I noticed that "xdrgen source" reorders the procedure encoder and
decoder functions every time it is run. I would prefer that the
generated code be more deterministic: it enables a reader to better
see exactly what has changed between runs of the tool.
The problem is that Python sets are not ordered. I use a Python set
to ensure that, when multiple procedures use a particular argument or
result type, the encoder/decoder for that type is emitted only once.
Sets aren't ordered, but I can use Python dictionaries for this
purpose to ensure the procedure functions are always emitted in the
same order if the .x file does not change.
Signed-off-by: Chuck Lever <chuck.lever@oracle.com>
Add a Python-based tool for translating XDR specifications into XDR
encoder and decoder functions written in the Linux kernel's C coding
style. The generator attempts to match the usual C coding style of
the Linux kernel's SunRPC consumers.
This approach is similar to the netlink code generator in
tools/net/ynl .
The maintainability benefits of machine-generated XDR code include:
- Stronger type checking
- Reduces the number of bugs introduced by human error
- Makes the XDR code easier to audit and analyze
- Enables rapid prototyping of new RPC-based protocols
- Hardens the layering between protocol logic and marshaling
- Makes it easier to add observability on demand
- Unit tests might be built for both the tool and (automatically)
for the generated code
In addition, converting the XDR layer to use memory-safe languages
such as Rust will be easier if much of the code can be converted
automatically.
Tested-by: Jeff Layton <jlayton@kernel.org>
Signed-off-by: Chuck Lever <chuck.lever@oracle.com>
