>> * gengtype.c (walk_type): Implemented "atomic" GTY option.
>> * doc/gty.texi (GTY Options): Document "atomic" GTY option.
>
> The patch is OK, with difference between "skip" and "atomic" options
> documented. (Can be done as a follow-up patch).
Thanks for the quick review. Here's an updated patch with revised
documentation.
Ok to go ?
Thanks
Index: gcc/doc/gty.texi
===================================================================
--- gcc/doc/gty.texi (revision 173917)
+++ gcc/doc/gty.texi (working copy)
@@ -383,6 +383,51 @@
size_t size = sizeof (struct sorted_fields_type) + n * sizeof (tree);
@end smallexample
+@findex atomic
+@item atomic
+
+The @code{atomic} option can only be used with pointers. It informs
+the GC machinery that the memory that the pointer points to does not
+contain any pointers, and hence it should be treated by the GC and PCH
+machinery as an ``atomic'' block of memory that does not need to be
+examined when scanning memory for pointers. In particular, the
+machinery will not scan that memory for pointers to mark them as
+reachable (when marking pointers for GC) or to relocate them (when
+writing a PCH file).
+
+The @code{atomic} option differs from the @code{skip} option.
+@code{atomic} keeps the memory under Garbage Collection, but makes the
+GC ignore the contents of the memory. @code{skip} is more drastic in
+that it causes the pointer and the memory to be completely ignored by
+the Garbage Collector. So, memory marked as @code{atomic} is
+automatically freed when no longer reachable, while memory marked as
+@code{skip} is not.
+
+The @code{atomic} option must be used with great care, because all
+sorts of problem can occur if used incorrectly, that is, if the memory
+the pointer points to does actually contain a pointer.
+
+Here is an example of how to use it:
+@smallexample
+struct GTY(()) my_struct @{
+ int number_of_elements;
+ unsigned int GTY ((atomic)) * elements;
+@};
+@end smallexample
+In this case, @code{elements} is a pointer under GC, and the memory it
+points to needs to be allocated using the Garbage Collector, and will
+be freed automatically by the Garbage Collector when it is no longer
+referenced. But the memory that the pointer points to is an array of
+@code{unsigned int} elements, and the GC must not try to scan it to
+find pointers to mark or relocate, which is why it is marked with the
+@code{atomic} option.
+
+Note that, currently, global variables can not be marked with
+@code{atomic}; only fields of a struct can. This is a known
+limitation. It would be useful to be able to mark global pointers
+with @code{atomic} to make the PCH machinery aware of them so that
+they are saved and restored correctly to PCH files.
+
@findex special
@item special ("@var{name}")
Index: gcc/gengtype.c
===================================================================
--- gcc/gengtype.c (revision 173917)
+++ gcc/gengtype.c (working copy)
@@ -2386,6 +2386,7 @@
int maybe_undef_p = 0;
int use_param_num = -1;
int use_params_p = 0;
+ int atomic_p = 0;
options_p oo;
const struct nested_ptr_data *nested_ptr_d = NULL;
@@ -2415,6 +2416,8 @@
;
else if (strcmp (oo->name, "skip") == 0)
;
+ else if (strcmp (oo->name, "atomic") == 0)
+ atomic_p = 1;
else if (strcmp (oo->name, "default") == 0)
;
else if (strcmp (oo->name, "param_is") == 0)
@@ -2480,6 +2483,12 @@
return;
}
+ if (atomic_p && (t->kind != TYPE_POINTER))
+ {
+ error_at_line (d->line, "field `%s' has invalid option `atomic'\n",
d->val);
+ return;
+ }
+
switch (t->kind)
{
case TYPE_SCALAR:
@@ -2495,6 +2504,25 @@
break;
}
+ /* If a pointer type is marked as "atomic", we process the
+ field itself, but we don't walk the data that they point to.
+
+ There are two main cases where we walk types: to mark
+ pointers that are reachable, and to relocate pointers when
+ writing a PCH file. In both cases, an atomic pointer is
+ itself marked or relocated, but the memory that it points
+ to is left untouched. In the case of PCH, that memory will
+ be read/written unchanged to the PCH file. */
+ if (atomic_p)
+ {
+ oprintf (d->of, "%*sif (%s != NULL) {\n", d->indent, "", d->val);
+ d->indent += 2;
+ d->process_field (t, d);
+ d->indent -= 2;
+ oprintf (d->of, "%*s}\n", d->indent, "");
+ break;
+ }
+
if (!length)
{
if (!UNION_OR_STRUCT_P (t->u.p)
Index: gcc/ChangeLog
===================================================================
--- gcc/ChangeLog (revision 173917)
+++ gcc/ChangeLog (working copy)
@@ -1,3 +1,8 @@
+2011-05-20 Nicola Pero <nicola.p...@meta-innovation.com>
+
+ * gengtype.c (walk_type): Implemented "atomic" GTY option.
+ * doc/gty.texi (GTY Options): Document "atomic" GTY option.
+
2011-05-19 Joseph Myers <jos...@codesourcery.com>
* config/arm/arm-fpus.def: New.
