Modify coccinelle documentation to further clarify
the usage of the makefile C variable flag by coccicheck.
Signed-off-by: Sumera Priyadarsini <sylphrenadin@xxxxxxxxx>
---
Changes in v2:
- Change the message tone to imperative as suggested by Markus
Elfring
- Add examples for using a specific file and explain in detail
the usage of the C variable, as suggested by Julia Lawall
---
Documentation/dev-tools/coccinelle.rst | 15 +++++++++++----
1 file changed, 11 insertions(+), 4 deletions(-)
diff --git a/Documentation/dev-tools/coccinelle.rst b/Documentation/dev-tools/coccinelle.rst
index 6c791af1c859..bbcb4f7e8b5c 100644
--- a/Documentation/dev-tools/coccinelle.rst
+++ b/Documentation/dev-tools/coccinelle.rst
@@ -175,13 +175,20 @@ For example, to check drivers/net/wireless/ one may write::
make coccicheck M=drivers/net/wireless/
To apply Coccinelle on a file basis, instead of a directory basis, the
-following command may be used::
+C flag is used. The C flag is a variable used by the makefile
+to select which files to work with. This flag can be used to
+run scripts for the entire kernel, a specific directory,
+or for a single file. For example, to check drivers/bluetooth/bfusb.c,
- make C=1 CHECK="scripts/coccicheck"
+The value 1 is passed to the C flag to check for files that make considers
+need to be recompiled.::
-To check only newly edited code, use the value 2 for the C flag, i.e.::
+ make C=1 CHECK="scripts/coccicheck" "drivers/bluetooth/bfusb.o"
- make C=2 CHECK="scripts/coccicheck"
+The value 2 is passed to the C flag to check for files regardless of
+whether they need to be recompiled or not.::
+
+ make C=2 CHECK="scripts/coccicheck" "drivers/bluetooth/bfusb.o"
In these modes, which work on a file basis, there is no information
about semantic patches displayed, and no commit message proposed.
--
2.17.1
