Re: [PATCH 1/2] x86: kvm: avoid -Wsometimes-uninitized warning

[Paolo Bonzini]

On 12/07/19 15:02, Arnd Bergmann wrote:
> I think what happens here is that clang does not treat the return
> code of track the return code of is_64_bit_mode() as a constant
> expression, and therefore assumes that the if() condition
> may or may not be true, for the purpose of determining whether
> the variable is used without an inialization. This would hold even
> if it later eliminates the code leading up to the if() in an optimization
> stage. IS_ENABLED(CONFIG_X86_64) however is a constant
> expression, so with the patch, it understands this.
> 
> In contrast, gcc seems to perform all the inlining first, and
> then see if some variable is used uninitialized in the final code.
> This gives additional information to the compiler, but makes the
> outcome less predictable since it depends on optimization flags
> and architecture specific behavior.
> 
> Both approaches have their own sets of false positive and false
> negative warnings.

True, on the other hand constant returns are not really rocket science. :)

Maybe change is_long_mode to a macro if !CONFIG_X86_64?  That would be
better if clang likes it.

Paolo