sys: don't imply pointer indirection for string arguments

In preparation for extending string functionality
and to make it less magical.

sys/README.md

@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ rest of the type-options are type-specific:
 		type of the object; direction (in/out/inout)
 	"buffer": a pointer to a memory buffer (like read/write buffer argument), type-options:
 		direction (in/out/inout)
-	"string": a pointer to a memory buffer, similar to buffer[in]
+	"string": a zero-terminated memory buffer (no pointer indirection implied)
 	"strconst": a pointer to a constant string, type-options:
 		the underlying string (for example "/dev/dsp")
 	"filename": a file/link/dir name

sys/bpf.txt

@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ bpf_prog {
 	type	flags[bpf_prog_type, int32]
 	ninsn	len[insns, int32]
 	insns	ptr[in, array[bpf_insn]]
-	license	string
+	license	ptr[in, string]
 	loglev	int32
 	logsize	len[log, int32]
 	log	buffer[out]

sys/key.txt

@@ -6,17 +6,17 @@ include <uapi/linux/keyctl.h>
 
 resource key[int32]: KEY_SPEC_THREAD_KEYRING, KEY_SPEC_PROCESS_KEYRING, KEY_SPEC_SESSION_KEYRING, KEY_SPEC_USER_KEYRING, KEY_SPEC_USER_SESSION_KEYRING, KEY_SPEC_GROUP_KEYRING, KEY_SPEC_REQKEY_AUTH_KEY, KEY_SPEC_REQUESTOR_KEYRING
 
-add_key(type string, desc string, payload buffer[in, opt], paylen len[payload], keyring flags[keyring_type]) key
-request_key(type string, desc string, callout string, keyring flags[keyring_type]) key
+add_key(type ptr[in, string], desc ptr[in, string], payload buffer[in, opt], paylen len[payload], keyring flags[keyring_type]) key
+request_key(type ptr[in, string], desc ptr[in, string], callout ptr[in, string], keyring flags[keyring_type]) key
 keyctl$get_keyring_id(code const[KEYCTL_GET_KEYRING_ID], key key, create intptr)
-keyctl$join(code const[KEYCTL_JOIN_SESSION_KEYRING], session string)
+keyctl$join(code const[KEYCTL_JOIN_SESSION_KEYRING], session ptr[in, string])
 keyctl$update(code const[KEYCTL_UPDATE], key key, payload buffer[in, opt], paylen len[payload])
 keyctl$revoke(code const[KEYCTL_REVOKE], key key)
 keyctl$describe(code const[KEYCTL_DESCRIBE], key key, desc buffer[out], len len[desc])
 keyctl$clear(code const[KEYCTL_CLEAR], key key)
 keyctl$link(code const[KEYCTL_LINK], key1 key, key2 key)
 keyctl$unlink(code const[KEYCTL_UNLINK], key1 key, key2 key)
-keyctl$search(code const[KEYCTL_SEARCH], key key, type string, desc string, ring key)
+keyctl$search(code const[KEYCTL_SEARCH], key key, type ptr[in, string], desc ptr[in, string], ring key)
 keyctl$read(code const[KEYCTL_READ], key key, payload buffer[out], len len[payload])
 keyctl$chown(code const[KEYCTL_CHOWN], key key, uid uid, gid gid)
 # perm is a mask of KEY_POS_VIEW, etc consants, but they cover almost whole int32.

sys/perf.txt

@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ ioctl$PERF_EVENT_IOC_REFRESH(fd fd_perf, cmd const[PERF_EVENT_IOC_REFRESH], refr
 ioctl$PERF_EVENT_IOC_PERIOD(fd fd_perf, cmd const[PERF_EVENT_IOC_PERIOD], period ptr[in, int64])
 ioctl$PERF_EVENT_IOC_ID(fd fd_perf, cmd const[PERF_EVENT_IOC_ID], id ptr[out, int64])
 ioctl$PERF_EVENT_IOC_SET_OUTPUT(fd fd_perf, cmd const[PERF_EVENT_IOC_SET_OUTPUT], other fd_perf)
-ioctl$PERF_EVENT_IOC_SET_FILTER(fd fd_perf, cmd const[PERF_EVENT_IOC_SET_FILTER], filter string)
+ioctl$PERF_EVENT_IOC_SET_FILTER(fd fd_perf, cmd const[PERF_EVENT_IOC_SET_FILTER], filter ptr[in, string])
 ioctl$PERF_EVENT_IOC_SET_BPF(fd fd_perf, cmd const[PERF_EVENT_IOC_SET_BPF], prog fd_bpf_prog)
 
 perf_flags = PERF_FLAG_FD_NO_GROUP, PERF_FLAG_FD_OUTPUT, PERF_FLAG_PID_CGROUP, PERF_FLAG_FD_CLOEXEC

sys/sndcontrol.txt

@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ snd_ctl_elem_info {
 	items	int32
 	item	int32
 	name	array[int8, 64]
-	nameptr	string
+	nameptr	ptr[in, string]
 	namelen	len[nameptr, int32]
 	pad1	array[const[0, int8], 44]
 	d	array[int16, 4]

sys/socket.txt

@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ ioctl$SIOCINQ(fd sock, cmd const[SIOCINQ], arg ptr[out, int32])
 setsockopt$sock_void(fd sock, level const[SOL_SOCKET], optname flags[sockopt_opt_sock_void], optval const[0], optlen const[0])
 getsockopt$sock_int(fd sock, level const[SOL_SOCKET], optname flags[sockopt_opt_sock_int], optval ptr[out, int32], optlen ptr[inout, len[optval, int32]])
 setsockopt$sock_int(fd sock, level const[SOL_SOCKET], optname flags[sockopt_opt_sock_int], optval ptr[in, int32], optlen len[optval])
-setsockopt$sock_str(fd sock, level const[SOL_SOCKET], optname const[SO_BINDTODEVICE], optval string, optlen len[optval])
+setsockopt$sock_str(fd sock, level const[SOL_SOCKET], optname const[SO_BINDTODEVICE], optval ptr[in, string], optlen len[optval])
 getsockopt$sock_linger(fd sock, level const[SOL_SOCKET], optname const[SO_LINGER], optval ptr[out, linger], optlen ptr[inout, len[optval, int32]])
 setsockopt$sock_linger(fd sock, level const[SOL_SOCKET], optname const[SO_LINGER], optval ptr[in, linger], optlen len[optval])
 getsockopt$sock_cred(fd sock, level const[SOL_SOCKET], optname const[SO_PEERCRED], optval ptr[out, ucred], optlen ptr[inout, len[optval, int32]])

sys/sys.txt

@@ -156,7 +156,7 @@ mlock2(addr vma, size len[addr], flags flags[mlock_flags])
 munlock(addr vma, size len[addr])
 mlockall(flags flags[mlockall_flags])
 munlockall()
-memfd_create(name string, flags flags[memfd_flags]) fd
+memfd_create(name ptr[in, string], flags flags[memfd_flags]) fd
 unshare(flags flags[clone_flags])
 kcmp(pid1 pid, pid2 pid, type flags[kcmp_flags], fd1 fd, fd2 fd)
 
@@ -220,7 +220,7 @@ prctl$intptr(option flags[prctl_code_intptr], arg intptr)
 prctl$getreaper(option flags[prctl_code_getreaper], arg ptr[out, intptr])
 prctl$setendian(option const[PR_SET_ENDIAN], arg flags[prctl_endian])
 prctl$setfpexc(option const[PR_SET_FPEXC], arg flags[prctl_fpexc])
-prctl$setname(option const[PR_SET_NAME], name string)
+prctl$setname(option const[PR_SET_NAME], name ptr[in, string])
 prctl$getname(option const[PR_GET_NAME], name buffer[out])
 prctl$setptracer(option const[PR_SET_PTRACER], pid pid)
 prctl$seccomp(option const[PR_SET_SECCOMP], mode flags[prctl_seccomp_mode], prog ptr[in, sock_fprog])
@@ -230,12 +230,12 @@ arch_prctl(code flags[arch_prctl_code], addr buffer[in])
 seccomp(op flags[seccomp_op], flags flags[seccomp_flags], prog ptr[in, sock_fprog])
 
 resource fd_mq[fd]
-mq_open(name string, flags flags[mq_open_flags], mode flags[open_mode], attr ptr[in, mq_attr]) fd_mq
+mq_open(name ptr[in, string], flags flags[mq_open_flags], mode flags[open_mode], attr ptr[in, mq_attr]) fd_mq
 mq_timedsend(mqd fd_mq, msg buffer[in], msglen len[msg], prio intptr, timeout ptr[in, timespec, opt])
 mq_timedreceive(mqd fd_mq, msg buffer[out], msglen len[msg], prio intptr, timeout ptr[in, timespec, opt])
 mq_notify(mqd fd_mq, notif ptr[in, sigevent])
 mq_getsetattr(mqd fd_mq, attr ptr[in, mq_attr], oldattr ptr[out, mq_attr, opt])
-mq_unlink(name string)
+mq_unlink(name ptr[in, string])
 
 resource ipc[int32]: 0, 0xffffffffffffffff
 resource ipc_msq[ipc]
@@ -350,16 +350,16 @@ mount$fs(src filesystem, dst filename, type filesystem, flags flags[mount_flags]
 umount2(path filename, flags flags[umount_flags])
 pivot_root(new_root filename, put_old filename)
 
-sysfs$1(option flags[sysfs_opt1], fsname string)
+sysfs$1(option flags[sysfs_opt1], fsname ptr[in, string])
 sysfs$2(option flags[sysfs_opt2], fsindex intptr, fsname buffer[out])
 sysfs$3(option flags[sysfs_opt3])
 statfs(path filename, buf buffer[out])
 fstatfs(fd fd, buf buffer[out])
 
 uselib(lib filename)
-init_module(mod string, len len[mod], args string)
-finit_module(fd fd, args string, flags flags[finit_module_flags])
-delete_module(name string, flags flags[delete_module_flags])
+init_module(mod ptr[in, string], len len[mod], args ptr[in, string])
+finit_module(fd fd, args ptr[in, string], flags flags[finit_module_flags])
+delete_module(name ptr[in, string], flags flags[delete_module_flags])
 kexec_load(entry intptr, nr_segments len[segments], segments ptr[in, array[kexec_segment]], flags flags[kexec_load_flags])
 get_kernel_syms(table buffer[out])
 syslog(cmd flags[syslog_cmd], buf buffer[out, opt], len len[buf])
@@ -381,18 +381,18 @@ ioprio_set$pid(which flags[ioprio_which_pid], who pid, prio intptr)
 ioprio_set$uid(which flags[ioprio_which_uid], who uid, prio intptr)
 setns(fd fd, type flags[ns_type])
 
-setxattr(path filename, name string, val string, size len[val], flags flags[setxattr_flags])
-lsetxattr(path filename,  name string, val string, size len[val], flags flags[setxattr_flags])
-fsetxattr(fd fd,  name string, val string, size len[val], flags flags[setxattr_flags])
-getxattr(path filename,  name string, val buffer[out], size len[val])
-lgetxattr(path filename,  name string, val buffer[out], size len[val])
-fgetxattr(fd fd,  name string, val buffer[out], size len[val])
+setxattr(path filename, name ptr[in, string], val ptr[in, string], size len[val], flags flags[setxattr_flags])
+lsetxattr(path filename,  name ptr[in, string], val ptr[in, string], size len[val], flags flags[setxattr_flags])
+fsetxattr(fd fd,  name ptr[in, string], val ptr[in, string], size len[val], flags flags[setxattr_flags])
+getxattr(path filename,  name ptr[in, string], val buffer[out], size len[val])
+lgetxattr(path filename,  name ptr[in, string], val buffer[out], size len[val])
+fgetxattr(fd fd,  name ptr[in, string], val buffer[out], size len[val])
 listxattr(path filename, list buffer[out], size len[list])
 llistxattr(path filename, list buffer[out], size len[list])
 flistxattr(fd fd, list buffer[out], size len[list])
-removexattr(path filename,  name string)
-lremovexattr(path filename,  name string)
-fremovexattr(fd fd,  name string)
+removexattr(path filename,  name ptr[in, string])
+lremovexattr(path filename,  name ptr[in, string])
+fremovexattr(fd fd,  name ptr[in, string])
 
 resource timerid[int32]
 timer_create(id flags[clock_id], ev ptr[in, sigevent], timerid ptr[out, timerid])

sysgen/sysgen.go

@@ -407,14 +407,10 @@ func generateArg(
 		opt = false
 		fmt.Fprintf(out, "&PtrType{%v, Type: &BufferType{%v, Kind: BufferBlobRand}}", ptrCommonHdr, common())
 	case "string":
-		canBeArg = true
 		if want := 0; len(a) != want {
 			failf("wrong number of arguments for %v arg %v, want %v, got %v", typ, name, want, len(a))
 		}
-		ptrCommonHdr := common()
-		dir = "in"
-		opt = false
-		fmt.Fprintf(out, "&PtrType{%v, Type: &BufferType{%v, Kind: BufferString}}", ptrCommonHdr, common())
+		fmt.Fprintf(out, "&BufferType{%v, Kind: BufferString}", common())
 	case "filesystem":
 		canBeArg = true
 		if want := 0; len(a) != want {