The kernel-doc of timer related functions is partially uncomprehensible word salad. Rewrite it to make it useful. Signed-off-by: Thomas Gleixner <tglx@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> --- kernel/time/timer.c | 131 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++---------------------- 1 file changed, 77 insertions(+), 54 deletions(-) --- a/kernel/time/timer.c +++ b/kernel/time/timer.c @@ -1121,14 +1121,16 @@ static inline int } /** - * mod_timer_pending - modify a pending timer's timeout - * @timer: the pending timer to be modified - * @expires: new timeout in jiffies + * mod_timer_pending - Modify a pending timer's timeout + * @timer: The pending timer to be modified + * @expires: New timeout in jiffies * - * mod_timer_pending() is the same for pending timers as mod_timer(), - * but will not re-activate and modify already deleted timers. + * mod_timer_pending() is the same for pending timers as mod_timer(), but + * will not activate inactive timers. * - * It is useful for unserialized use of timers. + * Return: + * * %0 - The timer was inactive and not modified + * * %1 - The timer was active and requeued to expire at @expires */ int mod_timer_pending(struct timer_list *timer, unsigned long expires) { @@ -1137,9 +1139,9 @@ int mod_timer_pending(struct timer_list EXPORT_SYMBOL(mod_timer_pending); /** - * mod_timer - modify a timer's timeout - * @timer: the timer to be modified - * @expires: new timeout in jiffies + * mod_timer - Modify a timer's timeout + * @timer: The timer to be modified + * @expires: New timeout in jiffies * * mod_timer() is a more efficient way to update the expire field of an * active timer (if the timer is inactive it will be activated) @@ -1152,9 +1154,11 @@ EXPORT_SYMBOL(mod_timer_pending); * same timer, then mod_timer() is the only safe way to modify the timeout, * since add_timer() cannot modify an already running timer. * - * The function returns whether it has modified a pending timer or not. - * (ie. mod_timer() of an inactive timer returns 0, mod_timer() of an - * active timer returns 1.) + * Return: + * * %0 - The timer was inactive and started + * * %1 - The timer was active and requeued to expire at @expires or + * the timer was active and not modified because @expires did + * not change the effective expiry time */ int mod_timer(struct timer_list *timer, unsigned long expires) { @@ -1168,8 +1172,15 @@ EXPORT_SYMBOL(mod_timer); * @expires: New timeout in jiffies * * timer_reduce() is very similar to mod_timer(), except that it will only - * modify a running timer if that would reduce the expiration time (it will - * start a timer that isn't running). + * modify an enqueued timer if that would reduce the expiration time. If + * @timer is not enqueued it starts the timer. + * + * Return: + * * %0 - The timer was inactive and started + * * %1 - The timer was active and requeued to expire at @expires or + * the timer was active and not modified because @expires + * did not change the effective expiry time such that the + * timer would expire earlier than already scheduled */ int timer_reduce(struct timer_list *timer, unsigned long expires) { @@ -1178,18 +1189,18 @@ int timer_reduce(struct timer_list *time EXPORT_SYMBOL(timer_reduce); /** - * add_timer - start a timer - * @timer: the timer to be added + * add_timer - Start a timer + * @timer: The timer to be started * - * The kernel will do a ->function(@timer) callback from the - * timer interrupt at the ->expires point in the future. The - * current time is 'jiffies'. + * Start @timer to expire at @timer->expires in the future. @timer->expires + * is the absolute expiry time measured in 'jiffies'. When the timer expires + * timer->function(timer) will be invoked from soft interrupt context. * - * The timer's ->expires, ->function fields must be set prior calling this - * function. + * The @timer->expires and @timer->function fields must be set prior + * calling this function. * - * Timers with an ->expires field in the past will be executed in the next - * timer tick. + * If @timer->expires is already in the past @timer will be queued to + * expire at the next timer tick. */ void add_timer(struct timer_list *timer) { @@ -1200,11 +1211,12 @@ void add_timer(struct timer_list *timer) EXPORT_SYMBOL(add_timer); /** - * add_timer_on - start a timer on a particular CPU - * @timer: the timer to be added - * @cpu: the CPU to start it on + * add_timer_on - Start a timer on a particular CPU + * @timer: The timer to be started + * @cpu: The CPU to start it on * - * This is not very scalable on SMP. Double adds are not possible. + * This can only operate on an inactive timer. Attempts to invoke this on + * an active timer are rejected with a warning. */ void add_timer_on(struct timer_list *timer, int cpu) { @@ -1240,15 +1252,17 @@ void add_timer_on(struct timer_list *tim EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(add_timer_on); /** - * del_timer - deactivate a timer. - * @timer: the timer to be deactivated - * - * del_timer() deactivates a timer - this works on both active and inactive - * timers. + * del_timer - Deactivate a timer. + * @timer: The timer to be deactivated * - * The function returns whether it has deactivated a pending timer or not. - * (ie. del_timer() of an inactive timer returns 0, del_timer() of an - * active timer returns 1.) + * Contrary to del_timer_sync() this function does not wait for an + * eventually running timer callback on a different CPU and it neither + * prevents rearming of the timer. If @timer can be rearmed concurrently + * then the return value of this function is meaningless. + * + * Return: + * * %0 - The timer was not pending + * * %1 - The timer was pending and deactivated */ int del_timer(struct timer_list *timer) { @@ -1270,10 +1284,16 @@ EXPORT_SYMBOL(del_timer); /** * try_to_del_timer_sync - Try to deactivate a timer - * @timer: timer to delete + * @timer: Timer to deactivate * - * This function tries to deactivate a timer. Upon successful (ret >= 0) - * exit the timer is not queued and the handler is not running on any CPU. + * This function cannot guarantee that the timer cannot be rearmed right + * after dropping the base lock. That needs to be prevented by the calling + * code if necessary. + * + * Return: + * * %0 - The timer was not pending + * * %1 - The timer was pending and deactivated + * * %-1 - The timer callback function is running on a different CPU */ int try_to_del_timer_sync(struct timer_list *timer) { @@ -1369,23 +1389,19 @@ static inline void del_timer_wait_runnin #if defined(CONFIG_SMP) || defined(CONFIG_PREEMPT_RT) /** - * del_timer_sync - deactivate a timer and wait for the handler to finish. - * @timer: the timer to be deactivated - * - * This function only differs from del_timer() on SMP: besides deactivating - * the timer it also makes sure the handler has finished executing on other - * CPUs. + * del_timer_sync - Deactivate a timer and wait for the handler to finish. + * @timer: The timer to be deactivated * * Synchronization rules: Callers must prevent restarting of the timer, * otherwise this function is meaningless. It must not be called from * interrupt contexts unless the timer is an irqsafe one. The caller must - * not hold locks which would prevent completion of the timer's - * handler. The timer's handler must not call add_timer_on(). Upon exit the - * timer is not queued and the handler is not running on any CPU. - * - * Note: For !irqsafe timers, you must not hold locks that are held in - * interrupt context while calling this function. Even if the lock has - * nothing to do with the timer in question. Here's why:: + * not hold locks which would prevent completion of the timer's callback + * function. The timer's handler must not call add_timer_on(). Upon exit + * the timer is not queued and the handler is not running on any CPU. + * + * For !irqsafe timers, the caller must not hold locks that are held in + * interrupt context. Even if the lock has nothing to do with the timer in + * question. Here's why:: * * CPU0 CPU1 * ---- ---- @@ -1399,10 +1415,17 @@ static inline void del_timer_wait_runnin * while (base->running_timer == mytimer); * * Now del_timer_sync() will never return and never release somelock. - * The interrupt on the other CPU is waiting to grab somelock but - * it has interrupted the softirq that CPU0 is waiting to finish. + * The interrupt on the other CPU is waiting to grab somelock but it has + * interrupted the softirq that CPU0 is waiting to finish. * - * The function returns whether it has deactivated a pending timer or not. + * This function cannot guarantee that the timer is not rearmed again by + * some concurrent or preempting code, right after it dropped the base + * lock. If there is the possibility of a concurrent rearm then the return + * value of the function is meaningless. + * + * Return: + * * %0 - The timer was not pending + * * %1 - The timer was pending and deactivated */ int del_timer_sync(struct timer_list *timer) {