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-rw-r--r--open_issues/libpthread_pthread_key_create_reuse.mdwn47
-rw-r--r--open_issues/rework_gnumach_ipc_spaces.mdwn220
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+[[!meta copyright="Copyright © 2011 Free Software Foundation, Inc."]]
+
+[[!meta license="""[[!toggle id="license" text="GFDL 1.2+"]][[!toggleable
+id="license" text="Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this
+document under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.2 or
+any later version published by the Free Software Foundation; with no Invariant
+Sections, no Front-Cover Texts, and no Back-Cover Texts. A copy of the license
+is included in the section entitled [[GNU Free Documentation
+License|/fdl]]."]]"""]]
+
+[[!meta title="libpthread: pthread_key_create, reuse"]]
+
+IRC, FreeNode, #hurd, 2011-07-02
+
+[[!tag open_issue_libpthread]]
+
+ < pinotree> hm, maybe i found a libpthread bug
+ * pinotree tries a testcase
+ < pinotree> yesssss, found the bug :)
+ < pinotree> youpi: it's a problem of the key reuse in pthread_key_create()
+ < youpi> it doesn't reset it?
+ < youpi> were you looking at the licq issue?
+ < pinotree> no, gtest
+ < youpi> k
+ < youpi> licq has a failing threadspecific issue
+ < youpi> [ FAILED ] ThreadSpecificData.dataDeletedWhenThreadExits
+ < pinotree> basically, pthread_key_delete() does not delete the key values
+ from the "thread_specifics" ihash
+ < pinotree> but those were new keys, so i'm not sure it is allowed to
+ return values of previous keys?
+ < pinotree> after all, the actual key value is an implementation detail,
+ applications shouldn't care about it being reused
+ < pinotree> (imho)
+ < youpi> Upon key creation, the value NULL shall be associated with the new
+ key in all active threads.
+ < youpi> ok, so we have to clear it in all threads
+ < youpi> that's a pity
+ < pinotree> or just remove the entry from the hash on key removal
+ < youpi> pinotree: from all the hashes, you mean?
+ < pinotree> youpi: from how i see it, adding a snippet like
+ http://paste.debian.net/121690/ in pthread_key_delete() should do the job
+ < youpi> that only drops from the current thread
+ < pinotree> ah hm, other threads
+ < youpi> we need to drop from all threads
+ < youpi> that's the pity part
+ < pinotree> youpi: the licq case could look like a similar issue, at a
+ veeery quick glance
diff --git a/open_issues/rework_gnumach_ipc_spaces.mdwn b/open_issues/rework_gnumach_ipc_spaces.mdwn
index b7cda227..f5d40abd 100644
--- a/open_issues/rework_gnumach_ipc_spaces.mdwn
+++ b/open_issues/rework_gnumach_ipc_spaces.mdwn
@@ -318,3 +318,223 @@ IRC, freenode, #hurd, 2011-04-23
<antrik> braunr: idr?
<braunr> antrik: a data structure used to map integers to pointers
<braunr> http://fxr.watson.org/fxr/source/lib/idr.c?v=linux-2.6
+
+2011-06-18
+
+ < braunr> hmm, i'm having a problem with integrating my radix tree code in
+ gnumach
+ < braunr> inserting into such a tree can trigger memory allocation
+ < braunr> so commonly, the tree i loaded with nodes before insertion,
+ usually if it requires strong locking
+ < braunr> ipc spaces are locked using "simple locks" (which are spin locks)
+ < braunr> but spin locks are noops on UP, and gnumach is always UP ..
+ < braunr> so, should i still include preloading code, even if it'll end up
+ dead code ?
+ < antrik> hm... I think we discussed this before; but isn't gnumach
+ supposed to be SMP-capable, minus bugs?...
+ < braunr> it is
+ < braunr> but ofc, if i choose not to include preloading, i'll write
+ #errors so that the day gnumach is built for SMP again, such support will
+ be included
+ < antrik> oh, sorry, I think I misread. what is UP?
+ < braunr> uniprocessor
+ < antrik> well, if it's just bugs forcing the current UP state, I think
+ saying that gnumach is always UP is a stretch...
+ < braunr> sure, but it's a practical consideration
+ < antrik> does the locking complicate stuff? or is it just performance
+ considerations?
+ < braunr> no it's about correctness and completeness
+ < braunr> if you don't preload a tree before locking
+ < braunr> and memory allocation occurs while you're holding a simple lock
+ < braunr> and memory allocation requires the kernel to sleep
+ < braunr> you're screwed
+ < braunr> but i hate the idea of including code that won't be used and
+ which won't be easy to test
+ < braunr> so i'm wondering if it's ok for now to just put this in a TODO
+ comment and write it when the time is right
+ < braunr> or if i should spens the week adding this and tweaking the
+ userspace implementation to "emulate" spin locks
+ < antrik> well, it's tricky situation. on one hand, it seems stupid to
+ include handling for something that presently isn't used, and it's not
+ clear when it will. on the other hand, I'd rather not see additional
+ problems introduced that will make fixing SMP even harder...
+ < braunr> that's why i'm asking here
+ < antrik> of course, you could resolve this question by fixing SMP
+ first... ;-)
+ < braunr> ew
+ < antrik> well, I guess it would be best first to make the code work... and
+ we can still decide about the locking thing before it goes mainline I'd
+ say?
+ < braunr> "make the code work" ?
+ < antrik> I mean make gnumach work with your radix tree code
+ < braunr> without preloading then
+ < antrik> yeah... as a first step... I guess adding it later won't be any
+ harder than adding it right now?
+ < braunr> not much
+ < braunr> testing is what requires time really
+
+2011-06-27
+
+ < braunr> ok, here is the radix tree code:
+ http://git.sceen.net/rbraun/libbraunr.git/
+ < braunr> the preloading stuff will be added in the kernel only, as it's
+ really pointless and not easily doable in userspace
+ < youpi> preloading?
+ < braunr> youpi: yes, preloading
+ < braunr> radix trees allocate external nodes
+ < youpi> well, providing a url at some random time of some random day is
+ not a great way to get eyes on it :)
+ < braunr> and ipc spaces are locked when inserting/allocating names
+ < braunr> we normally don't need preloading in gnumach
+ < braunr> since there is no preemption nor SMP
+ < braunr> but in case someone changes that, i'd like the code to be mostly
+ ready
+ < braunr> and correctly handle those ugly simple locks
+ < braunr> youpi: is what i say clear enough or do you need more background
+ on what is done ?
+ < youpi> about preloading?
+ < braunr> yes
+ < youpi> I guess it means allocating nodes in advance?
+ < braunr> yes
+ < youpi> k
+ < braunr> before locking the ipc spaces
+
+2011-06-28
+
+ < braunr> antrik: i think i won't write the code for the preloading stuff
+ actually
+ < braunr> antrik: it's not very difficult, but i really hate the idea of
+ not being able to reliably test it
+ < braunr> antrik: and i'd rather concentrate on integrating the radix tree
+ code in gnu mach now
+ < braunr> (i've already removed much code, even some files which weren't
+ actually used before my changes !)
+ < braunr> hmm, i won't be able not to write the preloading code after all
+ < antrik> braunr: not able not to write? how's that?
+ < braunr> antrik: it's actually required
+ < braunr> there are three functions, ipc_entry_get, ipc_entry_alloc, and
+ ipc_entry_grow_table
+ < braunr> ipc_entry_get cannot allocate memory
+ < braunr> if it fails, ipc_entry_grow_table is called, which will allocate
+ memory
+ < braunr> ipc_entry_alloc calls both of them depending on the result of
+ ipc_entry_get
+ < braunr> this is the equivalent of the preloading thing i had in mind
+ < braunr> not a bad thing after all
+ < braunr> the only thing i'm afraid of are the "optimized" version of those
+ ipc functions in te so-called fast paths
+ < braunr> i'm afraid if i don't deal right with those, the kernel may end
+ up using mostly slow paths
+ < braunr> but considering the purpose of those fast paths was merely to
+ avoid the overhead of function calls and some locking functions, it
+ shouldn't be that bad
+ < braunr> this is such a mess eh
+ < antrik> hurray microoptimisations ;-)
+ < braunr> there, the preload functions are done, easy :)
+ < antrik> braunr: seems you spent less time implementing it than pondering
+ whether you should implement it ;-)
+ < braunr> well, i couldn't implement it correctly before knowing what
+ should have been done exactly
+ < braunr> and there are still other problems :/
+ < braunr> and the other problems make me reconsider if this was useful at
+ all eh
+ < braunr> youpi: i'm unable to find where ipc tree entries are released
+ except in ipc_entry_alloc_name(), which could mean they're leaked ...
+ < braunr> youpi: would you have time to take a look ?
+ < youpi> they aren't in ipc_entry_dealloc() ?
+ < braunr> no .....
+ < youpi> it's not so unprobable that they're only freed when the task quits
+ < braunr> i don't see that either
+ < braunr> i only see them released in ipc_entry_alloc_name()
+ < braunr> so maybe they're reused
+ < braunr> but i'm not sure about that when reading the code
+ < braunr> oh wait, yes, they are :/
+ < braunr> my bad
+ < youpi> in the ipc_splay_tree_* fucntions I guess?
+ < braunr> yes
+ < braunr> it's just surprsing to see them allocated outside the tree code
+ only
+ < braunr> but released in both the entry and the splay tree code ...
+
+2011-06-29
+
+ < braunr> hmm i missed an important thing :/
+ < braunr> and it's scary
+ < braunr> it looks like the splay tree is mainly used when names are
+ provided
+ < braunr> whereas the entry table is used when names are allocated
+ < braunr> which means the table is the main ipc data structure, even for
+ tasks with lots of rights
+ < braunr> i can make my root ext2fs have more than 10k rights, and i see
+ the ipc table table grow along that number ...
+ < braunr> now thetable has 15k+ entries
+ < braunr> IOW there is no point to put the radix tree code in gnumach :(
+ < antrik> braunr: what do you mean by "provided" and "allocated"?
+ < antrik> and what is that table you are talking about?
+ < braunr> antrik: provided means the user space tasks gives the name of the
+ new right
+ < braunr> antrik: allocated means the kernel generates it
+ < braunr> antrik: the table i'm talking about is is_table in struct
+ ipc_space
+ < braunr> 55 * Every space has a non-NULL is_table with
+ is_table_size entries.
+ < braunr> 56 * A space may have a NULL is_tree. is_tree_small
+ records the
+ < braunr> 57 * number of entries in the tree that, if the table were
+ to grow
+ < braunr> 58 * to the next larger size, would move from the tree to
+ the table.
+ < braunr> here is the description which mislead me (in addition of the
+ obscure code)
+ < braunr> 50 * Spaces hold capabilities for ipc_object_t's (ports
+ and port sets).
+ < braunr> 51 * Each ipc_entry_t records a capability. Most
+ capabilities have
+ < braunr> 52 * small names, and the entries are elements of a table.
+ < braunr> 53 * Capabilities can have large names, and a splay tree
+ holds
+ < braunr> 54 * those entries. The cutoff point between the table
+ and the tree
+ < braunr> 55 * is adjusted dynamically to minimize memory
+ consumption.
+ < antrik> ah, so the rights with a low name are in a linear table, and only
+ those with "random" high names are stored in the splay tree instead?
+ < antrik> seems a rather complex design... I guess though there isn't much
+ room for further optimisation there :-(
+ < antrik> (well, except for code size optimisation -- which could in fact
+ make a considerable difference...)
+ < braunr> well there are problems with this approach, but most don't
+ concern performance
+ < braunr> when the table gets big (close to the page size or more), it gets
+ remapped when reallocated
+ < braunr> which will incur some penalty because of the tlb
+ < braunr> but it's annoying even for small tables
+ < braunr> the initial table size is 4 entries, and from what i can see,
+ most tables are 128 entries wide when tasks are destroyed
+ < braunr> an obvious simple optimization is to set a larger default size
+ < braunr> the same applies for the dead name tables
+ < braunr> those reallocations are a pain, and they're due to this design
+ < braunr> they can also fail because of fragmentation
+ < braunr> there would be a point to radix trees if they would replace all
+ that, and not just the splay tree
+ < braunr> but this would cause a lot of changes in a lot of places, and in
+ particular the "optimized" fast paths i mentioned yesterday
+ < braunr> we'll see how they perform in x15 :>
+ < braunr> there is a slight noticeable improvement when increasing the
+ initial size of the entry table
+ < antrik> braunr: well, if you use them in a completely different
+ implementation, there will be no way of telling whether they make a
+ difference
+ < antrik> how did you test the improvement?
+ < braunr> antrik: no actually it's completely negligeable
+ < braunr> hm
+ < braunr> is that a valid word ? :)
+ < braunr> negligible
+ < braunr> youpi: did you see my comments about the ipc stuff this earlier
+ today ?
+ < braunr> youpi: well to make things short, when port names are allocated,
+ the right they refer to is allocated from the ipc table
+ < braunr> youpi: the splay tree is only used for user provided names
+ < braunr> youpi: i had tables as large as the number of rights in a space
+ (i could easily reach 20k)
+ < braunr> youpi: whereas the splay trees had at most ~40 entries ..