Re: [PATCH] staging: wlan-ng: Replace zero-length arrays with DECLARE_FLEX_ARRAY() helper

From: Greg Kroah-Hartman
Date: Thu Nov 17 2022 - 07:56:05 EST


On Thu, Nov 17, 2022 at 03:48:45PM +0530, Deepak R Varma wrote:
> The code currently uses C90 standard extension based zero length arrays.
> The zero length array member also happens to be the only member of the
> structs. Such zero length array declarations are deprecated and the
> new C99 standard extension of flexible array declarations are to be
> used instead.
>
> The DECLARE_FLEX_ARRAY() helper allows for a flexible array member as
> the only member in a structure. Refer to these links [1], [2] for
> details.
>
> [1] https://gcc.gnu.org/onlinedocs/gcc/Zero-Length.html
> [2] https://lkml.kernel.org/r/YxKY6O2hmdwNh8r8@work
>
> Issue identified using Coccinelle.
>
> Signed-off-by: Deepak R Varma <drv@xxxxxxxxx>
> ---
>
> Notes:
> 1. Proposed change is compile tested only.
> 2. Solution feedback from gustavoars@xxxxxxxxxx
>
>
> drivers/staging/wlan-ng/hfa384x.h | 6 +++---
> 1 file changed, 3 insertions(+), 3 deletions(-)
>
> diff --git a/drivers/staging/wlan-ng/hfa384x.h b/drivers/staging/wlan-ng/hfa384x.h
> index 0611e37df6ac..3a1edcb43e07 100644
> --- a/drivers/staging/wlan-ng/hfa384x.h
> +++ b/drivers/staging/wlan-ng/hfa384x.h
> @@ -960,15 +960,15 @@ struct hfa384x_pdr_nicid {
> } __packed;
>
> struct hfa384x_pdr_refdac_measurements {
> - u16 value[0];
> + DECLARE_FLEX_ARRAY(u16, value);
> } __packed;

Why? This structure is never used anywhere, right? So why is this
needed to be changed and not just removed entirely? Same for the other
structures in this patch.

thanks,

greg k-h