ViewVC Help
View File | Revision Log | Show Annotations | Download File
/cvs/cvsroot/Coro/Coro.pm
(Generate patch)

Comparing cvsroot/Coro/Coro.pm (file contents):
Revision 1.286 by root, Sat Feb 19 04:34:59 2011 UTC vs.
Revision 1.297 by root, Thu May 12 23:55:39 2011 UTC

90 } 1, 2, 3; 90 } 1, 2, 3;
91 91
92This creates a new coro thread and puts it into the ready queue, meaning 92This creates a new coro thread and puts it into the ready queue, meaning
93it will run as soon as the CPU is free for it. 93it will run as soon as the CPU is free for it.
94 94
95C<async> will return a coro object - you can store this for future 95C<async> will return a Coro object - you can store this for future
96reference or ignore it, the thread itself will keep a reference to it's 96reference or ignore it - a thread that is running, ready to run or waiting
97thread object - threads are alive on their own. 97for some event is alive on it's own.
98 98
99Another way to create a thread is to call the C<new> constructor with a 99Another way to create a thread is to call the C<new> constructor with a
100code-reference: 100code-reference:
101 101
102 new Coro sub { 102 new Coro sub {
131A lot can happen after the coro thread has started running. Quite usually, 131A lot can happen after the coro thread has started running. Quite usually,
132it will not run to the end in one go (because you could use a function 132it will not run to the end in one go (because you could use a function
133instead), but it will give up the CPU regularly because it waits for 133instead), but it will give up the CPU regularly because it waits for
134external events. 134external events.
135 135
136As long as a coro thread runs, it's coro object is available in the global 136As long as a coro thread runs, its Coro object is available in the global
137variable C<$Coro::current>. 137variable C<$Coro::current>.
138 138
139The low-level way to give up the CPU is to call the scheduler, which 139The low-level way to give up the CPU is to call the scheduler, which
140selects a new coro thread to run: 140selects a new coro thread to run:
141 141
196 196
197 async { 197 async {
198 Coro::terminate "return value 1", "return value 2"; 198 Coro::terminate "return value 1", "return value 2";
199 }; 199 };
200 200
201And yet another way is to C<< ->cancel >> the coro thread from another 201And yet another way is to C<< ->cancel >> (or C<< ->safe_cancel >>) the
202thread: 202coro thread from another thread:
203 203
204 my $coro = async { 204 my $coro = async {
205 exit 1; 205 exit 1;
206 }; 206 };
207 207
208 $coro->cancel; # an also accept values for ->join to retrieve 208 $coro->cancel; # also accepts values for ->join to retrieve
209 209
210Cancellation I<can> be dangerous - it's a bit like calling C<exit> without 210Cancellation I<can> be dangerous - it's a bit like calling C<exit> without
211actually exiting, and might leave C libraries and XS modules in a weird 211actually exiting, and might leave C libraries and XS modules in a weird
212state. Unlike other thread implementations, however, Coro is exceptionally 212state. Unlike other thread implementations, however, Coro is exceptionally
213safe with regards to cancellation, as perl will always be in a consistent 213safe with regards to cancellation, as perl will always be in a consistent
214state. 214state, and for those cases where you want to do truly marvellous things
215with your coro while it is being cancelled - that is, make sure all
216cleanup code is executed from the thread being cancelled - there is even a
217C<< ->safe_cancel >> method.
215 218
216So, cancelling a thread that runs in an XS event loop might not be the 219So, cancelling a thread that runs in an XS event loop might not be the
217best idea, but any other combination that deals with perl only (cancelling 220best idea, but any other combination that deals with perl only (cancelling
218when a thread is in a C<tie> method or an C<AUTOLOAD> for example) is 221when a thread is in a C<tie> method or an C<AUTOLOAD> for example) is
219safe. 222safe.
220 223
224Lastly, a coro thread object that isn't referenced is C<< ->cancel >>'ed
225automatically - just like other objects in Perl. This is not such a common
226case, however - a running thread is referencedy b C<$Coro::current>, a
227thread ready to run is referenced by the ready queue, a thread waiting
228on a lock or semaphore is referenced by being in some wait list and so
229on. But a thread that isn't in any of those queues gets cancelled:
230
231 async {
232 schedule; # cede to other coros, don't go into the ready queue
233 };
234
235 cede;
236 # now the async above is destroyed, as it is not referenced by anything.
237
221=item 5. Cleanup 238=item 5. Cleanup
222 239
223Threads will allocate various resources. Most but not all will be returned 240Threads will allocate various resources. Most but not all will be returned
224when a thread terminates, during clean-up. 241when a thread terminates, during clean-up.
225 242
248 # if we reutrn, or die or get cancelled, here, 265 # if we reutrn, or die or get cancelled, here,
249 # then the semaphore will be "up"ed. 266 # then the semaphore will be "up"ed.
250 }; 267 };
251 268
252The C<Guard::guard> function comes in handy for any custom cleanup you 269The C<Guard::guard> function comes in handy for any custom cleanup you
253might want to do: 270might want to do (but you cannot switch to other coroutines form those
271code blocks):
254 272
255 async { 273 async {
256 my $window = new Gtk2::Window "toplevel"; 274 my $window = new Gtk2::Window "toplevel";
257 # The window will not be cleaned up automatically, even when $window 275 # The window will not be cleaned up automatically, even when $window
258 # gets freed, so use a guard to ensure it's destruction 276 # gets freed, so use a guard to ensure it's destruction
271 # if we return or die here, the description will be restored 289 # if we return or die here, the description will be restored
272 } 290 }
273 291
274=item 6. Viva La Zombie Muerte 292=item 6. Viva La Zombie Muerte
275 293
276Even after a thread has terminated and cleaned up it's resources, the coro 294Even after a thread has terminated and cleaned up its resources, the Coro
277object still is there and stores the return values of the thread. Only in 295object still is there and stores the return values of the thread.
278this state will the coro object be "reference counted" in the normal perl
279sense: the thread code keeps a reference to it when it is active, but not
280after it has terminated.
281 296
282The means the coro object gets freed automatically when the thread has 297The means the Coro object gets freed automatically when the thread has
283terminated and cleaned up and there arenot other references. 298terminated and cleaned up and there arenot other references.
284 299
285If there are, the coro object will stay around, and you can call C<< 300If there are, the Coro object will stay around, and you can call C<<
286->join >> as many times as you wish to retrieve the result values: 301->join >> as many times as you wish to retrieve the result values:
287 302
288 async { 303 async {
289 print "hi\n"; 304 print "hi\n";
290 1 305 1
328 343
329our $idle; # idle handler 344our $idle; # idle handler
330our $main; # main coro 345our $main; # main coro
331our $current; # current coro 346our $current; # current coro
332 347
333our $VERSION = 5.26; 348our $VERSION = 5.372;
334 349
335our @EXPORT = qw(async async_pool cede schedule terminate current unblock_sub rouse_cb rouse_wait); 350our @EXPORT = qw(async async_pool cede schedule terminate current unblock_sub rouse_cb rouse_wait);
336our %EXPORT_TAGS = ( 351our %EXPORT_TAGS = (
337 prio => [qw(PRIO_MAX PRIO_HIGH PRIO_NORMAL PRIO_LOW PRIO_IDLE PRIO_MIN)], 352 prio => [qw(PRIO_MAX PRIO_HIGH PRIO_NORMAL PRIO_LOW PRIO_IDLE PRIO_MIN)],
338); 353);
399our @destroy; 414our @destroy;
400our $manager; 415our $manager;
401 416
402$manager = new Coro sub { 417$manager = new Coro sub {
403 while () { 418 while () {
404 Coro::State::cancel shift @destroy 419 _destroy shift @destroy
405 while @destroy; 420 while @destroy;
406 421
407 &schedule; 422 &schedule;
408 } 423 }
409}; 424};
543coro, regardless of priority. This is useful sometimes to ensure 558coro, regardless of priority. This is useful sometimes to ensure
544progress is made. 559progress is made.
545 560
546=item terminate [arg...] 561=item terminate [arg...]
547 562
548Terminates the current coro with the given status values (see L<cancel>). 563Terminates the current coro with the given status values (see
564L<cancel>). The values will not be copied, but referenced directly.
549 565
550=item Coro::on_enter BLOCK, Coro::on_leave BLOCK 566=item Coro::on_enter BLOCK, Coro::on_leave BLOCK
551 567
552These function install enter and leave winders in the current scope. The 568These function install enter and leave winders in the current scope. The
553enter block will be executed when on_enter is called and whenever the 569enter block will be executed when on_enter is called and whenever the
709To avoid this, it is best to put a suspended coro into the ready queue 725To avoid this, it is best to put a suspended coro into the ready queue
710unconditionally, as every synchronisation mechanism must protect itself 726unconditionally, as every synchronisation mechanism must protect itself
711against spurious wakeups, and the one in the Coro family certainly do 727against spurious wakeups, and the one in the Coro family certainly do
712that. 728that.
713 729
730=item $state->is_new
731
732Returns true iff this Coro object is "new", i.e. has never been run
733yet. Those states basically consist of only the code reference to call and
734the arguments, but consumes very little other resources. New states will
735automatically get assigned a perl interpreter when they are transfered to.
736
737=item $state->is_zombie
738
739Returns true iff the Coro object has been cancelled, i.e.
740it's resources freed because they were C<cancel>'ed, C<terminate>'d,
741C<safe_cancel>'ed or simply went out of scope.
742
743The name "zombie" stems from UNIX culture, where a process that has
744exited and only stores and exit status and no other resources is called a
745"zombie".
746
714=item $is_ready = $coro->is_ready 747=item $is_ready = $coro->is_ready
715 748
716Returns true iff the Coro object is in the ready queue. Unless the Coro 749Returns true iff the Coro object is in the ready queue. Unless the Coro
717object gets destroyed, it will eventually be scheduled by the scheduler. 750object gets destroyed, it will eventually be scheduled by the scheduler.
718 751
727Returns true iff this Coro object has been suspended. Suspended Coros will 760Returns true iff this Coro object has been suspended. Suspended Coros will
728not ever be scheduled. 761not ever be scheduled.
729 762
730=item $coro->cancel (arg...) 763=item $coro->cancel (arg...)
731 764
732Terminates the given Coro and makes it return the given arguments as 765Terminates the given Coro thread and makes it return the given arguments as
733status (default: the empty list). Never returns if the Coro is the 766status (default: an empty list). Never returns if the Coro is the
734current Coro. 767current Coro.
735 768
736=cut 769This is a rather brutal way to free a coro, with some limitations - if
770the thread is inside a C callback that doesn't expect to be canceled,
771bad things can happen, or if the cancelled thread insists on running
772complicated cleanup handlers that rely on it'S thread context, things will
773not work.
737 774
738sub cancel { 775Any cleanup code being run (e.g. from C<guard> blocks) will be run without
739 my $self = shift; 776a thread context, and is not allowed to switch to other threads. On the
777plus side, C<< ->cancel >> will always clean up the thread, no matter
778what. If your cleanup code is complex or you want to avoid cancelling a
779C-thread that doesn't know how to clean up itself, it can be better to C<<
780->throw >> an exception, or use C<< ->safe_cancel >>.
740 781
741 if ($current == $self) { 782The arguments to C<< ->cancel >> are not copied, but instead will
742 terminate @_; 783be referenced directly (e.g. if you pass C<$var> and after the call
743 } else { 784change that variable, then you might change the return values passed to
744 $self->{_status} = [@_]; 785e.g. C<join>, so don't do that).
745 Coro::State::cancel $self; 786
787The resources of the Coro are usually freed (or destructed) before this
788call returns, but this can be delayed for an indefinite amount of time, as
789in some cases the manager thread has to run first to actually destruct the
790Coro object.
791
792=item $coro->safe_cancel ($arg...)
793
794Works mostly like C<< ->cancel >>, but is inherently "safer", and
795consequently, can fail with an exception in cases the thread is not in a
796cancellable state.
797
798This method works a bit like throwing an exception that cannot be caught
799- specifically, it will clean up the thread from within itself, so
800all cleanup handlers (e.g. C<guard> blocks) are run with full thread
801context and can block if they wish. The downside is that there is no
802guarantee that the thread can be cancelled when you call this method, and
803therefore, it might fail. It is also considerably slower than C<cancel> or
804C<terminate>.
805
806A thread is in a safe-cancellable state if it either hasn't been run yet,
807or it has no C context attached and is inside an SLF function.
808
809The latter two basically mean that the thread isn't currently inside a
810perl callback called from some C function (usually via some XS modules)
811and isn't currently executing inside some C function itself (via Coro's XS
812API).
813
814This call returns true when it could cancel the thread, or croaks with an
815error otherwise (i.e. it either returns true or doesn't return at all).
816
817Why the weird interface? Well, there are two common models on how and
818when to cancel things. In the first, you have the expectation that your
819coro thread can be cancelled when you want to cancel it - if the thread
820isn't cancellable, this would be a bug somewhere, so C<< ->safe_cancel >>
821croaks to notify of the bug.
822
823In the second model you sometimes want to ask nicely to cancel a thread,
824but if it's not a good time, well, then don't cancel. This can be done
825relatively easy like this:
826
827 if (! eval { $coro->safe_cancel }) {
828 warn "unable to cancel thread: $@";
746 } 829 }
747} 830
831However, what you never should do is first try to cancel "safely" and
832if that fails, cancel the "hard" way with C<< ->cancel >>. That makes
833no sense: either you rely on being able to execute cleanup code in your
834thread context, or you don't. If you do, then C<< ->safe_cancel >> is the
835only way, and if you don't, then C<< ->cancel >> is always faster and more
836direct.
748 837
749=item $coro->schedule_to 838=item $coro->schedule_to
750 839
751Puts the current coro to sleep (like C<Coro::schedule>), but instead 840Puts the current coro to sleep (like C<Coro::schedule>), but instead
752of continuing with the next coro from the ready queue, always switch to 841of continuing with the next coro from the ready queue, always switch to
771inside the coro at the next convenient point in time. Otherwise 860inside the coro at the next convenient point in time. Otherwise
772clears the exception object. 861clears the exception object.
773 862
774Coro will check for the exception each time a schedule-like-function 863Coro will check for the exception each time a schedule-like-function
775returns, i.e. after each C<schedule>, C<cede>, C<< Coro::Semaphore->down 864returns, i.e. after each C<schedule>, C<cede>, C<< Coro::Semaphore->down
776>>, C<< Coro::Handle->readable >> and so on. Most of these functions 865>>, C<< Coro::Handle->readable >> and so on. Most of those functions (all
777detect this case and return early in case an exception is pending. 866that are part of Coro itself) detect this case and return early in case an
867exception is pending.
778 868
779The exception object will be thrown "as is" with the specified scalar in 869The exception object will be thrown "as is" with the specified scalar in
780C<$@>, i.e. if it is a string, no line number or newline will be appended 870C<$@>, i.e. if it is a string, no line number or newline will be appended
781(unlike with C<die>). 871(unlike with C<die>).
782 872
783This can be used as a softer means than C<cancel> to ask a coro to 873This can be used as a softer means than either C<cancel> or C<safe_cancel
784end itself, although there is no guarantee that the exception will lead to 874>to ask a coro to end itself, although there is no guarantee that the
785termination, and if the exception isn't caught it might well end the whole 875exception will lead to termination, and if the exception isn't caught it
786program. 876might well end the whole program.
787 877
788You might also think of C<throw> as being the moral equivalent of 878You might also think of C<throw> as being the moral equivalent of
789C<kill>ing a coro with a signal (in this case, a scalar). 879C<kill>ing a coro with a signal (in this case, a scalar).
790 880
791=item $coro->join 881=item $coro->join
792 882
793Wait until the coro terminates and return any values given to the 883Wait until the coro terminates and return any values given to the
794C<terminate> or C<cancel> functions. C<join> can be called concurrently 884C<terminate> or C<cancel> functions. C<join> can be called concurrently
795from multiple coro, and all will be resumed and given the status 885from multiple threads, and all will be resumed and given the status
796return once the C<$coro> terminates. 886return once the C<$coro> terminates.
797 887
798=cut
799
800sub join {
801 my $self = shift;
802
803 unless ($self->{_status}) {
804 my $current = $current;
805
806 push @{$self->{_on_destroy}}, sub {
807 $current->ready;
808 undef $current;
809 };
810
811 &schedule while $current;
812 }
813
814 wantarray ? @{$self->{_status}} : $self->{_status}[0];
815}
816
817=item $coro->on_destroy (\&cb) 888=item $coro->on_destroy (\&cb)
818 889
819Registers a callback that is called when this coro thread gets destroyed, 890Registers a callback that is called when this coro thread gets destroyed,
820but before it is joined. The callback gets passed the terminate arguments, 891that is, after it's resources have been freed but before it is joined. The
892callback gets passed the terminate/cancel arguments, if any, and I<must
821if any, and I<must not> die, under any circumstances. 893not> die, under any circumstances.
822 894
823There can be any number of C<on_destroy> callbacks per coro. 895There can be any number of C<on_destroy> callbacks per coro, and there is
824 896no way currently to remove a callback once added.
825=cut
826
827sub on_destroy {
828 my ($self, $cb) = @_;
829
830 push @{ $self->{_on_destroy} }, $cb;
831}
832 897
833=item $oldprio = $coro->prio ($newprio) 898=item $oldprio = $coro->prio ($newprio)
834 899
835Sets (or gets, if the argument is missing) the priority of the 900Sets (or gets, if the argument is missing) the priority of the
836coro thread. Higher priority coro get run before lower priority 901coro thread. Higher priority coro get run before lower priority
1108future to allow per-thread schedulers, but Coro::State does not yet allow 1173future to allow per-thread schedulers, but Coro::State does not yet allow
1109this). I recommend disabling thread support and using processes, as having 1174this). I recommend disabling thread support and using processes, as having
1110the windows process emulation enabled under unix roughly halves perl 1175the windows process emulation enabled under unix roughly halves perl
1111performance, even when not used. 1176performance, even when not used.
1112 1177
1178Attempts to use threads created in another emulated process will crash
1179("cleanly", with a null pointer exception).
1180
1113=item coro switching is not signal safe 1181=item coro switching is not signal safe
1114 1182
1115You must not switch to another coro from within a signal handler (only 1183You must not switch to another coro from within a signal handler (only
1116relevant with %SIG - most event libraries provide safe signals), I<unless> 1184relevant with %SIG - most event libraries provide safe signals), I<unless>
1117you are sure you are not interrupting a Coro function. 1185you are sure you are not interrupting a Coro function.

Diff Legend

Removed lines
+ Added lines
< Changed lines
> Changed lines