I want to use getaddrinfo_a function. Is this method thread safe?
In the man page example given uses a global list for resolving the hostnames.
If I manipulate that list in user space then is it safe?
Pseudo-code as follows:
static struct gaicb **reqs =NULL; // global list of hostname to resolve.
addToList() {
ret =
getaddrinfo_a(
GAI_NOWAIT,
&reqs[nreqs_base],
nreqs - nreqs_base,
NULL ); // enque hostname queue.
}
//another thread method
dequeu_list( int i ) {
struct gaicb * result = reqs[i] ;
reqs[i] = NULL;
}
Yes, see in the source code:
...
int
getaddrinfo_a (int mode, struct gaicb *list[], int ent, struct sigevent *sig)
{
...
no acess to list
...
/* Request the mutex. */
pthread_mutex_lock (&__gai_requests_mutex);
/* Now we can enqueue all requests. Since we already acquired the
mutex the enqueue function need not do this. */
for (cnt = 0; cnt < ent; ++cnt)
if (list[cnt] != NULL)
{
...
It acquires a mutex before accessing list.
Anyway it's similar to getaddrinfo which is required to be thread-safe:
The freeaddrinfo() and getaddrinfo() functions shall be thread-safe.
Related
I'm trying to create a pthread with arguments for a function pointer, here first is the function that will be called on pthread creation..
void *passenger(void *arguements){
struct arg_struct *args = arguements;
int passenger = args->p;
int from_floor = args->f;
int to_floor = args->t;
void (*enter)(int,int) = args->en;
void (*exit)(int,int) = args->ex;
// wait for the elevator to arrive at our origin floor, then get in
int waiting = 1;
while(waiting){
if(current_floor == from_floor && state == ELEVATOR_OPEN && occupancy==0) {
pthread_mutex_lock(&lock);
enter(passenger, 0);
occupancy++;
waiting=0;
pthread_mutex_unlock(&lock);
}
}
// wait for the elevator at our destination floor, then get out
int riding=1;
while(riding) {
if(current_floor == to_floor && state == ELEVATOR_OPEN){
pthread_mutex_lock(&lock);
exit(passenger, 0);
occupancy--;
riding=0;
pthread_barrier_wait(&barr);
pthread_mutex_unlock(&lock);
}
}
}
and here is the calling function
void passenger_request(int passenger, int from_floor, int to_floor,void (*enter)(int,int), void(*exit)(int,int))
{
pthread_mutex_lock(&passlock);
struct arg_struct args;
args.p = passenger;
args.f = from_floor;
args.t = to_floor;
args.en = *enter;
args.ex = *exit;
pthread_create(&thread, NULL, &passenger, &args);
//pthread_join(thread, NULL);
pthread_mutex_unlock(&passlock);
// wait for the elevator to arrive at our origin floor, then get in
}
The program is seg faulting when it creates multiple passengers on initilization, if I comment out the pthread_create line no crashing occurs. I'm assuming it's an issue with my passing of arguments for the function pointers, but I'm hazy as to what exactly is going on as all these pointers are starting to confuse me. Any help whatsoever would be much appreciated
also the struct declaration..
struct arg_struct{
int p;
int f;
int t;
void *(*ex)(int,int);
void *(*en)(int,int);
};
args.en = *enter;
args.ex = *exit;
enter and exit are function pointers. Don't dereference them but rather pass them straight through via args. That is, you need:
args.en = enter;
args.ex = exit;
(Assuming you have correct defined struct arg_struct which is not shown.
You are passing your new thread a pointer to args, which is defined on the stack of your passenger_request() function. As soon as passenger_request() returns, this memory could be reused, overwritten, or whatever. It is no longer guaranteed to contain what you put in it. Yet your thread still has a pointer to it and may continue to try to use it. This is likely to cause a crash, although it may be intermittent.
Try doing something different with args. If you only need it once, you could make it global. If you need multiple different ones, then allocate it on the heap with malloc:
void passenger_request(int passenger, int from_floor, int to_floor,void (*enter)(int,int), void(*exit)(int,int))
{
pthread_mutex_lock(&passlock);
struct arg_struct *args = malloc(sizeof(struct arg_struct));
args->p = passenger;
args->f = from_floor;
args->t = to_floor;
args->en = enter;
args->ex = exit;
pthread_create(&thread, NULL, &passenger, args);
//pthread_join(thread, NULL);
pthread_mutex_unlock(&passlock);
// wait for the elevator to arrive at our origin floor, then get in
}
Then in passenger() once you're well and truly done with it, free(args).
Can anyone tell me why my shared memory data structure (implemented using sys/shm.h) is not being read correctly by pthreads? This is an edited version of my question, with a reduced amount of code. Hopefully its easier to navigate.
Initially, the structure being referenced is created in shared memory space, so two different applications can read and write to it. The aim: to have one application update the shared structure, and the other read it using pthreads. So far everything things are working to an extent. Both applications can read and write to the shared memory, except the pthreads. they don't seem to pick up the modified shared structure?
An overview of the code is below. It is based on a basic runtime system, however, it is not overly complicated. The function executed within the pthreads is:
void* do_work(void *p)
The shared structure is:
typedef struct WL_CTRL_T
Currently all i am trying do is print out the elements of the array. Initially all elements are set to true. Halfway through the execution, using GDB to halt the process, i update the structure from outside, using the other application, by changing elements 0 and 1 to false, then continue to the process. At this i also print out the state of the array from each application via the sequential code, and the print out is correct. However, when the threads are set off, they print the original state of the array, all true...
The structure contains an array of structs, where the active bool field is read by the pthread
I have tried many ways to try and correct this problem, but no joy.
Any advice appreciated, thanks :-)
/*controller api.h*/
typedef struct WL_CTRL_T
{
int targetNumThreads;
int sizeBuf;
int numEntries;
int nextIdx;
thread_state_control_t volatile thread_state_control[THREAD_NUM];
mon_entry_t buffer[];
} wl_ctrl_t;
typedef struct THREADPOOL_T
{
int num_threads;
int qsize;
pthread_t *threads;
todo_t *qhead;
todo_t *qtail;
pthread_mutex_t qlock;
pthread_cond_t q_not_empty;
pthread_cond_t q_empty;
int shutdown;
int dont_accept;
}threadpool_t;
typedef struct TODO_T
{
void (*routine) (void*);
void * arg;
int lock;
struct todo_t* next;
} todo_t;
The function assigned to the pthread
/********************************************************************
*
* do_work:
*
* this is the reusable thread, assigned work via the dispatch
* function.
*
********************************************************************/
void* do_work(void *p)
{
int c = 0;
thread_args_t *thread_args = (thread_args_t*)p;
threadpool_t *pool = thread_args->threadpool;
todo_t* workload;
wl_ctrl_t volatile *wcc = thread_args->wl_ctrl;
while(1)
{
pool->qsize = pool->qsize;
/* while work que is empty, spinlock */
while( pool->qsize == 0)
{
if(c<1)
printf("thread: %d spin-lock \n", thread_args->thread_id);
c++;
}
/* update the threadpool, minus current workload */
workload = pool->qhead;
pool->qsize--;
if(pool->qsize == 0)
{
pool->qhead = NULL;
pool->qtail = NULL;
}
else
{
pool->qhead = workload->next;
}
/* execute workload */
(workload->routine) (workload->arg);
free(workload);
/* check this threads wait state */
printf("In thread: %d\n",wcc->thread_state_control[thread_args->thread_id].active);
}
}
I'm testing an idea for detailed error handling, and want to enable a thread to have the ability to call a 'getlasterror' function when it needs to work with the error. I'm using a cheap and simple pointer-to-pointers for the structs, but also make use of the pthread_t id to overwrite a previous entry (if the error info was not needed or has been processed).
From the stackoverflow posts How do you query a pthread to see if it is still running? and How do I determine if a pthread is alive?, it seems using pthread_kill to send a fake signal is potentially unsafe. Is there really no alternative mechanism to check if a pthread with an id exists or not? Or can I disable the ability for thread ids to be reused at runtime? (I'm aware the latter may be a security issue...)
I'd not previously written any code, but I whipped up roughly what my plan would look like below in leafpad (so ignore any syntax errors, if any!). Point of interest is naturally the dynamic cleanup, there's no problem if the application is closing. Any other alternative ideas would also be welcome :)
If applicable, this will be a client/server program, hence a new thread will exist with each accept().
struct error_info_structs
{
struct error_info** errs; // error_info struct with details
pthread_t** tids; // thread ids for each struct
uint32_t num; // number of error_info structs and thread ids
pthread_mutex_lock lock; // runtime locker
};
struct error_info_structs g_errs;
// assume we've done necessary initialization...
struct error_info*
get_last_runtime_error()
{
struct error_info* retval = NULL;
pthread_t tid = pthread_self();
pthread_mutex_lock(&g_errs.lock);
for ( uint32_t i = 0; i < g_errs.num; i++ )
{
if ( pthread_equal(g_errs.tids[i], tid) )
{
retval = g_errs.errs[i];
goto release_lock;
}
}
release_lock:
pthread_mutex_unlock(&g_errs.lock);
return retval;
}
void
raise_runtime_error(struct error_info* ei)
{
pthread_t tid = pthread_self();
pthread_mutex_lock(&g_errs.lock);
for ( uint32_t i = 0; i < g_errs.num; i++ )
{
if ( pthread_equal(g_errs.tids[i], tid) )
{
// replace existing
memcpy(&g_errs.errs[i], ei, sizeof(error_info));
goto release_lock;
}
/*
* Dynamic cleanup to lower risk of resource exhaustion.
* Do it here, where we actually allocate the memory, forcing
* this to be processed at least whenever a new thread raises
* an error.
*/
if ( pthread_kill(g_errs.tids[i], 0) != 0 )
{
// doesn't exist, free memory. safe to adjust counter.
free(g_errs.errs[i]);
free(g_errs.tids[i]);
g_errs.num--;
}
}
/*
* first error reported by this thread id. allocate memory to hold its
* details, eventually free when thread no longer exists.
*/
struct error_info* newei = malloc(sizeof(struct error_info));
if ( newei == NULL )
{
goto release_lock;
}
pthread_t* newt = malloc(sizeof(pthread_t));
if ( newt == NULL )
{
free(newei);
goto release_lock;
}
// realloc-bits omitted
g_errs.errs[g_errs.num] = newei;
g_errs.tids[g_errs.num] = newt;
g_errs.num++;
release_lock:
pthread_mutex_unlock(&g_errs.lock);
}
... can I disable the ability for thread ids to be reused at runtime?
No, you can't.
I'm creating a threadpool in C with pthreads, and while I have an idea of how it works, I have a few questions about the intricacies.
I've created a struct which is supposed to be my representation of a threadpool, containing a list of function pointers to run, we'll call it the work_list. The threadpool struct also holds mutex's(?) and conditions to syncronize access, an int for the number of threads and an array holding the thread id's of each worked thread.The work_list itself holds structs that represent functions to be completed, each instance of those structs holds a void* to a function, a void* for args and a void* to place results. When coded this idea fleshes out like this:
typedef struct threadpool
{
list work_list;
pthread_t* tidArray;
int num_threads;
pthread_mutex_t lock;
pthread_cond_t condition;
} threadpool;
and:
typedef struct fuFunction
{
void* functionCall;
void* functionArgs;
void* returnValue;
list_elem elem;
} fuFunction;
I currently have a thread which initializes the a pool. It takes in a int num_of_threads, and returns a pointer to instance of a threadpool with all the members initialized. The body I've created looks like this:
threadpool * threadpool_init(int num_of_threads)
{
threadpool* retPool = (threadpool*) malloc(sizeof(threadpool));
//Initialize retPool members
int x;
for(x = 0; x < num_of_threads; x++)
{
pthread_t tid;
if( pthread_create(&tid, NULL, thread_start, retPool) != 0)
{
printf("Error creating worker thread\nExting\n");
exit(1);
}
retPool->tidArray[x] = tid;
}
return retPool;
}
The function that each thread runs when started, the worker function, thread_star, looks like this so far:
void *thread_start(void* args)
{
threadpool* argue = (threadpool*) args;
pthread_mutex_lock(&(argue->lock));
while(\* threadpool not shut down*\)
{
if(!list_empty(&argue->work_list))
{
fuFunction* tempFu = list_entry(list_pop_front(&argue->workQ), fuFunction, elem);
\\WHAT TO PUT HERE
}
pthread_cond_wait(&argue->condition, &argue->lock);
}
pthread_mutex_unlock(&(argue->lock));
}
My question is, assuming this code I currently have is right, how would I get the worker threads to run the function in the tempFu that it makes in the worker function? Sorry if this is long or confusing, I find this much easier to explain in conversation. If this is FUBAR, let me know as well.
the struct element signiture "void* functionCall;" is wrong.
use a function pointer instead.
Eg:
typedef struct fuFunction
{
void* (*functionCall)( void* arg);
void* functionArgs;
void* returnValue;
list_elem elem;
} fuFunction;
then put there:
tempfu->returnValue = (*tempfu->functionCall)(tempfu->functionArgs);
I am implementing FIFO in C. One thread is writing in FIFO and other is reading from it.
#define BUFFER_LENGTH 1000
struct Frame
{
char data[1024];
unsigned int data_len;
struct Frame* frame;
};
struct Frame * get_from_fifo ()
{
if (!fifo_length)
{
first = last = NULL;
return NULL;
}
struct Frame* frame = first;
first = first->frame;
fifo_length--;
return frame;
}
int add_to_fifo (const char* data, unsigned int frame_size)
{
if (fifo_length >= BUFFER_LENGTH)
{
ast_log(LOG_ERROR, "Buffer full\n");
return SURESH_ERROR;
}
struct Frame* frame = malloc(sizeof (struct Frame));
frame->data_len = frame_size;
memcpy(frame->data, data, frame_size);
if (last)
{
last->frame = frame;
last = frame;
}
if (!first)
{
first = last = frame;
}
fifo_length++;
return SURESH_SUCCESS;
}
how can I prevent functions *add_to_fifo* and *get_from_fifo* to be called at the same time by different threads. i.e. *get_from_fifo* should only be called when the other thread is not executing *add_to_fifo* and vice verca.
As you are implementing FIFO stack the only really concurrent operation you have is changing the stack size (fifo_length).
You are adding entries to the tail of the stack and removing entries from the head of the stack so these two operation will never interfere with each other. So the only part you will need to worry about is changing the stack size (fifo_length), I would put it into separate function synchronised by mutex or flag (as mentioned by "Joey" above) and call it from both add_to_fifo() and get_from_fifo() functions.
You need to use a mutex (mutual exclusion) variable. The pthread library has everything you will need. Here's a good place to start looking at the available functions:
http://pubs.opengroup.org/onlinepubs/009695399/basedefs/pthread.h.html
You'll need to init a mutex variable that each thread will have access to:
http://pubs.opengroup.org/onlinepubs/009695399/functions/pthread_mutex_init.html
Then your threads will need to lock it when they need access to shared memory, and then unlock it when they are done using the shared memory:
http://pubs.opengroup.org/onlinepubs/009695399/functions/pthread_mutex_lock.html
Here's a simple example:
http://publib.boulder.ibm.com/infocenter/iseries/v5r3/index.jsp?topic=%2Frzahw%2Frzahwe18rx.htm
Good luck!