From: Gabriel Matni <gabriel.matni@xxxxxxxx> Fixes missing characters on kernel console at low baud rates (i.e.9600). The driver should poll TX_RDY or TX_FIFO_EMP instead of TX_EMP to ensure that the transmitter holding register (THR) is ready to receive a new byte. TX_EMP tells us when it is possible to send a break sequence via SND_BRK_SEQ. While this also indicates that both the THR and the TSR are empty, it does not guarantee that a new byte can be written just yet. Fixes: 30530791a7a0 ("serial: mvebu-uart: initial support for Armada-3700 serial port") Reviewed-by: Miquel Raynal <miquel.raynal@xxxxxxxxxxx> Acked-by: Gregory CLEMENT <gregory.clement@xxxxxxxxxxx> Signed-off-by: Gabriel Matni <gabriel.matni@xxxxxxxx> --- drivers/tty/serial/mvebu-uart.c | 2 +- 1 file changed, 1 insertion(+), 1 deletion(-) diff --git a/drivers/tty/serial/mvebu-uart.c b/drivers/tty/serial/mvebu-uart.c index a100e98259d7..f0df0640208e 100644 --- a/drivers/tty/serial/mvebu-uart.c +++ b/drivers/tty/serial/mvebu-uart.c @@ -618,7 +618,7 @@ static void wait_for_xmitr(struct uart_port *port) u32 val; readl_poll_timeout_atomic(port->membase + UART_STAT, val, - (val & STAT_TX_EMP), 1, 10000); + (val & STAT_TX_RDY(port)), 1, 10000); } static void mvebu_uart_console_putchar(struct uart_port *port, int ch) -- 2.7.4 > -----Original Message----- > From: Miquel Raynal [mailto:miquel.raynal@xxxxxxxxxxx] > Sent: March 5, 2018 4:47 AM > To: Gabriel Matni <gabriel.matni@xxxxxxxx> > Cc: linux-arm-kernel@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx; gregkh@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx; > Grégory Clement <gregory.clement@xxxxxxxxxxx>; Thomas Petazzoni > <thomas.petazzoni@xxxxxxxxxxx> > Subject: Re: [PATCH] serial: mvebu_uart: fix tx lost characters > > Hi Gabriel, > > On Tue, 27 Feb 2018 21:56:03 +0000, Gabriel Matni > <gabriel.matni@xxxxxxxx> wrote: > > > Hi Miquèl, > > > > > -----Original Message----- > > > From: Miquel Raynal [mailto:miquel.raynal@xxxxxxxxxxx] > > > Sent: February 27, 2018 8:13 AM > > > To: Gabriel Matni <gabriel.matni@xxxxxxxx> > > > Cc: linux-arm-kernel@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx; gregkh@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx; > > > Grégory Clement <gregory.clement@xxxxxxxxxxx>; Thomas Petazzoni > > > <thomas.petazzoni@xxxxxxxxxxx> > > > Subject: Re: [PATCH] serial: mvebu_uart: fix tx lost characters > > > > > > Hi Gabriel, > > > > > > On Thu, 22 Feb 2018 20:30:56 +0000, Gabriel Matni > > > <gabriel.matni@xxxxxxxx> wrote: > > > > > > > From: Gabriel Matni <gabriel.matni@xxxxxxxx> > > > > > > > > Fixes missing characters on kernel console at low baud rates (i.e.9600). > > > > The driver should poll TX_RDY instead of TX_EMPTY to ensure that the > > > > transmitter holding is ready to receive a new byte. Polling TX_EMPTY > > > > isn't enough as the hardware buffer can become empty but not yet > ready > > > > for CPU to write the next byte. > > > > > > I am kind of sceptic with the explanation. My understanding is that: > > > - TX_EMPTY means the FIFO is empty > > I had a deeper look into the spec : TX_EMPTY != TX_FIFO_EMPTY. I was > referring to TX_FIFO_EMPTY here so my understanding of your solution was > wrong. > > > > - TX_RDY means the FIFO is not full, neither empty, it is a "half > > > loaded" state. > > > Polling TX_RDY instead of TX_EMPTY should work too, but I don't see why > it > > > would fix the loss of character by filling the FIFO when there are bytes in > it > > > rather than when it is fully empty. > > > > TX_READY is set whenever the UART Transmitter Holding register is ready > to > > receive a new byte. It gets cleared as soon as a new byte is written to the > > register. If the FIFO is empty or still has room, the ready will be set. > > > > TX_EMPTY tells us when it is possible to send a break sequence via > > SND_BRK_SEQ. While this also indicates that both the THR and the TSR are > > empty, it does not guarantee that a new byte can be written just yet. > > I do agree with this statement. You are right that polling on TX_EMPTY > looks wrong and we should definitively poll on TX_READY instead. > > > I am > > unsure about the FIFO status in this case as I can encounter > TX_FIFO_EMP=0 > > while TX_EMP=1, which suggests that the FIFO isn't necessarily empty > when > > TX_EMP is set. > > That is weird but maybe the TX_FIFO_EMPTY is asserted only when all > bits have been shifted, which is a 10-bit period after TSR is > cleared, while TX_EMPTY would not wait for these bits to be actually > shifted out and would be asserted a bit earlier, as soon as TSR is > cleared. That is just and idea. > > > > > Therefore, the driver can either poll TX_FIFO_EMP or TX_READY to know > > whether it can output a new byte. I personally like TX_READY as it takes > > advantage of the FIFO. > > True. > > > > > > > > > > > Signed-off-by: Gabriel Matni <gabriel.matni@xxxxxxxx> > > Reviewed-by: Miquel Raynal <miquel.raynal@xxxxxxxxxxx> > > Thanks, > Miquèl > > -- > Miquel Raynal, Bootlin (formerly Free Electrons) > Embedded Linux and Kernel engineering > https://bootlin.com