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diff --git a/Documentation/tty/tty_ldisc.rst b/Documentation/tty/tty_ldisc.rst new file mode 100644 index 000000000000..8e48ab72f965 --- /dev/null +++ b/Documentation/tty/tty_ldisc.rst @@ -0,0 +1,84 @@ +.. SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-2.0 + +=================== +TTY Line Discipline +=================== + +.. contents:: :local: + +Line disciplines are registered with tty_register_ldisc() passing the +discipline number and the ldisc structure. At the point of registration the +discipline must be ready to use and it is possible it will get used before +the call returns success. If the call returns an error then it won't get +called. Do not re-use ldisc numbers as they are part of the userspace ABI +and writing over an existing ldisc will cause demons to eat your computer. +After the return the ldisc data has been copied so you may free your own +copy of the structure. You must not re-register over the top of the line +discipline even with the same data or your computer again will be eaten by +demons. + +In order to remove a line discipline call tty_unregister_ldisc(). +In ancient times this always worked. In modern times the function will +return -EBUSY if the ldisc is currently in use. Since the ldisc referencing +code manages the module counts this should not usually be a concern. + +Heed this warning: the reference count field of the registered copies of the +tty_ldisc structure in the ldisc table counts the number of lines using this +discipline. The reference count of the tty_ldisc structure within a tty +counts the number of active users of the ldisc at this instant. In effect it +counts the number of threads of execution within an ldisc method (plus those +about to enter and exit although this detail matters not). + +Line Discipline Methods +======================= + +.. kernel-doc:: include/linux/tty_ldisc.h + :identifiers: tty_ldisc_ops + +Driver Access +============= + +Line discipline methods can call the methods of the underlying hardware driver. +These are documented as a part of struct tty_operations. + +TTY Flags +========= + +Line discipline methods have access to :c:member:`tty_struct.flags` field. See +:doc:`tty_struct`. + +Locking +======= + +Callers to the line discipline functions from the tty layer are required to +take line discipline locks. The same is true of calls from the driver side +but not yet enforced. + +Three calls are now provided:: + + ldisc = tty_ldisc_ref(tty); + +takes a handle to the line discipline in the tty and returns it. If no ldisc +is currently attached or the ldisc is being closed and re-opened at this +point then NULL is returned. While this handle is held the ldisc will not +change or go away:: + + tty_ldisc_deref(ldisc) + +Returns the ldisc reference and allows the ldisc to be closed. Returning the +reference takes away your right to call the ldisc functions until you take +a new reference:: + + ldisc = tty_ldisc_ref_wait(tty); + +Performs the same function as tty_ldisc_ref except that it will wait for an +ldisc change to complete and then return a reference to the new ldisc. + +While these functions are slightly slower than the old code they should have +minimal impact as most receive logic uses the flip buffers and they only +need to take a reference when they push bits up through the driver. + +A caution: The ldisc->open(), ldisc->close() and driver->set_ldisc +functions are called with the ldisc unavailable. Thus tty_ldisc_ref will +fail in this situation if used within these functions. Ldisc and driver +code calling its own functions must be careful in this case. |