On 16 July 2012 12:22, Aft nix <aftnix@xxxxxxxxx> wrote: > Hi, > > The macro expansion of __read_mostly : > > #define __read_mostly __attribute__((__section__(".data..read_mostly")) > > This one is from cache.h > > __init: > #define __init __section(.init.text) __cold notrace > > from init.h > > __exit: > > #define __exit __section(.exit.text) __exitused __cold notrace > > After searching through net i have not found any good explanation of > what is happening there. > > Additonal question : I have heard about various "linker magic" > employed in kernel development. Any information > regarding this will be wonderful. > > cheers > > -- > -aft > > _______________________________________________ > Kernelnewbies mailing list > Kernelnewbies@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx > http://lists.kernelnewbies.org/mailman/listinfo/kernelnewbies Hi Aft, These macros are used to assign a function or initialised variable content to a specific section in memory. If you search for the linker script of any architecture (*.lds.S files), you will see that these variables and functions are placed in specific sections with names like "__init_begin" and "__init_end". After the initialisation, Linux can re-use for example the "init" memory. -Filipe _______________________________________________ Kernelnewbies mailing list Kernelnewbies@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx http://lists.kernelnewbies.org/mailman/listinfo/kernelnewbies