--- Coro/Coro.pm 2001/08/11 00:37:31 1.29 +++ Coro/Coro.pm 2007/01/23 15:55:45 1.113 @@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ # some asynchronous thread of execution }; - # alternatively create an async process like this: + # alternatively create an async coroutine like this: sub some_func : Coro { # some more async code @@ -20,28 +20,45 @@ =head1 DESCRIPTION -This module collection manages coroutines. Coroutines are similar to -Threads but don't run in parallel. - -This module is still experimental, see the BUGS section below. - -In this module, coroutines are defined as "callchain + lexical variables -+ @_ + $_ + $@ + $^W + C stack), that is, a coroutine has it's own -callchain, it's own set of lexicals and it's own set of perl's most -important global variables. +This module collection manages coroutines. Coroutines are similar +to threads but don't run in parallel at the same time even on SMP +machines. The specific flavor of coroutine use din this module also +guarentees you that it will not switch between coroutines unless +necessary, at easily-identified points in your program, so locking and +parallel access are rarely an issue, making coroutine programming much +safer than threads programming. + +(Perl, however, does not natively support real threads but instead does a +very slow and memory-intensive emulation of processes using threads. This +is a performance win on Windows machines, and a loss everywhere else). + +In this module, coroutines are defined as "callchain + lexical variables + +@_ + $_ + $@ + $/ + C stack), that is, a coroutine has its own callchain, +its own set of lexicals and its own set of perls most important global +variables. =cut package Coro; -use Coro::State; +use strict; +no warnings "uninitialized"; -use base Exporter; +use Coro::State; -$VERSION = 0.45; +use base qw(Coro::State Exporter); -@EXPORT = qw(async cede schedule terminate current); -@EXPORT_OK = qw($current); +our $idle; # idle handler +our $main; # main coroutine +our $current; # current coroutine + +our $VERSION = '3.42'; + +our @EXPORT = qw(async async_pool cede schedule terminate current unblock_sub); +our %EXPORT_TAGS = ( + prio => [qw(PRIO_MAX PRIO_HIGH PRIO_NORMAL PRIO_LOW PRIO_IDLE PRIO_MIN)], +); +our @EXPORT_OK = (@{$EXPORT_TAGS{prio}}, qw(nready)); { my @async; @@ -49,7 +66,10 @@ # this way of handling attributes simply is NOT scalable ;() sub import { - Coro->export_to_level(1, @_); + no strict 'refs'; + + Coro->export_to_level (1, @_); + my $old = *{(caller)[0]."::MODIFY_CODE_ATTRIBUTES"}{CODE}; *{(caller)[0]."::MODIFY_CODE_ATTRIBUTES"} = sub { my ($package, $ref) = (shift, shift); @@ -74,180 +94,460 @@ } +=over 4 + =item $main This coroutine represents the main program. =cut -our $main = new Coro; +$main = new Coro; =item $current (or as function: current) -The current coroutine (the last coroutine switched to). The initial value is C<$main> (of course). +The current coroutine (the last coroutine switched to). The initial value +is C<$main> (of course). + +This variable is B I. It is provided for performance +reasons. If performance is not essentiel you are encouraged to use the +C function instead. =cut # maybe some other module used Coro::Specific before... -if ($current) { - $main->{specific} = $current->{specific}; -} +$main->{specific} = $current->{specific} + if $current; -our $current = $main; +_set_current $main; sub current() { $current } =item $idle -The coroutine to switch to when no other coroutine is running. The default -implementation prints "FATAL: deadlock detected" and exits. +A callback that is called whenever the scheduler finds no ready coroutines +to run. The default implementation prints "FATAL: deadlock detected" and +exits, because the program has no other way to continue. + +This hook is overwritten by modules such as C and +C to wait on an external event that hopefully wake up a +coroutine so the scheduler can run it. + +Please note that if your callback recursively invokes perl (e.g. for event +handlers), then it must be prepared to be called recursively. =cut -# should be done using priorities :( -our $idle = new Coro sub { - print STDERR "FATAL: deadlock detected\n"; - exit(51); +$idle = sub { + require Carp; + Carp::croak ("FATAL: deadlock detected"); }; +sub _cancel { + my ($self) = @_; + + # free coroutine data and mark as destructed + $self->_destroy + or return; + + # call all destruction callbacks + $_->(@{$self->{status}}) + for @{(delete $self->{destroy_cb}) || []}; +} + # this coroutine is necessary because a coroutine # cannot destroy itself. my @destroy; -my $manager = new Coro sub { - while() { - delete ((pop @destroy)->{_coro_state}) while @destroy; +my $manager; + +$manager = new Coro sub { + while () { + (shift @destroy)->_cancel + while @destroy; + &schedule; } }; -# we really need priorities... -my @ready; # the ready queue. hehe, rather broken ;) +$manager->prio (PRIO_MAX); # static methods. not really. +=back + =head2 STATIC METHODS -Static methods are actually functions that operate on the current process only. +Static methods are actually functions that operate on the current coroutine only. =over 4 =item async { ... } [@args...] -Create a new asynchronous process and return it's process object -(usually unused). When the sub returns the new process is automatically +Create a new asynchronous coroutine and return it's coroutine object +(usually unused). When the sub returns the new coroutine is automatically terminated. +Calling C in a coroutine will not work correctly, so do not do that. + +When the coroutine dies, the program will exit, just as in the main +program. + # create a new coroutine that just prints its arguments async { print "@_\n"; } 1,2,3,4; -The coderef you submit MUST NOT be a closure that refers to variables -in an outer scope. This does NOT work. Pass arguments into it instead. - =cut sub async(&@) { - my $pid = new Coro @_; - $manager->ready; # this ensures that the stack is cloned from the manager - $pid->ready; - $pid; + my $coro = new Coro @_; + $coro->ready; + $coro } -=item schedule +=item async_pool { ... } [@args...] -Calls the scheduler. Please note that the current process will not be put -into the ready queue, so calling this function usually means you will -never be called again. +Similar to C, but uses a coroutine pool, so you should not call +terminate or join (although you are allowed to), and you get a coroutine +that might have executed other code already (which can be good or bad :). + +Also, the block is executed in an C context and a warning will be +issued in case of an exception instead of terminating the program, as +C does. As the coroutine is being reused, stuff like C +will not work in the expected way, unless you call terminate or cancel, +which somehow defeats the purpose of pooling. + +The priority will be reset to C<0> after each job, otherwise the coroutine +will be re-used "as-is". + +The pool size is limited to 8 idle coroutines (this can be adjusted by +changing $Coro::POOL_SIZE), and there can be as many non-idle coros as +required. + +If you are concerned about pooled coroutines growing a lot because a +single C used a lot of stackspace you can e.g. C once per second or so to slowly replenish the pool. =cut -my $prev; +our $POOL_SIZE = 8; +our @pool; + +sub pool_handler { + while () { + eval { + my ($cb, @arg) = @{ delete $current->{_invoke} or return }; + $cb->(@arg); + }; + warn $@ if $@; -sub schedule { - # should be done using priorities :( - ($prev, $current) = ($current, shift @ready || $idle); - Coro::State::transfer($prev, $current); + last if @pool >= $POOL_SIZE; + push @pool, $current; + + $current->prio (0); + schedule; + } +} + +sub async_pool(&@) { + # this is also inlined into the unlock_scheduler + my $coro = (pop @pool or new Coro \&pool_handler); + + $coro->{_invoke} = [@_]; + $coro->ready; + + $coro } +=item schedule + +Calls the scheduler. Please note that the current coroutine will not be put +into the ready queue, so calling this function usually means you will +never be called again unless something else (e.g. an event handler) calls +ready. + +The canonical way to wait on external events is this: + + { + # remember current coroutine + my $current = $Coro::current; + + # register a hypothetical event handler + on_event_invoke sub { + # wake up sleeping coroutine + $current->ready; + undef $current; + }; + + # call schedule until event occured. + # in case we are woken up for other reasons + # (current still defined), loop. + Coro::schedule while $current; + } + =item cede -"Cede" to other processes. This function puts the current process into the +"Cede" to other coroutines. This function puts the current coroutine into the ready queue and calls C, which has the effect of giving up the current "timeslice" to other coroutines of the same or higher priority. -=cut +Returns true if at least one coroutine switch has happened. -sub cede { - $current->ready; - &schedule; -} +=item Coro::cede_notself -=item terminate +Works like cede, but is not exported by default and will cede to any +coroutine, regardless of priority, once. -Terminates the current process. +Returns true if at least one coroutine switch has happened. -Future versions of this function will allow result arguments. +=item terminate [arg...] + +Terminates the current coroutine with the given status values (see L). =cut sub terminate { - $current->cancel; - &schedule; - die; # NORETURN + $current->cancel (@_); } =back # dynamic methods -=head2 PROCESS METHODS +=head2 COROUTINE METHODS -These are the methods you can call on process objects. +These are the methods you can call on coroutine objects. =over 4 =item new Coro \&sub [, @args...] -Create a new process and return it. When the sub returns the process -automatically terminates. To start the process you must first put it into -the ready queue by calling the ready method. +Create a new coroutine and return it. When the sub returns the coroutine +automatically terminates as if C with the returned values were +called. To make the coroutine run you must first put it into the ready queue +by calling the ready method. -The coderef you submit MUST NOT be a closure that refers to variables -in an outer scope. This does NOT work. Pass arguments into it instead. +Calling C in a coroutine will not work correctly, so do not do that. =cut -sub _newcoro { +sub _run_coro { terminate &{+shift}; } sub new { my $class = shift; - bless { - _coro_state => (new Coro::State $_[0] && \&_newcoro, @_), - }, $class; + + $class->SUPER::new (\&_run_coro, @_) } -=item $process->ready +=item $success = $coroutine->ready + +Put the given coroutine into the ready queue (according to it's priority) +and return true. If the coroutine is already in the ready queue, do nothing +and return false. + +=item $is_ready = $coroutine->is_ready + +Return wether the coroutine is currently the ready queue or not, -Put the current process into the ready queue. +=item $coroutine->cancel (arg...) + +Terminates the given coroutine and makes it return the given arguments as +status (default: the empty list). Never returns if the coroutine is the +current coroutine. =cut -sub ready { - push @ready, $_[0]; +sub cancel { + my $self = shift; + $self->{status} = [@_]; + + if ($current == $self) { + push @destroy, $self; + $manager->ready; + &schedule while 1; + } else { + $self->_cancel; + } } -=item $process->cancel +=item $coroutine->join -Like C, but terminates the specified process instead. +Wait until the coroutine terminates and return any values given to the +C or C functions. C can be called multiple times +from multiple coroutine. =cut -sub cancel { - push @destroy, $_[0]; - $manager->ready; +sub join { + my $self = shift; + + unless ($self->{status}) { + my $current = $current; + + push @{$self->{destroy_cb}}, sub { + $current->ready; + undef $current; + }; + + &schedule while $current; + } + + wantarray ? @{$self->{status}} : $self->{status}[0]; +} + +=item $coroutine->on_destroy (\&cb) + +Registers a callback that is called when this coroutine gets destroyed, +but before it is joined. The callback gets passed the terminate arguments, +if any. + +=cut + +sub on_destroy { + my ($self, $cb) = @_; + + push @{ $self->{destroy_cb} }, $cb; +} + +=item $oldprio = $coroutine->prio ($newprio) + +Sets (or gets, if the argument is missing) the priority of the +coroutine. Higher priority coroutines get run before lower priority +coroutines. Priorities are small signed integers (currently -4 .. +3), +that you can refer to using PRIO_xxx constants (use the import tag :prio +to get then): + + PRIO_MAX > PRIO_HIGH > PRIO_NORMAL > PRIO_LOW > PRIO_IDLE > PRIO_MIN + 3 > 1 > 0 > -1 > -3 > -4 + + # set priority to HIGH + current->prio(PRIO_HIGH); + +The idle coroutine ($Coro::idle) always has a lower priority than any +existing coroutine. + +Changing the priority of the current coroutine will take effect immediately, +but changing the priority of coroutines in the ready queue (but not +running) will only take effect after the next schedule (of that +coroutine). This is a bug that will be fixed in some future version. + +=item $newprio = $coroutine->nice ($change) + +Similar to C, but subtract the given value from the priority (i.e. +higher values mean lower priority, just as in unix). + +=item $olddesc = $coroutine->desc ($newdesc) + +Sets (or gets in case the argument is missing) the description for this +coroutine. This is just a free-form string you can associate with a coroutine. + +=cut + +sub desc { + my $old = $_[0]{desc}; + $_[0]{desc} = $_[1] if @_ > 1; + $old; +} + +=back + +=head2 GLOBAL FUNCTIONS + +=over 4 + +=item Coro::nready + +Returns the number of coroutines that are currently in the ready state, +i.e. that can be swicthed to. The value C<0> means that the only runnable +coroutine is the currently running one, so C would have no effect, +and C would cause a deadlock unless there is an idle handler +that wakes up some coroutines. + +=item my $guard = Coro::guard { ... } + +This creates and returns a guard object. Nothing happens until the objetc +gets destroyed, in which case the codeblock given as argument will be +executed. This is useful to free locks or other resources in case of a +runtime error or when the coroutine gets canceled, as in both cases the +guard block will be executed. The guard object supports only one method, +C<< ->cancel >>, which will keep the codeblock from being executed. + +Example: set some flag and clear it again when the coroutine gets canceled +or the function returns: + + sub do_something { + my $guard = Coro::guard { $busy = 0 }; + $busy = 1; + + # do something that requires $busy to be true + } + +=cut + +sub guard(&) { + bless \(my $cb = $_[0]), "Coro::guard" +} + +sub Coro::guard::cancel { + ${$_[0]} = sub { }; +} + +sub Coro::guard::DESTROY { + ${$_[0]}->(); +} + + +=item unblock_sub { ... } + +This utility function takes a BLOCK or code reference and "unblocks" it, +returning the new coderef. This means that the new coderef will return +immediately without blocking, returning nothing, while the original code +ref will be called (with parameters) from within its own coroutine. + +The reason this fucntion exists is that many event libraries (such as the +venerable L module) are not coroutine-safe (a weaker form +of thread-safety). This means you must not block within event callbacks, +otherwise you might suffer from crashes or worse. + +This function allows your callbacks to block by executing them in another +coroutine where it is safe to block. One example where blocking is handy +is when you use the L functions to save results to +disk. + +In short: simply use C instead of C when +creating event callbacks that want to block. + +=cut + +our @unblock_queue; + +# we create a special coro because we want to cede, +# to reduce pressure on the coro pool (because most callbacks +# return immediately and can be reused) and because we cannot cede +# inside an event callback. +our $unblock_scheduler = async { + while () { + while (my $cb = pop @unblock_queue) { + # this is an inlined copy of async_pool + my $coro = (pop @pool or new Coro \&pool_handler); + + $coro->{_invoke} = $cb; + $coro->ready; + cede; # for short-lived callbacks, this reduces pressure on the coro pool + } + schedule; # sleep well + } +}; + +sub unblock_sub(&) { + my $cb = shift; + + sub { + unshift @unblock_queue, [$cb, @_]; + $unblock_scheduler->ready; + } } =back @@ -258,28 +558,28 @@ =head1 BUGS/LIMITATIONS - - could be faster, especially when the core would introduce special - support for coroutines (like it does for threads). - - there is still a memleak on coroutine termination that I could not - identify. Could be as small as a single SV. - - this module is not well-tested. - - if variables or arguments "disappear" (become undef) or become - corrupted please contact the author so he cen iron out the - remaining bugs. - - this module is not thread-safe. You must only ever use this module from - the same thread (this requirement might be loosened in the future to - allow per-thread schedulers, but Coro::State does not yet allow this). + - you must make very sure that no coro is still active on global + destruction. very bad things might happen otherwise (usually segfaults). + + - this module is not thread-safe. You should only ever use this module + from the same thread (this requirement might be losened in the future + to allow per-thread schedulers, but Coro::State does not yet allow + this). =head1 SEE ALSO -L, L, L, L, -L, L, L, L, -L, L. +Support/Utility: L, L, L, L. + +Locking/IPC: L, L, L, L, L. + +Event/IO: L, L, L, L, L. + +Embedding: L =head1 AUTHOR - Marc Lehmann - http://www.goof.com/pcg/marc/ + Marc Lehmann + http://home.schmorp.de/ =cut