path: root/Documentation/core-api/packing.rst

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Generic bitfield packing and unpacking functions
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Problem statement
-----------------

When working with hardware, one has to choose between several approaches of
interfacing with it.
One can memory-map a pointer to a carefully crafted struct over the hardware
device's memory region, and access its fields as struct members (potentially
declared as bitfields). But writing code this way would make it less portable,
due to potential endianness mismatches between the CPU and the hardware device.
Additionally, one has to pay close attention when translating register
definitions from the hardware documentation into bit field indices for the
structs. Also, some hardware (typically networking equipment) tends to group
its register fields in ways that violate any reasonable word boundaries
(sometimes even 64 bit ones). This creates the inconvenience of having to
define "high" and "low" portions of register fields within the struct.
A more robust alternative to struct field definitions would be to extract the
required fields by shifting the appropriate number of bits. But this would
still not protect from endianness mismatches, except if all memory accesses
were performed byte-by-byte. Also the code can easily get cluttered, and the
high-level idea might get lost among the many bit shifts required.
Many drivers take the bit-shifting approach and then attempt to reduce the
clutter with tailored macros, but more often than not these macros take
shortcuts that still prevent the code from being truly portable.

The solution
------------

This API deals with 2 basic operations:

  - Packing a CPU-usable number into a memory buffer (with hardware
    constraints/quirks)
  - Unpacking a memory buffer (which has hardware constraints/quirks)
    into a CPU-usable number.

The API offers an abstraction over said hardware constraints and quirks,
over CPU endianness and therefore between possible mismatches between
the two.

The basic unit of these API functions is the u64. From the CPU's
perspective, bit 63 always means bit offset 7 of byte 7, albeit only
logically. The question is: where do we lay this bit out in memory?

The following examples cover the memory layout of a packed u64 field.
The byte offsets in the packed buffer are always implicitly 0, 1, ... 7.
What the examples show is where the logical bytes and bits sit.

1. Normally (no quirks), we would do it like this:

::

  63 62 61 60 59 58 57 56 55 54 53 52 51 50 49 48 47 46 45 44 43 42 41 40 39 38 37 36 35 34 33 32
  7                       6                       5                        4
  31 30 29 28 27 26 25 24 23 22 21 20 19 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11 10  9  8  7  6  5  4  3  2  1  0
  3                       2                       1                        0

That is, the MSByte (7) of the CPU-usable u64 sits at memory offset 0, and the
LSByte (0) of the u64 sits at memory offset 7.
This corresponds to what most folks would regard to as "big endian", where
bit i corresponds to the number 2^i. This is also referred to in the code
comments as "logical" notation.


2. If QUIRK_MSB_ON_THE_RIGHT is set, we do it like this:

::

  56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39
  7                       6                        5                       4
  24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23  8  9 10 11 12 13 14 15  0  1  2  3  4  5  6  7
  3                       2                        1                       0

That is, QUIRK_MSB_ON_THE_RIGHT does not affect byte positioning, but
inverts bit offsets inside a byte.


3. If QUIRK_LITTLE_ENDIAN is set, we do it like this:

::

  39 38 37 36 35 34 33 32 47 46 45 44 43 42 41 40 55 54 53 52 51 50 49 48 63 62 61 60 59 58 57 56
  4                       5                       6                       7
  7  6  5  4  3  2  1  0  15 14 13 12 11 10  9  8 23 22 21 20 19 18 17 16 31 30 29 28 27 26 25 24
  0                       1                       2                       3

Therefore, QUIRK_LITTLE_ENDIAN means that inside the memory region, every
byte from each 4-byte word is placed at its mirrored position compared to
the boundary of that word.

4. If QUIRK_MSB_ON_THE_RIGHT and QUIRK_LITTLE_ENDIAN are both set, we do it
   like this:

::

  32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63
  4                       5                       6                       7
  0  1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8   9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31
  0                       1                       2                       3


5. If just QUIRK_LSW32_IS_FIRST is set, we do it like this:

::

  31 30 29 28 27 26 25 24 23 22 21 20 19 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11 10  9  8  7  6  5  4  3  2  1  0
  3                       2                       1                        0
  63 62 61 60 59 58 57 56 55 54 53 52 51 50 49 48 47 46 45 44 43 42 41 40 39 38 37 36 35 34 33 32
  7                       6                       5                        4

In this case the 8 byte memory region is interpreted as follows: first
4 bytes correspond to the least significant 4-byte word, next 4 bytes to
the more significant 4-byte word.


6. If QUIRK_LSW32_IS_FIRST and QUIRK_MSB_ON_THE_RIGHT are set, we do it like
   this:

::

  24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23  8  9 10 11 12 13 14 15  0  1  2  3  4  5  6  7
  3                       2                        1                       0
  56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39
  7                       6                        5                       4


7. If QUIRK_LSW32_IS_FIRST and QUIRK_LITTLE_ENDIAN are set, it looks like
   this:

::

  7  6  5  4  3  2  1  0  15 14 13 12 11 10  9  8 23 22 21 20 19 18 17 16 31 30 29 28 27 26 25 24
  0                       1                       2                       3
  39 38 37 36 35 34 33 32 47 46 45 44 43 42 41 40 55 54 53 52 51 50 49 48 63 62 61 60 59 58 57 56
  4                       5                       6                       7


8. If QUIRK_LSW32_IS_FIRST, QUIRK_LITTLE_ENDIAN and QUIRK_MSB_ON_THE_RIGHT
   are set, it looks like this:

::

  0  1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8   9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31
  0                       1                       2                       3
  32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63
  4                       5                       6                       7


We always think of our offsets as if there were no quirk, and we translate
them afterwards, before accessing the memory region.

Note on buffer lengths not multiple of 4
----------------------------------------

To deal with memory layout quirks where groups of 4 bytes are laid out "little
endian" relative to each other, but "big endian" within the group itself, the
concept of groups of 4 bytes is intrinsic to the packing API (not to be
confused with the memory access, which is performed byte by byte, though).

With buffer lengths not multiple of 4, this means one group will be incomplete.
Depending on the quirks, this may lead to discontinuities in the bit fields
accessible through the buffer. The packing API assumes discontinuities were not
the intention of the memory layout, so it avoids them by effectively logically
shortening the most significant group of 4 octets to the number of octets
actually available.

Example with a 31 byte sized buffer given below. Physical buffer offsets are
implicit, and increase from left to right within a group, and from top to
bottom within a column.

No quirks:

::

            31         29         28        |   Group 7 (most significant)
 27         26         25         24        |   Group 6
 23         22         21         20        |   Group 5
 19         18         17         16        |   Group 4
 15         14         13         12        |   Group 3
 11         10          9          8        |   Group 2
  7          6          5          4        |   Group 1
  3          2          1          0        |   Group 0 (least significant)

QUIRK_LSW32_IS_FIRST:

::

  3          2          1          0        |   Group 0 (least significant)
  7          6          5          4        |   Group 1
 11         10          9          8        |   Group 2
 15         14         13         12        |   Group 3
 19         18         17         16        |   Group 4
 23         22         21         20        |   Group 5
 27         26         25         24        |   Group 6
 30         29         28                   |   Group 7 (most significant)

QUIRK_LITTLE_ENDIAN:

::

            30         28         29        |   Group 7 (most significant)
 24         25         26         27        |   Group 6
 20         21         22         23        |   Group 5
 16         17         18         19        |   Group 4
 12         13         14         15        |   Group 3
  8          9         10         11        |   Group 2
  4          5          6          7        |   Group 1
  0          1          2          3        |   Group 0 (least significant)

QUIRK_LITTLE_ENDIAN | QUIRK_LSW32_IS_FIRST:

::

  0          1          2          3        |   Group 0 (least significant)
  4          5          6          7        |   Group 1
  8          9         10         11        |   Group 2
 12         13         14         15        |   Group 3
 16         17         18         19        |   Group 4
 20         21         22         23        |   Group 5
 24         25         26         27        |   Group 6
 28         29         30                   |   Group 7 (most significant)

Intended use
------------

Drivers that opt to use this API first need to identify which of the above 3
quirk combinations (for a total of 8) match what the hardware documentation
describes.

There are 3 supported usage patterns, detailed below.

packing()
^^^^^^^^^

This API function is deprecated.

The packing() function returns an int-encoded error code, which protects the
programmer against incorrect API use.  The errors are not expected to occur
during runtime, therefore it is reasonable to wrap packing() into a custom
function which returns void and swallows those errors. Optionally it can
dump stack or print the error description.

.. code-block:: c

  void my_packing(void *buf, u64 *val, int startbit, int endbit,
                  size_t len, enum packing_op op)
  {
          int err;

          /* Adjust quirks accordingly */
          err = packing(buf, val, startbit, endbit, len, op, QUIRK_LSW32_IS_FIRST);
          if (likely(!err))
                  return;

          if (err == -EINVAL) {
                  pr_err("Start bit (%d) expected to be larger than end (%d)\n",
                         startbit, endbit);
          } else if (err == -ERANGE) {
                  if ((startbit - endbit + 1) > 64)
                          pr_err("Field %d-%d too large for 64 bits!\n",
                                 startbit, endbit);
                  else
                          pr_err("Cannot store %llx inside bits %d-%d (would truncate)\n",
                                 *val, startbit, endbit);
          }
          dump_stack();
  }

pack() and unpack()
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

These are const-correct variants of packing(), and eliminate the last "enum
packing_op op" argument.

Calling pack(...) is equivalent, and preferred, to calling packing(..., PACK).

Calling unpack(...) is equivalent, and preferred, to calling packing(..., UNPACK).

pack_fields() and unpack_fields()
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

The library exposes optimized functions for the scenario where there are many
fields represented in a buffer, and it encourages consumer drivers to avoid
repetitive calls to pack() and unpack() for each field, but instead use
pack_fields() and unpack_fields(), which reduces the code footprint.

These APIs use field definitions in arrays of ``struct packed_field_u8`` or
``struct packed_field_u16``, allowing consumer drivers to minimize the size
of these arrays according to their custom requirements.

The pack_fields() and unpack_fields() API functions are actually macros which
automatically select the appropriate function at compile time, based on the
type of the fields array passed in.

An additional benefit over pack() and unpack() is that sanity checks on the
field definitions are handled at compile time with ``BUILD_BUG_ON`` rather
than only when the offending code is executed. These functions return void and
wrapping them to handle unexpected errors is not necessary.

It is recommended, but not required, that you wrap your packed buffer into a
structured type with a fixed size. This generally makes it easier for the
compiler to enforce that the correct size buffer is used.

Here is an example of how to use the fields APIs:

.. code-block:: c

   /* Ordering inside the unpacked structure is flexible and can be different
    * from the packed buffer. Here, it is optimized to reduce padding.
    */
   struct data {
        u64 field3;
        u32 field4;
        u16 field1;
        u8 field2;
   };

   #define SIZE 13

   typdef struct __packed { u8 buf[SIZE]; } packed_buf_t;

   static const struct packed_field_u8 fields[] = {
           PACKED_FIELD(100, 90, struct data, field1),
           PACKED_FIELD(90, 87, struct data, field2),
           PACKED_FIELD(86, 30, struct data, field3),
           PACKED_FIELD(29, 0, struct data, field4),
   };

   void unpack_your_data(const packed_buf_t *buf, struct data *unpacked)
   {
           BUILD_BUG_ON(sizeof(*buf) != SIZE;

           unpack_fields(buf, sizeof(*buf), unpacked, fields,
                         QUIRK_LITTLE_ENDIAN);
   }

   void pack_your_data(const struct data *unpacked, packed_buf_t *buf)
   {
           BUILD_BUG_ON(sizeof(*buf) != SIZE;

           pack_fields(buf, sizeof(*buf), unpacked, fields,
                       QUIRK_LITTLE_ENDIAN);
   }