Merge branch 'perf-urgent-for-linus' of git://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/tip/tip

Pull perf fixes from Ingo Molnar:
 "Tooling fixes, the biggest patch is one that decouples the kernel's
  list.h from tooling list.h"

* 'perf-urgent-for-linus' of git://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/tip/tip: (23 commits)
  perf tools: Fallback to srcdir/Documentation/tips.txt
  perf ui/tui: Print helpline message as is
  perf tools: Set and pass DOCDIR to builtin-report.c
  perf tools: Add file_only config option to strlist
  perf tools: Add more usage tips
  perf record: Add --buildid-all option
  tools subcmd: Add missing NORETURN define for parse-options.h
  tools: Fix formatting of the "make -C tools" help message
  tools: Make list.h self-sufficient
  perf tools: Fix mmap2 event allocation in synthesize code
  perf stat: Fix recort_usage typo
  perf test: Reset err after using it hold errcode in hist testcases
  perf test: Fix false TEST_OK result for 'perf test hist'
  tools build: Add BPF feature check to test-all
  perf bpf: Fix build breakage due to libbpf
  tools: Move Makefile.arch from perf/config to tools/scripts
  perf tools: Fix PowerPC native building
  perf tools: Fix phony build target for build-test
  perf tools: Add -lutil in python lib list for broken python-config
  perf tools: Add missing sources to perf's MANIFEST
  ...

tools/Makefile

@@ -8,24 +8,24 @@ include scripts/Makefile.include
 help:
 	@echo 'Possible targets:'
 	@echo ''
-	@echo '  acpi       - ACPI tools'
-	@echo '  cgroup     - cgroup tools'
-	@echo '  cpupower   - a tool for all things x86 CPU power'
-	@echo '  firewire   - the userspace part of nosy, an IEEE-1394 traffic sniffer'
-	@echo '  hv         - tools used when in Hyper-V clients'
-	@echo '  iio        - IIO tools'
-	@echo '  lguest     - a minimal 32-bit x86 hypervisor'
-	@echo '  perf       - Linux performance measurement and analysis tool'
-	@echo '  selftests  - various kernel selftests'
-	@echo '  spi        - spi tools'
-	@echo '  turbostat  - Intel CPU idle stats and freq reporting tool'
-	@echo '  usb        - USB testing tools'
-	@echo '  virtio     - vhost test module'
-	@echo '  net        - misc networking tools'
-	@echo '  vm         - misc vm tools'
+	@echo '  acpi                   - ACPI tools'
+	@echo '  cgroup                 - cgroup tools'
+	@echo '  cpupower               - a tool for all things x86 CPU power'
+	@echo '  firewire               - the userspace part of nosy, an IEEE-1394 traffic sniffer'
+	@echo '  freefall               - laptop accelerometer program for disk protection'
+	@echo '  hv                     - tools used when in Hyper-V clients'
+	@echo '  iio                    - IIO tools'
+	@echo '  lguest                 - a minimal 32-bit x86 hypervisor'
+	@echo '  net                    - misc networking tools'
+	@echo '  perf                   - Linux performance measurement and analysis tool'
+	@echo '  selftests              - various kernel selftests'
+	@echo '  spi                    - spi tools'
+	@echo '  tmon                   - thermal monitoring and tuning tool'
+	@echo '  turbostat              - Intel CPU idle stats and freq reporting tool'
+	@echo '  usb                    - USB testing tools'
+	@echo '  virtio                 - vhost test module'
+	@echo '  vm                     - misc vm tools'
 	@echo '  x86_energy_perf_policy - Intel energy policy tool'
-	@echo '  tmon       - thermal monitoring and tuning tool'
-	@echo '  freefall   - laptop accelerometer program for disk protection'
 	@echo ''
 	@echo 'You can do:'
 	@echo ' $$ make -C tools/ <tool>_install'
@@ -128,6 +128,12 @@ liblockdep_clean:
 libapi_clean:
 	$(call descend,lib/api,clean)
 
+libbpf_clean:
+	$(call descend,lib/bpf,clean)
+
+libsubcmd_clean:
+	$(call descend,lib/subcmd,clean)
+
 perf_clean:
 	$(call descend,$(@:_clean=),clean)
 
@@ -143,9 +149,12 @@ tmon_clean:
 freefall_clean:
 	$(call descend,laptop/freefall,clean)
 
+build_clean:
+	$(call descend,build,clean)
+
 clean: acpi_clean cgroup_clean cpupower_clean hv_clean firewire_clean lguest_clean \
 		perf_clean selftests_clean turbostat_clean spi_clean usb_clean virtio_clean \
 		vm_clean net_clean iio_clean x86_energy_perf_policy_clean tmon_clean \
-		freefall_clean
+		freefall_clean build_clean libbpf_clean libsubcmd_clean liblockdep_clean
 
 .PHONY: FORCE

tools/build/feature/test-all.c

@@ -125,6 +125,10 @@
 # include "test-get_cpuid.c"
 #undef main
 
+#define main main_test_bpf
+# include "test-bpf.c"
+#undef main
+
 int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 {
 	main_test_libpython();
@@ -153,6 +157,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 	main_test_pthread_attr_setaffinity_np();
 	main_test_lzma();
 	main_test_get_cpuid();
+	main_test_bpf();
 
 	return 0;
 }

tools/build/feature/test-bpf.c

+#include <asm/unistd.h>
 #include <linux/bpf.h>
+#include <unistd.h>
+
+#ifndef __NR_bpf
+# if defined(__i386__)
+#  define __NR_bpf 357
+# elif defined(__x86_64__)
+#  define __NR_bpf 321
+# elif defined(__aarch64__)
+#  define __NR_bpf 280
+#  error __NR_bpf not defined. libbpf does not support your arch.
+# endif
+#endif
 
 int main(void)
 {
 	union bpf_attr attr;
 
+	/* Check fields in attr */
 	attr.prog_type = BPF_PROG_TYPE_KPROBE;
 	attr.insn_cnt = 0;
 	attr.insns = 0;
@@ -14,5 +28,9 @@ int main(void)
 	attr.kern_version = 0;
 
 	attr = attr;
-	return 0;
+	/*
+	 * Test existence of __NR_bpf and BPF_PROG_LOAD.
+	 * This call should fail if we run the testcase.
+	 */
+	return syscall(__NR_bpf, BPF_PROG_LOAD, attr, sizeof(attr));
 }

tools/lib/bpf/Makefile

@@ -6,6 +6,12 @@ BPF_EXTRAVERSION = 1
 
 MAKEFLAGS += --no-print-directory
 
+ifeq ($(srctree),)
+srctree := $(patsubst %/,%,$(dir $(shell pwd)))
+srctree := $(patsubst %/,%,$(dir $(srctree)))
+srctree := $(patsubst %/,%,$(dir $(srctree)))
+#$(info Determined 'srctree' to be $(srctree))
+endif
 
 # Makefiles suck: This macro sets a default value of $(2) for the
 # variable named by $(1), unless the variable has been set by
@@ -31,7 +37,8 @@ INSTALL = install
 DESTDIR ?=
 DESTDIR_SQ = '$(subst ','\'',$(DESTDIR))'
 
-LP64 := $(shell echo __LP64__ | ${CC} ${CFLAGS} -E -x c - | tail -n 1)
+include $(srctree)/tools/scripts/Makefile.arch
+
 ifeq ($(LP64), 1)
   libdir_relative = lib64
 else
@@ -57,13 +64,6 @@ ifndef VERBOSE
   VERBOSE = 0
 endif
 
-ifeq ($(srctree),)
-srctree := $(patsubst %/,%,$(dir $(shell pwd)))
-srctree := $(patsubst %/,%,$(dir $(srctree)))
-srctree := $(patsubst %/,%,$(dir $(srctree)))
-#$(info Determined 'srctree' to be $(srctree))
-endif
-
 FEATURE_USER = .libbpf
 FEATURE_TESTS = libelf libelf-getphdrnum libelf-mmap bpf
 FEATURE_DISPLAY = libelf bpf
@@ -192,7 +192,7 @@ config-clean:
 	$(Q)$(MAKE) -C $(srctree)/tools/build/feature/ clean >/dev/null
 
 clean:
-	$(call QUIET_CLEAN, libbpf) $(RM) *.o *~ $(TARGETS) *.a *.so $(VERSION_FILES) .*.d \
+	$(call QUIET_CLEAN, libbpf) $(RM) *.o *~ $(TARGETS) *.a *.so $(VERSION_FILES) .*.d .*.cmd \
 		$(RM) LIBBPF-CFLAGS
 	$(call QUIET_CLEAN, core-gen) $(RM) $(OUTPUT)FEATURE-DUMP.libbpf
 

tools/lib/bpf/bpf.c

@@ -14,8 +14,8 @@
 #include "bpf.h"
 
 /*
- * When building perf, unistd.h is override. Define __NR_bpf is
- * required to be defined.
+ * When building perf, unistd.h is overrided. __NR_bpf is
+ * required to be defined explicitly.
  */
 #ifndef __NR_bpf
 # if defined(__i386__)

tools/lib/lockdep/Makefile

@@ -149,7 +149,7 @@ install_lib: all_cmd
 install: install_lib
 
 clean:
-	$(RM) *.o *~ $(TARGETS) *.a *liblockdep*.so* $(VERSION_FILES) .*.d
+	$(RM) *.o *~ $(TARGETS) *.a *liblockdep*.so* $(VERSION_FILES) .*.d .*.cmd
 	$(RM) tags TAGS
 
 PHONY += force

tools/lib/subcmd/parse-options.h

@@ -4,6 +4,10 @@
 #include <stdbool.h>
 #include <stdint.h>
 
+#ifndef NORETURN
+#define NORETURN __attribute__((__noreturn__))
+#endif
+
 enum parse_opt_type {
 	/* special types */
 	OPTION_END,

tools/perf/Build

@@ -42,6 +42,7 @@ CFLAGS_perf.o              += -DPERF_HTML_PATH="BUILD_STR($(htmldir_SQ))"	\
 			      -include $(OUTPUT)PERF-VERSION-FILE
 CFLAGS_builtin-trace.o	   += -DSTRACE_GROUPS_DIR="BUILD_STR($(STRACE_GROUPS_DIR_SQ))"
 CFLAGS_builtin-report.o	   += -DTIPDIR="BUILD_STR($(tipdir_SQ))"
+CFLAGS_builtin-report.o	   += -DDOCDIR="BUILD_STR($(srcdir_SQ)/Documentation)"
 
 libperf-y += util/
 libperf-y += arch/

tools/perf/Documentation/perf-record.txt

@@ -338,6 +338,9 @@ Options passed to clang when compiling BPF scriptlets.
 Specify vmlinux path which has debuginfo.
 (enabled when BPF prologue is on)
 
+--buildid-all::
+Record build-id of all DSOs regardless whether it's actually hit or not.
+
 SEE ALSO
 --------
 linkperf:perf-stat[1], linkperf:perf-list[1]

tools/perf/Documentation/tips.txt

@@ -12,3 +12,18 @@ List events using substring match: perf list <keyword>
 To see list of saved events and attributes: perf evlist -v
 Use --symfs <dir> if your symbol files are in non-standard locations
 To see callchains in a more compact form: perf report -g folded
+Show individual samples with: perf script
+Limit to show entries above 5% only: perf report --percent-limit 5
+Profiling branch (mis)predictions with: perf record -b / perf report
+Treat branches as callchains: perf report --branch-history
+To count events in every 1000 msec: perf stat -I 1000
+Print event counts in CSV format with: perf stat -x,
+If you have debuginfo enabled, try: perf report -s sym,srcline
+For memory address profiling, try: perf mem record / perf mem report
+For tracepoint events, try: perf report -s trace_fields
+To record callchains for each sample: perf record -g
+To record every process run by an user: perf record -u <user>
+Skip collecing build-id when recording: perf record -B
+To change sampling frequency to 100 Hz: perf record -F 100
+See assembly instructions with percentage: perf annotate <symbol>
+If you prefer Intel style assembly, try: perf annotate -M intel

tools/perf/MANIFEST

@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ tools/lib/string.c
 tools/lib/symbol/kallsyms.c
 tools/lib/symbol/kallsyms.h
 tools/lib/find_bit.c
+tools/lib/bitmap.c
 tools/include/asm/atomic.h
 tools/include/asm/barrier.h
 tools/include/asm/bug.h
@@ -57,6 +58,7 @@ tools/include/linux/rbtree_augmented.h
 tools/include/linux/string.h
 tools/include/linux/types.h
 tools/include/linux/err.h
+tools/include/linux/bitmap.h
 include/asm-generic/bitops/arch_hweight.h
 include/asm-generic/bitops/const_hweight.h
 include/asm-generic/bitops/fls64.h

tools/perf/builtin-record.c

@@ -50,6 +50,7 @@ struct record {
 	int			realtime_prio;
 	bool			no_buildid;
 	bool			no_buildid_cache;
+	bool			buildid_all;
 	unsigned long long	samples;
 };
 
@@ -362,6 +363,13 @@ static int process_buildids(struct record *rec)
 	 */
 	symbol_conf.ignore_vmlinux_buildid = true;
 
+	/*
+	 * If --buildid-all is given, it marks all DSO regardless of hits,
+	 * so no need to process samples.
+	 */
+	if (rec->buildid_all)
+		rec->tool.sample = NULL;
+
 	return perf_session__process_events(session);
 }
 
@@ -756,12 +764,8 @@ static int __cmd_record(struct record *rec, int argc, const char **argv)
 
 		if (!rec->no_buildid) {
 			process_buildids(rec);
-			/*
-			 * We take all buildids when the file contains
-			 * AUX area tracing data because we do not decode the
-			 * trace because it would take too long.
-			 */
-			if (rec->opts.full_auxtrace)
+
+			if (rec->buildid_all)
 				dsos__hit_all(rec->session);
 		}
 		perf_session__write_header(rec->session, rec->evlist, fd, true);
@@ -1138,6 +1142,8 @@ struct option __record_options[] = {
 		   "options passed to clang when compiling BPF scriptlets"),
 	OPT_STRING(0, "vmlinux", &symbol_conf.vmlinux_name,
 		   "file", "vmlinux pathname"),
+	OPT_BOOLEAN(0, "buildid-all", &record.buildid_all,
+		    "Record build-id of all DSOs regardless of hits"),
 	OPT_END()
 };
 
@@ -1255,6 +1261,14 @@ int cmd_record(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix __maybe_unused)
 	if (err)
 		goto out_symbol_exit;
 
+	/*
+	 * We take all buildids when the file contains
+	 * AUX area tracing data because we do not decode the
+	 * trace because it would take too long.
+	 */
+	if (rec->opts.full_auxtrace)
+		rec->buildid_all = true;
+
 	if (record_opts__config(&rec->opts)) {
 		err = -EINVAL;
 		goto out_symbol_exit;

tools/perf/builtin-report.c

@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@
 #include "util/tool.h"
 
 #include <subcmd/parse-options.h>
+#include <subcmd/exec-cmd.h>
 #include "util/parse-events.h"
 
 #include "util/thread.h"
@@ -433,7 +434,14 @@ static int report__browse_hists(struct report *rep)
 	int ret;
 	struct perf_session *session = rep->session;
 	struct perf_evlist *evlist = session->evlist;
-	const char *help = perf_tip(TIPDIR);
+	const char *help = perf_tip(system_path(TIPDIR));
+
+	if (help == NULL) {
+		/* fallback for people who don't install perf ;-) */
+		help = perf_tip(DOCDIR);
+		if (help == NULL)
+			help = "Cannot load tips.txt file, please install perf!";
+	}
 
 	switch (use_browser) {
 	case 1:

tools/perf/builtin-stat.c

@@ -1588,7 +1588,7 @@ static int add_default_attributes(void)
 	return perf_evlist__add_default_attrs(evsel_list, very_very_detailed_attrs);
 }
 
-static const char * const recort_usage[] = {
+static const char * const stat_record_usage[] = {
 	"perf stat record [<options>]",
 	NULL,
 };
@@ -1611,7 +1611,7 @@ static int __cmd_record(int argc, const char **argv)
 	struct perf_session *session;
 	struct perf_data_file *file = &perf_stat.file;
 
-	argc = parse_options(argc, argv, stat_options, record_usage,
+	argc = parse_options(argc, argv, stat_options, stat_record_usage,
 			     PARSE_OPT_STOP_AT_NON_OPTION);
 
 	if (output_name)
@@ -1745,7 +1745,7 @@ int process_cpu_map_event(struct perf_tool *tool __maybe_unused,
 	return set_maps(st);
 }
 
-static const char * const report_usage[] = {
+static const char * const stat_report_usage[] = {
 	"perf stat report [<options>]",
 	NULL,
 };
@@ -1779,7 +1779,7 @@ static int __cmd_report(int argc, const char **argv)
 	struct stat st;
 	int ret;
 
-	argc = parse_options(argc, argv, options, report_usage, 0);
+	argc = parse_options(argc, argv, options, stat_report_usage, 0);
 
 	if (!input_name || !strlen(input_name)) {
 		if (!fstat(STDIN_FILENO, &st) && S_ISFIFO(st.st_mode))

tools/perf/config/Makefile

@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ detected_var = $(shell echo "$(1)=$($(1))" >> $(OUTPUT).config-detected)
 
 CFLAGS := $(EXTRA_CFLAGS) $(EXTRA_WARNINGS)
 
-include $(src-perf)/config/Makefile.arch
+include $(srctree)/tools/scripts/Makefile.arch
 
 $(call detected_var,ARCH)
 
@@ -493,7 +493,7 @@ else
 
       PYTHON_EMBED_LDOPTS := $(shell $(PYTHON_CONFIG_SQ) --ldflags 2>/dev/null)
       PYTHON_EMBED_LDFLAGS := $(call strip-libs,$(PYTHON_EMBED_LDOPTS))
-      PYTHON_EMBED_LIBADD := $(call grep-libs,$(PYTHON_EMBED_LDOPTS))
+      PYTHON_EMBED_LIBADD := $(call grep-libs,$(PYTHON_EMBED_LDOPTS)) -lutil
       PYTHON_EMBED_CCOPTS := $(shell $(PYTHON_CONFIG_SQ) --cflags 2>/dev/null)
       FLAGS_PYTHON_EMBED := $(PYTHON_EMBED_CCOPTS) $(PYTHON_EMBED_LDOPTS)
 
@@ -692,6 +692,7 @@ template_dir = share/perf-core/templates
 STRACE_GROUPS_DIR = share/perf-core/strace/groups
 htmldir = share/doc/perf-doc
 tipdir = share/doc/perf-tip
+srcdir = $(srctree)/tools/perf
 ifeq ($(prefix),/usr)
 sysconfdir = /etc
 ETC_PERFCONFIG = $(sysconfdir)/perfconfig
@@ -722,6 +723,7 @@ tipdir_SQ = $(subst ','\'',$(tipdir))
 prefix_SQ = $(subst ','\'',$(prefix))
 sysconfdir_SQ = $(subst ','\'',$(sysconfdir))
 libdir_SQ = $(subst ','\'',$(libdir))
+srcdir_SQ = $(subst ','\'',$(srcdir))
 
 ifneq ($(filter /%,$(firstword $(perfexecdir))),)
 perfexec_instdir = $(perfexecdir)
@@ -776,6 +778,7 @@ $(call detected_var,STRACE_GROUPS_DIR_SQ)
 $(call detected_var,prefix_SQ)
 $(call detected_var,perfexecdir_SQ)
 $(call detected_var,tipdir_SQ)
+$(call detected_var,srcdir_SQ)
 $(call detected_var,LIBDIR)
 $(call detected_var,GTK_CFLAGS)
 $(call detected_var,PERL_EMBED_CCOPTS)

tools/perf/tests/hists_common.c

@@ -87,11 +87,6 @@ struct machine *setup_fake_machine(struct machines *machines)
 		return NULL;
 	}
 
-	if (machine__create_kernel_maps(machine)) {
-		pr_debug("Cannot create kernel maps\n");
-		return NULL;
-	}
-
 	for (i = 0; i < ARRAY_SIZE(fake_threads); i++) {
 		struct thread *thread;
 

tools/perf/tests/hists_cumulate.c

@@ -706,6 +706,7 @@ int test__hists_cumulate(int subtest __maybe_unused)
 	err = parse_events(evlist, "cpu-clock", NULL);
 	if (err)
 		goto out;
+	err = TEST_FAIL;
 
 	machines__init(&machines);
 

tools/perf/tests/hists_filter.c

@@ -120,6 +120,7 @@ int test__hists_filter(int subtest __maybe_unused)
 	err = parse_events(evlist, "task-clock", NULL);
 	if (err)
 		goto out;
+	err = TEST_FAIL;
 
 	/* default sort order (comm,dso,sym) will be used */
 	if (setup_sorting(NULL) < 0)

tools/perf/tests/hists_link.c

@@ -293,6 +293,7 @@ int test__hists_link(int subtest __maybe_unused)
 	if (err)
 		goto out;
 
+	err = TEST_FAIL;
 	/* default sort order (comm,dso,sym) will be used */
 	if (setup_sorting(NULL) < 0)
 		goto out;

tools/perf/tests/hists_output.c

@@ -597,6 +597,7 @@ int test__hists_output(int subtest __maybe_unused)
 	err = parse_events(evlist, "cpu-clock", NULL);
 	if (err)
 		goto out;
+	err = TEST_FAIL;
 
 	machines__init(&machines);
 

tools/perf/tests/make

+include ../scripts/Makefile.include
+
 ifndef MK
 ifeq ($(MAKECMDGOALS),)
 # no target specified, trigger the whole suite
@@ -12,7 +14,19 @@ endif
 else
 PERF := .
 
-include config/Makefile.arch
+# As per kernel Makefile, avoid funny character set dependencies
+unexport LC_ALL
+LC_COLLATE=C
+LC_NUMERIC=C
+export LC_COLLATE LC_NUMERIC
+
+ifeq ($(srctree),)
+srctree := $(patsubst %/,%,$(dir $(shell pwd)))
+srctree := $(patsubst %/,%,$(dir $(srctree)))
+#$(info Determined 'srctree' to be $(srctree))
+endif
+
+include $(srctree)/tools/scripts/Makefile.arch
 
 # FIXME looks like x86 is the only arch running tests ;-)
 # we need some IS_(32/64) flag to make this generic
@@ -280,5 +294,5 @@ all: $(run) $(run_O) tarpkg make_kernelsrc make_kernelsrc_tools
 out: $(run_O)
 	@echo OK
 
-.PHONY: all $(run) $(run_O) tarpkg clean
+.PHONY: all $(run) $(run_O) tarpkg clean make_kernelsrc make_kernelsrc_tools
 endif # ifndef MK

tools/perf/ui/browsers/hists.c

@@ -480,7 +480,7 @@ static int hist_browser__run(struct hist_browser *browser, const char *help)
 
 	hists__browser_title(browser->hists, hbt, title, sizeof(title));
 
-	if (ui_browser__show(&browser->b, title, help) < 0)
+	if (ui_browser__show(&browser->b, title, "%s", help) < 0)
 		return -1;
 
 	while (1) {

tools/perf/util/event.c

@@ -503,7 +503,7 @@ int perf_event__synthesize_thread_map(struct perf_tool *tool,
 	if (comm_event == NULL)
 		goto out;
 
-	mmap_event = malloc(sizeof(mmap_event->mmap) + machine->id_hdr_size);
+	mmap_event = malloc(sizeof(mmap_event->mmap2) + machine->id_hdr_size);
 	if (mmap_event == NULL)
 		goto out_free_comm;
 
@@ -577,7 +577,7 @@ int perf_event__synthesize_threads(struct perf_tool *tool,
 	if (comm_event == NULL)
 		goto out;
 
-	mmap_event = malloc(sizeof(mmap_event->mmap) + machine->id_hdr_size);
+	mmap_event = malloc(sizeof(mmap_event->mmap2) + machine->id_hdr_size);
 	if (mmap_event == NULL)
 		goto out_free_comm;
 

tools/perf/util/strlist.c

@@ -126,6 +126,11 @@ static int strlist__parse_list_entry(struct strlist *slist, const char *s,
 			err = strlist__load(slist, subst);
 			goto out;
 		}
+
+		if (slist->file_only) {
+			err = -ENOENT;
+			goto out;
+		}
 	}
 
 	err = strlist__add(slist, s);
@@ -157,11 +162,13 @@ struct strlist *strlist__new(const char *list, const struct strlist_config *conf
 
 	if (slist != NULL) {
 		bool dupstr = true;
+		bool file_only = false;
 		const char *dirname = NULL;
 
 		if (config) {
 			dupstr = !config->dont_dupstr;
 			dirname = config->dirname;
+			file_only = config->file_only;
 		}
 
 		rblist__init(&slist->rblist);
@@ -170,6 +177,7 @@ struct strlist *strlist__new(const char *list, const struct strlist_config *conf
 		slist->rblist.node_delete = strlist__node_delete;
 
 		slist->dupstr	 = dupstr;
+		slist->file_only = file_only;
 
 		if (list && strlist__parse_list(slist, list, dirname) != 0)
 			goto out_error;

tools/perf/util/strlist.h

@@ -13,11 +13,18 @@ struct str_node {
 
 struct strlist {
 	struct rblist rblist;
-	bool	       dupstr;
+	bool	      dupstr;
+	bool	      file_only;
 };
 
+/*
+ * @file_only: When dirname is present, only consider entries as filenames,
+ *             that should not be added to the list if dirname/entry is not
+ *             found
+ */
 struct strlist_config {
 	bool dont_dupstr;
+	bool file_only;
 	const char *dirname;
 };
 

tools/perf/util/util.c

@@ -17,7 +17,6 @@
 #include <unistd.h>
 #include "callchain.h"
 #include "strlist.h"
-#include <subcmd/exec-cmd.h>
 
 struct callchain_param	callchain_param = {
 	.mode	= CHAIN_GRAPH_ABS,
@@ -672,14 +671,16 @@ const char *perf_tip(const char *dirpath)
 	struct str_node *node;
 	char *tip = NULL;
 	struct strlist_config conf = {
-		.dirname = system_path(dirpath) ,
+		.dirname = dirpath,
+		.file_only = true,
 	};
 
 	tips = strlist__new("tips.txt", &conf);
-	if (tips == NULL || strlist__nr_entries(tips) == 1) {
-		tip = (char *)"Cannot find tips.txt file";
+	if (tips == NULL)
+		return errno == ENOENT ? NULL : "Tip: get more memory! ;-p";
+
+	if (strlist__nr_entries(tips) == 0)
 		goto out;
-	}
 
 	node = strlist__entry(tips, random() % strlist__nr_entries(tips));
 	if (asprintf(&tip, "Tip: %s", node->s) < 0)