How do I test SLOB? Really need help!

[markloop]

So I've edited SLOB to use the best-fit algorithm, both when finding a suitable page and a suitable block. But the question is, how do I test it? Should I just write user-level code that continuously does malloc? Or should I create a module that does a few kmallocs?

By the way, I've inserted a static unsigned int counter, that after 6000 calls of slob_alloc (the function that finds the suitable page to handle the request), prints the requested size, the available blocks on the page, and the block that's the best fit. But I get nothing printed with dmesg.

Your replies will be greatly appreciated!

[Rubberman]

Without looking at your code, there isn't much to tell you. Are you sure your code is getting called?

[markloop]

My code is slob.c, edited to use the best-fit algorithm. I told the .config file specifically to use SLOB, then I compiled the kernel. So isn't my code supposed to be called whenever an allocation is asked for?

[Rubberman]

It is not called when malloc() is, only when sbrk() is called. It is sbrk() that allocates system memory to the process, and malloc() only uses that chunk. FWIW, malloc()/calloc()/realloc()/free() are all user-space functions. Only sbrk() will hit the kernel.