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+Using gcov with the Linux kernel
+================================
+
+1. Introduction
+2. Preparation
+3. Customization
+4. Files
+5. Modules
+6. Separated build and test machines
+7. Troubleshooting
+Appendix A: sample script: gather_on_build.sh
+Appendix B: sample script: gather_on_test.sh
+
+
+1. Introduction
+===============
+
+gcov profiling kernel support enables the use of GCC's coverage testing
+tool gcov [1] with the Linux kernel. Coverage data of a running kernel
+is exported in gcov-compatible format via the "gcov" debugfs directory.
+To get coverage data for a specific file, change to the kernel build
+directory and use gcov with the -o option as follows (requires root):
+
+# cd /tmp/linux-out
+# gcov -o /sys/kernel/debug/gcov/tmp/linux-out/kernel spinlock.c
+
+This will create source code files annotated with execution counts
+in the current directory. In addition, graphical gcov front-ends such
+as lcov [2] can be used to automate the process of collecting data
+for the entire kernel and provide coverage overviews in HTML format.
+
+Possible uses:
+
+* debugging (has this line been reached at all?)
+* test improvement (how do I change my test to cover these lines?)
+* minimizing kernel configurations (do I need this option if the
+  associated code is never run?)
+
+--
+
+[1] http://gcc.gnu.org/onlinedocs/gcc/Gcov.html
+[2] http://ltp.sourceforge.net/coverage/lcov.php
+
+
+2. Preparation
+==============
+
+Configure the kernel with:
+
+        CONFIG_DEBUGFS=y
+        CONFIG_GCOV_KERNEL=y
+
+and to get coverage data for the entire kernel:
+
+        CONFIG_GCOV_PROFILE_ALL=y
+
+Note that kernels compiled with profiling flags will be significantly
+larger and run slower. Also CONFIG_GCOV_PROFILE_ALL may not be supported
+on all architectures.
+
+Profiling data will only become accessible once debugfs has been
+mounted:
+
+        mount -t debugfs none /sys/kernel/debug
+
+
+3. Customization
+================
+
+To enable profiling for specific files or directories, add a line
+similar to the following to the respective kernel Makefile:
+
+        For a single file (e.g. main.o):
+                GCOV_PROFILE_main.o := y
+
+        For all files in one directory:
+                GCOV_PROFILE := y
+
+To exclude files from being profiled even when CONFIG_GCOV_PROFILE_ALL
+is specified, use:
+
+                GCOV_PROFILE_main.o := n
+        and:
+                GCOV_PROFILE := n
+
+Only files which are linked to the main kernel image or are compiled as
+kernel modules are supported by this mechanism.
+
+
+4. Files
+========
+
+The gcov kernel support creates the following files in debugfs:
+
+        /sys/kernel/debug/gcov
+                Parent directory for all gcov-related files.
+
+        /sys/kernel/debug/gcov/reset
+                Global reset file: resets all coverage data to zero when
+                written to.
+
+        /sys/kernel/debug/gcov/path/to/compile/dir/file.gcda
+                The actual gcov data file as understood by the gcov
+                tool. Resets file coverage data to zero when written to.
+
+        /sys/kernel/debug/gcov/path/to/compile/dir/file.gcno
+                Symbolic link to a static data file required by the gcov
+                tool. This file is generated by gcc when compiling with
+                option -ftest-coverage.
+
+
+5. Modules
+==========
+
+Kernel modules may contain cleanup code which is only run during
+module unload time. The gcov mechanism provides a means to collect
+coverage data for such code by keeping a copy of the data associated
+with the unloaded module. This data remains available through debugfs.
+Once the module is loaded again, the associated coverage counters are
+initialized with the data from its previous instantiation.
+
+This behavior can be deactivated by specifying the gcov_persist kernel
+parameter:
+
+        gcov_persist=0
+
+At run-time, a user can also choose to discard data for an unloaded
+module by writing to its data file or the global reset file.
+
+
+6. Separated build and test machines
+====================================
+
+The gcov kernel profiling infrastructure is designed to work out-of-the
+box for setups where kernels are built and run on the same machine. In
+cases where the kernel runs on a separate machine, special preparations
+must be made, depending on where the gcov tool is used:
+
+a) gcov is run on the TEST machine
+
+The gcov tool version on the test machine must be compatible with the
+gcc version used for kernel build. Also the following files need to be
+copied from build to test machine:
+
+from the source tree:
+  - all C source files + headers
+
+from the build tree:
+  - all C source files + headers
+  - all .gcda and .gcno files
+  - all links to directories
+
+It is important to note that these files need to be placed into the
+exact same file system location on the test machine as on the build
+machine. If any of the path components is symbolic link, the actual
+directory needs to be used instead (due to make's CURDIR handling).
+
+b) gcov is run on the BUILD machine
+
+The following files need to be copied after each test case from test
+to build machine:
+
+from the gcov directory in sysfs:
+  - all .gcda files
+  - all links to .gcno files
+
+These files can be copied to any location on the build machine. gcov
+must then be called with the -o option pointing to that directory.
+
+Example directory setup on the build machine:
+
+  /tmp/linux:    kernel source tree
+  /tmp/out:      kernel build directory as specified by make O=
+  /tmp/coverage: location of the files copied from the test machine
+
+  [user@build] cd /tmp/out
+  [user@build] gcov -o /tmp/coverage/tmp/out/init main.c
+
+
+7. Troubleshooting
+==================
+
+Problem:  Compilation aborts during linker step.
+Cause:    Profiling flags are specified for source files which are not
+          linked to the main kernel or which are linked by a custom
+          linker procedure.
+Solution: Exclude affected source files from profiling by specifying
+          GCOV_PROFILE := n or GCOV_PROFILE_basename.o := n in the
+          corresponding Makefile.
+
+
+Appendix A: gather_on_build.sh
+==============================
+
+Sample script to gather coverage meta files on the build machine
+(see 6a):
+
+#!/bin/bash
+
+KSRC=$1
+KOBJ=$2
+DEST=$3
+
+if [ -z "$KSRC" ] || [ -z "$KOBJ" ] || [ -z "$DEST" ]; then
+  echo "Usage: $0 <ksrc directory> <kobj directory> <output.tar.gz>" >&2
+  exit 1
+fi
+
+KSRC=$(cd $KSRC; printf "all:\n\t@echo \${CURDIR}\n" | make -f -)
+KOBJ=$(cd $KOBJ; printf "all:\n\t@echo \${CURDIR}\n" | make -f -)
+
+find $KSRC $KOBJ \( -name '*.gcno' -o -name '*.[ch]' -o -type l \) -a \
+                 -perm /u+r,g+r | tar cfz $DEST -P -T -
+
+if [ $? -eq 0 ] ; then
+  echo "$DEST successfully created, copy to test system and unpack with:"
+  echo "  tar xfz $DEST -P"
+else
+  echo "Could not create file $DEST"
+fi
+
+
+Appendix B: gather_on_test.sh
+=============================
+
+Sample script to gather coverage data files on the test machine
+(see 6b):
+
+#!/bin/bash
+
+DEST=$1
+GCDA=/sys/kernel/debug/gcov
+
+if [ -z "$DEST" ] ; then
+  echo "Usage: $0 <output.tar.gz>" >&2
+  exit 1
+fi
+
+find $GCDA -name '*.gcno' -o -name '*.gcda' | tar cfz $DEST -T -
+
+if [ $? -eq 0 ] ; then
+  echo "$DEST successfully created, copy to build system and unpack with:"
+  echo "  tar xfz $DEST"
+else
+  echo "Could not create file $DEST"
+fi