• Deepa Dinamani's avatar
    time: Add struct __kernel_timex · 2c620ff9
    Deepa Dinamani authored
    struct timex uses struct timeval internally.
    struct timeval is not y2038 safe.
    Introduce a new UAPI type struct __kernel_timex
    that is y2038 safe.
    
    struct __kernel_timex uses a timeval type that is
    similar to struct __kernel_timespec which preserves the
    same structure size across 32 bit and 64 bit ABIs.
    struct __kernel_timex also restructures other members of the
    structure to make the structure the same on 64 bit and 32 bit
    architectures.
    Note that struct __kernel_timex is the same as struct timex
    on a 64 bit architecture.
    
    The above solution is similar to other new y2038 syscalls
    that are being introduced: both 32 bit and 64 bit ABIs
    have a common entry, and the compat entry supports the old 32 bit
    syscall interface.
    
    Alternatives considered were:
    1. Add new time type to struct timex that makes use of padded
       bits. This time type could be based on the struct __kernel_timespec.
       modes will use a flag to notify which time structure should be
       used internally.
       This needs some application level changes on both 64 bit and 32 bit
       architectures. Although 64 bit machines could continue to use the
       older timeval structure without any changes.
    
    2. Add a new u8 type to struct timex that makes use of padded bits. This
       can be used to save higher order tv_sec bits. modes will use a flag to
       notify presence of such a type.
       This will need some application level changes on 32 bit architectures.
    
    3. Add a new compat_timex structure that differs in only the size of the
       time type; keep rest of struct timex the same.
       This requires extra syscalls to manage all 3 cases on 64 bit
       architectures. This will not need any application level changes but will
       add more complexity from kernel side.
    Signed-off-by: default avatarDeepa Dinamani <deepa.kernel@gmail.com>
    Signed-off-by: default avatarArnd Bergmann <arnd@arndb.de>
    2c620ff9
timex.h 7.7 KB