On Thu, 14 Feb 2008 22:49:02 -0800 Christoph Lameter <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:

> Two callbacks to remove individual pages as done in rmap code
> 
>       invalidate_page()
> 
> Called from the inner loop of rmap walks to invalidate pages.
> 
>       age_page()
> 
> Called for the determination of the page referenced status.
> 
> If we do not care about page referenced status then an age_page callback
> may be be omitted. PageLock and pte lock are held when either of the
> functions is called.

The age_page mystery shallows.

It would be useful to have some rationale somewhere in the patchset for the
existence of this callback.

>  #include <asm/tlbflush.h>
>  
> @@ -287,7 +288,8 @@ static int page_referenced_one(struct pa
>       if (vma->vm_flags & VM_LOCKED) {
>               referenced++;
>               *mapcount = 1;  /* break early from loop */
> -     } else if (ptep_clear_flush_young(vma, address, pte))
> +     } else if (ptep_clear_flush_young(vma, address, pte) |
> +                mmu_notifier_age_page(mm, address))
>               referenced++;

The "|" is obviously deliberate.  But no explanation is provided telling us
why we still call the callback if ptep_clear_flush_young() said the page
was recently referenced.  People who read your code will want to understand
this.

>       /* Pretend the page is referenced if the task has the
> @@ -455,6 +457,7 @@ static int page_mkclean_one(struct page 
>  
>               flush_cache_page(vma, address, pte_pfn(*pte));
>               entry = ptep_clear_flush(vma, address, pte);
> +             mmu_notifier(invalidate_page, mm, address);

I just don't see how ths can be done if the callee has another thread in
the middle of establishing IO against this region of memory. 
->invalidate_page() _has_ to be able to block.  Confused.


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