----- Original Message ----- > > Can we get the same information from this rb-tree of vmap_area? Is > > ->va_start field communication same information as vmlist was > > communicating? What's the difference between vmap_area_root and vmlist. > > Thanks for comment. > > Yes. vmap_area's va_start field represent same information as vm_struct's addr. > vmap_area_root is data structure for fast searching an area. > vmap_area_list is address sorted list, so we can use it like as vmlist. > > There is a little difference vmap_area_list and vmlist. > vmlist is lack of information about some areas in vmalloc address space. > For example, vm_map_ram() allocate area in vmalloc address space, > but it doesn't make a link with vmlist. To provide full information > about vmalloc address space, using vmap_area_list is more adequate. > > > So without knowing details of both the data structures, I think if vmlist > > is going away, then user space tools should be able to traverse vmap_area_root > > rb tree. I am assuming it is sorted using ->addr field and we should be > > able to get vmalloc area start from there. It will just be a matter of > > exporting right fields to user space (instead of vmlist). > > There is address sorted list of vmap_area, vmap_area_list. > So we can use it for traversing vmalloc areas if it is necessary. > But, as I mentioned before, kexec write *just* address of vmlist and > offset of vm_struct's address field. It imply that they don't traverse vmlist, > because they didn't write vm_struct's next field which is needed for traversing. > Without vm_struct's next field, they have no method for traversing. > So, IMHO, assigning dummy vm_struct to vmlist which is implemented by [7/8] is > a safe way to maintain a compatibility of userspace tool. :) Why bother keeping vmlist around? kdump's makedumpfile command would not even need to traverse the vmap_area rbtree, because it could simply look at the first vmap_area in the sorted vmap_area_list, correct? Dave Anderson -- To unsubscribe, send a message with 'unsubscribe linux-mm' in the body to majordomo@xxxxxxxxx. For more info on Linux MM, see: http://www.linux-mm.org/ . Don't email: <a href=mailto:"dont@xxxxxxxxx";> email@xxxxxxxxx </a>