schedule_work returns FAILURE (0)

schedule_work returns FAILURE (0)

[Ravi Dubey]

Hi,

I have ported my USB driver on from Linux Kernel 2.4.20-8 to 2.6.11.12.
As a part of this porting process, I have replaced the bottom halves
with work_queues. Now, I am facing problems in the driver execution.
:-(.

The schedule_work() function which schedules the work is returning
FAILURE (0) many times (at least 1 out of 4 times it is called).

My queries:

1. When a work is queued using schedule_work (), does the function (that
is to be called as bottom half) run at process context OR Interrupt
context - The reason why I am getting confused is that in this called
function, if I print the return value of in_interrupt (), I get 0 (which
means that is running at process context), However, if I print the value
of in_interrupt after I have acquired a spin lock in this function, I
get the value 256 (which means I am running in interrupt context) ?

2. Why is the schedule_work () function failing. - I can't use
flush_workqueue in interrupt context, so is there any way; I can force
the work in the work queue to be scheduled.

Best Regards
Ravi





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Re: schedule_work returns FAILURE (0)

[Andrew Morton]

"Ravi Dubey" <ravi.dubey@conexant.com> wrote:
>
> Hi,
> 
> I have ported my USB driver on from Linux Kernel 2.4.20-8 to 2.6.11.12.
> As a part of this porting process, I have replaced the bottom halves
> with work_queues. Now, I am facing problems in the driver execution.
> :-(.
> 
> The schedule_work() function which schedules the work is returning
> FAILURE (0) many times (at least 1 out of 4 times it is called).
> 
> My queries:
> 
> 1. When a work is queued using schedule_work (), does the function (that
> is to be called as bottom half) run at process context OR Interrupt
> context

Process context.

> - The reason why I am getting confused is that in this called
> function, if I print the return value of in_interrupt (), I get 0 (which
> means that is running at process context),

Yup.

> However, if I print the value
> of in_interrupt after I have acquired a spin lock in this function, I
> get the value 256 (which means I am running in interrupt context) ?

Not really.  Bits 8-19 of preempt_count() count the IRQ depth and bits 0..7
count the inc_preempt_count() depth.  If CONFIG_PREEMPT is enabled,
spin_lock() does inc_preempt_count().  See the definitions of
hardirq_count(), softirq_count() and irq_count().

> 2. Why is the schedule_work () function failing.

umm, look at the implementation of schedule_work()?

	if (!test_and_set_bit(0, &work->pending)) {

it's already pending (the scheduled work has not run yet).  You need to
design you schedule_work() caller to queue things up and you need to design
your schedule_work() handler to consume all the thus-far-queued work items.

Just ignore the return value of schedule_work().

RE: schedule_work returns FAILURE (0)

[Ravi Dubey]

Hi Andrew,

Thanks for your response.

In 2.4 series there were three different kind of task queues: Timer,
Scheduler and Immediate. It is said that "work queue" is basically the
old Scheduler type. Is there any way I can make it work the "Immediate"
way.

I have gone through many of the LINUX sample 2.6 drivers, but all these
have just replaced tqueue by work_queue and mark_bh(IMMEDIATE_BH) by
schedule_work, but they are not using their own queues. Is it because my
driver has a very heavy / time intensive bottom half function?

Ravi

-----Original Message-----




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From: Andrew Morton [mailto:akpm@osdl.org] 
Sent: Monday, September 26, 2005 11:08 AM
To: Ravi Dubey
Cc: linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org
Subject: Re: schedule_work returns FAILURE (0)

"Ravi Dubey" <ravi.dubey@conexant.com> wrote:
>
> Hi,
> 
> I have ported my USB driver on from Linux Kernel 2.4.20-8 to
2.6.11.12.
> As a part of this porting process, I have replaced the bottom halves
> with work_queues. Now, I am facing problems in the driver execution.
> :-(.
> 
> The schedule_work() function which schedules the work is returning
> FAILURE (0) many times (at least 1 out of 4 times it is called).
> 
> My queries:
> 
> 1. When a work is queued using schedule_work (), does the function
(that
> is to be called as bottom half) run at process context OR Interrupt
> context

Process context.

> - The reason why I am getting confused is that in this called
> function, if I print the return value of in_interrupt (), I get 0
(which
> means that is running at process context),

Yup.

> However, if I print the value
> of in_interrupt after I have acquired a spin lock in this function, I
> get the value 256 (which means I am running in interrupt context) ?

Not really.  Bits 8-19 of preempt_count() count the IRQ depth and bits
0..7
count the inc_preempt_count() depth.  If CONFIG_PREEMPT is enabled,
spin_lock() does inc_preempt_count().  See the definitions of
hardirq_count(), softirq_count() and irq_count().

> 2. Why is the schedule_work () function failing.

umm, look at the implementation of schedule_work()?

	if (!test_and_set_bit(0, &work->pending)) {

it's already pending (the scheduled work has not run yet).  You need to
design you schedule_work() caller to queue things up and you need to
design
your schedule_work() handler to consume all the thus-far-queued work
items.

Just ignore the return value of schedule_work().