[Patch 0/6] [Patch 0/6] PPC64-HWBKPT: Hardware Breakpoint interfaces - ver VIII

[David Gibson]

On Tue, Aug 04, 2009 at 02:23:16AM +0530, K.Prasad wrote:
> On Fri, Jul 31, 2009 at 04:10:13PM +1000, David Gibson wrote:
> > On Mon, Jul 27, 2009 at 05:41:52AM +0530, K.Prasad wrote:
> 
> <edited>
> 
> > > Reasons
> > > --------
> > > - Signal delivery before execution of instruction requires complex workarounds
> > > - One of the plausible workarounds is a two-pass hw-breakpoint handler which
> > >   delivers the signal after the first pass (with the breakpoints enabled).
> > >   In the second pass, it follows the existing semantics of
> > >   disable_hbp-->enable_ss-->single_step-->disable_ss-->enable_hbp.
> > 
> > Yes, that's the only way I can see to do it.
> > 
> > > - Possibility of nested exceptions is a problem here.
> > 
> > Ok, why?
> > 
> 
> Reason as described in the para below.
> 
> > > - Proper identification of a  second-pass of first exception and a new nested
> > >   exception is difficult. Possibility of stray exceptions due to accesses in
> > >   neighbouring memory regions of the breakpoint address further complicates it.
> 
> To elaborate, consider a case where a user-space address 'x' is
> monitored for read or write, and the following happens (assume the
> existence of the two-pass method for signal delivery).
> 
> - Instruction 'i' attempts to read/write in address 'x'
> - hw-bkpt exception generated (pass I)
> - Signal generated and hw-bkpt exception returns to user-space
> - Signal is handled before 'i' is executed. Handler code reads/writes
>   data in 'x' again. Generates nested exception.
> - hw-breakpoint handler code is unable to distinguish if the new
>   exception is from signal handler (nested) or due to second-pass (as
>   per design above).

Ah, ok, I understand now.  Hrm.  I'll have to think about this.

-- 
David Gibson			| I'll have my music baroque, and my code
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				| _way_ _around_!
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