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[RFC 17/17] refs: document the lifetime of the refname passed to each_ref_fn

From
Michael Haggerty <mhagger@alum.mit.edu>
Date
May 19, 2013, 20:27 UTC
Message-ID
<1368995232-11042-18-git-send-email-mhagger@alum.mit.edu>
In-Reply-To
<1368995232-11042-1-git-send-email-mhagger@alum.mit.edu>

The lifetime of the refname was never documented, but some callers used to assume that its lifetime was essentially permanent. The commits leading up to this have disabused such callers of that notion.

The new status quo is that the API explicitly does *not* guarantee that the refname string lives beyond a single callback invocation. Document that fact.

Signed-off-by: Michael Haggerty <mhagger@alum.mit.edu>
---
This patch is the ultimate goal of the series, and I include it for
illustration, but it obviously shouldn't be committed before the
object_array questions have been answered and the rest of the code has
been audited more carefully.
 refs.h | 22 ++++++++++++++++------
 1 file changed, 16 insertions(+), 6 deletions(-)
diff --git a/refs.h b/refs.h
index a35eafc..e67fb07 100644
--- a/refs.h
+++ b/refs.h
@@ -15,13 +15,23 @@ struct ref_lock {
 #define REF_ISBROKEN 0x04
 
 /*
- * Calls the specified function for each ref file until it returns
- * nonzero, and returns the value.  Please note that it is not safe to
- * modify references while an iteration is in progress, unless the
- * same callback function invocation that modifies the reference also
- * returns a nonzero value to immediately stop the iteration.
+ * The callback functions for the for_each_*() functions below must
+ * have this signature.  The memory pointed to by the refname argument
+ * is only guaranteed to be valid for the duration of a single
+ * callback invocation.
+ */
+typedef int each_ref_fn(const char *refname,
+			const unsigned char *sha1, int flags, void *cb_data);
+
+/*
+ * The following functions invoke the specified callback function for
+ * each reference indicated.  If the function ever returns a nonzero
+ * value, stop the iteration and return that value.  Please note that
+ * it is not safe to modify references while an iteration is in
+ * progress, unless the same callback function invocation that
+ * modifies the reference also returns a nonzero value to immediately
+ * stop the iteration.
  */
-typedef int each_ref_fn(const char *refname, const unsigned char *sha1, int flags, void *cb_data);
 extern int head_ref(each_ref_fn, void *);
 extern int for_each_ref(each_ref_fn, void *);
 extern int for_each_ref_in(const char *, each_ref_fn, void *);
-- 
1.8.2.3
Previous: Michael HaggertyNext: Johan Herland
Message 34 of 42 in “Remove assumptions about refname lifetimes”
  1. 00/17 Remove assumptions about refname lifetimesMichael Haggerty, May 19, 2013
  2. 01/17 describe: make own copy of refnameMichael Haggerty, May 19, 2013
  3. 02/17 fetch: make own copies of refnamesMichael Haggerty, May 19, 2013
  4. 03/17 add_rev_cmdline(): make a copy of the name argumentMichael Haggerty, May 19, 2013
  5. 04/17 builtin_diff_tree(): make it obvious that function wants two entriesMichael Haggerty, May 19, 2013
  6. Junio C HamanoMay 21, 2013
  7. Michael HaggertyMay 23, 2013
  8. 05/17 cmd_diff(): use an object_array for holding treesMichael Haggerty, May 19, 2013
  9. Junio C HamanoMay 21, 2013
  10. Michael HaggertyMay 23, 2013
  11. 06/17 cmd_diff(): rename local variable "list" -> "entry"Michael Haggerty, May 19, 2013
  12. 07/17 cmd_diff(): make it obvious which cases are exclusive of each otherMichael Haggerty, May 19, 2013
  13. 08/17 revision: split some overly-long linesMichael Haggerty, May 19, 2013
  14. Junio C HamanoMay 21, 2013
  15. Michael HaggertyMay 23, 2013
  16. Junio C HamanoMay 23, 2013
  17. 09/17 gc_boundary(): move the check "alloc <= nr" to callerMichael Haggerty, May 19, 2013
  18. Junio C HamanoMay 21, 2013
  19. Michael HaggertyMay 23, 2013
  20. Junio C HamanoMay 23, 2013
  21. 10/17 get_revision_internal(): make check less mysteriousMichael Haggerty, May 19, 2013
  22. Junio C HamanoMay 21, 2013
  23. Michael HaggertyMay 23, 2013
  24. 11/17 object_array: add function object_array_filter()Michael Haggerty, May 19, 2013
  25. 12/17 object_array_remove_duplicates(): rewrite to reduce copyingMichael Haggerty, May 19, 2013
  26. 13/17 fsck: don't put a void*-shaped peg in a char*-shaped holeMichael Haggerty, May 19, 2013
  27. 14/17 find_first_merges(): initialize merges variable using initializerMichael Haggerty, May 19, 2013
  28. 15/17 find_first_merges(): remove unnecessary codeMichael Haggerty, May 19, 2013
  29. 16/17 object_array_entry: copy name before storing in name fieldMichael Haggerty, May 19, 2013
  30. Johan HerlandMay 20, 2013
  31. Michael HaggertyMay 20, 2013
  32. Jeff KingMay 20, 2013
  33. Michael HaggertyMay 20, 2013
  34. 17/17 refs: document the lifetime of the refname passed to each_ref_fnMichael Haggerty, May 19, 2013
  35. Johan HerlandMay 20, 2013
  36. Michael HaggertyMay 20, 2013
  37. Junio C HamanoMay 20, 2013
  38. Jeff KingMay 20, 2013
  39. Johan HerlandMay 20, 2013
  40. Junio C HamanoMay 20, 2013
  41. Johan HerlandMay 20, 2013
  42. Junio C HamanoMay 21, 2013

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