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Re: [PATCH v2 3/8] refs: make errno output explicit for read_raw_ref_fn

From
Han-Wen Nienhuys <hanwen@google.com>
Date
Jul 5, 2021, 14:34 UTC
Message-ID
<CAFQ2z_M5bbDgdmVmn-esxg5kAoT9tGS4azvvB5LGMb0UZg9QwA@mail.gmail.com>
In-Reply-To
<87h7hedz9z.fsf@evledraar.gmail.com>
On Thu, Jul 1, 2021 at 1:55 PM Ævar Arnfjörð Bjarmason <avarab@gmail.com> wrote:
Show 15 quoted lines
> > diff --git a/refs.c b/refs.c
> > index 8c9490235ea6..bebe3f584da7 100644
> > --- a/refs.c
> > +++ b/refs.c
> > @@ -1675,13 +1675,17 @@ int refs_read_raw_ref(struct ref_store *ref_store,
> >                     const char *refname, struct object_id *oid,
> >                     struct strbuf *referent, unsigned int *type)
> >  {
> > +     int result, failure;
>
> Style nit: Different variables should be on different lines, except
> where they're the same, so "int i, j", not "int ret, i". Perhaps "ret"
> and "errno" are similar enough, but I'd split them, just my 0.02.
>
> Also nit: s/failure/failure_errno/, just like the function signature.
done.
Show 39 quoted lines
> >       if (!strcmp(refname, "FETCH_HEAD") || !strcmp(refname, "MERGE_HEAD")) {
> >               return refs_read_special_head(ref_store, refname, oid, referent,
> >                                             type);
> >       }
> >
> > -     return ref_store->be->read_raw_ref(ref_store, refname, oid, referent,
> > -                                        type);
> > +     failure = 0;
> > +     result = ref_store->be->read_raw_ref(ref_store, refname, oid, referent,
> > +                                          type, &failure);
> > +     errno = failure;
> > +     return result;
> >  }
>
> Is there some subtlety here where this isn't equivalent to the more
> simple/straightforward:
>
>         diff --git a/refs.c b/refs.c
>         index bebe3f584da..49ab7555de9 100644
>         --- a/refs.c
>         +++ b/refs.c
>         @@ -1675,17 +1675,14 @@ int refs_read_raw_ref(struct ref_store *ref_store,
>                               const char *refname, struct object_id *oid,
>                               struct strbuf *referent, unsigned int *type)
>          {
>         -       int result, failure;
>                 if (!strcmp(refname, "FETCH_HEAD") || !strcmp(refname, "MERGE_HEAD")) {
>                         return refs_read_special_head(ref_store, refname, oid, referent,
>                                                       type);
>                 }
>
>         -       failure = 0;
>         -       result = ref_store->be->read_raw_ref(ref_store, refname, oid, referent,
>         -                                            type, &failure);
>         -       errno = failure;
>         -       return result;
>         +       errno = 0;
>         +       return ref_store->be->read_raw_ref(ref_store, refname, oid, referent,
>         +                                            type, &errno);

There is a big difference: in this case, in read_raw_ref, the failure_errno pointer is aliased to errno. Which means that things like

   *failure_errno = 0
   some_syscall();

might mysteriously clobber *failure_errno again, which is the kind of effect-at-a-distance we're trying to get rid of.

Show 34 quoted lines
> I can only imagine a case where we think files_read_raw_ref() would
> encounter a new errno after it assigned to *failure_errno, which is just
> a couple of strbuf_release() calls.
>
> if that is a case we're worried about then like in my comment on 2/8
> shouldn't we be explicitly checking for such a lost/different errno?
> I.e. something like (should probably be less fatal than BUG(...):
>
>         diff --git a/refs.c b/refs.c
>         index bebe3f584da..9584ddae392 100644
>         --- a/refs.c
>         +++ b/refs.c
>         @@ -1675,16 +1675,22 @@ int refs_read_raw_ref(struct ref_store *ref_store,
>                               const char *refname, struct object_id *oid,
>                               struct strbuf *referent, unsigned int *type)
>          {
>         -       int result, failure;
>         +       int result, failure_errno = 0;
>         +
>                 if (!strcmp(refname, "FETCH_HEAD") || !strcmp(refname, "MERGE_HEAD")) {
>                         return refs_read_special_head(ref_store, refname, oid, referent,
>                                                       type);
>                 }
>
>         -       failure = 0;
>         +       errno = 0;
>                 result = ref_store->be->read_raw_ref(ref_store, refname, oid, referent,
>         -                                            type, &failure);
>         -       errno = failure;
>         +                                            type, &failure_errno);
>         +       if (errno)
>         +               BUG("Got another errno from read_raw_ref()?: %s, failure errno: %s",
>         +                   strerror(errno),
>         +                   strerror(failure_errno));

The whole idea is to make sure that important (ie. errno values that influence downstream logic) are separate from unimportant (ie. used for error messages). By adding a BUG() here, you're making a drastic downstream logic change depending on errno, so your example code is going precisely in the opposite direction of where I want to go, and forces implementers of read_raw_ref to walk on eggshells again wrt. errno handling to avoid triggering error messages.

Show 13 quoted lines
> > + * Return 0 on success. If the ref doesn't exist, set failure_errno to ENOENT
> > + * and return -1. If the ref exists but is neither a symbolic ref nor an object
> > + * ID, it is broken; set REF_ISBROKEN in type, and return -1 (failure_errno
> > + * should not be ENOENT). The files backend may return EISDIR (if the ref name
> > + * is a directory) and ENOTDIR (if a ref prefix is not a directory). If there is
> > + * another error reading the ref, set failure_errno appropriately and return -1.
> >   *
>
> This documentation is a bit confusing in light of the above comments. I
> assume that "set failure_errno appropriately" here means that it will do
> it, but it's really worded like it's suggesting that you should do it,
> and does the "another error" suggest that a caller may need to deal with
> an arbitrary errno, not just the ENOENT|EISDIR|ENOTDIR?
Tried to clarify this.
-- 
Han-Wen Nienhuys - Google Munich
I work 80%. Don't expect answers from me on Fridays.
--

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Previous: Ævar Arnfjörð BjarmasonNext: Han-Wen Nienhuys via GitGitGadget
Message 47 of 148 in “refs: cleanup errno sideband ref related functions”
  1. 0/8 refs: cleanup errno sideband ref related functionsHan-Wen Nienhuys via GitGitGadget, Apr 29, 2021
  2. 1/8 refs: remove EINVAL specification from the errno sideband in read_raw_ref_fnHan-Wen Nienhuys via GitGitGadget, Apr 29, 2021
  3. Junio C HamanoApr 30, 2021
  4. Han-Wen NienhuysMay 19, 2021
  5. Jonathan TanJun 3, 2021
  6. Han-Wen NienhuysJun 9, 2021
  7. 2/8 refs/files-backend: stop setting errno from lock_ref_oid_basicHan-Wen Nienhuys via GitGitGadget, Apr 29, 2021
  8. Junio C HamanoApr 30, 2021
  9. Han-Wen NienhuysMay 19, 2021
  10. Jonathan TanJun 3, 2021
  11. Han-Wen NienhuysJun 10, 2021
  12. 4/8 refs: make errno output explicit for refs_resolve_ref_unsafeHan-Wen Nienhuys via GitGitGadget, Apr 29, 2021
  13. Jonathan TanJun 3, 2021
  14. Han-Wen NienhuysJun 10, 2021
  15. 5/8 refs: add failure_errno to refs_read_raw_ref() signatureHan-Wen Nienhuys via GitGitGadget, Apr 29, 2021
  16. 3/8 refs: make errno output explicit for read_raw_ref_fnHan-Wen Nienhuys via GitGitGadget, Apr 29, 2021
  17. Junio C HamanoApr 30, 2021
  18. Junio C HamanoApr 30, 2021
  19. Han-Wen NienhuysMay 19, 2021
  20. Jonathan TanJun 3, 2021
  21. Han-Wen NienhuysJun 10, 2021
  22. 8/8 refs: explicitly propagate errno from refs_read_raw_refHan-Wen Nienhuys via GitGitGadget, Apr 29, 2021
  23. 6/8 refs: clear errno return in refs_resolve_ref_unsafe()Han-Wen Nienhuys via GitGitGadget, Apr 29, 2021
  24. Jonathan TanJun 3, 2021
  25. Han-Wen NienhuysJun 10, 2021
  26. 7/8 refs: stop setting EINVAL and ELOOP in symref resolutionHan-Wen Nienhuys via GitGitGadget, Apr 29, 2021
  27. Jonathan TanJun 3, 2021
  28. Han-Wen NienhuysJun 10, 2021
  29. Jonathan TanJun 3, 2021
  30. Han-Wen NienhuysJun 9, 2021
  31. 0/8 refs: cleanup errno sideband ref related functionsHan-Wen Nienhuys via GitGitGadget, Jun 10, 2021
  32. 5/8 refs: use refs_resolve_ref_unsafe_with_errno() where neededHan-Wen Nienhuys via GitGitGadget, Jun 10, 2021
  33. Ævar Arnfjörð BjarmasonJul 1, 2021
  34. 4/8 refs: make errno output explicit for refs_resolve_ref_unsafeHan-Wen Nienhuys via GitGitGadget, Jun 10, 2021
  35. Ævar Arnfjörð BjarmasonJul 1, 2021
  36. 8/8 refs: explicitly propagate errno from refs_read_raw_refHan-Wen Nienhuys via GitGitGadget, Jun 10, 2021
  37. Ævar Arnfjörð BjarmasonJul 1, 2021
  38. Han-Wen NienhuysJul 5, 2021
  39. Ævar Arnfjörð BjarmasonJul 5, 2021
  40. Han-Wen NienhuysJul 5, 2021
  41. 1/8 refs: remove EINVAL errno output from specification of read_raw_ref_fnHan-Wen Nienhuys via GitGitGadget, Jun 10, 2021
  42. 2/8 refs/files-backend: stop setting errno from lock_ref_oid_basicHan-Wen Nienhuys via GitGitGadget, Jun 10, 2021
  43. Ævar Arnfjörð BjarmasonJul 1, 2021
  44. Han-Wen NienhuysJul 5, 2021
  45. 3/8 refs: make errno output explicit for read_raw_ref_fnHan-Wen Nienhuys via GitGitGadget, Jun 10, 2021
  46. Ævar Arnfjörð BjarmasonJul 1, 2021
  47. Han-Wen NienhuysJul 5, 2021
  48. 6/8 refs: add failure_errno to refs_read_raw_ref() signatureHan-Wen Nienhuys via GitGitGadget, Jun 10, 2021
  49. Ævar Arnfjörð BjarmasonJul 1, 2021
  50. 7/8 refs: clear errno return in refs_resolve_ref_unsafe()Han-Wen Nienhuys via GitGitGadget, Jun 10, 2021
  51. Ævar Arnfjörð BjarmasonJul 1, 2021
  52. Han-Wen NienhuysJun 14, 2021
  53. 0/5 refs: cleanup errno sideband ref related functionsHan-Wen Nienhuys via GitGitGadget, Jul 5, 2021
  54. 1/5 refs: remove EINVAL errno output from specification of read_raw_ref_fnHan-Wen Nienhuys via GitGitGadget, Jul 5, 2021
  55. 2/5 refs/files-backend: stop setting errno from lock_ref_oid_basicHan-Wen Nienhuys via GitGitGadget, Jul 5, 2021
  56. 3/5 refs: make errno output explicit for read_raw_ref_fnHan-Wen Nienhuys via GitGitGadget, Jul 5, 2021
  57. 4/5 refs: add failure_errno to refs_read_raw_ref() signatureHan-Wen Nienhuys via GitGitGadget, Jul 5, 2021
  58. Junio C HamanoJul 6, 2021
  59. 5/5 refs: make errno output explicit for refs_resolve_ref_unsafeHan-Wen Nienhuys via GitGitGadget, Jul 5, 2021
  60. Ævar Arnfjörð BjarmasonJul 6, 2021
  61. Han-Wen NienhuysJul 6, 2021
  62. Ævar Arnfjörð BjarmasonJul 6, 2021
  63. Han-Wen NienhuysJul 6, 2021
  64. 0/6 refs: cleanup errno sideband ref related functionsHan-Wen Nienhuys via GitGitGadget, Jul 6, 2021
  65. 1/6 refs: remove EINVAL errno output from specification of read_raw_ref_fnHan-Wen Nienhuys via GitGitGadget, Jul 6, 2021
  66. 2/6 refs/files-backend: stop setting errno from lock_ref_oid_basicHan-Wen Nienhuys via GitGitGadget, Jul 6, 2021
  67. 5/6 refs: explicitly return failure_errno from parse_loose_ref_contentsHan-Wen Nienhuys via GitGitGadget, Jul 6, 2021
  68. Junio C HamanoJul 6, 2021
  69. Han-Wen NienhuysJul 7, 2021
  70. 3/6 refs: make errno output explicit for read_raw_ref_fnHan-Wen Nienhuys via GitGitGadget, Jul 6, 2021
  71. 4/6 refs: add failure_errno to refs_read_raw_ref() signatureHan-Wen Nienhuys via GitGitGadget, Jul 6, 2021
  72. Junio C HamanoJul 6, 2021
  73. 6/6 refs: make errno output explicit for refs_resolve_ref_unsafeHan-Wen Nienhuys via GitGitGadget, Jul 6, 2021
  74. 0/6 refs: cleanup errno sideband ref related functionsHan-Wen Nienhuys via GitGitGadget, Jul 7, 2021
  75. 1/6 refs: remove EINVAL errno output from specification of read_raw_ref_fnHan-Wen Nienhuys via GitGitGadget, Jul 7, 2021
  76. 2/6 refs/files-backend: stop setting errno from lock_ref_oid_basicHan-Wen Nienhuys via GitGitGadget, Jul 7, 2021
  77. Ævar Arnfjörð BjarmasonJul 11, 2021
  78. Han-Wen NienhuysJul 13, 2021
  79. 3/6 refs: make errno output explicit for read_raw_ref_fnHan-Wen Nienhuys via GitGitGadget, Jul 7, 2021
  80. Ævar Arnfjörð BjarmasonJul 11, 2021
  81. 4/6 refs: add failure_errno to refs_read_raw_ref() signatureHan-Wen Nienhuys via GitGitGadget, Jul 7, 2021
  82. Ævar Arnfjörð BjarmasonJul 11, 2021
  83. Han-Wen NienhuysJul 13, 2021
  84. 5/6 refs: explicitly return failure_errno from parse_loose_ref_contentsHan-Wen Nienhuys via GitGitGadget, Jul 7, 2021
  85. Ævar Arnfjörð BjarmasonJul 11, 2021
  86. 6/6 refs: make errno output explicit for refs_resolve_ref_unsafeHan-Wen Nienhuys via GitGitGadget, Jul 7, 2021
  87. Junio C HamanoJul 7, 2021
  88. 00/17 refs API: get rid of errno setting entirelyÆvar Arnfjörð Bjarmason, Jul 11, 2021
  89. 01/17 refs: remove EINVAL errno output from specification of read_raw_ref_fnÆvar Arnfjörð Bjarmason, Jul 11, 2021
  90. 03/17 refs: make errno output explicit for read_raw_ref_fnÆvar Arnfjörð Bjarmason, Jul 11, 2021
  91. 02/17 refs/files-backend: stop setting errno from lock_ref_oid_basicÆvar Arnfjörð Bjarmason, Jul 11, 2021
  92. 04/17 refs: add failure_errno to refs_read_raw_ref() signatureÆvar Arnfjörð Bjarmason, Jul 11, 2021
  93. 05/17 refs: explicitly return failure_errno from parse_loose_ref_contentsÆvar Arnfjörð Bjarmason, Jul 11, 2021
  94. 06/17 refs: make errno output explicit for refs_resolve_ref_unsafeÆvar Arnfjörð Bjarmason, Jul 11, 2021
  95. 07/17 refs: make errno ignoring explicit in lock_ref_oid_basic()Ævar Arnfjörð Bjarmason, Jul 11, 2021
  96. 10/17 refs API: remove refs_read_ref_full() wrapperÆvar Arnfjörð Bjarmason, Jul 11, 2021
  97. 11/17 refs API: make resolve_gitlink_ref() not set errnoÆvar Arnfjörð Bjarmason, Jul 11, 2021
  98. 08/17 refs file-backend.c: stop setting "EBUSY" in verify_lock()Ævar Arnfjörð Bjarmason, Jul 11, 2021
  99. Han-Wen NienhuysJul 13, 2021
  100. 09/17 refs file-backend.c: deal with errno directly in verify_lock()Ævar Arnfjörð Bjarmason, Jul 11, 2021
  101. 12/17 refs API: make refs_resolve_ref_unsafe() staticÆvar Arnfjörð Bjarmason, Jul 11, 2021
  102. 13/17 refs API: make refs_resolve_refdup() not set errnoÆvar Arnfjörð Bjarmason, Jul 11, 2021
  103. 14/17 refs API: make refs_ref_exists() not set errnoÆvar Arnfjörð Bjarmason, Jul 11, 2021
  104. 15/17 refs API: make resolve_ref_unsafe() not set errnoÆvar Arnfjörð Bjarmason, Jul 11, 2021
  105. Han-Wen NienhuysJul 13, 2021
  106. Ævar Arnfjörð BjarmasonJul 14, 2021
  107. 17/17 refs API: don't leak "errno" in run_transaction_hook()Ævar Arnfjörð Bjarmason, Jul 11, 2021
  108. 16/17 refs API: make expand_ref() and repo_dwim_log() not set errnoÆvar Arnfjörð Bjarmason, Jul 11, 2021
  109. Han-Wen NienhuysJul 13, 2021
  110. Ævar Arnfjörð BjarmasonJul 13, 2021
  111. Ævar Arnfjörð BjarmasonJul 14, 2021
  112. Han-Wen NienhuysJul 14, 2021
  113. 0/6 refs: cleanup errno sideband ref related functionsÆvar Arnfjörð Bjarmason, Jul 14, 2021
  114. 1/6 refs: remove EINVAL errno output from specification of read_raw_ref_fnÆvar Arnfjörð Bjarmason, Jul 14, 2021
  115. 2/6 refs/files-backend: stop setting errno from lock_ref_oid_basicÆvar Arnfjörð Bjarmason, Jul 14, 2021
  116. 3/6 refs: make errno output explicit for read_raw_ref_fnÆvar Arnfjörð Bjarmason, Jul 14, 2021
  117. 4/6 refs: add failure_errno to refs_read_raw_ref() signatureÆvar Arnfjörð Bjarmason, Jul 14, 2021
  118. 5/6 refs: explicitly return failure_errno from parse_loose_ref_contentsÆvar Arnfjörð Bjarmason, Jul 14, 2021
  119. 6/6 refs: make errno output explicit for refs_resolve_ref_unsafeÆvar Arnfjörð Bjarmason, Jul 14, 2021
  120. 0/7 refs: cleanup errno sideband ref related functionsÆvar Arnfjörð Bjarmason, Jul 16, 2021
  121. 1/7 refs file backend: move raceproof_create_file() hereÆvar Arnfjörð Bjarmason, Jul 16, 2021
  122. 3/7 refs/files-backend: stop setting errno from lock_ref_oid_basicÆvar Arnfjörð Bjarmason, Jul 16, 2021
  123. 2/7 refs: remove EINVAL errno output from specification of read_raw_ref_fnÆvar Arnfjörð Bjarmason, Jul 16, 2021
  124. 4/7 refs: make errno output explicit for read_raw_ref_fnÆvar Arnfjörð Bjarmason, Jul 16, 2021
  125. 5/7 refs: add failure_errno to refs_read_raw_ref() signatureÆvar Arnfjörð Bjarmason, Jul 16, 2021
  126. 6/7 refs: explicitly return failure_errno from parse_loose_ref_contentsÆvar Arnfjörð Bjarmason, Jul 16, 2021
  127. 7/7 refs: make errno output explicit for refs_resolve_ref_unsafeÆvar Arnfjörð Bjarmason, Jul 16, 2021
  128. 0/7 refs: cleanup errno sideband ref related functionsÆvar Arnfjörð Bjarmason, Jul 20, 2021
  129. 1/7 refs file backend: move raceproof_create_file() hereÆvar Arnfjörð Bjarmason, Jul 20, 2021
  130. 2/7 refs: remove EINVAL errno output from specification of read_raw_ref_fnÆvar Arnfjörð Bjarmason, Jul 20, 2021
  131. 3/7 refs/files-backend: stop setting errno from lock_ref_oid_basicÆvar Arnfjörð Bjarmason, Jul 20, 2021
  132. 4/7 refs: make errno output explicit for read_raw_ref_fnÆvar Arnfjörð Bjarmason, Jul 20, 2021
  133. Han-Wen NienhuysAug 16, 2021
  134. 5/7 refs: add failure_errno to refs_read_raw_ref() signatureÆvar Arnfjörð Bjarmason, Jul 20, 2021
  135. 6/7 refs: explicitly return failure_errno from parse_loose_ref_contentsÆvar Arnfjörð Bjarmason, Jul 20, 2021
  136. Jonathan TanAug 13, 2021
  137. 7/7 refs: make errno output explicit for refs_resolve_ref_unsafeÆvar Arnfjörð Bjarmason, Jul 20, 2021
  138. Ævar Arnfjörð BjarmasonJul 26, 2021
  139. Junio C HamanoJul 27, 2021
  140. 0/8 refs: cleanup errno sideband ref related functionsÆvar Arnfjörð Bjarmason, Aug 23, 2021
  141. 1/8 refs file backend: move raceproof_create_file() hereÆvar Arnfjörð Bjarmason, Aug 23, 2021
  142. 2/8 refs: remove EINVAL errno output from specification of read_raw_ref_fnÆvar Arnfjörð Bjarmason, Aug 23, 2021
  143. 3/8 refs/files-backend: stop setting errno from lock_ref_oid_basicÆvar Arnfjörð Bjarmason, Aug 23, 2021
  144. 4/8 refs: make errno output explicit for read_raw_ref_fnÆvar Arnfjörð Bjarmason, Aug 23, 2021
  145. 5/8 refs: add failure_errno to refs_read_raw_ref() signatureÆvar Arnfjörð Bjarmason, Aug 23, 2021
  146. 6/8 branch tests: test for errno propagating on failing readÆvar Arnfjörð Bjarmason, Aug 23, 2021
  147. 7/8 refs: explicitly return failure_errno from parse_loose_ref_contentsÆvar Arnfjörð Bjarmason, Aug 23, 2021
  148. 8/8 refs: make errno output explicit for refs_resolve_ref_unsafeÆvar Arnfjörð Bjarmason, Aug 23, 2021

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