2014-11-12 14:31, Zhang, Helin: > > 2014-10-23 02:23, Zhang, Helin: > > > From: dev [mailto:dev-bounces at dpdk.org] On Behalf Of Thomas Monjalon > > > > 2014-10-21 14:14, Liu, Jijiang: > > > > > From: Thomas Monjalon [mailto:thomas.monjalon at 6wind.com] > > > > > > 2014-10-21 16:46, Jijiang Liu: > > > > > > > + uint16_t packet_type; > > > > > > > > > > > > Why not name it "l2_type"? > > > > > > 'packet_type' is for storing the hardware identified packet type upon > > > different layers of protocols (l2, l3, l4, ...). > > > It is quite useful for user application or middle layer software > > > stacks, it can know what the packet type is without checking the packet > > > too > > much by software. > > > Actually ixgbe already has packet types (less than 10), which is > > > transcoded into > > 'ol_flags'. > > > For i40e, the packet type can represent about 256 types of packet, > > > 'ol_flags' does not have enough bits for it anymore. So put the i40e > > > packet > > types into mbuf would be better. > > > Also this field can be used for NON-Intel NICs, I think there must be > > > the similar concepts of other NICs. And 16 bits 'packet_type' has severl > > reserved bits for future and NON-Intel NICs. > > > > Thanks Helin, that's the best description of packet_type I've seen so far. > > It's not so clear in the commit log: > > http://dpdk.org/browse/dpdk/commit/?id=73b7d59cf4f6faf > > > > > > > In datasheet, this term is called packet type(s). > > > > > > > > That's exactly the point I want you really understand! > > > > This is a field in generic mbuf structure, so your datasheet has no > > > > value here. > > > > > > > > > Personally , I think packet type is more clear what meaning of this > > > > > field is . > > > > > > > > You cannot add an API field without knowing what will be its generic > > > > meaning. > > > > Please think about it and describe its scope. > > > > I integrated this patch with the VXLAN patchset in the hope that you'll > > improve > > the situation afterwards. > > This is the answer you recently gave to Olivier: > > http://dpdk.org/ml/archives/dev/2014-November/007599.html > > " > > Regarding adding a packet_type in mbuf, we ever had a lot of > > discussions as > > follows: > > http://dpdk.org/ml/archives/dev/2014-October/007027.html > > http://dpdk.org/ml/archives/dev/2014-September/005240.html > > http://dpdk.org/ml/archives/dev/2014-September/005241.html > > http://dpdk.org/ml/archives/dev/2014-September/005274.html > > " > > > > To sum up the situation: > > - We don't know what are the possible values of packet_type > > - It's only filled by i40e, while other drivers use ol_flags > > - There is no special value "unknown" which should be set by drivers > > not supporting this feature. > > - Its only usage is to print a decimal value in app/test-pmd/rxonly.c > > Though I haven't investigate this too much, my opinion is that we should > use packet_type in the future, and rework igb/ixgbe PMD to remove all > packet types in ol_flags and use packet_type instead. > Then example app can use the packet type directly. And all igb, ixgbe and > i40e packet_type are consistent. Sure we might need to define all packet > types in rte_ethdev.h or similar header files.
Exact! > > It's now clear that nobody cares about this part of the API. > > So I'm going to remove packet_type from mbuf. > > I don't want to keep something that we don't know how to use, that is not > > consistent across drivers, and that overlap another API part (ol_flags). Helin, I feel you perfectly understood the problem. As the responsible of i40e, you can make a choice for 1.8 release: - remove (incomplete) packet_type - or complete it quickly Thanks -- Thomas