Re: [Qemu-devel] [for-2.9 4/8] block: Document -drive problematic code and bugs

[Eric Blake]

On 03/30/2017 01:52 AM, Markus Armbruster wrote:

>>> +++ b/block.c
>>> @@ -1157,6 +1157,12 @@ static int bdrv_open_common(BlockDriverState *bs, 
>>> BlockBackend *file,
>>>      if (file != NULL) {
>>>          filename = blk_bs(file)->filename;
>>>      } else {
>>> +       /*
>>> +        * Caution: direct use of non-string @options members is
>>> +        * problematic.  When they come from -blockdev or blockdev_add,
>>> +        * members are typed according to the QAPI schema, but when
>>> +        * they come from -drive, they're all QString.
>>> +        */
>>>          filename = qdict_get_try_str(options, "filename");
>>
>> For instance this one: Well, yes, for -drive, this will always be a
>> QString. Which is OK, because that's what we're trying to get.
>>
>> The comment makes this confusing, IMO. If you really want a comment here
>> it should at least contain a mention that it's totally fine in practice
>> here. Calling the code "problematic" sounds like this could blow up when
>> it reality it can't; and I would think it actually is the most sane
>> solution given the current state of the whole infrastructure (i.e. how
>> -drive and -blockdev work).
> 
> Well, if it could blow up, I'd call it wrong, and start the comment with
> FIXME :)
> 
> Even though qdict_get_try_str() is indeed fine, I propose to have a
> comment, because someone with less detailed understanding of how the
> configuration machine works (me, until yesterday, and probably again
> after next month) could conclude that qdict_get_try_bool() would be just
> as fine.
> 
> What about:
> 
>    /*
>     * Caution: while qdict_get_try_str() is fine, getting non-string
>     * types would require more care.  When @options come from -blockdev
>     * or blockdev_add, its members are typed according to the QAPI
>     * schema, but when they come from -drive, they're all QString.
>     */

Yes, that's better - it makes it obvious that our current usage works,
but that the code must not be carelessly edited if we add another field
in the future.

-- 
Eric Blake   eblake redhat com    +1-919-301-3266
Libvirt virtualization library http://libvirt.org

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