Re: [PATCH v3 1/4] perf: add active_entry list head to struct perf_event

From: Stephane Eranian
Date: Mon Oct 28 2013 - 05:58:08 EST


On Sat, Oct 26, 2013 at 7:44 PM, Jiri Olsa <jolsa@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> On Sat, Oct 26, 2013 at 06:57:37PM +0200, Stephane Eranian wrote:
>> On Fri, Oct 25, 2013 at 4:56 PM, Jiri Olsa <jolsa@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>> >
>> > On Wed, Oct 23, 2013 at 02:58:02PM +0200, Stephane Eranian wrote:
>> > > This patch adds a new fields to the struct perf_event.
>> > > It is intended to be used to chain events which are
>> > > active (enabled). It helps in the hardware layer
>> > > for PMU which do not have actual counter restrictions, i.e.,
>> > > free running read-only counters. Active events are chained
>> > > as opposed to being tracked via the counter they use.
>> > >
>> > > Signed-off-by: Stephane Eranian <eranian@xxxxxxxxxx>
>> > > ---
>> > > include/linux/perf_event.h | 1 +
>> > > kernel/events/core.c | 1 +
>> > > 2 files changed, 2 insertions(+)
>> > >
>> > > diff --git a/include/linux/perf_event.h b/include/linux/perf_event.h
>> > > index 2e069d1..a376384 100644
>> > > --- a/include/linux/perf_event.h
>> > > +++ b/include/linux/perf_event.h
>> > > @@ -435,6 +435,7 @@ struct perf_event {
>> > > struct perf_cgroup *cgrp; /* cgroup event is attach to */
>> > > int cgrp_defer_enabled;
>> > > #endif
>> > > + struct list_head active_entry;
>> >
>> > Could this be in union with 'hlist_entry' ? It looks
>> > as 'same purpose' and 'mutualy exclusive stuff.
>> >
>> You're saying that I could use the hlist_entry field because
>> it is currently only used by the sw events in the generic layer.
>> But it seems to be a complicated rcu list for the purpose here.
>
> nope, I just meant saving little space like:
>
> union {
> struct list_head active_entry;
> struct hlist_node hlist_entry;
> }
>
> just a nitpick
>
But you are relying on the fact that active_entry and hlist_entry can never be
used at the same time. You're saying this because *so far* hlist_entry is
only used for SW events and what I added is only used by RAPL.

If the goal is the same, then we should add a better description for the field:
"chain the event in the list of active events for a PMU instance on a CPU".
Handled by PMU specific code only (not generic code).
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