configfs: accessing item hierarchy during rmdir(2)

Add a notification callback, ops->disconnect_notify(). It has the same
prototype as ->drop_item(), but it will be called just before the item
linkage is broken. This way, configfs users who want to do work while
the object is still in the heirarchy have a chance.

Client drivers will still need to config_item_put() in their
->drop_item(), if they implement it.  They need do nothing in
->disconnect_notify().  They don't have to provide it if they don't
care.  But someone who wants to be notified before ci_parent is set to
NULL can now be notified.

Signed-off-by: Joel Becker <joel.becker@oracle.com>
Signed-off-by: Mark Fasheh <mark.fasheh@oracle.com>

1 files changed, 12 insertions, 0 deletions

diff --git a/Documentation/filesystems/configfs/configfs.txt b/Documentation/filesystems/configfs/configfs.txt
index 21f038e..aef74cd 100644
--- a/Documentation/filesystems/configfs/configfs.txt
+++ b/Documentation/filesystems/configfs/configfs.txt
@@ -238,6 +238,8 @@ config_item_type.
 		struct config_group *(*make_group)(struct config_group *group,
 						   const char *name);
 		int (*commit_item)(struct config_item *item);
+		void (*disconnect_notify)(struct config_group *group,
+					  struct config_item *item);
 		void (*drop_item)(struct config_group *group,
 				  struct config_item *item);
 	};
@@ -268,6 +270,16 @@ the item in other threads, the memory is safe.  It may take some time
 for the item to actually disappear from the subsystem's usage.  But it
 is gone from configfs.
 
+When drop_item() is called, the item's linkage has already been torn
+down.  It no longer has a reference on its parent and has no place in
+the item hierarchy.  If a client needs to do some cleanup before this
+teardown happens, the subsystem can implement the
+ct_group_ops->disconnect_notify() method.  The method is called after
+configfs has removed the item from the filesystem view but before the
+item is removed from its parent group.  Like drop_item(),
+disconnect_notify() is void and cannot fail.  Client subsystems should
+not drop any references here, as they still must do it in drop_item().
+
 A config_group cannot be removed while it still has child items.  This
 is implemented in the configfs rmdir(2) code.  ->drop_item() will not be
 called, as the item has not been dropped.  rmdir(2) will fail, as the