Re: [PATCH -v4 4/9] tracing: add static function tracer support for MIPS

[Wu Zhangjin <wuzhangjin@gmail.com>]

Hi,

On Thu, 2009-10-22 at 11:34 -0700, David Daney wrote:
> Wu Zhangjin wrote:
> > On Wed, 2009-10-21 at 11:24 -0400, Steven Rostedt wrote:
> [...]
> >>> +
> >>> +NESTED(_mcount, PT_SIZE, ra)
> >>> + RESTORE_SP_FOR_32BIT
> >>> + PTR_LA  t0, ftrace_stub
> >>> + PTR_L   t1, ftrace_trace_function /* please don't use t1 later, safe? */
> >> Is t0 and t1 safe for mcount to use? Remember, mcount does not follow
> >> the dynamics of C function ABI.
> > 
> > So, perhaps we can use the saved registers(a0,a1...) instead.
> > 
> 
> a0..a7 may not always be saved.

I mean I have saved/restored them as the _mcount of /lib/libc.so.6 for
MIPS did, so I can use them safely.

> 
> You can use at, v0, v1 and all the temporary registers.  Note that for 
> the 64-bit ABIs sometimes the names t0-t4 shadow a4-a7.  So for a 64-bit 
> kernel, you can use: $1, $2, $3, $12, $13, $14, $15, $24, $25, noting 
> that at == $1 and contains the callers ra.  For a 32-bit kernel you can 
> add $8, $9, $10, and $11
> 

In a generic function, they should be okay, but _mcount is a little
specific. so, Not sure these rules are suitable to it or not.

> This whole thing seems a little fragile.
> 
> I think it might be a good idea to get input from Richard Sandiford, 
> and/or Adam Nemet about this approach (so I add them to the CC).
> 
> This e-mail thread starts here:
> 
> http://www.linux-mips.org/archives/linux-mips/2009-10/msg00286.html
> 
> and here:
> 
> http://www.linux-mips.org/archives/linux-mips/2009-10/msg00290.html

looking forward to their reply, thanks!

Regards!
        Wu Zhangjin