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Revision 1.37 by root, Mon Sep 24 02:25:44 2001 UTC vs.
Revision 1.191 by root, Sat May 31 12:10:55 2008 UTC

2 2
3Coro - coroutine process abstraction 3Coro - coroutine process abstraction
4 4
5=head1 SYNOPSIS 5=head1 SYNOPSIS
6 6
7 use Coro; 7 use Coro;
8 8
9 async { 9 async {
10 # some asynchronous thread of execution 10 # some asynchronous thread of execution
11 print "2\n";
12 cede; # yield back to main
13 print "4\n";
11 }; 14 };
12 15 print "1\n";
13 # alternatively create an async process like this: 16 cede; # yield to coroutine
14 17 print "3\n";
15 sub some_func : Coro { 18 cede; # and again
16 # some more async code 19
17 } 20 # use locking
18 21 my $lock = new Coro::Semaphore;
19 cede; 22 my $locked;
23
24 $lock->down;
25 $locked = 1;
26 $lock->up;
20 27
21=head1 DESCRIPTION 28=head1 DESCRIPTION
22 29
23This module collection manages coroutines. Coroutines are similar to 30This module collection manages coroutines. Coroutines are similar to
24Threads but don't run in parallel. 31threads but don't (in general) run in parallel at the same time even
32on SMP machines. The specific flavor of coroutine used in this module
33also guarantees you that it will not switch between coroutines unless
34necessary, at easily-identified points in your program, so locking and
35parallel access are rarely an issue, making coroutine programming much
36safer and easier than threads programming.
25 37
26This module is still experimental, see the BUGS section below. 38Unlike a normal perl program, however, coroutines allow you to have
39multiple running interpreters that share data, which is especially useful
40to code pseudo-parallel processes and for event-based programming, such as
41multiple HTTP-GET requests running concurrently. See L<Coro::AnyEvent> to
42learn more.
27 43
44Coroutines are also useful because Perl has no support for threads (the so
45called "threads" that perl offers are nothing more than the (bad) process
46emulation coming from the Windows platform: On standard operating systems
47they serve no purpose whatsoever, except by making your programs slow and
48making them use a lot of memory. Best disable them when building perl, or
49aks your software vendor/distributor to do it for you).
50
28In this module, coroutines are defined as "callchain + lexical variables 51In this module, coroutines are defined as "callchain + lexical variables +
29+ @_ + $_ + $@ + $^W + C stack), that is, a coroutine has it's own 52@_ + $_ + $@ + $/ + C stack), that is, a coroutine has its own callchain,
30callchain, it's own set of lexicals and it's own set of perl's most 53its own set of lexicals and its own set of perls most important global
31important global variables. 54variables (see L<Coro::State> for more configuration).
32 55
33=cut 56=cut
34 57
35package Coro; 58package Coro;
36 59
60use strict;
37no warnings qw(uninitialized); 61no warnings "uninitialized";
38 62
39use Coro::State; 63use Coro::State;
40 64
41use base Exporter; 65use base qw(Coro::State Exporter);
42 66
43$VERSION = 0.5; 67our $idle; # idle handler
68our $main; # main coroutine
69our $current; # current coroutine
44 70
71our $VERSION = 4.742;
72
45@EXPORT = qw(async cede schedule terminate current); 73our @EXPORT = qw(async async_pool cede schedule terminate current unblock_sub);
46%EXPORT_TAGS = ( 74our %EXPORT_TAGS = (
47 prio => [qw(PRIO_MAX PRIO_HIGH PRIO_NORMAL PRIO_LOW PRIO_IDLE PRIO_MIN)], 75 prio => [qw(PRIO_MAX PRIO_HIGH PRIO_NORMAL PRIO_LOW PRIO_IDLE PRIO_MIN)],
48); 76);
49@EXPORT_OK = @{$EXPORT_TAGS{prio}}; 77our @EXPORT_OK = (@{$EXPORT_TAGS{prio}}, qw(nready));
50 78
51{ 79=over 4
52 my @async;
53 my $init;
54 80
55 # this way of handling attributes simply is NOT scalable ;()
56 sub import {
57 Coro->export_to_level(1, @_);
58 my $old = *{(caller)[0]."::MODIFY_CODE_ATTRIBUTES"}{CODE};
59 *{(caller)[0]."::MODIFY_CODE_ATTRIBUTES"} = sub {
60 my ($package, $ref) = (shift, shift);
61 my @attrs;
62 for (@_) {
63 if ($_ eq "Coro") {
64 push @async, $ref;
65 unless ($init++) {
66 eval q{
67 sub INIT {
68 &async(pop @async) while @async;
69 }
70 };
71 }
72 } else {
73 push @attrs, $_;
74 }
75 }
76 return $old ? $old->($package, $ref, @attrs) : @attrs;
77 };
78 }
79
80}
81
82=item $main 81=item $Coro::main
83 82
84This coroutine represents the main program. 83This variable stores the coroutine object that represents the main
84program. While you cna C<ready> it and do most other things you can do to
85coroutines, it is mainly useful to compare again C<$Coro::current>, to see
86wether you are running in the main program or not.
85 87
86=cut 88=cut
87 89
88our $main = new Coro; 90$main = new Coro;
89 91
90=item $current (or as function: current) 92=item $Coro::current
91 93
92The current coroutine (the last coroutine switched to). The initial value is C<$main> (of course). 94The coroutine object representing the current coroutine (the last
95coroutine that the Coro scheduler switched to). The initial value is
96C<$main> (of course).
93 97
98This variable is B<strictly> I<read-only>. You can take copies of the
99value stored in it and use it as any other coroutine object, but you must
100not otherwise modify the variable itself.
101
94=cut 102=cut
103
104$main->{desc} = "[main::]";
95 105
96# maybe some other module used Coro::Specific before... 106# maybe some other module used Coro::Specific before...
97if ($current) {
98 $main->{specific} = $current->{specific}; 107$main->{_specific} = $current->{_specific}
99} 108 if $current;
100 109
101our $current = $main; 110_set_current $main;
102 111
103sub current() { $current } 112sub current() { $current } # [DEPRECATED]
104 113
105=item $idle 114=item $Coro::idle
106 115
107The coroutine to switch to when no other coroutine is running. The default 116This variable is mainly useful to integrate Coro into event loops. It is
108implementation prints "FATAL: deadlock detected" and exits. 117usually better to rely on L<Coro::AnyEvent> or LC<Coro::EV>, as this is
118pretty low-level functionality.
109 119
110=cut 120This variable stores a callback that is called whenever the scheduler
121finds no ready coroutines to run. The default implementation prints
122"FATAL: deadlock detected" and exits, because the program has no other way
123to continue.
111 124
112# should be done using priorities :( 125This hook is overwritten by modules such as C<Coro::Timer> and
113our $idle = new Coro sub { 126C<Coro::AnyEvent> to wait on an external event that hopefully wake up a
114 print STDERR "FATAL: deadlock detected\n"; 127coroutine so the scheduler can run it.
115 exit(51); 128
129Note that the callback I<must not>, under any circumstances, block
130the current coroutine. Normally, this is achieved by having an "idle
131coroutine" that calls the event loop and then blocks again, and then
132readying that coroutine in the idle handler.
133
134See L<Coro::Event> or L<Coro::AnyEvent> for examples of using this
135technique.
136
137Please note that if your callback recursively invokes perl (e.g. for event
138handlers), then it must be prepared to be called recursively itself.
139
140=cut
141
142$idle = sub {
143 require Carp;
144 Carp::croak ("FATAL: deadlock detected");
116}; 145};
146
147sub _cancel {
148 my ($self) = @_;
149
150 # free coroutine data and mark as destructed
151 $self->_destroy
152 or return;
153
154 # call all destruction callbacks
155 $_->(@{$self->{_status}})
156 for @{(delete $self->{_on_destroy}) || []};
157}
117 158
118# this coroutine is necessary because a coroutine 159# this coroutine is necessary because a coroutine
119# cannot destroy itself. 160# cannot destroy itself.
120my @destroy; 161my @destroy;
162my $manager;
163
121my $manager = new Coro sub { 164$manager = new Coro sub {
122 while() { 165 while () {
123 # by overwriting the state object with the manager we destroy it 166 (shift @destroy)->_cancel
124 # while still being able to schedule this coroutine (in case it has 167 while @destroy;
125 # been readied multiple times. this is harmless since the manager 168
126 # can be called as many times as neccessary and will always
127 # remove itself from the runqueue
128 (pop @destroy)->{_coro_state} = $manager->{_coro_state} while @destroy;
129 &schedule; 169 &schedule;
130 } 170 }
131}; 171};
172$manager->desc ("[coro manager]");
173$manager->prio (PRIO_MAX);
132 174
133# static methods. not really. 175=back
134 176
135=head2 STATIC METHODS 177=head2 SIMPLE COROUTINE CREATION
136
137Static methods are actually functions that operate on the current process only.
138 178
139=over 4 179=over 4
140 180
141=item async { ... } [@args...] 181=item async { ... } [@args...]
142 182
143Create a new asynchronous process and return it's process object 183Create a new coroutine and return it's coroutine object (usually
144(usually unused). When the sub returns the new process is automatically 184unused). The coroutine will be put into the ready queue, so
185it will start running automatically on the next scheduler run.
186
187The first argument is a codeblock/closure that should be executed in the
188coroutine. When it returns argument returns the coroutine is automatically
145terminated. 189terminated.
146 190
191The remaining arguments are passed as arguments to the closure.
192
193See the C<Coro::State::new> constructor for info about the coroutine
194environment in which coroutines are executed.
195
196Calling C<exit> in a coroutine will do the same as calling exit outside
197the coroutine. Likewise, when the coroutine dies, the program will exit,
198just as it would in the main program.
199
200If you do not want that, you can provide a default C<die> handler, or
201simply avoid dieing (by use of C<eval>).
202
147 # create a new coroutine that just prints its arguments 203Example: Create a new coroutine that just prints its arguments.
204
148 async { 205 async {
149 print "@_\n"; 206 print "@_\n";
150 } 1,2,3,4; 207 } 1,2,3,4;
151 208
152The coderef you submit MUST NOT be a closure that refers to variables
153in an outer scope. This does NOT work. Pass arguments into it instead.
154
155=cut 209=cut
156 210
157sub async(&@) { 211sub async(&@) {
158 my $pid = new Coro @_; 212 my $coro = new Coro @_;
159 $manager->ready; # this ensures that the stack is cloned from the manager
160 $pid->ready; 213 $coro->ready;
161 $pid; 214 $coro
162} 215}
216
217=item async_pool { ... } [@args...]
218
219Similar to C<async>, but uses a coroutine pool, so you should not call
220terminate or join on it (although you are allowed to), and you get a
221coroutine that might have executed other code already (which can be good
222or bad :).
223
224On the plus side, this function is faster than creating (and destroying)
225a completely new coroutine, so if you need a lot of generic coroutines in
226quick successsion, use C<async_pool>, not C<async>.
227
228The code block is executed in an C<eval> context and a warning will be
229issued in case of an exception instead of terminating the program, as
230C<async> does. As the coroutine is being reused, stuff like C<on_destroy>
231will not work in the expected way, unless you call terminate or cancel,
232which somehow defeats the purpose of pooling (but is fine in the
233exceptional case).
234
235The priority will be reset to C<0> after each run, tracing will be
236disabled, the description will be reset and the default output filehandle
237gets restored, so you can change all these. Otherwise the coroutine will
238be re-used "as-is": most notably if you change other per-coroutine global
239stuff such as C<$/> you I<must needs> to revert that change, which is most
240simply done by using local as in: C< local $/ >.
241
242The pool size is limited to C<8> idle coroutines (this can be adjusted by
243changing $Coro::POOL_SIZE), and there can be as many non-idle coros as
244required.
245
246If you are concerned about pooled coroutines growing a lot because a
247single C<async_pool> used a lot of stackspace you can e.g. C<async_pool
248{ terminate }> once per second or so to slowly replenish the pool. In
249addition to that, when the stacks used by a handler grows larger than 16kb
250(adjustable via $Coro::POOL_RSS) it will also be destroyed.
251
252=cut
253
254our $POOL_SIZE = 8;
255our $POOL_RSS = 16 * 1024;
256our @async_pool;
257
258sub pool_handler {
259 my $cb;
260
261 while () {
262 eval {
263 while () {
264 _pool_1 $cb;
265 &$cb;
266 _pool_2 $cb;
267 &schedule;
268 }
269 };
270
271 last if $@ eq "\3async_pool terminate\2\n";
272 warn $@ if $@;
273 }
274}
275
276sub async_pool(&@) {
277 # this is also inlined into the unlock_scheduler
278 my $coro = (pop @async_pool) || new Coro \&pool_handler;
279
280 $coro->{_invoke} = [@_];
281 $coro->ready;
282
283 $coro
284}
285
286=back
287
288=head2 STATIC METHODS
289
290Static methods are actually functions that operate on the current coroutine.
291
292=over 4
163 293
164=item schedule 294=item schedule
165 295
166Calls the scheduler. Please note that the current process will not be put 296Calls the scheduler. The scheduler will find the next coroutine that is
297to be run from the ready queue and switches to it. The next coroutine
298to be run is simply the one with the highest priority that is longest
299in its ready queue. If there is no coroutine ready, it will clal the
300C<$Coro::idle> hook.
301
302Please note that the current coroutine will I<not> be put into the ready
167into the ready queue, so calling this function usually means you will 303queue, so calling this function usually means you will never be called
168never be called again. 304again unless something else (e.g. an event handler) calls C<< ->ready >>,
305thus waking you up.
169 306
170=cut 307This makes C<schedule> I<the> generic method to use to block the current
308coroutine and wait for events: first you remember the current coroutine in
309a variable, then arrange for some callback of yours to call C<< ->ready
310>> on that once some event happens, and last you call C<schedule> to put
311yourself to sleep. Note that a lot of things can wake your coroutine up,
312so you need to check wether the event indeed happened, e.g. by storing the
313status in a variable.
314
315The canonical way to wait on external events is this:
316
317 {
318 # remember current coroutine
319 my $current = $Coro::current;
320
321 # register a hypothetical event handler
322 on_event_invoke sub {
323 # wake up sleeping coroutine
324 $current->ready;
325 undef $current;
326 };
327
328 # call schedule until event occurred.
329 # in case we are woken up for other reasons
330 # (current still defined), loop.
331 Coro::schedule while $current;
332 }
171 333
172=item cede 334=item cede
173 335
174"Cede" to other processes. This function puts the current process into the 336"Cede" to other coroutines. This function puts the current coroutine into
175ready queue and calls C<schedule>, which has the effect of giving up the 337the ready queue and calls C<schedule>, which has the effect of giving
176current "timeslice" to other coroutines of the same or higher priority. 338up the current "timeslice" to other coroutines of the same or higher
339priority. Once your coroutine gets its turn again it will automatically be
340resumed.
177 341
178=cut 342This function is often called C<yield> in other languages.
179 343
344=item Coro::cede_notself
345
346Works like cede, but is not exported by default and will cede to I<any>
347coroutine, regardless of priority. This is useful sometimes to ensure
348progress is made.
349
180=item terminate 350=item terminate [arg...]
181 351
182Terminates the current process. 352Terminates the current coroutine with the given status values (see L<cancel>).
183 353
184Future versions of this function will allow result arguments. 354=item killall
355
356Kills/terminates/cancels all coroutines except the currently running
357one. This is useful after a fork, either in the child or the parent, as
358usually only one of them should inherit the running coroutines.
359
360Note that while this will try to free some of the main programs resources,
361you cnanot free all of them, so if a coroutine that is not the main
362program calls this function, there will be some one-time resource leak.
185 363
186=cut 364=cut
187 365
188sub terminate { 366sub terminate {
189 $current->cancel; 367 $current->cancel (@_);
190 &schedule; 368}
191 die; # NORETURN 369
370sub killall {
371 for (Coro::State::list) {
372 $_->cancel
373 if $_ != $current && UNIVERSAL::isa $_, "Coro";
374 }
192} 375}
193 376
194=back 377=back
195 378
196# dynamic methods
197
198=head2 PROCESS METHODS 379=head2 COROUTINE METHODS
199 380
200These are the methods you can call on process objects. 381These are the methods you can call on coroutine objects (or to create
382them).
201 383
202=over 4 384=over 4
203 385
204=item new Coro \&sub [, @args...] 386=item new Coro \&sub [, @args...]
205 387
206Create a new process and return it. When the sub returns the process 388Create a new coroutine and return it. When the sub returns, the coroutine
207automatically terminates. To start the process you must first put it into 389automatically terminates as if C<terminate> with the returned values were
390called. To make the coroutine run you must first put it into the ready
208the ready queue by calling the ready method. 391queue by calling the ready method.
209 392
210The coderef you submit MUST NOT be a closure that refers to variables 393See C<async> and C<Coro::State::new> for additional info about the
211in an outer scope. This does NOT work. Pass arguments into it instead. 394coroutine environment.
212 395
213=cut 396=cut
214 397
215sub _newcoro { 398sub _run_coro {
216 terminate &{+shift}; 399 terminate &{+shift};
217} 400}
218 401
219sub new { 402sub new {
220 my $class = shift; 403 my $class = shift;
221 bless {
222 _coro_state => (new Coro::State $_[0] && \&_newcoro, @_),
223 }, $class;
224}
225 404
226=item $process->ready 405 $class->SUPER::new (\&_run_coro, @_)
406}
227 407
228Put the current process into the ready queue. 408=item $success = $coroutine->ready
229 409
230=cut 410Put the given coroutine into the end of its ready queue (there is one
411queue for each priority) and return true. If the coroutine is already in
412the ready queue, do nothing and return false.
231 413
232=item $process->cancel 414This ensures that the scheduler will resume this coroutine automatically
415once all the coroutines of higher priority and all coroutines of the same
416priority that were put into the ready queue earlier have been resumed.
233 417
234Like C<terminate>, but terminates the specified process instead. 418=item $is_ready = $coroutine->is_ready
419
420Return wether the coroutine is currently the ready queue or not,
421
422=item $coroutine->cancel (arg...)
423
424Terminates the given coroutine and makes it return the given arguments as
425status (default: the empty list). Never returns if the coroutine is the
426current coroutine.
235 427
236=cut 428=cut
237 429
238sub cancel { 430sub cancel {
431 my $self = shift;
432 $self->{_status} = [@_];
433
434 if ($current == $self) {
239 push @destroy, $_[0]; 435 push @destroy, $self;
240 $manager->ready; 436 $manager->ready;
241 &schedule if $current == $_[0]; 437 &schedule while 1;
438 } else {
439 $self->_cancel;
440 }
242} 441}
243 442
443=item $coroutine->join
444
445Wait until the coroutine terminates and return any values given to the
446C<terminate> or C<cancel> functions. C<join> can be called concurrently
447from multiple coroutines, and all will be resumed and given the status
448return once the C<$coroutine> terminates.
449
450=cut
451
452sub join {
453 my $self = shift;
454
455 unless ($self->{_status}) {
456 my $current = $current;
457
458 push @{$self->{_on_destroy}}, sub {
459 $current->ready;
460 undef $current;
461 };
462
463 &schedule while $current;
464 }
465
466 wantarray ? @{$self->{_status}} : $self->{_status}[0];
467}
468
469=item $coroutine->on_destroy (\&cb)
470
471Registers a callback that is called when this coroutine gets destroyed,
472but before it is joined. The callback gets passed the terminate arguments,
473if any, and I<must not> die, under any circumstances.
474
475=cut
476
477sub on_destroy {
478 my ($self, $cb) = @_;
479
480 push @{ $self->{_on_destroy} }, $cb;
481}
482
244=item $oldprio = $process->prio($newprio) 483=item $oldprio = $coroutine->prio ($newprio)
245 484
246Sets the priority of the process. Higher priority processes get run before 485Sets (or gets, if the argument is missing) the priority of the
247lower priority processes. Priorities are smalled signed integer (currently 486coroutine. Higher priority coroutines get run before lower priority
487coroutines. Priorities are small signed integers (currently -4 .. +3),
248-4 .. +3), that you can refer to using PRIO_xxx constants (use the import 488that you can refer to using PRIO_xxx constants (use the import tag :prio
249tag :prio to get then): 489to get then):
250 490
251 PRIO_MAX > PRIO_HIGH > PRIO_NORMAL > PRIO_LOW > PRIO_IDLE > PRIO_MIN 491 PRIO_MAX > PRIO_HIGH > PRIO_NORMAL > PRIO_LOW > PRIO_IDLE > PRIO_MIN
252 3 > 1 > 0 > -1 > -3 > -4 492 3 > 1 > 0 > -1 > -3 > -4
253 493
254 # set priority to HIGH 494 # set priority to HIGH
255 current->prio(PRIO_HIGH); 495 current->prio(PRIO_HIGH);
256 496
257The idle coroutine ($Coro::idle) always has a lower priority than any 497The idle coroutine ($Coro::idle) always has a lower priority than any
258existing coroutine. 498existing coroutine.
259 499
260Changing the priority of the current process will take effect immediately, 500Changing the priority of the current coroutine will take effect immediately,
261but changing the priority of processes in the ready queue (but not 501but changing the priority of coroutines in the ready queue (but not
262running) will only take effect after the next schedule (of that 502running) will only take effect after the next schedule (of that
263process). This is a bug that will be fixed in some future version. 503coroutine). This is a bug that will be fixed in some future version.
264 504
265=cut
266
267sub prio {
268 my $old = $_[0]{prio};
269 $_[0]{prio} = $_[1] if @_ > 1;
270 $old;
271}
272
273=item $newprio = $process->nice($change) 505=item $newprio = $coroutine->nice ($change)
274 506
275Similar to C<prio>, but subtract the given value from the priority (i.e. 507Similar to C<prio>, but subtract the given value from the priority (i.e.
276higher values mean lower priority, just as in unix). 508higher values mean lower priority, just as in unix).
277 509
278=cut 510=item $olddesc = $coroutine->desc ($newdesc)
279 511
280sub nice { 512Sets (or gets in case the argument is missing) the description for this
281 $_[0]{prio} -= $_[1]; 513coroutine. This is just a free-form string you can associate with a coroutine.
514
515This method simply sets the C<< $coroutine->{desc} >> member to the given string. You
516can modify this member directly if you wish.
517
518=item $coroutine->throw ([$scalar])
519
520If C<$throw> is specified and defined, it will be thrown as an exception
521inside the coroutine at the next convinient point in time (usually after
522it gains control at the next schedule/transfer/cede). Otherwise clears the
523exception object.
524
525The exception object will be thrown "as is" with the specified scalar in
526C<$@>, i.e. if it is a string, no line number or newline will be appended
527(unlike with C<die>).
528
529This can be used as a softer means than C<cancel> to ask a coroutine to
530end itself, although there is no guarentee that the exception will lead to
531termination, and if the exception isn't caught it might well end the whole
532program.
533
534=cut
535
536sub desc {
537 my $old = $_[0]{desc};
538 $_[0]{desc} = $_[1] if @_ > 1;
539 $old;
282} 540}
283 541
284=back 542=back
285 543
544=head2 GLOBAL FUNCTIONS
545
546=over 4
547
548=item Coro::nready
549
550Returns the number of coroutines that are currently in the ready state,
551i.e. that can be switched to by calling C<schedule> directory or
552indirectly. The value C<0> means that the only runnable coroutine is the
553currently running one, so C<cede> would have no effect, and C<schedule>
554would cause a deadlock unless there is an idle handler that wakes up some
555coroutines.
556
557=item my $guard = Coro::guard { ... }
558
559This creates and returns a guard object. Nothing happens until the object
560gets destroyed, in which case the codeblock given as argument will be
561executed. This is useful to free locks or other resources in case of a
562runtime error or when the coroutine gets canceled, as in both cases the
563guard block will be executed. The guard object supports only one method,
564C<< ->cancel >>, which will keep the codeblock from being executed.
565
566Example: set some flag and clear it again when the coroutine gets canceled
567or the function returns:
568
569 sub do_something {
570 my $guard = Coro::guard { $busy = 0 };
571 $busy = 1;
572
573 # do something that requires $busy to be true
574 }
575
576=cut
577
578sub guard(&) {
579 bless \(my $cb = $_[0]), "Coro::guard"
580}
581
582sub Coro::guard::cancel {
583 ${$_[0]} = sub { };
584}
585
586sub Coro::guard::DESTROY {
587 ${$_[0]}->();
588}
589
590
591=item unblock_sub { ... }
592
593This utility function takes a BLOCK or code reference and "unblocks" it,
594returning a new coderef. Unblocking means that calling the new coderef
595will return immediately without blocking, returning nothing, while the
596original code ref will be called (with parameters) from within another
597coroutine.
598
599The reason this function exists is that many event libraries (such as the
600venerable L<Event|Event> module) are not coroutine-safe (a weaker form
601of thread-safety). This means you must not block within event callbacks,
602otherwise you might suffer from crashes or worse. The only event library
603currently known that is safe to use without C<unblock_sub> is L<EV>.
604
605This function allows your callbacks to block by executing them in another
606coroutine where it is safe to block. One example where blocking is handy
607is when you use the L<Coro::AIO|Coro::AIO> functions to save results to
608disk, for example.
609
610In short: simply use C<unblock_sub { ... }> instead of C<sub { ... }> when
611creating event callbacks that want to block.
612
613If your handler does not plan to block (e.g. simply sends a message to
614another coroutine, or puts some other coroutine into the ready queue),
615there is no reason to use C<unblock_sub>.
616
617Note that you also need to use C<unblock_sub> for any other callbacks that
618are indirectly executed by any C-based event loop. For example, when you
619use a module that uses L<AnyEvent> (and you use L<Coro::AnyEvent>) and it
620provides callbacks that are the result of some event callback, then you
621must not block either, or use C<unblock_sub>.
622
623=cut
624
625our @unblock_queue;
626
627# we create a special coro because we want to cede,
628# to reduce pressure on the coro pool (because most callbacks
629# return immediately and can be reused) and because we cannot cede
630# inside an event callback.
631our $unblock_scheduler = new Coro sub {
632 while () {
633 while (my $cb = pop @unblock_queue) {
634 # this is an inlined copy of async_pool
635 my $coro = (pop @async_pool) || new Coro \&pool_handler;
636
637 $coro->{_invoke} = $cb;
638 $coro->ready;
639 cede; # for short-lived callbacks, this reduces pressure on the coro pool
640 }
641 schedule; # sleep well
642 }
643};
644$unblock_scheduler->desc ("[unblock_sub scheduler]");
645
646sub unblock_sub(&) {
647 my $cb = shift;
648
649 sub {
650 unshift @unblock_queue, [$cb, @_];
651 $unblock_scheduler->ready;
652 }
653}
654
655=back
656
286=cut 657=cut
287 658
2881; 6591;
289 660
290=head1 BUGS/LIMITATIONS 661=head1 BUGS/LIMITATIONS
291 662
292 - you must make very sure that no coro is still active on global destruction. 663This module is not perl-pseudo-thread-safe. You should only ever use this
293 very bad things might happen otherwise (usually segfaults).
294 - this module is not thread-safe. You must only ever use this module from
295 the same thread (this requirement might be loosened in the future to 664module from the same thread (this requirement might be removed in the
296 allow per-thread schedulers, but Coro::State does not yet allow this). 665future to allow per-thread schedulers, but Coro::State does not yet allow
666this). I recommend disabling thread support and using processes, as this
667is much faster and uses less memory.
297 668
298=head1 SEE ALSO 669=head1 SEE ALSO
299 670
300L<Coro::Channel>, L<Coro::Cont>, L<Coro::Specific>, L<Coro::Semaphore>, 671Event-Loop integration: L<Coro::AnyEvent>, L<Coro::EV>, L<Coro::Event>.
301L<Coro::Signal>, L<Coro::State>, L<Coro::Event>, L<Coro::RWLock>, 672
302L<Coro::Handle>, L<Coro::Socket>. 673Debugging: L<Coro::Debug>.
674
675Support/Utility: L<Coro::Specific>, L<Coro::Util>.
676
677Locking/IPC: L<Coro::Signal>, L<Coro::Channel>, L<Coro::Semaphore>, L<Coro::SemaphoreSet>, L<Coro::RWLock>.
678
679IO/Timers: L<Coro::Timer>, L<Coro::Handle>, L<Coro::Socket>, L<Coro::AIO>.
680
681Compatibility: L<Coro::LWP>, L<Coro::BDB>, L<Coro::Storable>, L<Coro::Select>.
682
683XS API: L<Coro::MakeMaker>.
684
685Low level Configuration, Coroutine Environment: L<Coro::State>.
303 686
304=head1 AUTHOR 687=head1 AUTHOR
305 688
306 Marc Lehmann <pcg@goof.com> 689 Marc Lehmann <schmorp@schmorp.de>
307 http://www.goof.com/pcg/marc/ 690 http://home.schmorp.de/
308 691
309=cut 692=cut
310 693

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