tool for kernel hackers who know what they are doing - it's a tool to help you finding unused exports, but each one still requires manual verification
Besides this, e.g. CONFIG_SMP=n brings you more modules and therefore a better coverage than allmodconfig.
cu Adrian
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