[PATCH v4 08/30] tools build: Append -fzero-init-padding-bits=all to extra cflags

Leo Yan posted 30 patches 4 weeks ago
There is a newer version of this series
[PATCH v4 08/30] tools build: Append -fzero-init-padding-bits=all to extra cflags
Posted by Leo Yan 4 weeks ago
GCC-15 release claims [1]:

  {0} initializer in C or C++ for unions no longer guarantees clearing
  of the whole union (except for static storage duration initialization),
  it just initializes the first union member to zero. If initialization
  of the whole union including padding bits is desirable, use {} (valid
  in C23 or C++) or use -fzero-init-padding-bits=unions option to
  restore old GCC behavior.

As a result, this new behaviour might cause unexpected data when we
initialize a union with using the '{ 0 }' initializer.

Since commit dce4aab8441d ("kbuild: Use -fzero-init-padding-bits=all"),
the kernel has enabled -fzero-init-padding-bits=all to zero padding bits
in unions and structures.  This commit applies the same option for tools
building.

The option is not supported by any version older than GCC 15, nor is it
supported by LLVM.  This patch adds the cc-option and host-cc-option
functions to dynamically detect compiler option and append it to the
EXTRA_CFLAGS and HOST_EXTRACFLAGS respectively.

[1] https://gcc.gnu.org/gcc-15/changes.html

Acked-by: Quentin Monnet <qmo@kernel.org>
Signed-off-by: Leo Yan <leo.yan@arm.com>
---
 tools/scripts/Makefile.include | 30 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
 1 file changed, 30 insertions(+)

diff --git a/tools/scripts/Makefile.include b/tools/scripts/Makefile.include
index b5ecf137febcae59f506e107a7f2e2ad72f4bef4..a2397ceae512c1bc54adb15cb1a111ff34e28e43 100644
--- a/tools/scripts/Makefile.include
+++ b/tools/scripts/Makefile.include
@@ -137,6 +137,36 @@ else
 EXTRA_WARNINGS += -Wshadow
 endif
 
+# output directory for tests below
+TMPOUT = .tmp_$$$$
+
+# try-run
+# Usage: option = $(call try-run, $(CC)...-o "$$TMP",option-ok,otherwise)
+# Exit code chooses option. "$$TMP" serves as a temporary file and is
+# automatically cleaned up.
+try-run = $(shell set -e;		\
+	TMP=$(TMPOUT)/tmp;		\
+	trap "rm -rf $(TMPOUT)" EXIT;	\
+	mkdir -p $(TMPOUT);		\
+	if ($(1)) >/dev/null 2>&1;	\
+	then echo "$(2)";		\
+	else echo "$(3)";		\
+	fi)
+
+# cc-option
+# Usage: CFLAGS += $(call cc-option,-march=winchip-c6,-march=i586)
+cc-option = $(call try-run, \
+	$(CC) -Werror $(1) -c -x c /dev/null -o "$$TMP",$(1),$(2))
+
+host-cc-option = $(call try-run, \
+	$(HOSTCC) -Werror $(1) -c -x c /dev/null -o "$$TMP",$(1),$(2))
+
+# Explicitly clear padding bits with the initializer '{ 0 }'
+FLAG_ZERO_INIT := $(call cc-option,-fzero-init-padding-bits=all)
+override EXTRA_CFLAGS += $(FLAG_ZERO_INIT)
+HOST_FLAG_ZERO_INIT := $(call host-cc-option,-fzero-init-padding-bits=all)
+override HOST_EXTRACFLAGS += $(HOST_FLAG_ZERO_INIT)
+
 ifneq ($(findstring $(MAKEFLAGS), w),w)
 PRINT_DIR = --no-print-directory
 else

-- 
2.34.1
Re: [PATCH v4 08/30] tools build: Append -fzero-init-padding-bits=all to extra cflags
Posted by Namhyung Kim 3 weeks, 6 days ago
On Wed, Mar 11, 2026 at 08:29:33AM +0000, Leo Yan wrote:
> GCC-15 release claims [1]:
> 
>   {0} initializer in C or C++ for unions no longer guarantees clearing
>   of the whole union (except for static storage duration initialization),
>   it just initializes the first union member to zero. If initialization
>   of the whole union including padding bits is desirable, use {} (valid
>   in C23 or C++) or use -fzero-init-padding-bits=unions option to
>   restore old GCC behavior.
> 
> As a result, this new behaviour might cause unexpected data when we
> initialize a union with using the '{ 0 }' initializer.
> 
> Since commit dce4aab8441d ("kbuild: Use -fzero-init-padding-bits=all"),
> the kernel has enabled -fzero-init-padding-bits=all to zero padding bits
> in unions and structures.  This commit applies the same option for tools
> building.
> 
> The option is not supported by any version older than GCC 15, nor is it
> supported by LLVM.  This patch adds the cc-option and host-cc-option
> functions to dynamically detect compiler option and append it to the
> EXTRA_CFLAGS and HOST_EXTRACFLAGS respectively.
> 
> [1] https://gcc.gnu.org/gcc-15/changes.html
> 
> Acked-by: Quentin Monnet <qmo@kernel.org>
> Signed-off-by: Leo Yan <leo.yan@arm.com>

Acked-by: Namhyung Kim <namhyung@kernel.org>

Thanks,
Namhyung

> ---
>  tools/scripts/Makefile.include | 30 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
>  1 file changed, 30 insertions(+)
> 
> diff --git a/tools/scripts/Makefile.include b/tools/scripts/Makefile.include
> index b5ecf137febcae59f506e107a7f2e2ad72f4bef4..a2397ceae512c1bc54adb15cb1a111ff34e28e43 100644
> --- a/tools/scripts/Makefile.include
> +++ b/tools/scripts/Makefile.include
> @@ -137,6 +137,36 @@ else
>  EXTRA_WARNINGS += -Wshadow
>  endif
>  
> +# output directory for tests below
> +TMPOUT = .tmp_$$$$
> +
> +# try-run
> +# Usage: option = $(call try-run, $(CC)...-o "$$TMP",option-ok,otherwise)
> +# Exit code chooses option. "$$TMP" serves as a temporary file and is
> +# automatically cleaned up.
> +try-run = $(shell set -e;		\
> +	TMP=$(TMPOUT)/tmp;		\
> +	trap "rm -rf $(TMPOUT)" EXIT;	\
> +	mkdir -p $(TMPOUT);		\
> +	if ($(1)) >/dev/null 2>&1;	\
> +	then echo "$(2)";		\
> +	else echo "$(3)";		\
> +	fi)
> +
> +# cc-option
> +# Usage: CFLAGS += $(call cc-option,-march=winchip-c6,-march=i586)
> +cc-option = $(call try-run, \
> +	$(CC) -Werror $(1) -c -x c /dev/null -o "$$TMP",$(1),$(2))
> +
> +host-cc-option = $(call try-run, \
> +	$(HOSTCC) -Werror $(1) -c -x c /dev/null -o "$$TMP",$(1),$(2))
> +
> +# Explicitly clear padding bits with the initializer '{ 0 }'
> +FLAG_ZERO_INIT := $(call cc-option,-fzero-init-padding-bits=all)
> +override EXTRA_CFLAGS += $(FLAG_ZERO_INIT)
> +HOST_FLAG_ZERO_INIT := $(call host-cc-option,-fzero-init-padding-bits=all)
> +override HOST_EXTRACFLAGS += $(HOST_FLAG_ZERO_INIT)
> +
>  ifneq ($(findstring $(MAKEFLAGS), w),w)
>  PRINT_DIR = --no-print-directory
>  else
> 
> -- 
> 2.34.1
>