[PATCH 2/8] auto: add "auto" keyword as alias for __auto_type

From: Alexey Dobriyan
Date: Thu May 18 2023 - 11:47:11 EST


It has similar semantics to "auto" keyword from a language
which can not be named on this mailing list, in particular:

{
int a;
const auto b = a; // const int b = a;
b = 1; // compile error
}
{
char a;
auto b = a; // char b = a;
// no integer promotions
static_assert(sizeof(b) == 1);
}
{
int a;
const auto p = &a; // int *const p = &a;
*p = 1; // works because const is applied only to top-level
}

It can be used to save on macroexpansion inside macro forests which
use typeof() somewhere deep enough. It is cool regardless.

gcc 5.1 supports __auto_type.

Signed-off-by: Alexey Dobriyan <adobriyan@xxxxxxxxx>
---
Documentation/process/coding-style.rst | 31 +++++++++++++++++++++-----
include/linux/compiler_types.h | 2 ++
2 files changed, 27 insertions(+), 6 deletions(-)

diff --git a/Documentation/process/coding-style.rst b/Documentation/process/coding-style.rst
index 6db37a46d305..5bfa605c8bac 100644
--- a/Documentation/process/coding-style.rst
+++ b/Documentation/process/coding-style.rst
@@ -1018,7 +1018,26 @@ result. Typical examples would be functions that return pointers; they use
NULL or the ERR_PTR mechanism to report failure.


-17) Using bool
+17) Using auto
+--------------
+
+Use ``auto`` macro-keyword (alias for ``__auto_type`` extension) in macros
+with "evaluate argument once" idiom:
+
+.. code-block:: c
+
+ #define min2(a, b) \
+ ({ \
+ auto a_ = (a); \
+ auto b_ = (b); \
+ a_ < b_ ? a_ : b_; \
+ })
+
+Read https://gcc.gnu.org/onlinedocs/gcc/Typeof.html before using ``auto`` or
+changing anything with ``auto`` in it.
+
+
+18) Using bool
--------------

The Linux kernel bool type is an alias for the C99 _Bool type. bool values can
@@ -1048,7 +1067,7 @@ readable alternative if the call-sites have naked true/false constants.
Otherwise limited use of bool in structures and arguments can improve
readability.

-18) Don't re-invent the kernel macros
+19) Don't re-invent the kernel macros
-------------------------------------

The header file include/linux/kernel.h contains a number of macros that
@@ -1071,7 +1090,7 @@ need them. Feel free to peruse that header file to see what else is already
defined that you shouldn't reproduce in your code.


-19) Editor modelines and other cruft
+20) Editor modelines and other cruft
------------------------------------

Some editors can interpret configuration information embedded in source files,
@@ -1105,7 +1124,7 @@ own custom mode, or may have some other magic method for making indentation
work correctly.


-20) Inline assembly
+21) Inline assembly
-------------------

In architecture-specific code, you may need to use inline assembly to interface
@@ -1137,7 +1156,7 @@ the next instruction in the assembly output:
: /* outputs */ : /* inputs */ : /* clobbers */);


-21) Conditional Compilation
+22) Conditional Compilation
---------------------------

Wherever possible, don't use preprocessor conditionals (#if, #ifdef) in .c
@@ -1186,7 +1205,7 @@ expression used. For instance:
#endif /* CONFIG_SOMETHING */


-22) Do not crash the kernel
+23) Do not crash the kernel
---------------------------

In general, the decision to crash the kernel belongs to the user, rather
diff --git a/include/linux/compiler_types.h b/include/linux/compiler_types.h
index 547ea1ff806e..bf0ac2a04154 100644
--- a/include/linux/compiler_types.h
+++ b/include/linux/compiler_types.h
@@ -4,6 +4,8 @@

#ifndef __ASSEMBLY__

+#define auto __auto_type
+
/*
* Skipped when running bindgen due to a libclang issue;
* see https://github.com/rust-lang/rust-bindgen/issues/2244.
--
2.40.1