Re: [dpdk-dev] [PATCH] common/mlx5: fix CPU detection for PCI relaxed ordering

[Matan Azrad <matan@mellanox.com>]

From: Thomas Monjalon:
> 19/07/2020 12:56, Matan Azrad:
> >
> > From: Thomas Monjalon
> > > The detection of the CPU was done in a constructor and shared in a
> > > global variable.
> > >
> > > This variable may not be visible in the net PMD because it was not
> > > exported as part of the .map file.
> >
> > Can you explain exactly when it is not visible?
> 
> I depends on linker options.
> 
> > > It is fixed by exporting a function, which is cleaner than a variable.
> >
> > Can you explain why?
> > We have classic example - rte_eth_devices.
> 
> There is more control and more abstraction in functions, it can provide futre-
> proof abstraction.

Also variable have more abstraction - struct.
In future, if it will be needed, we can change it.

> We should not export variables at all,
> it is a basic rule of writing API.

It is variable which is depended only in the running CPU - almost like compile time condition,
so it is not regular case.
I think it makes sense also to use a singleton variable as internal API.

> Having a bad example in ethdev doesn't mean we should follow it.

If ethdev rte_eth_devices is bad API, Are you going to change it?


> > > By checking the CPU only at the first call of the function, doing
> > > the check in a constructor becomes useless.
> >
> > Yes, but why not to do it in constructor? this variable is initialized only once
> and doesn't depend in any parameter.
> 
> Constructor must remain minimal.
> If constructor can be avoided, it must be.
> This is a golden rule.

The cpu detection is a fast code.

Using constructor here makes sense:
1. we need only one initialization for all the program.
2. no need to take care of multithreading on the single initialization (are your code thread safe?).
3. no parameters are required.

> 
> > > Note: the priority of the constructor was probably irrelevant.
> 
> No comment about the constructor priority which was set as LOG for no good
> reason, proving that this code was not well reviewed?

I guess  you mean that comment is missing - you right.

We want to be sure that the variable is ready before any usage of it in the drivers (even in driver contractors).

> 
> > > At the same time, the comments are reworded or dropped if useless.
> > >
> > > Fixes: 4c204fe5e5d2 ("common/mlx5: disable relaxed ordering in
> > > unsuitable
> > > CPUs")
> > > Cc: shirik@mellanox.com
> > > Cc: stable@dpdk.org
> > >
> > > Signed-off-by: Thomas Monjalon <thomas@monjalon.net>
> 
>