b4c0353693
->last_type values are set in 3 places: path_init() (sets to LAST_ROOT), link_path_walk (LAST_NORM/DOT/DOTDOT) and pick_link (LAST_BIND). The are checked in walk_component(), lookup_last() and do_last(). They also get copied to the caller by filename_parentat(). In the last 3 cases the value is what we had at the return from link_path_walk(). In case of walk_component() it's either directly downstream from assignment in link_path_walk() or, when called by lookup_last(), the value we have at the return from link_path_walk(). The value at the entry into link_path_walk() can survive to return only if the pathname contains nothing but slashes. Note that pick_link() never returns such - pure jumps are handled directly. So for the calls of link_path_walk() for trailing symlinks it does not matter what value had been there at the entry; the value at the return won't depend upon it. There are 3 call chains that might have pick_link() storing LAST_BIND: 1) pick_link() from step_into() from walk_component() from link_path_walk(). In that case we will either be parsing the next component immediately after return into link_path_walk(), which will overwrite the ->last_type before anyone has a chance to look at it, or we'll fail, in which case nobody will be looking at ->last_type at all. 2) pick_link() from step_into() from walk_component() from lookup_last(). The value is never looked at due to the above; it won't affect the value seen at return from any link_path_walk(). 3) pick_link() from step_into() from do_last(). Ditto. In other words, assignemnt in pick_link() is pointless, and so is LAST_BIND itself; nothing ever looks at that value. Kill it off. And make link_path_walk() _always_ assign ->last_type - in the only case when the value at the entry might survive to the return that value is always LAST_ROOT, inherited from path_init(). Move that assignment from path_init() into the beginning of link_path_walk(), to consolidate the things. Historical note: LAST_BIND used to be used for the kludge with trailing pure jump symlinks (extra iteration through the top-level loop). No point keeping it anymore... Signed-off-by: Al Viro <viro@zeniv.linux.org.uk>
Linux kernel
============
There are several guides for kernel developers and users. These guides can
be rendered in a number of formats, like HTML and PDF. Please read
Documentation/admin-guide/README.rst first.
In order to build the documentation, use ``make htmldocs`` or
``make pdfdocs``. The formatted documentation can also be read online at:
https://www.kernel.org/doc/html/latest/
There are various text files in the Documentation/ subdirectory,
several of them using the Restructured Text markup notation.
Please read the Documentation/process/changes.rst file, as it contains the
requirements for building and running the kernel, and information about
the problems which may result by upgrading your kernel.