[PATCH v3] tracing: Export live module tracepoint strings in printk_formats
From: Cao Ruichuang <hidden>
Date: 2026-08-11 18:52:13
Also in:
linux-kselftest, linux-trace-kernel, lkml
Subsystem:
kernel selftest framework, module support, the rest, tracing · Maintainers:
Shuah Khan, Shuah Khan, Luis Chamberlain, Petr Pavlu, Daniel Gomez, Sami Tolvanen, Linus Torvalds, Steven Rostedt, Masami Hiramatsu
tracepoint_string() places constant string pointers in __tracepoint_str
and exports their address-to-text mappings through printk_formats. This
lets user space decode pointer fields without copying each string into
every ring buffer record.
The linker collects the built-in __tracepoint_str section, but the
module loader does not collect the corresponding module section.
Consequently, module strings never reach printk_formats and tools such
as trace-cmd show raw addresses when decoding trace.dat.
Collect module __tracepoint_str sections and register one live range for
each module on MODULE_STATE_COMING. Include these ranges in
printk_formats and trace_is_tracepoint_string() lookups.
Reference the module section directly instead of copying its strings,
and remove the range on MODULE_STATE_GOING. The trace event notifier,
which runs at priority 1, removes module events and resets the trace
buffers before this priority-0 notifier drops the mapping.
Serialize range updates and printk_formats iteration with btrace_mutex.
Keep the membership lookup under RCU because the tp_printk path can call
it while holding tracepoint_iter_lock with interrupts disabled. Free the
range descriptor with kfree_rcu(); module teardown waits for an RCU grace
period before freeing the section that backs the range.
Cache the number of successfully inserted module trace_printk formats
and directly index the matching module tracepoint-string range. Extend
the trace_printk sample and ftrace selftest to verify that multiple
module strings are exported while loaded and removed on unload.
Fixes: 102c9323c35a ("tracing: Add __tracepoint_string() to export string pointers")
Closes: https://bugzilla.kernel.org/show_bug.cgi?id=217196
Link: https://lore.kernel.org/r/41e81533-0fd6-49f5-b7c1-b4e172affd2a@suse.com (local)
Link: https://lore.kernel.org/r/20260428083920.4a64eaf6@gandalf.local.home (local)
Suggested-by: Petr Pavlu <petr.pavlu@suse.com>
Assisted-by: Codex:gpt-5.4
Assisted-by: Codex:gpt-5.6-sol
Signed-off-by: Cao Ruichuang <redacted>
---
Changes since v2:
- Capitalize `Export` in the subject as requested.
- Group the two counts and two pointers in struct module.
- Cache only successfully inserted unique trace_bprintk_fmt entries.
- Skip complete module ranges and directly index the matching range.
- Use guard() and early returns to simplify registry operations.
- Keep the IRQ-safe RCU read side and use kfree_rcu() for removal.
- Document the live module mapping and RCU lifetime.
- Add trace_printk sample coverage and an ftrace regression test.
- Add Fixes, Closes, Suggested-by, and review Link tags.
Testing:
- git diff --check
- scripts/checkpatch.pl --strict --no-tree
- sh -n tools/testing/selftests/ftrace/test.d/event/trace_printk.tc
- x86_64 defconfig W=1 builds of all touched kernel and sample objects
- CONFIG_MODULES=n W=1 build of kernel/trace/trace_printk.o
- Minimal x86_64 bzImage and modules build
- QEMU load/unload test, including 10 insmod/rmmod cycles concurrent with
100 reads of printk_formats; both module strings were present while the
module was loaded and absent after unload, with no kernel diagnostics
v2: https://lore.kernel.org/r/20260420061911.97066-1-create0818@163.com (local)
include/linux/module.h | 2 +
include/linux/tracepoint.h | 8 +-
kernel/module/main.c | 4 +
kernel/trace/trace_printk.c | 138 ++++++++++++++++--
samples/trace_printk/trace-printk.c | 4 +
.../ftrace/test.d/event/trace_printk.tc | 5 +
6 files changed, 146 insertions(+), 15 deletions(-)
diff --git a/include/linux/module.h b/include/linux/module.h
index 7566815fa..d9ac1fd6e 100644
--- a/include/linux/module.h
+++ b/include/linux/module.h@@ -513,7 +513,9 @@ struct module { #endif #ifdef CONFIG_TRACING unsigned int num_trace_bprintk_fmt; + unsigned int num_tracepoint_strings; const char **trace_bprintk_fmt_start; + const char **tracepoint_strings_start; #endif #ifdef CONFIG_EVENT_TRACING struct trace_event_call **trace_events;
diff --git a/include/linux/tracepoint.h b/include/linux/tracepoint.h
index e0d838c9c..2b973cc72 100644
--- a/include/linux/tracepoint.h
+++ b/include/linux/tracepoint.h@@ -508,10 +508,10 @@ static inline struct tracepoint *tracepoint_ptr_deref(tracepoint_ptr_t *p) * the ASCII strings they represent. * * The @str used must be a constant string and persistent as it would not - * make sense to show a string that no longer exists. But it is still fine - * to be used with modules, because when modules are unloaded, if they - * had tracepoints, the ring buffers are cleared too. As long as the string - * does not change during the life of the module, it is fine to use + * make sense to show a string that no longer exists. For modules, the string + * mapping is exported while the module is loaded. When the module is unloaded, + * its trace buffers are cleared before the mapping is removed. As long as the + * string does not change during the life of the module, it is fine to use * tracepoint_string() within a module. */ #define tracepoint_string(str) \
diff --git a/kernel/module/main.c b/kernel/module/main.c
index 46dd8d25a..cb0acb2ce 100644
--- a/kernel/module/main.c
+++ b/kernel/module/main.c@@ -2729,6 +2729,10 @@ static int find_module_sections(struct module *mod, struct load_info *info) mod->trace_bprintk_fmt_start = section_objs(info, "__trace_printk_fmt", sizeof(*mod->trace_bprintk_fmt_start), &mod->num_trace_bprintk_fmt); + mod->tracepoint_strings_start = + section_objs(info, "__tracepoint_str", + sizeof(*mod->tracepoint_strings_start), + &mod->num_tracepoint_strings); #endif #ifdef CONFIG_DYNAMIC_FTRACE /* sechdrs[0].sh_size is always zero */
diff --git a/kernel/trace/trace_printk.c b/kernel/trace/trace_printk.c
index 98171a239..2aca8d206 100644
--- a/kernel/trace/trace_printk.c
+++ b/kernel/trace/trace_printk.c@@ -13,21 +13,29 @@ #include <linux/string.h> #include <linux/module.h> #include <linux/mutex.h> +#include <linux/rcupdate.h> #include <linux/ctype.h> #include <linux/list.h> #include <linux/slab.h> #include "trace.h" +static int trace_bprintk_fmt_cnt; + #ifdef CONFIG_MODULES /* * modules trace_printk()'s formats are autosaved in struct trace_bprintk_fmt * which are queued on trace_bprintk_fmt_list. + * + * modules tracepoint_string() entries are kept as ranges into the owning + * module's __tracepoint_str section and are removed again when the module + * goes away. */ static LIST_HEAD(trace_bprintk_fmt_list); +static LIST_HEAD(tracepoint_str_list); -/* serialize accesses to trace_bprintk_fmt_list */ +/* serialize updates and printk_formats iteration of the module lists */ static DEFINE_MUTEX(btrace_mutex); struct trace_bprintk_fmt {
@@ -35,6 +43,14 @@ struct trace_bprintk_fmt { const char *fmt; }; +struct tracepoint_mod_str { + struct list_head list; + struct rcu_head rcu; + struct module *mod; + const char **start; + unsigned int num; +}; + static inline struct trace_bprintk_fmt *lookup_format(const char *fmt) { struct trace_bprintk_fmt *pos;
@@ -75,6 +91,7 @@ void hold_module_trace_bprintk_format(const char **start, const char **end) if (fmt) { list_add_tail(&tb_fmt->list, &trace_bprintk_fmt_list); tb_fmt->fmt = fmt; + trace_bprintk_fmt_cnt++; } else kfree(tb_fmt); }
@@ -84,16 +101,63 @@ void hold_module_trace_bprintk_format(const char **start, const char **end) mutex_unlock(&btrace_mutex); } +static void hold_module_tracepoint_strings(struct module *mod) +{ + struct tracepoint_mod_str *tp_str; + + if (!mod->num_tracepoint_strings) + return; + + tp_str = kmalloc_obj(*tp_str); + if (!tp_str) + return; + + tp_str->mod = mod; + tp_str->start = mod->tracepoint_strings_start; + tp_str->num = mod->num_tracepoint_strings; + + guard(mutex)(&btrace_mutex); + list_add_tail_rcu(&tp_str->list, &tracepoint_str_list); +} + +static void release_module_tracepoint_strings(struct module *mod) +{ + struct tracepoint_mod_str *tp_str; + + if (!mod->num_tracepoint_strings) + return; + + guard(mutex)(&btrace_mutex); + list_for_each_entry(tp_str, &tracepoint_str_list, list) { + if (tp_str->mod != mod) + continue; + + list_del_rcu(&tp_str->list); + /* Module teardown waits for RCU before freeing the section. */ + kfree_rcu(tp_str, rcu); + return; + } +} + static int module_trace_bprintk_format_notify(struct notifier_block *self, unsigned long val, void *data) { struct module *mod = data; - if (mod->num_trace_bprintk_fmt) { - const char **start = mod->trace_bprintk_fmt_start; - const char **end = start + mod->num_trace_bprintk_fmt; - if (val == MODULE_STATE_COMING) + switch (val) { + case MODULE_STATE_COMING: + if (mod->num_trace_bprintk_fmt) { + const char **start = mod->trace_bprintk_fmt_start; + const char **end = start + mod->num_trace_bprintk_fmt; + hold_module_trace_bprintk_format(start, end); + } + hold_module_tracepoint_strings(mod); + break; + case MODULE_STATE_GOING: + /* Trace event teardown runs first and clears module event buffers. */ + release_module_tracepoint_strings(mod); + break; } return NOTIFY_OK; }
@@ -119,7 +183,7 @@ static int module_trace_bprintk_format_notify(struct notifier_block *self, * next format in the list. */ static const char ** -find_next_mod_format(int start_index, void *v, const char **fmt, loff_t *pos) +find_next_mod_format(loff_t start_index, void *v, const char **fmt, loff_t *pos) { struct trace_bprintk_fmt *mod_fmt;
@@ -158,6 +222,42 @@ find_next_mod_format(int start_index, void *v, const char **fmt, loff_t *pos) return &mod_fmt->fmt; } +static const char ** +find_next_mod_tracepoint_str(loff_t start_index, loff_t *pos) +{ + struct tracepoint_mod_str *tp_str; + loff_t offset = *pos - start_index; + + if (offset < 0) + return NULL; + + list_for_each_entry(tp_str, &tracepoint_str_list, list) { + if (offset < (loff_t)tp_str->num) + return tp_str->start + offset; + + offset -= tp_str->num; + } + + return NULL; +} + +static bool is_module_tracepoint_string(const char *str) +{ + struct tracepoint_mod_str *tp_str; + unsigned int i; + + /* The tracepoint printk path can call this with IRQs disabled. */ + guard(rcu)(); + list_for_each_entry_rcu(tp_str, &tracepoint_str_list, list) { + for (i = 0; i < tp_str->num; i++) { + if (str == tp_str->start[i]) + return true; + } + } + + return false; +} + static void format_mod_start(void) { mutex_lock(&btrace_mutex);
@@ -176,10 +276,21 @@ module_trace_bprintk_format_notify(struct notifier_block *self, return NOTIFY_OK; } static inline const char ** -find_next_mod_format(int start_index, void *v, const char **fmt, loff_t *pos) +find_next_mod_format(loff_t start_index, void *v, const char **fmt, loff_t *pos) +{ + return NULL; +} + +static inline const char ** +find_next_mod_tracepoint_str(loff_t start_index, loff_t *pos) { return NULL; } + +static inline bool is_module_tracepoint_string(const char *str) +{ + return false; +} static inline void format_mod_start(void) { } static inline void format_mod_stop(void) { } #endif /* CONFIG_MODULES */
@@ -194,6 +305,7 @@ void trace_printk_control(bool enabled) __initdata_or_module static struct notifier_block module_trace_bprintk_format_nb = { .notifier_call = module_trace_bprintk_format_notify, + .priority = 0, /* lower than the trace event notifier */ }; __printf(2, 3)
@@ -259,14 +371,14 @@ bool trace_is_tracepoint_string(const char *str) if (str == *ptr) return true; } - return false; + return is_module_tracepoint_string(str); } static const char **find_next(void *v, loff_t *pos) { const char **fmt = v; - int start_index; - int last_index; + loff_t start_index; + loff_t last_index; start_index = __stop___trace_bprintk_fmt - __start___trace_bprintk_fmt;
@@ -292,7 +404,11 @@ static const char **find_next(void *v, loff_t *pos) return __start___tracepoint_str + (*pos - last_index); start_index += last_index; - return find_next_mod_format(start_index, v, fmt, pos); + if (*pos - start_index < trace_bprintk_fmt_cnt) + return find_next_mod_format(start_index, v, fmt, pos); + + start_index += trace_bprintk_fmt_cnt; + return find_next_mod_tracepoint_str(start_index, pos); } static void *
diff --git a/samples/trace_printk/trace-printk.c b/samples/trace_printk/trace-printk.c
index cfc159580..54c709c82 100644
--- a/samples/trace_printk/trace-printk.c
+++ b/samples/trace_printk/trace-printk.c@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ #include <linux/module.h> #include <linux/kthread.h> #include <linux/irq_work.h> +#include <linux/tracepoint.h> /* Must not be static to force gcc to consider these non constant */ char *trace_printk_test_global_str =
@@ -31,6 +32,9 @@ static int __init trace_printk_init(void) { init_irq_work(&irqwork, trace_printk_irq_work); + (void)tracepoint_string("tracepoint_string_test_module_string_1"); + (void)tracepoint_string("tracepoint_string_test_module_string_2"); + trace_printk("This is a static string that will use trace_bputs\n"); trace_printk(trace_printk_test_global_str);
diff --git a/tools/testing/selftests/ftrace/test.d/event/trace_printk.tc b/tools/testing/selftests/ftrace/test.d/event/trace_printk.tc
index b02550b42..d66a8134c 100644
--- a/tools/testing/selftests/ftrace/test.d/event/trace_printk.tc
+++ b/tools/testing/selftests/ftrace/test.d/event/trace_printk.tc@@ -23,5 +23,10 @@ grep -q ": (irq) .* trace_printk" trace grep -q "This is a %s that will use trace_bprintk" printk_formats grep -q "(irq) This is a static string that will use trace_bputs" printk_formats +grep -q "tracepoint_string_test_module_string_1" printk_formats +grep -q "tracepoint_string_test_module_string_2" printk_formats rmmod trace-printk ||: + +! grep -q "tracepoint_string_test_module_string_1" printk_formats +! grep -q "tracepoint_string_test_module_string_2" printk_formats
base-commit: d5b201ed4feb7a11da242a97669424efeb724031 -- 2.43.5