TTY Port

The TTY drivers are advised to use struct tty_port helpers as much as possible. If the drivers implement tty_port.ops.activate() and tty_port.ops.shutdown(), they can use tty_port_open(), tty_port_close(), and tty_port_hangup() in respective tty_struct.ops hooks.

The reference and details are contained in the TTY Port Reference and TTY Port Operations Reference sections at the bottom.

TTY Port Functions

Init & Destroy

void tty_port_init(struct tty_port *port)
  • initialize tty_port

Parameters

struct tty_port *port
tty_port to initialize

Description

Initializes the state of struct tty_port. When a port was initialized using this function, one has to destroy the port by tty_port_destroy(). Either indirectly by using tty_port refcounting (tty_port_put()) or directly if refcounting is not used.

void tty_port_destroy(struct tty_port *port)
  • destroy inited port

Parameters

struct tty_port *port
tty port to be destroyed

Description

When a port was initialized using tty_port_init(), one has to destroy the port by this function. Either indirectly by using tty_port refcounting (tty_port_put()) or directly if refcounting is not used.

void tty_port_put(struct tty_port *port)
  • drop a reference to tty_port

Parameters

struct tty_port *port
port to drop a reference of (can be NULL)

Description

The final put will destroy and free up the port using port->ops->destruct() hook, or using kfree() if not provided.

Open/Close/Hangup Helpers

void tty_port_shutdown(struct tty_port *port, struct tty_struct *tty)

internal helper to shutdown the device

Parameters

struct tty_port *port
tty port to be shut down
struct tty_struct *tty
the associated tty

Description

It is used by tty_port_hangup() and tty_port_close(). Its task is to shutdown the device if it was initialized (note consoles remain functioning). It lowers DTR/RTS (if tty has HUPCL set) and invokes port->ops->shutdown().

void tty_port_hangup(struct tty_port *port)

hangup helper

Parameters

struct tty_port *port
tty port

Description

Perform port level tty hangup flag and count changes. Drop the tty reference.

Caller holds tty lock.

int tty_port_block_til_ready(struct tty_port *port, struct tty_struct *tty, struct file *filp)

Waiting logic for tty open

Parameters

struct tty_port *port
the tty port being opened
struct tty_struct *tty
the tty device being bound
struct file *filp
the file pointer of the opener or NULL

Description

Implement the core POSIX/SuS tty behaviour when opening a tty device. Handles:

  • hangup (both before and during)
  • non blocking open
  • rts/dtr/dcd
  • signals
  • port flags and counts

The passed port must implement the port->ops->carrier_raised method if it can do carrier detect and the port->ops->dtr_rts method if it supports software management of these lines. Note that the dtr/rts raise is done each iteration as a hangup may have previously dropped them while we wait.

Caller holds tty lock.

Note

May drop and reacquire tty lock when blocking, so tty and port may have changed state (eg., may have been hung up).

int tty_port_close_start(struct tty_port *port, struct tty_struct *tty, struct file *filp)

helper for tty->ops->close, part 1/2

Parameters

struct tty_port *port
tty_port of the device
struct tty_struct *tty
tty being closed
struct file *filp
passed file pointer

Description

Decrements and checks open count. Flushes the port if this is the last close. That means, dropping the data from the outpu buffer on the device and waiting for sending logic to finish. The rest of close handling is performed in tty_port_close_end().

Locking: Caller holds tty lock.

Return

1 if this is the last close, otherwise 0

void tty_port_close_end(struct tty_port *port, struct tty_struct *tty)

helper for tty->ops->close, part 2/2

Parameters

struct tty_port *port
tty_port of the device
struct tty_struct *tty
tty being closed

Description

This is a continuation of the first part: tty_port_close_start(). This should be called after turning off the device. It flushes the data from the line discipline and delays the close by port->close_delay.

Locking: Caller holds tty lock.

void tty_port_close(struct tty_port *port, struct tty_struct *tty, struct file *filp)

generic tty->ops->close handler

Parameters

struct tty_port *port
tty_port of the device
struct tty_struct *tty
tty being closed
struct file *filp
passed file pointer

Description

It is a generic helper to be used in driver’s tty->ops->close. It wraps a sequence of tty_port_close_start(), tty_port_shutdown(), and tty_port_close_end(). The latter two are called only if this is the last close. See the respective functions for the details.

Locking: Caller holds tty lock

int tty_port_install(struct tty_port *port, struct tty_driver *driver, struct tty_struct *tty)

generic tty->ops->install handler

Parameters

struct tty_port *port
tty_port of the device
struct tty_driver *driver
tty_driver for this device
struct tty_struct *tty
tty to be installed

Description

It is the same as tty_standard_install() except the provided port is linked to a concrete tty specified by tty. Use this or tty_port_register_device() (or both). Call tty_port_link_device() as a last resort.

int tty_port_open(struct tty_port *port, struct tty_struct *tty, struct file *filp)

generic tty->ops->open handler

Parameters

struct tty_port *port
tty_port of the device
struct tty_struct *tty
tty to be opened
struct file *filp
passed file pointer

Description

It is a generic helper to be used in driver’s tty->ops->open. It activates the devices using port->ops->activate if not active already. And waits for the device to be ready using tty_port_block_til_ready() (e.g. raises DTR/CTS and waits for carrier).

Note that port->ops->shutdown is not called when port->ops->activate returns an error (on the contrary, tty->ops->close is).

Locking: Caller holds tty lock.

Note

may drop and reacquire tty lock (in tty_port_block_til_ready()) so tty and port may have changed state (eg., may be hung up now).

TTY Refcounting

struct tty_struct * tty_port_tty_get(struct tty_port *port)

get a tty reference

Parameters

struct tty_port *port
tty port

Description

Return a refcount protected tty instance or NULL if the port is not associated with a tty (eg due to close or hangup).

void tty_port_tty_set(struct tty_port *port, struct tty_struct *tty)

set the tty of a port

Parameters

struct tty_port *port
tty port
struct tty_struct *tty
the tty

Description

Associate the port and tty pair. Manages any internal refcounts. Pass NULL to deassociate a port.

TTY Helpers

void tty_port_tty_hangup(struct tty_port *port, bool check_clocal)

helper to hang up a tty

Parameters

struct tty_port *port
tty port
bool check_clocal
hang only ttys with CLOCAL unset?
void tty_port_tty_wakeup(struct tty_port *port)

helper to wake up a tty

Parameters

struct tty_port *port
tty port

Modem Signals

int tty_port_carrier_raised(struct tty_port *port)

carrier raised check

Parameters

struct tty_port *port
tty port

Description

Wrapper for the carrier detect logic. For the moment this is used to hide some internal details. This will eventually become entirely internal to the tty port.

void tty_port_raise_dtr_rts(struct tty_port *port)

Raise DTR/RTS

Parameters

struct tty_port *port
tty port

Description

Wrapper for the DTR/RTS raise logic. For the moment this is used to hide some internal details. This will eventually become entirely internal to the tty port.

void tty_port_lower_dtr_rts(struct tty_port *port)

Lower DTR/RTS

Parameters

struct tty_port *port
tty port

Description

Wrapper for the DTR/RTS raise logic. For the moment this is used to hide some internal details. This will eventually become entirely internal to the tty port.


TTY Port Reference

struct tty_port
  • port level information

Definition

struct tty_port {
  struct tty_bufhead      buf;
  struct tty_struct       *tty;
  struct tty_struct       *itty;
  const struct tty_port_operations *ops;
  const struct tty_port_client_operations *client_ops;
  spinlock_t lock;
  int blocked_open;
  int count;
  wait_queue_head_t open_wait;
  wait_queue_head_t delta_msr_wait;
  unsigned long           flags;
  unsigned long           iflags;
  unsigned char           console:1;
  struct mutex            mutex;
  struct mutex            buf_mutex;
  unsigned char           *xmit_buf;
  unsigned char *xmit_fifo;
  unsigned int            close_delay;
  unsigned int            closing_wait;
  int drain_delay;
  struct kref             kref;
  void *client_data;
};

Members

buf
buffer for this port, locked internally
tty
back pointer to struct tty_struct, valid only if the tty is open. Use tty_port_tty_get() to obtain it (and tty_kref_put() to release).
itty
internal back pointer to struct tty_struct. Avoid this. It should be eliminated in the long term.
ops
tty port operations (like activate, shutdown), see struct tty_port_operations
client_ops
tty port client operations (like receive_buf, write_wakeup). By default, tty_port_default_client_ops is used.
lock
lock protecting tty
blocked_open
# of procs waiting for open in tty_port_block_til_ready()
count
usage count
open_wait
open waiters queue (waiting e.g. for a carrier)
delta_msr_wait
modem status change queue (waiting for MSR changes)
flags
user TTY flags (ASYNC_)
iflags
internal flags (TTY_PORT_)
console
when set, the port is a console
mutex
locking, for open, shutdown and other port operations
buf_mutex
xmit_buf alloc lock
xmit_buf
optional xmit buffer used by some drivers
xmit_fifo
optional xmit buffer used by some drivers
close_delay
delay in jiffies to wait when closing the port
closing_wait
delay in jiffies for output to be sent before closing
drain_delay
set to zero if no pure time based drain is needed else set to size of fifo
kref
references counter. Reaching zero calls ops->destruct() if non-NULL or frees the port otherwise.
client_data
pointer to private data, for client_ops

Description

Each device keeps its own port level information. struct tty_port was introduced as a common structure for such information. As every TTY device shall have a backing tty_port structure, every driver can use these members.

The tty port has a different lifetime to the tty so must be kept apart. In addition be careful as tty -> port mappings are valid for the life of the tty object but in many cases port -> tty mappings are valid only until a hangup so don’t use the wrong path.

Tty port shall be initialized by tty_port_init() and shut down either by tty_port_destroy() (refcounting not used), or tty_port_put() (refcounting).

There is a lot of helpers around struct tty_port too. To name the most significant ones: tty_port_open(), tty_port_close() (or tty_port_close_start() and tty_port_close_end() separately if need be), and tty_port_hangup(). These call ops->activate() and ops->shutdown() as needed.


TTY Port Operations Reference

struct tty_port_operations
  • operations on tty_port

Definition

struct tty_port_operations {
  int (*carrier_raised)(struct tty_port *port);
  void (*dtr_rts)(struct tty_port *port, int raise);
  void (*shutdown)(struct tty_port *port);
  int (*activate)(struct tty_port *port, struct tty_struct *tty);
  void (*destruct)(struct tty_port *port);
};

Members

carrier_raised
return 1 if the carrier is raised on port
dtr_rts
raise the DTR line if raise is nonzero, otherwise lower DTR
shutdown
called when the last close completes or a hangup finishes IFF the port was initialized. Do not use to free resources. Turn off the device only. Called under the port mutex to serialize against activate and shutdown.
activate

called under the port mutex from tty_port_open(), serialized using the port mutex. Supposed to turn on the device.

FIXME: long term getting the tty argument out of this would be good for consoles.

destruct
called on the final put of a port. Free resources, possibly incl. the port itself.