These series implement "references" properties for software nodes as true properties, instead of managing them completely separately. The first 10 patches are generic cleanups and consolidation and unification of the existing code; patch #11 implements moving of small properties inline when copying property entries; patch #12 implements PROPERTY_ENTRY_REF() and friends; patch #13 converts the user of references to the property syntax, and patch #14 removes the remains of references as entities that are managed separately. Changes in v5: - rebased onto next-20191011 Changes in v4: - dealt with union aliasing concerns - inline small properties on copy Changes in v3: - added various cleanups before implementing reference properties Changes in v2: - reworked code so that even single-entry reference properties are stored as arrays (i.e. the software_node_ref_args instances are not part of property_entry structure) to avoid size increase. From user's POV nothing is changed, one can still use PROPERTY_ENTRY_REF macro to define reference "inline". - dropped unused DEV_PROP_MAX - rebased on linux-next Dmitry Torokhov (14): software node: remove DEV_PROP_MAX software node: introduce PROPERTY_ENTRY_ARRAY_XXX_LEN() efi/apple-properties: use PROPERTY_ENTRY_U8_ARRAY_LEN software node: mark internal macros with double underscores software node: clean up property_copy_string_array() software node: get rid of property_set_pointer() software node: remove property_entry_read_uNN_array functions software node: unify PROPERTY_ENTRY_XXX macros software node: simplify property_entry_read_string_array() software node: rename is_array to is_inline software node: move small properties inline when copying software node: implement reference properties platform/x86: intel_cht_int33fe: use inline reference properties software node: remove separate handling of references drivers/base/swnode.c | 266 ++++++++--------------- drivers/firmware/efi/apple-properties.c | 18 +- drivers/platform/x86/intel_cht_int33fe.c | 81 +++---- include/linux/property.h | 177 +++++++-------- 4 files changed, 230 insertions(+), 312 deletions(-) -- 2.23.0.700.g56cf767bdb-goog