On Fri, Feb 05, 2021 at 08:28:31AM -0600, Eric Blake wrote: > On 2/5/21 5:10 AM, Daniel P. Berrangé wrote: > > On Thu, Feb 04, 2021 at 01:07:08PM -0600, Eric Blake wrote: > >> The value '1.1k' is inexact; 1126.4 bytes is not possible, so we > >> happen to truncate it to 1126. Our use of fractional sizes is > >> intended for convenience, but when a user specifies a fraction that is > >> not a clean translation to binary, truncating/rounding behind their > >> backs can cause confusion. Better is to deprecate inexact values, > >> which still leaves '1.5k' as valid, but alerts the user to spell out > >> their values as a precise byte number in cases where they are > >> currently being rounded. > > > > I don't think we should be deprecating this, as I think it makes > > it very user hostile. Users who require exact answers, won't be > > using fractional syntax in the first place. IOW, by using fractional > > syntax you've decided that approximation is acceptable. Given that, > > I should not have to worry about whether or not the fraction I'm > > using is exact or truncated. It is horrible usability to say that > > "1.1k" is invalid, while "1.5k" is valid - both are valid from my > > POV as a user of this. > > > > > > > >> Note that values like '0.1G' in the testsuite need adjustment as a > >> result. > >> > >> Sadly, since qemu_strtosz() does not have an Err** parameter, we > >> pollute to stderr. > > > > This is only an warning, so setting an Err ** would not be appropriate > > right now. > > > > None the less we should add an Err **, because many of the callers > > want an Err ** object populated, or use error_report(). > > That is more effort. What's the consensus - is it important enough that > I should spend that effort getting rid of technical debt by adding > versions of qemu_strto* that take Err** at this point in time?
To be clear, I'm not requesting that you make it use Err** right now. I just raise it as an idea for future technical debt removal. Regards, Daniel -- |: https://berrange.com -o- https://www.flickr.com/photos/dberrange :| |: https://libvirt.org -o- https://fstop138.berrange.com :| |: https://entangle-photo.org -o- https://www.instagram.com/dberrange :|