Re: strange code in linux kernel

Rajat Jain <[email protected]> writes:
> I found that there are some weird looking instances in kernel where a
> function has been DEFINED (as opposite to DECLARED) using and "extern"
> keyword. For e.g., the following code in arch/alpha/include/asm/io.h:
>
> extern inline void __iomem *generic_ioportmap(unsigned long a)
> {
>         return alpha_mv.mv_ioportmap(a);
> }
>
> Using a definition along with extern does not make any sense to me.
> Can some one please enlighten what is its use / purpose?

Note that at the same time an "inline" keyword has been used.  You might
want to refer to GCC's documentation in particular
<http://gcc.gnu.org/onlinedocs/gcc/Inline.html> for more information.
Google also pointed to this site
<http://www.greenend.org.uk/rjk/2003/03/inline.html> which also might
have some insight.

-- 
Best regards,                                         _     _
 .o. | Liege of Serenly Enlightened Majesty of      o' \,=./ `o
 ..o | Computer Science,  Michal "mina86" Nazarewicz   (o o)
 ooo +--<mina86*tlen.pl>--<jid:mina86*jabber.org>--ooO--(_)--Ooo--

-----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE-----
Version: GnuPG v2.0.12 (GNU/Linux)

iEYEARECAAYFAkrM4aEACgkQUyzLALfG3x5TrgCgkt5SK9ilhnxXHBhZa20JGI9S
h2oAoK8KeISQ4CQcyoejAdKMIZowRLph
=x86Q
-----END PGP SIGNATURE-----