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-rw-r--r--open_issues/alarm_setitimer.mdwn8
-rw-r--r--open_issues/automatic_backtraces_when_assertions_hit.mdwn60
-rw-r--r--open_issues/bpf.mdwn8
-rw-r--r--open_issues/dde.mdwn28
-rw-r--r--open_issues/ext2fs_deadlock.mdwn5
-rw-r--r--open_issues/ext2fs_libports_reference_counting_assertion.mdwn93
-rw-r--r--open_issues/glibc/t/tls-threadvar.mdwn29
-rw-r--r--open_issues/gnat.mdwn51
-rw-r--r--open_issues/gnumach_page_cache_policy.mdwn146
-rw-r--r--open_issues/gnumach_vm_map_red-black_trees.mdwn26
-rw-r--r--open_issues/libmachuser_libhurduser_rpc_stubs.mdwn11
-rw-r--r--open_issues/libpager_deadlock.mdwn165
-rw-r--r--open_issues/libpthread.mdwn524
-rw-r--r--open_issues/libpthread_CLOCK_MONOTONIC.mdwn27
-rw-r--r--open_issues/mission_statement.mdwn41
-rw-r--r--open_issues/multithreading.mdwn85
-rw-r--r--open_issues/packaging_libpthread.mdwn50
-rw-r--r--open_issues/pci_arbiter.mdwn256
-rw-r--r--open_issues/performance.mdwn29
-rw-r--r--open_issues/performance/io_system/read-ahead.mdwn280
-rw-r--r--open_issues/pfinet_vs_system_time_changes.mdwn31
-rw-r--r--open_issues/select.mdwn1180
-rw-r--r--open_issues/strict_aliasing.mdwn10
-rw-r--r--open_issues/synchronous_ipc.mdwn64
-rw-r--r--open_issues/usleep.mdwn25
-rw-r--r--open_issues/virtualbox.mdwn44
-rw-r--r--open_issues/wait_errors.mdwn25
27 files changed, 3272 insertions, 29 deletions
diff --git a/open_issues/alarm_setitimer.mdwn b/open_issues/alarm_setitimer.mdwn
index 99b2d7b6..3255683c 100644
--- a/open_issues/alarm_setitimer.mdwn
+++ b/open_issues/alarm_setitimer.mdwn
@@ -21,3 +21,11 @@ See also the attached file: on other OSes (e.g. Linux) it blocks waiting
for a signal, while on GNU/Hurd it gets a new alarm and exits.
[[alrm.c]]
+
+
+# IRC, freenode, #hurd, 2012-07-29
+
+ <braunr> our setitimer is bugged
+ <braunr> it seems doesn't seem to leave a timer disarmed when the interval
+ is set to 0
+ <braunr> (which means a one shot timer is actually periodic ..)
diff --git a/open_issues/automatic_backtraces_when_assertions_hit.mdwn b/open_issues/automatic_backtraces_when_assertions_hit.mdwn
index 1cfacaf5..71007f99 100644
--- a/open_issues/automatic_backtraces_when_assertions_hit.mdwn
+++ b/open_issues/automatic_backtraces_when_assertions_hit.mdwn
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-[[!meta copyright="Copyright © 2010 Free Software Foundation, Inc."]]
+[[!meta copyright="Copyright © 2010, 2012 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
@@ -10,9 +10,65 @@ License|/fdl]]."]]"""]]
[[!tag open_issue_glibc]]
-IRC, unknown channel, unknown date.
+
+# IRC, unknown channel, unknown date
<azeem> tschwinge: ext2fs.static: thread-cancel.c:55: hurd_thread_cancel: Assertion `! __spin_lock_locked (&ss->critical_section_lock)' failed.
<youpi> it'd be great if we could have backtraces in such case
<youpi> at least just the function names
<youpi> and in this case (static), just addresses would be enough
+
+
+# IRC, freenode, #hurd, 2012-07-19
+
+In context of the [[ext2fs_libports_reference_counting_assertion]].
+
+ <braunr> pinotree: tschwinge: do you know if our packages are built with
+ -rdynamic ?
+ <pinotree> braunr: debian's cflags don't include it, so unless the upstream
+ build systems do, -rdynamic is not added
+ <braunr> i doubt glibc' backtrace() is able to find debugging symbol files
+ on its own
+ <pinotree> what do you mean?
+ <braunr> the port reference bug youpi noticed is rare
+ <pinotree> even on linux, a program compiled with normal optimizations (eg
+ -O2 -g) can give just pointer values in backtrace()'s output
+ <braunr> core dumps are unreliable at best
+
+[[crash_server]].
+
+ <braunr> uh, no, backtrace does give names
+ <braunr> but not with -fomit-frame-pointer
+ <braunr> unless the binary is built with -rdynamic
+ <braunr> at least it used to
+ <pinotree> not really, when being optimized some steps can be optimized
+ away (eg inlines)
+ <braunr> that's ok
+ <braunr> anyway, the point is i'd like a way that can give us as much
+ information as possible when the problem happens
+ <braunr> the stack trace being the most useful imo
+ <pinotree> do you face issues currently with backtrace()?
+ <braunr> not tried yet
+ <braunr> i guess i could make the application trap in the kernel, and fault
+ there, so we can attach gdb while still in the pager address space :>
+ <pinotree> that would imply the need for interactivity when the fault
+ happens, wouldn't it?
+ <braunr> no
+ <braunr> it would remain this way until someone comes, hours, days later
+ <braunr> pinotree: well ok, it would require interactivity, but not *when*
+ it happens ;p
+ <braunr> pinotree: right, it needs -rdynamic
+
+
+## IRC, freenode, #hurd, 2012-07-21
+
+ <braunr> tschwinge: my current "approach" is to introduce an infinite loop
+ <braunr> it makes the faulting task mapped in often enough to use gdb
+ through qemu
+ <braunr> ... :)
+ <tschwinge> My understanding is that glibc already does have some mechanism
+ for that: I have seen it print backtraces whendetecting malloc
+ inconsistencies (double free and the lite).
+ <braunr> yes, i thought it used the backtrace functions internally though
+ <braunr> that is, execinfo
+ <braunr> but this does require -rdynamic
diff --git a/open_issues/bpf.mdwn b/open_issues/bpf.mdwn
index e24d761b..02dc7f87 100644
--- a/open_issues/bpf.mdwn
+++ b/open_issues/bpf.mdwn
@@ -585,3 +585,11 @@ This is a collection of resources concerning *Berkeley Packet Filter*s.
in libpcap, and let users of that library benefit from it
<braunr> instead of implementing the low level bpf interface, which
nonetheless has some system-specific variants ..
+
+
+## IRC, freenode, #hurd, 2012-08-03
+
+In context of the [[select]] issue.
+
+ <braunr> i understand now why my bpf translator was so buggy
+ <braunr> the condition_timedwait i wrote at the time was .. incomplete :)
diff --git a/open_issues/dde.mdwn b/open_issues/dde.mdwn
index aff988d5..8f00c950 100644
--- a/open_issues/dde.mdwn
+++ b/open_issues/dde.mdwn
@@ -31,6 +31,18 @@ A similar problem is described in
[[community/gsoc/project_ideas/unionfs_boot]], and needs to be implemented.
+### IRC, freenode, #hurd, 2012-07-17
+
+ <bddebian> OK, here is a stupid question I have always had. If you move
+ PCI and disk drivers in to userspace, how do do initial bootstrap to get
+ the system booting?
+ <braunr> that's hard
+ <braunr> basically you make the boot loader load all the components you
+ need in ram
+ <braunr> then you make it give each component something (ports) so they can
+ communicate
+
+
# Upstream Status
@@ -90,6 +102,9 @@ At the microkernel davroom at [[community/meetings/FOSDEM_2012]]:
automatically, or you have to settrans yourself to setup a device?
<youpi> there's no autoloader for now
<youpi> we'd need a bus arbitrer that'd do autoprobing
+
+[[PCI_arbiter]].
+
<pinotree> i see
<pinotree> (you see i'm not really that low level, so pardon the flood of
posssibly-noobish questions ;) )
@@ -200,21 +215,10 @@ At the microkernel davroom at [[community/meetings/FOSDEM_2012]]:
<antrik> right
-# IRC, freenode, #hurd, 2012-02-19
-
- <youpi> antrik: we should probably add a gsoc idea on pci bus arbitration
- <youpi> DDE is still experimental for now so it's ok that you have to
- configure it by hand, but it should be automatic at some ponit
-
+# [[PCI_Arbiter]]
## IRC, freenode, #hurd, 2012-02-21
- <braunr> i'm not familiar with the new gnumach interface for userspace
- drivers, but can this pci enumerator be written with it as it is ?
- <braunr> (i'm not asking for a precise answer, just yes - even probably -
- or no)
- <braunr> (idk or utsl will do as well)
- <youpi> I'd say yes
<youpi> since all drivers need is interrupts, io ports and iomem
<youpi> the latter was already available through /dev/mem
<youpi> io ports through the i386 rpcs
diff --git a/open_issues/ext2fs_deadlock.mdwn b/open_issues/ext2fs_deadlock.mdwn
index 369875fe..23f54a4a 100644
--- a/open_issues/ext2fs_deadlock.mdwn
+++ b/open_issues/ext2fs_deadlock.mdwn
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-[[!meta copyright="Copyright © 2010 Free Software Foundation, Inc."]]
+[[!meta copyright="Copyright © 2010, 2012 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
@@ -44,9 +44,8 @@ pull the information out of the process' memory manually (how to do that,
anyways?), and also didn't have time to continue with debugging GDB itself, but
this sounds like a [[!taglink open_issue_gdb]]...)
----
-IRC, #hurd, 2010-10-27
+# IRC, freenode, #hurd, 2010-10-27
<youpi> thread 8 hung on ports_begin_rpc
<youpi> that's probably where one could investigated first
diff --git a/open_issues/ext2fs_libports_reference_counting_assertion.mdwn b/open_issues/ext2fs_libports_reference_counting_assertion.mdwn
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..ff1c4c38
--- /dev/null
+++ b/open_issues/ext2fs_libports_reference_counting_assertion.mdwn
@@ -0,0 +1,93 @@
+[[!meta copyright="Copyright © 2012 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]]."]]"""]]
+
+[[!tag open_issue_hurd]]
+
+ libports/port-ref.c:31: ports_port_ref: Assertion `pi->refcnt || pi->weakrefcnt' failed
+
+This is seen every now and then.
+
+
+# [[gnumach_page_cache_policy]]
+
+With that patch in place, the assertion failure is seen more often.
+
+
+## IRC, freenode, #hurd, 2012-07-14
+
+ <youpi> braunr: I'm getting ext2fs.static:
+ /usr/src/hurd-debian/./libports/port-ref.c:31: ports_port_ref: Assertion
+ `pi->refcnt || pi->weakrefcnt' failed.
+ <youpi> oddly enough, that happens on one of the buildds only
+ <braunr> :/
+ <braunr> i fear the patch can wake many of these issues
+
+
+## IRC, freenode, #hurd, 2012-07-15
+
+ <youpi> braunr: same assertion failed on a second buildd
+ <braunr> can you paste it again please ?
+ <youpi> ext2fs.static: /usr/src/hurd-debian/./libports/port-ref.c:31:
+ ports_port_ref: Assertion `pi->refcnt || pi->weakrefcnt' failed.
+ <braunr> or better, answer the ml thread for future reference
+ <braunr> thanks
+ <youpi> braunr: I can't keep your patch on the buildds, it makes them too
+ unreliable
+ <braunr> youpi: ok
+ <braunr> i never got this error though, that's weird
+ <braunr> youpi: was the failure during the same build ?
+ <youpi> no, it was during package installation, and not the same
+ <youpi> braunr: note that I've already seen such errors, it's not new, but
+ it was way rarer
+ <youpi> like every month only
+ <braunr> ah ok
+ <braunr> yes it's less surprising then
+ <braunr> a tricky reference counting / locking mistake somewhere in the
+ hurd :) ...
+ <braunr> ah ! just got it !
+ <bddebian> braunr: Got the error or found the problem? :)
+ <braunr> the former unfortunately :/
+
+
+## IRC, freenode, #hurd, 2012-07-19
+
+ <braunr> hm, i think those ext2fs port refs errors may also be due to stack
+ overflows
+ <pinotree> --verbose
+ <braunr> hm ?
+ <braunr> http://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/bug-hurd/2012-07/msg00051.html
+ <pinotree> i mean, why do you think they could be due to that?
+ <braunr> the error is that both strong and weak refs in a port are 0 when
+ adding a reference
+ <braunr> weak refs are almost never used so let's forget about them
+ <braunr> when a ref count drops to 0, the port is automatically deallocated
+ <braunr> so what other than memory corruption setting this counter to 0
+ could possibly do that ? :)
+ <pinotree> one could also guess an unbalanced ref/unref logic, somehow
+ <braunr> what do you mean ?
+ <pinotree> that for a bug, an early return, etc a port gets unref'ed often
+ than it is ref'ed
+ <braunr> highly unlikely, as they're protected by a lock
+ <braunr> pinotree: ah you mean, the object gets deallocated early because
+ of an deref overflow ?
+ <braunr> pinotree: could be, yes
+ <braunr> pinotree: i wonder if it could happen because of the periodic sync
+ duplicating the node table without holding references
+ <braunr> rah, libports uses a big lock in many places :(
+ <pinotree> braunr: yes, i meant that
+ <braunr> we could try using libduma some day
+ <braunr> i wonder if it could work out of the box
+ <pinotree> but that wouldn't help to find out whether a port gets deref'ed
+ too often, for instance
+ <pinotree> although it could be adapted to do so, i guess
+ <braunr> reproducing + a call trace or core would be best, but i'm not even
+ sure we can get that easily lol
+
+[[automatic_backtraces_when_assertions_hit]].
diff --git a/open_issues/glibc/t/tls-threadvar.mdwn b/open_issues/glibc/t/tls-threadvar.mdwn
index e72732ab..4afd8a1a 100644
--- a/open_issues/glibc/t/tls-threadvar.mdwn
+++ b/open_issues/glibc/t/tls-threadvar.mdwn
@@ -29,3 +29,32 @@ IRC, freenode, #hurd, 2011-10-23:
After this has been done, probably the whole `__libc_tsd_*` stuff can be
dropped altogether, and `__thread` directly be used in glibc.
+
+
+# IRC, freenode, #hurd, 2012-08-07
+
+ <tschwinge> r5219: Update libpthread patch to replace threadvar with tls
+ for pthread_self
+ <tschwinge> r5224: revert r5219 too, it's not ready either
+ <youpi> as the changelog says, the __thread revertal is because it posed
+ problems
+ <youpi> and I just didn't have any time to check them while the freeze was
+ so close
+ <tschwinge> OK. What kind of problems? Should it be reverted upstream,
+ too?
+ <youpi> I don't remember exactly
+ <youpi> it should just be fixed
+ <youpi> we can revert it upstream, but it'd be good that we manage to
+ progress, at some point...
+ <tschwinge> Of course -- however as long as we don't know what kind of
+ problem, it is a bit difficult. ;-)
+ <youpi> since I didn't left a note, it was most probably a mere glibc run,
+ or boot with the patched libpthread
+ <youpi> *testsuite run
+ <tschwinge> OK.
+ <tschwinge> The libpthread testsuite doesn't show any issues with that
+ patch applied, though. But I didn'T test anything else.
+ <tschwinge> youpi: Also, you have probably seen my glibc __thread errno
+ email -- rmcgrath wanted to find some time this week to comment/help, and
+ I take it you don't have any immediate comments to that issue?
+ <youpi> I saw the mails, but didn't investigate at all
diff --git a/open_issues/gnat.mdwn b/open_issues/gnat.mdwn
index fb624fad..2d17e275 100644
--- a/open_issues/gnat.mdwn
+++ b/open_issues/gnat.mdwn
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-[[!meta copyright="Copyright © 2011 Free Software Foundation, Inc."]]
+[[!meta copyright="Copyright © 2011, 2012 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
@@ -38,6 +38,55 @@ svn://svn.debian.org/gcccvs/branches/sid@5638
6ca36cf4-e1d1-0310-8c6f-e303bb2178ca'
+## IRC, freenode, #hurd, 2012-07-17
+
+ <gnu_srs> I've found the remaining problem with gnat backtrace for Hurd!
+ Related to the stack frame.
+ <gnu_srs> This version does not work: one relying on static assumptions
+ about the frame layout
+ <gnu_srs> Causing segfaults.
+ <gnu_srs> Any interest to create a test case out of that piece of code,
+ taken from gcc/ada/tracebak.c?
+ <braunr> gnu_srs: sure
+
+
+### IRC, freenode, #hurd, 2012-07-18
+
+ <braunr> "Digging further revealed that the GNU/Hurd stack frame does not
+ seem to
+ <braunr> be static enough to define USE_GENERIC_UNWINDER in
+ gcc/ada/tracebak.c.
+ <braunr> "
+ <braunr> what do you mean by a "stack frame does not seem to be static
+ enough" ?
+ <gnu_srs> I can qoute from the source file if you want. Otherwise look at
+ the code yourself: gcc/ada/tracebak,c
+ <gnu_srs> I mean that something is wrong with the stack frame for
+ Hurd. This is the code I wanted to use as a test case for the stack.
+ <gnu_srs> Remember?
+ <braunr> more or less
+ <braunr> ah, "static assumptions"
+ <braunr> all right, i don't think anything is "wrong" with stack frames
+ <braunr> but if you use a recent version of gcc, as indicated in the code,
+ -fomit-frame-pointer is enabled by default
+ <braunr> so your stack frame won't look like it used to be without the
+ option
+ <braunr> hence the need for USE_GCC_UNWINDER
+ <braunr> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Call_stack explains this very well
+ <gnu_srs> However, kfreebsd does not seem to need USE_GCC_UNWINDER, how
+ come?
+ <braunr> i guess they don't omit the frame pointer
+ <braunr> your fix is good btw
+ <gnu_srs> thanks
+
+
+### IRC, freenode, #hurd, 2012-07-19
+
+ <gnu_srs> tschwinge: The bug in #681998 should go upstream. Applied in
+ Debian already. Hopefully this is the last patch needed for the port of
+ GNAT to Hurd.
+
+
---
diff --git a/open_issues/gnumach_page_cache_policy.mdwn b/open_issues/gnumach_page_cache_policy.mdwn
index 03cb3725..375e153b 100644
--- a/open_issues/gnumach_page_cache_policy.mdwn
+++ b/open_issues/gnumach_page_cache_policy.mdwn
@@ -108,6 +108,9 @@ License|/fdl]]."]]"""]]
12k random data
<braunr> i'll try with other values
<braunr> i get crashes, deadlocks, livelocks, and it's not pretty :)
+
+[[libpager_deadlock]].
+
<braunr> and always in ext2, mach doesn't seem affected by the issue, other
than the obvious
<braunr> (well i get the usual "deallocating an invalid port", but as
@@ -625,3 +628,146 @@ License|/fdl]]."]]"""]]
## [[metadata_caching]]
+
+
+## IRC, freenode, #hurd, 2012-07-12
+
+ <braunr> i'm only adding a cached pages count you know :)
+ <braunr> (well actually, this is now a vm_stats call that can replace
+ vm_statistics, and uses flavors similar to task_info)
+ <braunr> my goal being to see that yellow bar in htop
+ <braunr> ... :)
+ <pinotree> yellow?
+ <braunr> yes, yellow
+ <braunr> as in http://www.sceen.net/~rbraun/htop.png
+ <pinotree> ah
+
+
+## IRC, freenode, #hurd, 2012-07-13
+
+ <braunr> i always get a "no more room for vm_map_enter" error when building
+ glibc :/
+ <braunr> but the build continues, probably a failed test
+ <braunr> ah yes, i can see the yellow bar :>
+ <antrik> braunr: congrats :-)
+ <braunr> antrik: thanks
+ <braunr> but i think my patch can't make it into the git repo until the
+ swap deadlock is solved (or at least very infrequent ..)
+
+[[libpager_deadlock]].
+
+ <braunr> well, the page cache accounting tells me something is wrong there
+ too lol
+ <braunr> during a build 112M of data was created, of which only 28M made it
+ into the cache
+ <braunr> which may imply something is still holding references on the
+ others objects (shadow objects hold references to their underlying
+ object, which could explain this)
+ <braunr> ok i'm stupid, i just forgot to subtract the cached pages from the
+ used pages .. :>
+ <braunr> (hm, actually i'm tired, i don't think this should be done)
+ <braunr> ahh yes much better
+ <braunr> i simply forgot to convert pages in kilobytes .... :>
+ <braunr> with the fix, the accounting of cached files is perfect :)
+
+
+## IRC, freenode, #hurd, 2012-07-14
+
+ <youpi> braunr: btw, if you want to stress big builds, you might want to
+ try webkit, ppl, rquantlib, rheolef, yade
+ <youpi> they don't pass on bach (1.3GiB), but do on ironforge (1.8GiB)
+ <braunr> youpi: i don't need to, i already know my patch triggers swap
+ deadlocks more often, which was expected
+ <youpi> k
+ <braunr> there are 3 tasks concerning my work : 1/ page cache accounting
+ (i'm sending the patch right now) 2/ removing the fixed limit and 3/
+ hunting the swap deadlock and fixing as much as possible
+ <braunr> 2/ can't get in the repository without 3/ imo
+ <youpi> btw, the increase of PAGE_FREE_* in your 2/ could go already,
+ couldn't it?
+ <braunr> yes
+ <braunr> but we should test with higher thresholds
+ <braunr> well
+ <braunr> it really depends on the usage pattern :/
+
+
+## [[ext2fs_libports_reference_counting_assertion]]
+
+
+## IRC, freenode, #hurd, 2012-07-15
+
+ <braunr> concerning the page cache patch, i've been using for quite some
+ time now, did lots of builds with it, and i actually wonder if it hurts
+ stability as much as i think
+ <braunr> considering i didn't stress the system as much before
+ <braunr> and it really improves performance
+
+ <braunr> cached memobjs: 138606
+ <braunr> cache: 1138M
+ <braunr> i bet ext2fs can have a hard time scanning 138k entries in a
+ linked list, using callback functions on each of them :x
+
+
+
+## IRC, freenode, #hurd, 2012-07-16
+
+ <tschwinge> braunr: Sorry that I didn't have better results to present.
+ :-/
+ <braunr> eh, that was expected :)
+ <braunr> my biggest problem is the hurd itself :/
+ <braunr> for my patch to be useful (and the rest of the intended work), the
+ hurd needs some serious fixing
+ <braunr> not syncing from the pagers
+ <braunr> and scalable algorithms everywhere of course
+
+
+## IRC, freenode, #hurd, 2012-07-23
+
+ <braunr> youpi: FYI, the branches rbraun/page_cache in the gnupach and hurd
+ repos are ready to be merged after review
+ <braunr> gnumach*
+ <youpi> so you fixed the hangs & such?
+ <braunr> they only the cache stats, not the "improved" cache
+ <braunr> no
+ <braunr> it requires much more work for that :)
+ <youpi> braunr: my concern is that the tests on buildds show stability
+ regression
+ <braunr> youpi: tschwinge also reported performance degradation
+ <braunr> and not the minor kind
+ <youpi> uh
+ <tschwinge> :-/
+ <braunr> far less pageins, but twice as many pageouts, and probably high
+ cpu overhead
+ <braunr> building (which is what buildds do) means lots of small files
+ <braunr> so lots of objects
+ <braunr> huge lists, long scans, etc..
+ <braunr> so it definitely requires more work
+ <braunr> the stability issue comes first in mind, and i don't see a way to
+ obtain a usable trace
+ <braunr> do you ?
+ <youpi> nope
+ <braunr> (except making it loop forever instead of calling assert() and
+ attach gdb to a qemu instance)
+ <braunr> youpi: if you think the infinite loop trick is ok, we could
+ proceed with that
+ <youpi> which assert?
+ <braunr> the port refs one
+ <youpi> which one?
+ <braunr> whicih prevented you from using the page cache patch on buildds
+ <youpi> ah, the libports one
+ <youpi> for that one, I'd tend to take the time to perhaps use coccicheck
+ actually
+
+[[code_analysis]].
+
+ <braunr> oh
+ <youpi> it's one of those which is supposed to be statically ananyzable
+ <youpi> s/n/l
+ <braunr> that would be great
+ <tschwinge> :-)
+ <tschwinge> And set precedence.
+
+
+## IRC, freenode, #hurd, 2012-07-26
+
+ <braunr> hm i killed darnassus, probably the page cache patch again
diff --git a/open_issues/gnumach_vm_map_red-black_trees.mdwn b/open_issues/gnumach_vm_map_red-black_trees.mdwn
index d7407bfe..7a54914f 100644
--- a/open_issues/gnumach_vm_map_red-black_trees.mdwn
+++ b/open_issues/gnumach_vm_map_red-black_trees.mdwn
@@ -172,3 +172,29 @@ License|/fdl]]."]]"""]]
crasher le noyau)
<braunr> (enfin jveux dire, qui faisait crasher le noyau de façon très
obscure avant le patch rbtree)
+
+
+### IRC, freenode, #hurd, 2012-07-15
+
+ <bddebian> I get errors in vm_map.c whenever I try to "mount" a CD
+ <bddebian> Hmm, this time it rebooted the machine
+ <bddebian> braunr: The translator set this time and the machine reboots
+ before I can get the full message about vm_map, but here is some of the
+ crap I get: http://paste.debian.net/179191/
+ <braunr> oh
+ <braunr> nice
+ <braunr> that may be the bug youpi saw with my redblack tree patch
+ <braunr> bddebian: assert(diff != 0); ?
+ <bddebian> Aye
+ <braunr> good
+ <braunr> it means we're trying to insert a vm_map_entry at a region in a
+ map which is already occupied
+ <bddebian> Oh
+ <braunr> and unlike the previous code, the tree actually checks that
+ <braunr> it has to
+ <braunr> so you just simply use the iso9660fs translator and it crashes ?
+ <bddebian> Well it used to on just trying to set the translator. This time
+ I was able to set the translator but as soon as I cd to the mount point I
+ get all that crap
+ <braunr> that's very good
+ <braunr> more test cases to fix the vm
diff --git a/open_issues/libmachuser_libhurduser_rpc_stubs.mdwn b/open_issues/libmachuser_libhurduser_rpc_stubs.mdwn
index 80fc9fcd..57eb403d 100644
--- a/open_issues/libmachuser_libhurduser_rpc_stubs.mdwn
+++ b/open_issues/libmachuser_libhurduser_rpc_stubs.mdwn
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
-[[!meta copyright="Copyright © 2010, 2011 Free Software Foundation, Inc."]]
+[[!meta copyright="Copyright © 2010, 2011, 2012 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
@@ -104,3 +105,11 @@ License|/fdl]]."]]"""]]
of embedding it ?
<braunr> right
<antrik> now that's a good question... no idea TBH :-)
+
+
+# IRC, freenode, #hurd, 2012-07-23
+
+ <pinotree> aren't libmachuser and libhurduser supposed to be slowly faded
+ out?
+ <tschwinge> pinotree: That discussion has not yet come to a conclusion, I
+ think. (I'd say: yes.)
diff --git a/open_issues/libpager_deadlock.mdwn b/open_issues/libpager_deadlock.mdwn
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..017ecff6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/open_issues/libpager_deadlock.mdwn
@@ -0,0 +1,165 @@
+[[!meta copyright="Copyright © 2010, 2012 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]]."]]"""]]
+
+[[!tag open_issue_hurd]]
+
+Deadlocks in libpager/periodic sync have been found.
+
+
+# [[gnumach_page_cache_policy]]
+
+
+## IRC, freenode, #hurd, 2012-07-12
+
+ <braunr> ah great, a paper about the mach pageout daemon !
+ <mcsim> braunr: Where is paper about the mach pageout daemon?
+ <braunr> ftp://ftp.cs.cmu.edu/project/mach/doc/published/defaultmm.ps
+ <braunr> might give us a clue about the swap deadlock (although i still
+ have a few ideas to check)
+ <braunr>
+ http://www.sceen.net/~rbraun/moving_the_default_memory_manager_out_of_the_mach_kernel.pdf
+ <braunr> we should more seriously consider sergio's advisory pageout branch
+ some day
+ <braunr> i'll try to get in touch with him about that before he completely
+ looses interest
+ <braunr> i'll include it in my "make that page cache as decent as possible"
+ task
+ <braunr> many of his comments match what i've seen
+ <braunr> and we both did a few optimizations the same way
+ <braunr> (like not deactivating pages when they enter the cache)
+
+
+## IRC, freenode, #hurd, 2012-07-13
+
+ <braunr> antrik: i'm able to consistently reproduce the swap deadlocks you
+ regularly had when using apt with my page cache patch
+ <braunr> it happens when lots of dirty pages are write back to their pagers
+ <braunr> so apt, or a big file copy or anything that writes several MiB
+ very quickly is a good candidate
+ <braunr> written*
+ <antrik> braunr: nice...
+ <braunr> antrik: well in a way, yes, as it will allow us to track it more
+ easily
+
+
+## IRC, freenode, #hurd, 2012-07-15
+
+ <braunr> oh btw, i think i can say with confidence that the hurd *doesn't*
+ deadlock
+ <braunr> (at least, concerning swapping)
+ <braunr> lol, one of my hurd systems has been hitting the "swap deadlock"
+ for more than an hour, and suddenly got out of it
+ <braunr> something is really wrong in the pageout daemon, but it's not a
+ deadlock
+ <youpi> a livelock then
+ <braunr> do you get out of livelocks ?
+ <braunr> i mean, it's not even a "lock"
+ <braunr> just a big damn tricky slowdown
+ <youpi> yes, you can, by giving a few more resources for instance
+ <youpi> depends on the kind of livelock of course
+ <braunr> i think it's that
+ <braunr> the pageout daemon clearly throttles itself, waiting for pagers to
+ complete
+ <braunr> and another dangerous thing is the line in vm_resident, which only
+ wakes on thread to avoid starvation
+ <braunr> hum, during the livelock, the kernel spends much time waiting in
+ db_read_address
+ <braunr> could be a bad stack
+ <braunr> so, the pageout daemon seems to slow itself as much as waiting
+ several seconds between each iteration when under load
+ <braunr> but each iteration possibly removes clean pages
+ <braunr> so at some point, there is enough memory to unblock waiting pagers
+ <braunr> for now i'll try a simple solution, like limiting the pausing
+ delay
+ <braunr> but we'll need more page lists in the future (inactive-clean,
+ inactive-dirty, etc..)
+ <braunr> limiting the amount of dirty pages is the only way to really make
+ it safe actually
+ <braunr> wow, the pageout loop is still running even after many pages were
+ freed, and it unable to free more pages
+ <braunr> i think i have an idea about the livelock
+ <braunr> i think it comes from the periodic syncing
+ <bddebian> Too often?
+ <braunr> that's not the problem
+ <braunr> the problem is that it can happen at the same time with paging
+ <bddebian> Oh
+ <braunr> if paging gets slow, it won't stop the periodic syncing
+ <braunr> which will grab any page it can as soon as some are free
+ <braunr> but then, before it even finishes, another sync may occur
+ <braunr> i have yet to check that it is possible
+ <braunr> and i don't understand why syncing isn't done by the kernel
+ <braunr> the kernel is supposed to handle the paging policy
+ <braunr> and it would make paging really scale
+ <bddebian> It's done on the Hurd side?
+ <braunr> (instead of having external pagers make one request for each
+ object, even if they're clean)
+ <braunr> yes
+ <bddebian> Hmm, interesting
+ <braunr> ofc, with ext2fs --debug, i can't reproduce anything
+ <bddebian> Ugh
+ <braunr> sync are serialized
+ <braunr> grmbl
+ <braunr> there is a big lock taken at sync time though
+ <braunr> uhg
+
+
+## IRC, freenode, #hurd, 2012-07-16
+
+ <braunr> all right so, there *is* a deadlock, and it may be due to the
+ default pager actually
+ <braunr> the vm_page_laundry_count doesn't decrease at some point, even
+ when there are more than enough free pages
+ <braunr> antrik: the thing is, i think the deadlock concerns the default
+ pager
+ <antrik> the deadlock?
+ <braunr> yes
+ <braunr> when swapping
+
+
+## IRC, freenode, #hurd, 2012-07-17
+
+ <braunr> i can't even reproduce the swap deadlock when using upstrea ext2fs
+ :(
+ <braunr> upstream*
+
+
+## IRC, freenode, #hurd, 2012-07-19
+
+ <braunr> the libpager deadlock patch looks wrong to me
+ <braunr> hm no, the libpager patch is ok acually
+
+
+## [[synchronous_ipc]]
+
+### IRC, freenode, #hurd, 2012-07-20
+
+ <braunr> but actually after reviewing more, the debian patch for this
+ particular issue seems correct
+ <antrik> well, it's most probably done by youpi, so I would be shocked if
+ it wasn't correct... ;-)
+ <braunr> he wasn't sure at all about it
+ <antrik> still ;-)
+ <braunr> :)
+ <antrik> well, if you also think it's correct, I guess it's time to push it
+ upstream...
+
+
+## IRC, freenode, #hurd, 2012-07-23
+
+ <braunr> i still can't conclude if we have any pageout deadlock, or if it's
+ simply a side effect of the active and inactive lists getting very very
+ large
+ <braunr> but almost every time this issue happens, it somehow recovers,
+ sometimes hours later
+
+
+# See Also
+
+ * [[ext2fs_deadlock]]
diff --git a/open_issues/libpthread.mdwn b/open_issues/libpthread.mdwn
index c5054b7f..03a52218 100644
--- a/open_issues/libpthread.mdwn
+++ b/open_issues/libpthread.mdwn
@@ -42,3 +42,527 @@ There is a [[!FF_project 275]][[!tag bounty]] on this task.
<youpi> there'll still be the issue that only one will be initialized
<youpi> and one that provides libc thread safety functions, etc.
<pinotree> that's what i wanted to knew, thanks :)
+
+
+## IRC, freenode, #hurd, 2012-07-23
+
+ <bddebian> So I am not sure what to do with the hurd_condition_wait stuff
+ <braunr> i would also like to know what's the real issue with cancellation
+ here
+ <braunr> because my understanding is that libpthread already implements it
+ <braunr> does it look ok to you to make hurd_condition_timedwait return an
+ errno code (like ETIMEDOUT and ECANCELED) ?
+ <youpi> braunr: that's what pthread_* function usually do, yes
+ <braunr> i thought they used their own code
+ <youpi> no
+ <braunr> thanks
+ <braunr> well, first, do you understand what hurd_condition_wait is ?
+ <braunr> it's similar to condition_wait or pthread_cond_wait with a subtle
+ difference
+ <braunr> it differs from the original cthreads version by handling
+ cancellation
+ <braunr> but it also differs from the second by how it handles cancellation
+ <braunr> instead of calling registered cleanup routines and leaving, it
+ returns an error code
+ <braunr> (well simply !0 in this case)
+ <braunr> so there are two ways
+ <braunr> first, change the call to pthread_cond_wait
+ <bddebian> Are you saying we could fix stuff to use pthread_cond_wait()
+ properly?
+ <braunr> it's possible but not easy
+ <braunr> because you'd have to rewrite the cancellation code
+ <braunr> probably writing cleanup routines
+ <braunr> this can be hard and error prone
+ <braunr> and is useless if the code already exists
+ <braunr> so it seems reasonable to keep this hurd extension
+ <braunr> but now, as it *is* a hurd extension noone else uses
+ <antrik> braunr: BTW, when trying to figure out a tricky problem with the
+ auth server, cfhammer digged into the RPC cancellation code quite a bit,
+ and it's really a horrible complex monstrosity... plus the whole concept
+ is actually broken in some regards I think -- though I don't remember the
+ details
+ <braunr> antrik: i had the same kind of thoughts
+ <braunr> antrik: the hurd or pthreads ones ?
+ <antrik> not sure what you mean. I mean the RPC cancellation code -- which
+ is involves thread management too
+ <braunr> ok
+ <antrik> I don't know how it is related to hurd_condition_wait though
+ <braunr> well i found two main entry points there
+ <braunr> hurd_thread_cancel and hurd_condition_wait
+ <braunr> and it didn't look that bad
+ <braunr> whereas in the pthreads code, there are many corner cases
+ <braunr> and even the standard itself looks insane
+ <antrik> well, perhaps the threading part is not that bad...
+ <antrik> it's not where we saw the problems at any rate :-)
+ <braunr> rpc interruption maybe ?
+ <antrik> oh, right... interruption is probably the right term
+ <braunr> yes that thing looks scary
+ <braunr> :))
+ <braunr> the migration thread paper mentions some things about the problems
+ concerning threads controllability
+ <antrik> I believe it's a very strong example for why building around
+ standard Mach features is a bad idea, instead of adapting the primitives
+ to our actual needs...
+ <braunr> i wouldn't be surprised if the "monstrosities" are work arounds
+ <braunr> right
+
+
+## IRC, freenode, #hurd, 2012-07-26
+
+ <bddebian> Uhm, where does /usr/include/hurd/signal.h come from?
+ <pinotree> head -n4 /usr/include/hurd/signal.
+ <pinotree> h
+ <bddebian> Ohh glibc?
+ <bddebian> That makes things a little more difficult :(
+ <braunr> why ?
+ <bddebian> Hurd includes it which brings in cthreads
+ <braunr> ?
+ <braunr> the hurd already brings in cthreads
+ <braunr> i don't see what you mean
+ <bddebian> Not anymore :)
+ <braunr> the system cthreads header ?
+ <braunr> well it's not that difficult to trick the compiler not to include
+ them
+ <bddebian> signal.h includes cthreads.h I need to stop that
+ <braunr> just define the _CTHREADS_ macro before including anything
+ <braunr> remember that header files are normally enclosed in such macros to
+ avoid multiple inclusions
+ <braunr> this isn't specific to cthreads
+ <pinotree> converting hurd from cthreads to pthreads will make hurd and
+ glibc break source and binary compatibility
+ <bddebian> Of course
+ <braunr> reminds me of the similar issues of the late 90s
+ <bddebian> Ugh, why is he using _pthread_self()?
+ <pinotree> maybe because it accesses to the internals
+ <braunr> "he" ?
+ <bddebian> Thomas in his modified cancel-cond.c
+ <braunr> well, you need the internals to implement it
+ <braunr> hurd_condition_wait is similar to pthread_condition_wait, except
+ that instead of stopping the thread and calling cleanup routines, it
+ returns 1 if cancelled
+ <pinotree> not that i looked at it, but there's really no way to implement
+ it using public api?
+ <bddebian> Even if I am using glibc pthreads?
+ <braunr> unlikely
+ <bddebian> God I had all of this worked out before I dropped off for a
+ couple years.. :(
+ <braunr> this will come back :p
+ <pinotree> that makes you the perfect guy to work on it ;)
+ <bddebian> I can't find a pt-internal.h anywhere.. :(
+ <pinotree> clone the hurd/libpthread.git repo from savannah
+ <bddebian> Of course when I was doing this libpthread was still in hurd
+ sources...
+ <bddebian> So if I am using glibc pthread, why can't I use pthread_self()
+ instead?
+ <pinotree> that won't give you access to the internals
+ <bddebian> OK, dumb question time. What internals?
+ <pinotree> the libpthread ones
+ <braunr> that's where you will find if your thread has been cancelled or
+ not
+ <bddebian> pinotree: But isn't that assuming that I am using hurd's
+ libpthread?
+ <pinotree> if you aren't inside libpthread, no
+ <braunr> pthread_self is normally not portable
+ <braunr> you can only use it with pthread_equal
+ <braunr> so unless you *know* the internals, you can't use it
+ <braunr> and you won't be able to do much
+ <braunr> so, as it was done with cthreads, hurd_condition_wait should be
+ close to the libpthread implementation
+ <braunr> inside, normally
+ <braunr> now, if it's too long for you (i assume you don't want to build
+ glibc)
+ <braunr> you can just implement it outside, grabbing the internal headers
+ for now
+ <pinotree> another "not that i looked at it" question: isn't there no way
+ to rewrite the code using that custom condwait stuff to use the standard
+ libpthread one?
+ <braunr> and once it works, it'll get integrated
+ <braunr> pinotree: it looks very hard
+ <bddebian> braunr: But the internal headers are assuming hurd libpthread
+ which isn't in the source anymore
+ <braunr> from what i could see while working on select, servers very often
+ call hurd_condition_wait
+ <braunr> and they return EINTR if canceleld
+ <braunr> so if you use the standard pthread_cond_wait function, your thread
+ won't be able to return anything, unless you push the reply in a
+ completely separate callback
+ <braunr> i'm not sure how well mig can cope with that
+ <braunr> i'd say it can't :)
+ <braunr> no really it looks ugly
+ <braunr> it's far better to have this hurd specific function and keep the
+ existing user code as it is
+ <braunr> bddebian: you don't need the implementation, only the headers
+ <braunr> the thread, cond, mutex structures mostly
+ <bddebian> I should turn <pt-internal.h> to "pt-internal.h" and just put it
+ in libshouldbelibc, no?
+ <pinotree> no, that header is not installed
+ <bddebian> Obviously not the "best" way
+ <bddebian> pinotree: ??
+ <braunr> pinotree: what does it change ?
+ <pinotree> braunr: it == ?
+ <braunr> bddebian: you could even copy it entirely in your new
+ cancel-cond.C and mention where it was copied from
+ <braunr> pinotree: it == pt-internal.H not being installed
+ <pinotree> that he cannot include it in libshouldbelibc sources?
+ <pinotree> ah, he wants to copy it?
+ <braunr> yes
+ <braunr> i want him to copy it actually :p
+ <braunr> it may be hard if there are a lot of macro options
+ <pinotree> the __pthread struct changes size and content depending on other
+ internal sysdeps headers
+ <braunr> well he needs to copy those too :p
+ <bddebian> Well even if this works we are going to have to do something
+ more "correct" about hurd_condition_wait. Maybe even putting it in
+ glibc?
+ <braunr> sure
+ <braunr> but again, don't waste time on this for now
+ <braunr> make it *work*, then it'll get integrated
+ <bddebian> Like it has already? This "patch" is only about 5 years old
+ now... ;-P
+ <braunr> but is it complete ?
+ <bddebian> Probably not :)
+ <bddebian> Hmm, I wonder how many undefined references I am going to get
+ though.. :(
+ <bddebian> Shit, 5
+ <bddebian> One of which is ___pthread_self.. :(
+ <bddebian> Does that mean I am actually going to have to build hurds
+ libpthreads in libshouldbeinlibc?
+ <bddebian> Seriously, do I really need ___pthread_self, __pthread_self,
+ _pthread_self and pthread_self???
+ <bddebian> I'm still unclear what to do with cancel-cond.c. It seems to me
+ that if I leave it the way it is currently I am going to have to either
+ re-add libpthreads or still all of the libpthreads code under
+ libshouldbeinlibc.
+ <braunr> then add it in libc
+ <braunr> glib
+ <braunr> glibc
+ <braunr> maybe under the name __hurd_condition_wait
+ <bddebian> Shouldn't I be able to interrupt cancel-cond stuff to use glibc
+ pthreads?
+ <braunr> interrupt ?
+ <bddebian> Meaning interject like they are doing. I may be missing the
+ point but they are just obfuscating libpthreads thread with some other
+ "namespace"? (I know my terminology is wrong, sorry).
+ <braunr> they ?
+ <bddebian> Well Thomas in this case but even in the old cthreads code,
+ whoever wrote cancel-cond.c
+ <braunr> but they use internal thread structures ..
+ <bddebian> Understood but at some level they are still just getting to a
+ libpthread thread, no?
+ <braunr> absolutely not ..
+ <braunr> there is *no* pthread stuff in the hurd
+ <braunr> that's the problem :p
+ <bddebian> Bah damnit...
+ <braunr> cthreads are directly implement on top of mach threads
+ <braunr> implemeneted*
+ <braunr> implemented*
+ <bddebian> Sure but hurd_condition_wait wasn't
+ <braunr> of course it is
+ <braunr> it's almost the same as condition_wait
+ <braunr> but returns 1 if a cancelation request was made
+ <bddebian> Grr, maybe I am just confusing myself because I am looking at
+ the modified (pthreads) version instead of the original cthreads version
+ of cancel-cond.c
+ <braunr> well if the modified version is fine, why not directly use that ?
+ <braunr> normally, hurd_condition_wait should sit next to other pthread
+ internal stuff
+ <braunr> it could be renamed __hurd_condition_wait, i'm not sure
+ <braunr> that's irrelevant for your work anyway
+ <bddebian> I am using it but it relies on libpthread and I am trying to use
+ glibc pthreads
+ <braunr> hum
+ <braunr> what's the difference between libpthread and "glibc pthreads" ?
+ <braunr> aren't glibc pthreads the merged libpthread ?
+ <bddebian> quite possibly but then I am missing something obvious. I'm
+ getting ___pthread_self in libshouldbeinlibc but it is *UND*
+ <braunr> bddebian: with unmodified binaries ?
+ <bddebian> braunr: No I added cancel-cond.c to libshouldbeinlibc
+ <bddebian> And some of the pt-xxx.h headers
+ <braunr> well it's normal then
+ <braunr> i suppose
+ <bddebian> braunr: So how do I get those defined without including
+ pthreads.c from libpthreads? :)
+ <antrik> pinotree: hm... I think we should try to make sure glibc works
+ both whith cthreads hurd and pthreads hurd. I hope that shoudn't be so
+ hard.
+ <antrik> breaking binary compatibility for the Hurd libs is not too
+ terrible I'd say -- as much as I'd like that, we do not exactly have a
+ lot of external stuff depending on them :-)
+ <braunr> bddebian: *sigh*
+ <braunr> bddebian: just add cancel-cond to glibc, near the pthread code :p
+ <bddebian> braunr: Wouldn't I still have the same issue?
+ <braunr> bddebian: what issue ?
+ <antrik> is hurd_condition_wait() the name of the original cthreads-based
+ function?
+ <braunr> antrik: the original is condition_wait
+ <antrik> I'm confused
+ <antrik> is condition_wait() a standard cthreads function, or a
+ Hurd-specific extension?
+ <braunr> antrik: as standard as you can get for something like cthreads
+ <bddebian> braunr: Where hurd_condition_wait is looking for "internals" as
+ you call them. I.E. there is no __pthread_self() in glibc pthreads :)
+ <braunr> hurd_condition_wait is the hurd-specific addition for cancelation
+ <braunr> bddebian: who cares ?
+ <braunr> bddebian: there is a pthread structure, and conditions, and
+ mutexes
+ <braunr> you need those definitions
+ <braunr> so you either import them in the hurd
+ <antrik> braunr: so hurd_condition_wait() *is* also used in the original
+ cthread-based implementation?
+ <braunr> or you write your code directly where they're available
+ <braunr> antrik: what do you call "original" ?
+ <antrik> not transitioned to pthreads
+ <braunr> ok, let's simply call that cthreads
+ <braunr> yes, it's used by every hurd servers
+ <braunr> virtually
+ <braunr> if not really everyone of them
+ <bddebian> braunr: That is where you are losing me. If I can just use
+ glibc pthreads structures, why can't I just use them in the new pthreads
+ version of cancel-cond.c which is what I was originally asking.. :)
+ <braunr> you *have* to do that
+ <braunr> but then, you have to build the whole glibc
+ * bddebian shoots himself
+ <braunr> and i was under the impression you wanted to avoid that
+ <antrik> do any standard pthread functions use identical names to any
+ standard cthread functions?
+ <braunr> what you *can't* do is use the standard pthreads interface
+ <braunr> no, not identical
+ <braunr> but very close
+ <braunr> bddebian: there is a difference between using pthreads, which
+ means using the standard posix interface, and using the glibc pthreads
+ structure, which means toying with the internale implementation
+ <braunr> you *cannot* implement hurd_condition_wait with the standard posix
+ interface, you need to use the internal structures
+ <braunr> hurd_condition_wait is actually a shurd specific addition to the
+ threading library
+ <braunr> hurd*
+ <antrik> well, in that case, the new pthread-based variant of
+ hurd_condition_wait() should also use a different name from the
+ cthread-based one
+ <braunr> so it's normal to put it in that threading library, like it was
+ done for cthreads
+ <braunr> 21:35 < braunr> it could be renamed __hurd_condition_wait, i'm not
+ sure
+ <bddebian> Except that I am trying to avoid using that threading library
+ <braunr> what ?
+ <bddebian> If I am understanding you correctly it is an extention to the
+ hurd specific libpthreads?
+ <braunr> to the threading library, whichever it is
+ <braunr> antrik: although, why not keeping the same name ?
+ <antrik> braunr: I don't think having hurd_condition_wait() for the cthread
+ variant and __hurd_condition_wait() would exactly help clarity...
+ <antrik> I was talking about a really new name. something like
+ pthread_hurd_condition_wait() or so
+ <antrik> braunr: to avoid confusion. to avoid accidentally pulling in the
+ wrong one at build and/or runtime.
+ <antrik> to avoid possible namespace conflicts
+ <braunr> ok
+ <braunr> well yes, makes sense
+ <bddebian> braunr: Let me state this as plainly as I hope I can. If I want
+ to use glibc's pthreads, I have no choice but to add it to glibc?
+ <braunr> and pthread_hurd_condition_wait is a fine name
+ <braunr> bddebian: no
+ <braunr> bddebian: you either add it there
+ <braunr> bddebian: or you copy the headers defining the internal structures
+ somewhere else and implement it there
+ <braunr> but adding it to glibc is better
+ <braunr> it's just longer in the beginning, and now i'm working on it, i'm
+ really not sure
+ <braunr> add it to glibc directly :p
+ <bddebian> That's what I am trying to do but the headers use pthread
+ specific stuff would should be coming from glibc's pthreads
+ <braunr> yes
+ <braunr> well it's not the headers you need
+ <braunr> you need the internal structure definitions
+ <braunr> sometimes they're in c files for opacity
+ <bddebian> So ___pthread_self() should eventually be an obfuscation of
+ glibcs pthread_self(), no?
+ <braunr> i don't know what it is
+ <braunr> read the cthreads variant of hurd_condition_wait, understand it,
+ do the same for pthreads
+ <braunr> it's easy :p
+ <bddebian> For you bastards that have a clue!! ;-P
+ <antrik> I definitely vote for adding it to the hurd pthreads
+ implementation in glibc right away. trying to do it externally only adds
+ unnecessary complications
+ <antrik> and we seem to agree that this new pthread function should be
+ named pthread_hurd_condition_wait(), not just hurd_condition_wait() :-)
+
+
+## IRC, freenode, #hurd, 2012-07-27
+
+ <bddebian> OK this hurd_condition_wait stuff is getting ridiculous the way
+ I am trying to tackle it. :( I think I need a new tactic.
+ <braunr> bddebian: what do you mean ?
+ <bddebian> braunr: I know I am thick headed but I still don't get why I
+ cannot implement it in libshouldbeinlibc for now but still use glibc
+ pthreads internals
+ <bddebian> I thought I was getting close last night by bringing in all of
+ the hurd pthread headers and .c files but it just keeps getting uglier
+ and uglier
+ <bddebian> youpi: Just to verify. The /usr/lib/i386-gnu/libpthread.so that
+ ships with Debian now is from glibc, NOT libpthreads from Hurd right?
+ Everything I need should be available in glibc's libpthreads? (Except for
+ hurd_condition_wait obviously).
+ <braunr> 22:35 < antrik> I definitely vote for adding it to the hurd
+ pthreads implementation in glibc right away. trying to do it externally
+ only adds unnecessary complications
+ <youpi> bddebian: yes
+ <youpi> same as antrik
+ <bddebian> fuck
+ <youpi> libpthread *already* provides some odd symbols (cthread
+ compatibility), it can provide others
+ <braunr> bddebian: don't curse :p it will be easier in the long run
+ * bddebian breaks out glibc :(
+ <braunr> but you should tell thomas that too
+ <bddebian> braunr: I know it just adds a level of complexity that I may not
+ be able to deal with
+ <braunr> we wouldn't want him to waste too much time on the external
+ libpthread
+ <braunr> which one ?
+ <bddebian> glibc for one. hurd_condition_wait() for another which I don't
+ have a great grasp on. Remember my knowledge/skillsets are limited
+ currently.
+ <braunr> bddebian: tschwinge has good instructions to build glibc
+ <braunr> keep your tree around and it shouldn't be long to hack on it
+ <braunr> for hurd_condition_wait, i can help
+ <bddebian> Oh I was thinking about using Debian glibc for now. You think I
+ should do it from git?
+ <braunr> no
+ <braunr> debian rules are even more reliable
+ <braunr> (just don't build all the variants)
+ <pinotree> `debian/rules build_libc` builds the plain i386 variant only
+ <bddebian> So put pthread_hurd_cond_wait in it's own .c file or just put it
+ in pt-cond-wait.c ?
+ <braunr> i'd put it in pt-cond-wait.C
+ <bddebian> youpi or braunr: OK, another dumb question. What (if anything)
+ should I do about hurd/hurd/signal.h. Should I stop it from including
+ cthreads?
+ <youpi> it's not a dumb question. it should probably stop, yes, but there
+ might be uncovered issues, which we'll have to take care of
+ <bddebian> Well I know antrik suggested trying to keep compatibility but I
+ don't see how you would do that
+ <braunr> compability between what ?
+ <braunr> and source and/or binary ?
+ <youpi> hurd/signal.h implicitly including cthreads.h
+ <braunr> ah
+ <braunr> well yes, it has to change obviously
+ <bddebian> Which will break all the cthreads stuff of course
+ <bddebian> So are we agreeing on pthread_hurd_cond_wait()?
+ <braunr> that's fine
+ <bddebian> Ugh, shit there is stuff in glibc using cthreads??
+ <braunr> like what ?
+ <bddebian> hurdsig, hurdsock, setauth, dtable, ...
+ <youpi> it's just using the compatibility stuff, that pthread does provide
+ <bddebian> but it includes cthreads.h implicitly
+ <bddebian> s/it/they in many cases
+ <youpi> not a problem, we provide the functions
+ <bddebian> Hmm, then what do I do about signal.h? It includes chtreads.h
+ because it uses extern struct mutex ...
+ <youpi> ah, then keep the include
+ <youpi> the pthread mutexes are compatible with that
+ <youpi> we'll clean that afterwards
+ <bddebian> arf, OK
+ <youpi> that's what I meant by "uncover issues"
+
+
+## IRC, freenode, #hurd, 2012-07-28
+
+ <bddebian> Well crap, glibc built but I have no symbol for
+ pthread_hurd_cond_wait in libpthread.so :(
+ <bddebian> Hmm, I wonder if I have to add pthread_hurd_cond_wait to
+ forward.c and Versions? (Versions obviously eventually)
+ <pinotree> bddebian: most probably not about forward.c, but definitely you
+ have to export public stuff using Versions
+
+
+## IRC, freenode, #hurd, 2012-07-29
+
+ <bddebian> braunr: http://paste.debian.net/181078/
+ <braunr> ugh, inline functions :/
+ <braunr> "Tell hurd_thread_cancel how to unblock us"
+ <braunr> i think you need that one too :p
+ <bddebian> ??
+ <braunr> well, they work in pair
+ <braunr> one cancels, the other notices it
+ <braunr> hurd_thread_cancel is in the hurd though, iirc
+ <braunr> or uh wait
+ <braunr> no it's in glibc, hurd/thread-cancel.c
+ <braunr> otherwise it looks like a correct reuse of the original code, but
+ i need to understand the pthreads internals better to really say anything
+
+
+## IRC, freenode, #hurd, 2012-08-03
+
+ <braunr> pinotree: what do you think of
+ condition_implies/condition_unimplies ?
+ <braunr> the work on pthread will have to replace those
+
+
+## IRC, freenode, #hurd, 2012-08-06
+
+ <braunr> bddebian: so, where is the work being done ?
+ <bddebian> braunr: Right now I would just like to testing getting my glibc
+ with pthread_hurd_cond_wait installed on the clubber subhurd. It is in
+ /home/bdefreese/glibc-debian2
+ <braunr> we need a git branch
+ <bddebian> braunr: Then I want to rebuild hurd with Thomas's pthread
+ patches against that new libc
+ <bddebian> Aye
+ <braunr> i don't remember, did thomas set a git repository somewhere for
+ that ?
+ <bddebian> He has one but I didn't have much luck with it since he is using
+ an external libpthreads
+ <braunr> i can manage the branches
+ <bddebian> I was actually patching debian/hurd then adding his patches on
+ top of that. It is in /home/bdefreese/debian-hurd but he has updateds
+ some stuff since then
+ <bddebian> Well we need to agree on a strategy. libpthreads only exists in
+ debian/glibc
+ <braunr> it would be better to have something upstream than to work on a
+ debian specific branch :/
+ <braunr> tschwinge: do you think it can be done
+ <braunr> ?
+
+
+## IRC, freenode, #hurd, 2012-08-07
+
+ <tschwinge> braunr: You mean to create on Savannah branches for the
+ libpthread conversion? Sure -- that's what I have been suggesting to
+ Barry and Thomas D. all the time.
+
+ <bddebian> braunr: OK, so I installed my glibc with
+ pthread_hurd_condition_wait in the subhurd and now I have built Debian
+ Hurd with Thomas D's pthread patches.
+ <braunr> bddebian: i'm not sure we're ready for tests yet :p
+ <bddebian> braunr: Why not? :)
+ <braunr> bddebian: a few important bits are missing
+ <bddebian> braunr: Like?
+ <braunr> like condition_implies
+ <braunr> i'm not sure they have been handled everywhere
+ <braunr> it's still interesting to try, but i bet your system won't finish
+ booting
+ <bddebian> Well I haven't "installed" the built hurd yet
+ <bddebian> I was trying to think of a way to test a little bit first, like
+ maybe ext2fs.static or something
+ <bddebian> Ohh, it actually mounted the partition
+ <bddebian> How would I actually "test" it?
+ <braunr> git clone :p
+ <braunr> building a debian package inside
+ <braunr> removing the whole content after
+ <braunr> that sort of things
+ <bddebian> Hmm, I think I killed clubber :(
+ <bddebian> Yep.. Crap! :(
+ <braunr> ?
+ <braunr> how did you do that ?
+ <bddebian> Mounted a new partition with the pthreads ext2fs.static then did
+ an apt-get source hurd to it..
+ <braunr> what partition, and what mount point ?
+ <bddebian> I added a new 2Gb partition on /dev/hd0s6 and set the translator
+ on /home/bdefreese/part6
+ <braunr> shouldn't kill your hurd
+ <bddebian> Well it might still be up but killed my ssh session at the very
+ least :)
+ <braunr> ouch
+ <bddebian> braunr: Do you have debugging enabled in that custom kernel you
+ installed? Apparently it is sitting at the debug prompt.
diff --git a/open_issues/libpthread_CLOCK_MONOTONIC.mdwn b/open_issues/libpthread_CLOCK_MONOTONIC.mdwn
index 2c8f10f8..86a613d3 100644
--- a/open_issues/libpthread_CLOCK_MONOTONIC.mdwn
+++ b/open_issues/libpthread_CLOCK_MONOTONIC.mdwn
@@ -76,3 +76,30 @@ License|/fdl]]."]]"""]]
<pinotree> kind of, yes
<youpi> I have reverted the change in libc for now
<pinotree> ok
+
+
+## IRC, freenode, #hurd, 2012-07-22
+
+ <tschwinge> pinotree, youpi: I once saw you discussing issue with librt
+ usage is libpthread -- is it this issue? http://sourceware.org/PR14304
+ <youpi> tschwinge: (librt): no
+ <youpi> it's the converse
+ <pinotree> tschwinge: kind of
+ <youpi> unexpectedly loading libpthread is almost never a problem
+ <youpi> it's unexpectedly loading librt which was a problem for glib
+ <youpi> tschwinge: basically what happened with glib is that at configure
+ time, it could find clock_gettime without any -lrt, because of pulling
+ -lpthread, but at link time that wouldn't happen
+
+
+## IRC, freenode, #hurd, 2012-07-23
+
+ <braunr> pinotree: oh, i see you changed __pthread_timedblock to use
+ clock_gettime
+ <braunr> i wonder if i should do the same in libthreads
+ <pinotree> yeah, i realized later it was a bad move
+ <braunr> ok
+ <braunr> i'll stick to gettimeofday for now
+ <pinotree> it'll be safe when implementing some private
+ __hurd_clock_get{time,res} in libc proper, making librt just forward to
+ it and adapting the gettimeofday to use it
diff --git a/open_issues/mission_statement.mdwn b/open_issues/mission_statement.mdwn
index 17f148a9..b32d6ba6 100644
--- a/open_issues/mission_statement.mdwn
+++ b/open_issues/mission_statement.mdwn
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-[[!meta copyright="Copyright © 2011 Free Software Foundation, Inc."]]
+[[!meta copyright="Copyright © 2011, 2012 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
@@ -658,3 +658,42 @@ License|/fdl]]."]]"""]]
FUSE in this case though... it doesn't really change the functionality of
the VFS; only rearranges the tree a bit
<antrik> (might even be doable with standard Linux features)
+
+
+# IRC, freenode, #hurd, 2012-07-25
+
+ <braunr> because it has design problems, because it has implementation
+ problems, lots of problems, and far too few people to keep up with other
+ systems that are already dominating
+ <braunr> also, considering other research projects get much more funding
+ than we do, they probably have a better chance at being adopted
+ <rah> you consider the Hurd to be a research project?
+ <braunr> and as they're more recent, they sometimes overcome some of the
+ issues we have
+ <braunr> yes and no
+ <braunr> yes because it was, at the time of its creation, and it hasn't
+ changed much, and there aren't many (any?) other systems with such a
+ design
+ <braunr> and no because the hurd is actually working, and being released as
+ part of something like debian
+ <braunr> which clearly shows it's able to do the stuff it was intended for
+ <braunr> i consider it a technically very interesting project for
+ developers who want to know more about microkernel based extensible
+ systems
+ <antrik> rah: I don't expect the Hurd to achieve world domination, because
+ most people consider Linux "good enough" and will stick with it
+ <antrik> I for my part think though we could do better than Linux (in
+ certain regards I consider important), which is why I still consider it
+ interesting and worthwhile
+ <nowhere_man> I think that in some respect the OS scene may evolve a bit
+ like the PL one, where everyone progressively adopts ideas from Lisp but
+ doesn't want to do Lisp: everyone slowly shifts towards what µ-kernels
+ OSes have done from the start, but they don't want µ-kernels...
+ <braunr> nowhere_man: that's my opinion too
+ <braunr> and this is why i think something like the hurd still has valuable
+ purpose
+ <nowhere_man> braunr: in honesty, I still ponder the fact that it's my
+ coping mechanism to accept being a Lisp and Hurd fan ;-)
+ <braunr> nowhere_man: it can be used that way too
+ <braunr> functional programming is getting more and more attention
+ <braunr> so it's fine if you're a lisp fan really
diff --git a/open_issues/multithreading.mdwn b/open_issues/multithreading.mdwn
index 5924d3f9..c9567828 100644
--- a/open_issues/multithreading.mdwn
+++ b/open_issues/multithreading.mdwn
@@ -49,6 +49,91 @@ Tom Van Cutsem, 2009.
<youpi> right
+## IRC, freenode, #hurd, 2012-07-16
+
+ <braunr> hm interesting
+ <braunr> when many threads are creating to handle requests, they
+ automatically create a pool of worker threads by staying around for some
+ time
+ <braunr> this time is given in the libport call
+ <braunr> but the thread always remain
+ <braunr> they must be used in turn each time a new requet comes in
+ <braunr> ah no :(, they're maintained by the periodic sync :(
+ <braunr> hm, still not that, so weird
+ <antrik> braunr: yes, that's a known problem: unused threads should go away
+ after some time, but that doesn't actually happen
+ <antrik> don't remember though whether it's broken for some reason, or
+ simply not implemented at all...
+ <antrik> (this was already a known issue when thread throttling was
+ discussed around 2005...)
+ <braunr> antrik: ok
+ <braunr> hm threads actually do finish ..
+ <braunr> libthreads retain them in a pool for faster allocations
+ <braunr> hm, it's worse than i thought
+ <braunr> i think the hurd does its job well
+ <braunr> the cthreads code never reaps threads
+ <braunr> when threads are finished, they just wait until assigned a new
+ invocation
+
+ <braunr> i don't understand ports_manage_port_operations_multithread :/
+ <braunr> i think i get it
+ <braunr> why do people write things in such a complicated way ..
+ <braunr> such code is error prone and confuses anyone
+
+ <braunr> i wonder how well nested functions interact with threads when
+ sharing variables :/
+ <braunr> the simple idea of nested functions hurts my head
+ <braunr> do you see my point ? :) variables on the stack automatically
+ shared between threads, without the need to explicitely pass them by
+ address
+ <antrik> braunr: I don't understand. why would variables on the stack be
+ shared between threads?...
+ <braunr> antrik: one function declares two variables, two nested functions,
+ and use these in separate threads
+ <braunr> are the local variables still "local"
+ <braunr> ?
+ <antrik> braunr: I would think so? why wouldn't they? threads have separate
+ stacks, right?...
+ <antrik> I must admit though that I have no idea how accessing local
+ variables from the parent function works at all...
+ <braunr> me neither
+
+ <braunr> why don't demuxers get a generic void * like every callback does
+ :((
+ <antrik> ?
+ <braunr> antrik: they get pointers to the input and output messages only
+ <antrik> why is this a problem?
+ <braunr> ports_manage_port_operations_multithread can be called multiple
+ times in the same process
+ <braunr> each call must have its own context
+ <braunr> currently this is done by using nested functions
+ <braunr> also, why demuxers return booleans while mach_msg_server_timeout
+ happily ignores them :(
+ <braunr> callbacks shouldn't return anything anyway
+ <braunr> but then you have a totally meaningless "return 1" in the middle
+ of the code
+ <braunr> i'd advise not using a single nested function
+ <antrik> I don't understand the remark about nested function
+ <braunr> they're just horrible extensions
+ <braunr> the compiler completely hides what happens behind the scenes, and
+ nasty bugs could come out of that
+ <braunr> i'll try to rewrite ports_manage_port_operations_multithread
+ without them and see if it changes anything
+ <braunr> but it's not easy
+ <braunr> also, it makes debugging harder :p
+ <braunr> i suspect gdb hangs are due to that, since threads directly start
+ on a nested function
+ <braunr> and if i'm right, they are created on the stack
+ <braunr> (which is also horrible for security concerns, but that's another
+ story)
+ <braunr> (at least the trampolines)
+ <antrik> I seriously doubt it will change anything... but feel free to
+ prove me wrong :-)
+ <braunr> well, i can see really weird things, but it may have nothing to do
+ with the fact functions are nested
+ <braunr> (i still strongly believe those shouldn't be used at all)
+
+
# Alternative approaches:
* <http://www.concurrencykit.org/>
diff --git a/open_issues/packaging_libpthread.mdwn b/open_issues/packaging_libpthread.mdwn
index d243aaaa..528e0b01 100644
--- a/open_issues/packaging_libpthread.mdwn
+++ b/open_issues/packaging_libpthread.mdwn
@@ -137,3 +137,53 @@ License|/fdl]]."]]"""]]
<youpi> I know, I've asked tschwinge about it
<youpi> it's not urging anyway
<pinotree> right
+
+
+## IRC, freenode, #hurd, 2012-07-21
+
+ <pinotree> tschwinge: btw, samuel suggested to rename in libpthread ia32 →
+ i386, to better fit with glibc
+ <tschwinge> pinotree: Hmm, that'd somewhat break interopability with
+ Viengoos' use of libpthread.
+ <pinotree> how would it break with viengoos?
+ <tschwinge> I assume it is using the i386 names. Hmm, no isn't it x86_64
+ only?
+ <tschwinge> I'll check.
+ <pinotree> does it use automake (with the Makefile.am in repo)?
+ <tschwinge> I have no idea what the current branch arrangement is.
+ <pinotree> tschwinge: it looks like ia32 is hardcoded in Makefile and
+ Makefile.am
+
+
+## IRC, freenode, #hurd, 2012-08-07
+
+ <tschwinge> Also, the Savannah hurd/glibc.git one does not/not yet include
+ libpthread.
+ <tschwinge> But that could easily be added as a Git submodule.
+ <tschwinge> youpi: To put libpthread into glibc it is literally enough to
+ make Savannah hurd/libpthread.git appear at [glibc]/libpthread?
+ <youpi> tschwinge: there are some patches needed in the rest of the tree
+ <youpi> see in debian, libpthread_clean.diff, tg-libpthread_depends.diff,
+ unsubmitted-pthread.diff, unsubmitted-pthread_posix_options.diff
+ <tschwinge> The libpthread in Debian glibc is
+ hurd/libpthread.git:b428baaa85c0adca9ef4884c637f289a0ab5e2d6 but with
+ 25260994c812050a5d7addf125cdc90c911ca5c1 »Store self in __thread variable
+ instead of threadvar« reverted (why?), and the following additional
+ change applied to Makefile:
+ <tschwinge> ifeq ($(IN_GLIBC),yes)
+ <tschwinge> $(inst_libdir)/libpthread.so:
+ $(objpfx)libpthread.so$(libpthread.so-version) \
+ <tschwinge> $(+force)
+ <tschwinge> - ln -sf $(slibdir)/libpthread.so$(libpthread.so-version)
+ $@
+ <tschwinge> + ln -sf libpthread.so$(libpthread.so-version) $@
+ <braunr> tschwinge: is there any plan to merge libpthread.git in glibc.git
+ upstream ?
+ <tschwinge> braunr, youpi: Has not yet been discussed with Roland, as far
+ as I know.
+ <youpi> has not
+ <youpi> libpthread.diff is supposed to be a verbatim copy of the repository
+ <youpi> and then there are a couple patches which don't (yet) make sense
+ upstream
+ <youpi> the slibdir change, however, is odd
+ <youpi> it must be a leftover
diff --git a/open_issues/pci_arbiter.mdwn b/open_issues/pci_arbiter.mdwn
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..7730cee0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/open_issues/pci_arbiter.mdwn
@@ -0,0 +1,256 @@
+[[!meta copyright="Copyright © 2012 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]]."]]"""]]
+
+[[!tag open_issue_hurd]]
+
+For [[DDE]]/X.org/...
+
+
+# IRC, freenode, #hurd, 2012-02-19
+
+ <youpi> antrik: we should probably add a gsoc idea on pci bus arbitration
+ <youpi> DDE is still experimental for now so it's ok that you have to
+ configure it by hand, but it should be automatic at some ponit
+
+
+## IRC, freenode, #hurd, 2012-02-21
+
+ <braunr> i'm not familiar with the new gnumach interface for userspace
+ drivers, but can this pci enumerator be written with it as it is ?
+ <braunr> (i'm not asking for a precise answer, just yes - even probably -
+ or no)
+ <braunr> (idk or utsl will do as well)
+ <youpi> I'd say yes
+ <youpi> since all drivers need is interrupts, io ports and iomem
+ <youpi> the latter was already available through /dev/mem
+ <youpi> io ports through the i386 rpcs
+ <youpi> the changes provide both interrupts, and physical-contiguous
+ allocation
+ <youpi> it should be way enough
+ <braunr> youpi: ok
+ <braunr> youpi: thanks for the details :)
+ <antrik> braunr: this was mentioned in the context of the interrupt
+ forwarding interface... the original one implemented by zhengda isn't
+ suitable for a PCI server; but the ones proposed by youpi and tschwinge
+ would work
+ <antrik> same for the physical memory interface: the current implementation
+ doesn't allow delegation; but I already said that it's wrong
+
+
+# IRC, freenode, #hurd, 2012-07-15
+
+ <bddebian> youpi: Oh, BTW, I keep meaning to ask you. Could sound be done
+ with dde or would there still need to be some kernel work?
+ <youpi> bddebian: we'd need a PCI arbitrer for that
+ <youpi> for now just one userland poking with PCI is fine
+ <youpi> but two can produce bonks
+ <bddebian> They can't use the same?
+ <youpi> that's precisely the matter
+ <youpi> they have to use the same
+ <youpi> and not poke with it themselves
+ <braunr> that's what an arbiter is for
+ <bddebian> OK, so if we don't have a PCI arbiter now, how do things like
+ netdde and video not collide currently?
+ <bddebian> s/netdde/network/
+ <bddebian> or disk for that matter
+ <braunr> bddebian: ah currently, well currently, the network is the only
+ thing using the pci bus
+ <bddebian> How is that possible when I have a PCI video card and disk
+ controller?
+ <braunr> they are accessed through compatible means
+ <bddebian> I suppose one of the hardest parts is prioritization?
+ <braunr> i don't think it matters much, no
+ <youpi> bddebian: netdde and Xorg don't collide essentially because they
+ are not started at the same time (hopefully)
+ <bddebian> braunr: What do you mean it doesn't matter?
+ <braunr> bddebian: well the point is rather serializing access, we don't
+ need more
+ <braunr> do other systems actually schedule access to the pci bus ?
+ <bddebian> From what I am reading, yes
+ <braunr> ok
+
+
+# IRC, freenode, #hurd, 2012-07-16
+
+ <antrik> youpi: the lack of a PCI arbiter is a problem, but I wounldn't
+ consider it a precondition for adding another userspace driver
+ class... it's up to the user to make sure he has only one class active,
+ or take the risk of not doing so...
+ <antrik> (plus, I suspect writing the arbiter is a smaller task than
+ implementing another DDE class anyways...)
+ <bddebian> Where would the arbiter need to reside, in gnumach?
+ <antrik> bddebian: kernel would be one possible place (with the advantage
+ of running both userspace and kernel drivers without the potential for
+ conflicts)
+ <antrik> but I think I would prefer a userspace server
+ <youpi> antrik: we'd rather have PCI devices automatically set up
+ <youpi> just like /dev/netdde is already set up for the user
+ <youpi> so you can't count on the user
+ <youpi> for the arbitrer, it could as well be userland, while still
+ interacting with the kernel for some devices
+ <youpi> we however "just" need to get disk drivers in userland to drop PCI
+ drivers from kernel, actually
+
+
+# IRC, freenode, #hurd, 2012-07-17
+
+ <bddebian> youpi: So this PCI arbiter should be a hurd server?
+ <youpi> that'd be better
+ <bddebian> youpi: Is there anything existing to look at as a basis?
+ <youpi> no idea off-hand
+ <bddebian> I mean you couldn't take what netdde does and generalize it?
+ <youpi> netdde doesn't do any arbitration
+
+
+# IRC, OFTC, #debian-hurd, 2012-07-19
+
+ <bdefreese> youpi: Well at some point if you ever have time I'd like to
+ understand better how you see the PCI architecture working in Hurd.
+ I.E. would you expect the server to do enumeration and arbitration?
+ <youpi> I'd expect both, yes, but that's probably to be discussed rather
+ with antrik, he's the one who took some time to think about it
+ <bdefreese> netdde uses libpciaccess currently, right?
+ <youpi> yes
+ <youpi> libpciaccess would have to be fixed into using the arbitrer
+ <youpi> (that'd fix xorg as well)
+ <bdefreese> Man, I am still a bit unclear on how this all interacting
+ currently.. :(
+ <youpi> currently it's not
+ <youpi> and it's just by luck that it doesn't break
+ <bdefreese> Long term xxxdde would use the new server, correct?
+ <youpi> (well, we are also sure that the gnumach enumeration comes always
+ before the netdde enumeration, and xorg is currently not started
+ automatically, so its enumeration is also always after that)
+ <youpi> yes
+ <youpi> the server would essentially provide an interface equivalent to
+ libpciaccess
+ <bdefreese> Right
+ <bdefreese> In general, where does the pci map get "stored"? In GNU/Linux,
+ is it all /proc based?
+ <youpi> what do you mean by "pci map" ?
+ <bdefreese> Once I have enumerated all of the buses and devices, does it
+ stay stored or is it just redone for every call to a pci device?
+ <youpi> in linux it's stored in the kernel
+ <youpi> the abritrator would store it itself
+
+
+# IRC, freenode, #hurd, 2012-07-20
+
+ <bddebian> antrik: BTW, youpi says you are the one to talk to for design of
+ a PCI server :)
+ <antrik> oh, am I?
+ * antrik feels honoured :-)
+ <antrik> I guess it's true though: I *did* spent a little thought on
+ it... even mentioned something in my thesis IIRC
+ <antrik> there is one tricky aspect to it though, which I'm not sure how to
+ handle best: we need two different instances of libpciaccess
+ <bddebian> Why two instances of libpciaccess?
+ <antrik> one used by the PCI server to access the hardware directly (using
+ the existing port poking backend), and one using a new backend to access
+ our PCI server...
+ <braunr> bddebian: hum, both i guess ?
+ <bddebian> antrik: Why wouldn't the server access the hardware directly? I
+ thought libpciaccess was supposed to be generic on purpose?
+ <antrik> hm... guess I wasn't clear
+ <antrik> the point is that the PCI server should use the direct hardware
+ access backend of libpciaccess
+ <antrik> however, *clients* should use the PCI server backend of
+ libpciaccess
+ <antrik> I'm not sure backends can be selected at runtime...
+ <antrik> which might mean that we actually have to compile two different
+ versions of the library. erk.
+ <bddebian> So you are saying the pci server should itself use libpci access
+ rather than having it's own?
+ <antrik> admittedly, that's not the most fundamental design decision to
+ make ;-)
+ <antrik> bddebian: yes. no need to rewrite (or copy) this code...
+ <bddebian> Hmm
+ <antrik> actually that was the plan all along when I first suggested
+ implementing the register poking backend for libpciaccess
+ <bddebian> Hmm, not sure I like it but I am certainly in no position to
+ question it right now :)
+ <braunr> why don't you like it ?
+ <bddebian> I shouldn't need an Xorg specific library to access PCI on my OS
+ :)
+ <braunr> oh
+ <bddebian> Though I don't disagree that reinventing the wheel is a bit
+ tedious. :)
+ <antrik> bddebian: although it originates from X.Org, I don't think there
+ is anything about the library technically making it X-specific...
+ <braunr> yes that's my opinion too
+ <antrik> (well, there are some X-specific functions IIRC, but these do not
+ hurt the other functionality)
+ <bddebian> But what is there is api/abi breakage? :)
+ <bddebian> s/is/if/
+ <antrik> BTW according to rdepends there appear to be a number of non-X
+ things using the library now
+ <pinotree> like, uhm, hurd
+ <antrik> yeah, that too... we are already using it for DDE
+ <pinotree> if you have deb-src lines in your sources.list, use the
+ grep-dctrl power:
+ <pinotree> grep-dctrl -sPackage -FBuild-Depends libpciaccess-dev
+ /var/lib/apt/lists/*_source_Sources | sort -u
+ <bddebian> I know we are using it for netdde.
+ <antrik> nice thing about it is that once we have the PCI server and an
+ appropriate backend for libpciaccess, the same netdde and X binaries
+ should work either with or without the PCI server
+ <bddebian> Then why have the server at all?
+ <braunr> it's the arbiter
+ <braunr> you can use the library directly only if you're the only user
+ <braunr> and what antrik means is that the interface should be the same for
+ both modes
+ <bddebian> Ugh, that is where I am getting confused
+ <bddebian> In that case shouldn't everything use libpciaccess and the PCI
+ server has to arbitrate the requests?
+ <braunr> bd ?
+ <braunr> bddebian: yes
+ <braunr> bddebian: but they use the indirect version of the library
+ <braunr> whereas the server uses the raw version
+ <bddebian> OK, I gotcha (I think)
+ <braunr> (but they both provide the same interface, so if you don't have a
+ pci server and you know you're the only user, the direct version can be
+ used)
+ <bddebian> But I am not sure I see the difference between creating a second
+ library or just moving the raw access to the PCI server :)
+ <braunr> uh, there is no difference in that
+ <braunr> and you shouldn't do it
+ <braunr> (if that's what antrik meant at least)
+ <braunr> if you can select the backend (raw or pci server) easily, then
+ stick to the same code base
+ <bddebian> That's where I struggle. In my worthless opinion, raw access
+ should be the OS job while indirect access would be the libraries
+ responsibility
+ <braunr> that's true
+ <braunr> but as an optimization, if an application is the only user, it can
+ directly use raw access
+ <bddebian> How would you know that?
+ <bddebian> I'm sorry if these are dumb questions
+ <braunr> hum, don't try to make this behaviour automatic
+ <braunr> it would be selected by the user through command line switches
+ <bddebian> But the OS itself uses PCI for things like disk access and
+ video, no?
+ <braunr> (it could be automatic but it makes things more complicated)
+ <braunr> you don't need an arbiter all the time
+ <braunr> i can't tell you more, wait for antrik to return
+ <braunr> i realize i might already have said some bullshit
+ <antrik> bddebian: well, you have a point there that once we have the
+ arbiter and use it for everthing, it isn't strictly useful to still have
+ the register poking in the library
+ <antrik> however, the code will remain in the library anyways, so we better
+ continue using it rather than introducing redundancy...
+ <antrik> but again, that's rather a side issue concerning the design of the
+ PCI server
+ <bddebian> antrik: Fair enough. :) So how would I even start on this?
+ <antrik> bddebian: actually, libpciaccess is a good starting point:
+ checking the API should give you a fairly good idea what functionality
+ the server needs to implement
+ <pinotree> (+1 on library (re)use)
+ <bddebian> antrik: KK
+ <antrik> sorry, I'm a bit busy right now...
diff --git a/open_issues/performance.mdwn b/open_issues/performance.mdwn
index 8dbe1160..ec14fa52 100644
--- a/open_issues/performance.mdwn
+++ b/open_issues/performance.mdwn
@@ -52,3 +52,32 @@ call|/glibc/fork]]'s case.
<braunr> the more i study the code, the more i think a lot of time is
wasted on cpu, unlike the common belief of the lack of performance being
only due to I/O
+
+
+## IRC, freenode, #hurd, 2012-07-23
+
+ <braunr> there are several kinds of scalability issues
+ <braunr> iirc, i found some big locks in core libraries like libpager and
+ libdiskfs
+ <braunr> but anyway we can live with those
+ <braunr> in the case i observed, ext2fs, relying on libdiskfs and libpager,
+ scans the entire file list to ask for writebacks, as it can't know if the
+ pages are dirty or not
+ <braunr> the mistake here is moving part of the pageout policy out of the
+ kernel
+ <braunr> so it would require the kernel to handle periodic synces of the
+ page cache
+ <antrik> braunr: as for big locks: considering that we don't have any SMP
+ so far, does it really matter?...
+ <braunr> antrik: yes
+ <braunr> we have multithreading
+ <braunr> there is no reason to block many threads while if most of them
+ could continue
+ <braunr> -while
+ <antrik> so that's more about latency than throughput?
+ <braunr> considering sleeping/waking is expensive, it's also about
+ throughput
+ <braunr> currently, everything that deals with sleepable locks (both
+ gnumach and the hurd) just wake every thread waiting for an event when
+ the event occurs (there are a few exceptions, but not many)
+ <antrik> ouch
diff --git a/open_issues/performance/io_system/read-ahead.mdwn b/open_issues/performance/io_system/read-ahead.mdwn
index 710c746b..657318cd 100644
--- a/open_issues/performance/io_system/read-ahead.mdwn
+++ b/open_issues/performance/io_system/read-ahead.mdwn
@@ -1565,3 +1565,283 @@ License|/fdl]]."]]"""]]
<braunr> mcsim1: just use sane values inside the kernel :p
<braunr> this simplifies things by only adding the new vm_advise call and
not change the existing external pager interface
+
+
+## IRC, freenode, #hurd, 2012-07-12
+
+ <braunr> mcsim: so, to begin with, tell us what state you've reached please
+ <mcsim> braunr: I'm writing code for hurd and gnumach. For gnumach I'm
+ implementing memory policies now. RANDOM and NORMAL seems work, but in
+ hurd I found error that I made during editing ext2fs. So for now ext2fs
+ does not work
+ <braunr> policies ?
+ <braunr> what about mechanism ?
+ <mcsim> also I moved some translators to new interface.
+ <mcsim> It works too
+ <braunr> well that's impressive
+ <mcsim> braunr: I'm not sure yet that everything works
+ <braunr> right, but that's already a very good step
+ <braunr> i thought you were still working on the interfaces to be honest
+ <mcsim> And with mechanism I didn't implement moving pages to inactive
+ queue
+ <braunr> what do you mean ?
+ <braunr> ah you mean with the sequential policy ?
+ <mcsim> yes
+ <braunr> you can consider this a secondary goal
+ <mcsim> sequential I was going to implement like you've said, but I still
+ want to support moving pages to inactive queue
+ <braunr> i think you shouldn't
+ <braunr> first get to a state where clustered transfers do work fine
+ <mcsim> policies are implemented in function calculate_clusters
+ <braunr> then, you can try, and measure the difference
+ <mcsim> ok. I'm now working on fixing ext2fs
+ <braunr> so, except from bug squashing, what's left to do ?
+ <mcsim> finish policies and ext2fs; move fatfs, ufs, isofs to new
+ interface; test this all; edit patches from debian repository, that
+ conflict with my changes; rearrange commits and fix code indentation;
+ update documentation;
+ <braunr> think about measurements too
+ <tschwinge> mcsim: Please don't spend a lot of time on ufs. No testing
+ required for that one.
+ <braunr> and keep us informed about your progress on bug fixing, so we can
+ test soon
+ <mcsim> Forgot about moving system to new interfaces (I mean determine form
+ of vm_advise and memory_object_change_attributes)
+ <braunr> s/determine/final/
+ <mcsim> braunr: ok.
+ <braunr> what do you mean "moving system to new interfaces" ?
+ <mcsim> braunr: I also pushed code changes to gnumach and hurd git
+ repositories
+ <mcsim> I met an issue with memory_object_change_attributes when I tried to
+ use it as I have to update all applications that use it. This includes
+ libc and translators that are not in hurd repository or use debian
+ patches. So I will not be able to run system with new
+ memory_object_change_attributes interface, until I update all software
+ that use this rpc
+ <braunr> this is a bit like the problem i had with my change
+ <braunr> the solution is : don't do it
+ <braunr> i mean, don't change the interface in an incompatible way
+ <braunr> if you can't change an existing call, add a new one
+ <mcsim> temporary I changed memory_object_set_attributes as it isn't used
+ any more.
+ <mcsim> braunr: ok. Adding new call is a good idea :)
+
+
+## IRC, freenode, #hurd, 2012-07-16
+
+ <braunr> mcsim: how did you deal with multiple page transfers towards the
+ default pager ?
+ <mcsim> braunr: hello. Didn't handle this yet, but AFAIR default pager
+ supports multiple page transfers.
+ <braunr> mcsim: i'm almost sure it doesn't
+ <mcsim> braunr: indeed
+ <mcsim> braunr: So, I'll update it just other translators.
+ <braunr> like other translators you mean ?
+ <mcsim> *just as
+ <mcsim> braunr: yes
+ <braunr> ok
+ <braunr> be aware also that it may need some support in vm_pageout.c in
+ gnumach
+ <mcsim> braunr: thank you
+ <braunr> if you see anything strange in the default pager, don't hesitate
+ to talk about it
+ <mcsim> braunr: ok. I didn't finish with ext2fs yet.
+ <braunr> so it's a good thing you're aware of it now, before you begin
+ working on it :)
+ <mcsim> braunr: I'm working on ext2 now.
+ <braunr> yes i understand
+ <braunr> i meant "before beginning work on the default pager"
+ <mcsim> ok
+
+ <antrik> mcsim: BTW, we were mostly talking about readahead (pagein) over
+ the past weeks, so I wonder what the status on clustered page*out* is?...
+ <mcsim> antrik: I don't work on this, but following, I think, is an example
+ of *clustered* pageout: _pager_seqnos_memory_object_data_return: object =
+ 113, seqno = 4, control = 120, start_address = 0, length = 8192, dirty =
+ 1. This is an example of debugging printout that shows that pageout
+ manipulates with chunks bigger than page sized.
+ <mcsim> antrik: Another one with bigger length
+ _pager_seqnos_memory_object_data_return: object = 125, seqno = 124,
+ control = 132, start_address = 131072, length = 126976, dirty = 1, kcopy
+ <antrik> mcsim: that's odd -- I didn't know the functionality for that even
+ exists in our codebase...
+ <antrik> my understanding was that Mach always sends individual pageout
+ requests for ever single page it wants cleaned...
+ <antrik> (and this being the reason for the dreadful thread storms we are
+ facing...)
+ <braunr> antrik: ok
+ <braunr> antrik: yes that's what is happening
+ <braunr> the thread storms aren't that much of a problem now
+ <braunr> (by carefully throttling pageouts, which is a task i intend to
+ work on during the following months, this won't be an issue any more)
+
+
+## IRC, freenode, #hurd, 2012-07-19
+
+ <mcsim> I moved fatfs, ufs, isofs to new interface, corrected some errors
+ in other that I already moved, moved kernel to new interface (renamed
+ vm_advice to vm_advise and added rpcs memory_object_set_advice and
+ memory_object_get_advice). Made some changes in mechanism and tried to
+ finish ext2 translator.
+ <mcsim> braunr: I've got an issue with fictitious pages...
+ <mcsim> When I determine bounds of cluster in external object I never know
+ its actual size. So, mo_data_request call could ask data that are behind
+ object bounds. The problem is that pager returns data that it has and
+ because of this fictitious pages that were allocated are not freed.
+ <braunr> why don't you know the size ?
+ <mcsim> I see 2 solutions. First one is do not allocate fictitious pages at
+ all (but I think that there could be issues). Another lies in allocating
+ fictitious pages, but then freeing them with mo_data_lock.
+ <mcsim> braunr: Because pages does not inform kernel about object size.
+ <braunr> i don't understand what you mean
+ <mcsim> I think that second way is better.
+ <braunr> so how does it happen ?
+ <braunr> you get a page fault
+ <mcsim> Don't you understand problem or solutions?
+ <braunr> then a lookup in the map finds the map entry
+ <braunr> and the map entry gives you the link to the underlying object
+ <mcsim> from vm_object.h: vm_size_t size; /*
+ Object size (only valid if internal) */
+ <braunr> mcsim: ugh
+ <mcsim> For external they are either 0x8000 or 0x20000...
+ <braunr> and for internal ?
+ <braunr> i'm very surprised to learn that
+ <mcsim> braunr: for internal size is actual
+ <braunr> right sorry, wrong question
+ <braunr> did you find what 0x8000 and 0x20000 are ?
+ <mcsim> for external I met only these 2 magic numbers when printed out
+ arguments of functions _pager_seqno_memory_object_... when they were
+ called.
+ <braunr> yes but did you try to find out where they come from ?
+ <mcsim> braunr: no. I think that 0x2000(many zeros) is maximal possible
+ object size.
+ <braunr> what's the exact value ?
+ <mcsim> can't tell exactly :/ My hurd box has broken again.
+ <braunr> mcsim: how does the vm find the backing content then ?
+ <mcsim> braunr: Do you know if it is guaranteed that map_entry size will be
+ not bigger than external object size?
+ <braunr> mcsim: i know it's not
+ <braunr> but you can use the map entry boundaries though
+ <mcsim> braunr: vm asks pager
+ <braunr> but if the page is already present
+ <braunr> how does it know ?
+ <braunr> it must be inside a vm_object ..
+ <mcsim> If I can use these boundaries than the problem, I described is not
+ actual.
+ <braunr> good
+ <braunr> it makes sense to use these boundaries, as the application can't
+ use data outside the mapping
+ <mcsim> I ask page with vm_page_lookup
+ <braunr> it would matter for shared objects, but then they have their own
+ faults :p
+ <braunr> ok
+ <braunr> so the size is actually completely ignord
+ <mcsim> if it is present than I stop expansion of cluster.
+ <braunr> which makes sense
+ <mcsim> braunr: yes, for external.
+ <braunr> all right
+ <braunr> use the mapping boundaries, it will do
+ <braunr> mcsim: i have only one comment about what i could see
+ <braunr> mcsim: there are 'advice' fields in both vm_map_entry and
+ vm_object
+ <braunr> there should be something else in vm_object
+ <braunr> i told you about pages before and after
+ <braunr> mcsim: how are you using this per object "advice" currently ?
+ <braunr> (in addition, using the same name twice for both mechanism and
+ policy is very sonfusing)
+ <braunr> confusing*
+ <mcsim> braunr: I try to expand cluster as much as it possible, but not
+ much than limit
+ <mcsim> they both determine policy, but advice for entry has bigger
+ priority
+ <braunr> that's wrong
+ <braunr> mapping and content shouldn't compete for policy
+ <braunr> the mapping tells the policy (=the advice) while the content tells
+ how to implement (e.g. how much content)
+ <braunr> IMO, you could simply get rid of the per object "advice" field and
+ use default values for now
+ <mcsim> braunr: What sense these values for number of pages before and
+ after should have?
+ <braunr> or use something well known, easy, and effective like preceding
+ and following pages
+ <braunr> they give the vm the amount of content to ask the backing pager
+ <mcsim> braunr: maximal amount, minimal amount or exact amount?
+ <braunr> neither
+ <braunr> that's why i recommend you forget it for now
+ <braunr> but
+ <braunr> imagine you implement the three standard policies (normal, random,
+ sequential)
+ <braunr> then the pager assigns preceding and following numbers for each of
+ them, say [5;5], [0;0], [15;15] respectively
+ <braunr> these numbers would tell the vm how many pages to ask the pagers
+ in a single request and from where
+ <mcsim> braunr: but in fact there could be much more policies.
+ <braunr> yes
+ <mcsim> also in kernel context there is no such unit as pager.
+ <braunr> so there should be a call like memory_object_set_advice(int
+ advice, int preceding, int following);
+ <braunr> for example
+ <braunr> what ?
+ <braunr> the pager is the memory manager
+ <braunr> it does exist in kernel context
+ <braunr> (or i don't understand what you mean)
+ <mcsim> there is only port, but port could be either pager or something
+ else
+ <braunr> no, it's a pager
+ <braunr> it's a port whose receive right is hold by a task implementing the
+ pager interface
+ <braunr> either the default pager or an untrusted task
+ <braunr> (or null if the object is anonymous memory not yet sent to the
+ default pager)
+ <mcsim> port is always pager?
+ <braunr> the object port is, yes
+ <braunr> struct ipc_port *pager; /* Where to get
+ data */
+ <mcsim> So, you suggest to keep set of advices for each object?
+ <braunr> i suggest you don't change anything in objects for now
+ <braunr> keep the advice in the mappings only, and implement default
+ behaviour for the known policies
+ <braunr> mcsim: if you understand this point, then i have nothing more to
+ say, and we should let nowhere_man present his work
+ <mcsim> braunr: ok. I'll implement only default behaviors for know policies
+ for now.
+ <braunr> (actually, using the mapping boundaries is slightly unoptimal, as
+ we could have several mappings for the same content, e.g. a program with
+ read only executable mapping, then ro only)
+ <braunr> mcsim: another way to know the "size" is to actually lookup for
+ pages in objects
+ <braunr> hm no, that's not true
+ <mcsim> braunr: But if there is no page we have to ask it
+ <mcsim> and I don't understand why using mappings boundaries is unoptimal
+ <braunr> here is bash
+ <braunr> 0000000000400000 868K r-x-- /bin/bash
+ <braunr> 00000000006d9000 36K rw--- /bin/bash
+ <braunr> two entries, same file
+ <braunr> (there is the anonymous memory layer for the second, but it would
+ matter for the first cow faults)
+
+
+## IRC, freenode, #hurd, 2012-08-02
+
+ <mcsim> braunr: You said that I probably need some support in vm_pageout.c
+ to make defpager work with clustered page transfers, but TBH I thought
+ that I have to implement only pagein. Do you expect from me implementing
+ pageout either? Or I misunderstand role of vm_pageout.c?
+ <braunr> no
+ <braunr> you're expected to implement only pagins for now
+ <braunr> pageins
+ <mcsim> well, I'm finishing merging of ext2fs patch for large stores and
+ work on defpager in parallel.
+ <mcsim> braunr: Also I didn't get your idea about configuring of paging
+ mechanism on behalf of pagers.
+ <braunr> which one ?
+ <mcsim> braunr: You said that pager has somehow pass size of desired
+ clusters for different paging policies.
+ <braunr> mcsim: i said not to care about that
+ <braunr> and the wording isn't correct, it's not "on behalf of pagers"
+ <mcsim> servers?
+ <braunr> pagers could tell the kernel what size (before and after a faulted
+ page) they prefer for each existing policy
+ <braunr> but that's one way to do it
+ <braunr> defaults work well too
+ <braunr> as shown in other implementations
diff --git a/open_issues/pfinet_vs_system_time_changes.mdwn b/open_issues/pfinet_vs_system_time_changes.mdwn
index 46705047..09b00d30 100644
--- a/open_issues/pfinet_vs_system_time_changes.mdwn
+++ b/open_issues/pfinet_vs_system_time_changes.mdwn
@@ -11,14 +11,16 @@ License|/fdl]]."]]"""]]
[[!tag open_issue_hurd]]
-IRC, unknown channel, unknown date.
+
+# IRC, unknown channel, unknown date
<grey_gandalf> I did a sudo date...
<grey_gandalf> and the machine hangs
-This was very likely a misdiagnosis:
+This was very likely a misdiagnosis.
+
-IRC, freenode, #hurd, 2011-03-25:
+# IRC, freenode, #hurd, 2011-03-25
<tschwinge> antrik: I suspect it'S some timing stuff in pfinet that perhaps
uses absolute time, and somehow wildely gets confused?
@@ -42,7 +44,8 @@ IRC, freenode, #hurd, 2011-03-25:
wrap-around, and thus the same result.)
<tschwinge> Yes.
-IRC, freenode, #hurd, 2011-10-26:
+
+# IRC, freenode, #hurd, 2011-10-26
<antrik> anyways, when ntpdate adjusts to the past, the connections hang,
roughly for the amount of time being adjusted
@@ -50,7 +53,8 @@ IRC, freenode, #hurd, 2011-10-26:
<antrik> (well, if it's long enough, they probably timeout on the other
side...)
-IRC, freenode, #hurd, 2011-10-27:
+
+# IRC, freenode, #hurd, 2011-10-27
<antrik> oh, another interesting thing I observed is that the the subhurd
pfinet did *not* drop the connection... only the main Hurd one. I thought
@@ -60,7 +64,8 @@ IRC, freenode, #hurd, 2011-10-27:
where I set the date is affected, and not the pfinet in the other
instance
-IRC, freenode, #hurd, 2012-06-28:
+
+# IRC, freenode, #hurd, 2012-06-28
<bddebian> great, now setting the date/time fucked my machine
<pinotree> yes, we lack a monotonic clock
@@ -80,3 +85,17 @@ IRC, freenode, #hurd, 2012-06-28:
it fucked me because I now cannot get to it.. :)
<antrik> bddebian: that's odd... you should be able to just log in again
IIRC
+
+
+# IRC, freenode, #hurd, 2012-07-29
+
+ <antrik> pfinet can't cope with larger system time changes because it can't
+ use a monotonic clock
+
+[[clock_gettime]].
+
+ <braunr> well when librt becomes easily usable everywhere (it it's
+ possible), it will be quite easy to work around this issue
+ <pinotree> yes and no, you just need a monotonic clock and clock_gettime
+ able to use it
+ <braunr> why "no" ?
diff --git a/open_issues/select.mdwn b/open_issues/select.mdwn
index abec304d..6bed94ca 100644
--- a/open_issues/select.mdwn
+++ b/open_issues/select.mdwn
@@ -215,6 +215,1186 @@ IRC, unknown channel, unknown date:
<youpi> it's better than nothing yes
+# IRC, freenode, #hurd, 2012-07-21
+
+ <braunr> damn, select is actually completely misdesigned :/
+ <braunr> iiuc, it makes servers *block*, in turn :/
+ <braunr> can't be right
+ <braunr> ok i understand it better
+ <braunr> yes, timeouts should be passed along with the other parameters to
+ correctly implement non blocking select
+ <braunr> (or the round-trip io_select should only ask for notification
+ requests instead of making a server thread block, but this would require
+ even more work)
+ <braunr> adding the timeout in the io_select call should be easy enough for
+ whoever wants to take over a not-too-complicated-but-not-one-liner-either
+ task :)
+ <antrik> braunr: why is a blocking server thread a problem?
+ <braunr> antrik: handling the timeout at client side while server threads
+ block is the problem
+ <braunr> the timeout must be handled along with blocking obviously
+ <braunr> so you either do it at server side when async ipc is available,
+ which is the case here
+ <braunr> or request notifications (synchronously) and block at client side,
+ waiting forthose notifications
+ <antrik> braunr: are you saying the client has a receive timeout, but when
+ it elapses, the server thread keeps on blocking?...
+ <braunr> antrik: no i'm referring to the non-blocking select issue we have
+ <braunr> antrik: the client doesn't block in this case, whereas the servers
+ do
+ <braunr> which obviously doesn't work ..
+ <braunr> see http://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugreport.cgi?bug=79358
+ <braunr> this is the reason why vim (and probably others) are slow on the
+ hurd, while not consuming any cpu
+ <braunr> the current work around is that whenevever a non-blocking select
+ is done, it's transformed into a blocking select with the smallest
+ possible timeout
+ <braunr> whenever*
+ <antrik> braunr: well, note that the issue only began after fixing some
+ other select issue... it was fine before
+ <braunr> apparently, the issue was raised in 2000
+ <braunr> also, note that there is a delay between sending the io_select
+ requests and blocking on the replies
+ <braunr> when machines were slow, this delay could almost guarantee a
+ preemption between these steps, making the servers reply soon enough even
+ for a non blocking select
+ <braunr> the problem occurs when sending all the requests and checking for
+ replies is done before servers have a chance the send the reply
+ <antrik> braunr: I don't know what issue was raised in 2000, but I do know
+ that vim worked perfectly fine until last year or so. then some select
+ fix was introduced, which in turn broke vim
+ <braunr> antrik: could be the timeout rounding, Aug 2 2010
+ <braunr> hum but, the problem wasn't with vim
+ <braunr> vim does still work fine (in fact, glibc is patched to check some
+ well known process names and selectively fix the timeout)
+ <braunr> which is why vim is fast and view isn't
+ <braunr> the problem was with other services apparently
+ <braunr> and in order to fix them, that workaround had to be introduced
+ <braunr> i think it has nothing to do with the timeout rounding
+ <braunr> it must be the time when youpi added the patch to the debian
+ package
+ <antrik> braunr: the problem is that with the patch changing the timeout
+ rounding, vim got extremely slow. this is why the ugly hacky exception
+ was added later...
+ <antrik> after reading the report, I agree that the timeout needs to be
+ handled by the server. at least the timeout=0 case.
+ <pinotree> vim uses often 0-time selects to check whether there's input
+ <antrik> client-side handling might still be OK for other timeout settings
+ I guess
+ <antrik> I'm a bit ambivalent about that
+ <antrik> I tend to agree with Neal though: it really doesn't make much
+ sense to have a client-side watchdog timer for this specific call, while
+ for all other ones we trust the servers not to block...
+ <antrik> or perhaps not. for standard sync I/O, clients should expect that
+ an operation could take long (though not forever); but they might use
+ select() precisely to avoid long delays in I/O... so it makes some sense
+ to make sure that select() really doesn't delay because of a busy server
+ <antrik> OTOH, unless the server is actually broken (in which anything
+ could happen), a 0-time select should never actually block for an
+ extended period of time... I guess it's not wrong to trust the servers on
+ that
+ <antrik> pinotree: hm... that might explain a certain issue I *was*
+ observing with Vim on Hurd -- though I never really thought about it
+ being an actual bug, as opposed to just general Hurd sluggishness...
+ <antrik> but it makes sense now
+ <pinotree> antrik:
+ http://patch-tracker.debian.org/patch/series/view/eglibc/2.13-34/hurd-i386/local-select.diff
+ <antrik> so I guess we all agree that moving the select timeout to the
+ server is probably the most reasonably approach...
+ <antrik> braunr: BTW, I wouldn't really consider the sync vs. async IPC
+ cases any different. the client blocks waiting for the server to reply
+ either way...
+ <antrik> the only difference is that in the sync IPC case, the server might
+ want to take some special precaution so it doesn't have to block until
+ the client is ready to receive the reply
+ <antrik> but that's optional and not really select-specific I'd say
+ <antrik> (I'd say the only sane approach with sync IPC is probably for the
+ server never to wait -- if the client fails to set up for receiving the
+ reply in time, it looses...)
+ <antrik> and with the receive buffer approach in Viengoos, this can be done
+ really easy and nice :-)
+
+
+## IRC, freenode, #hurd, 2012-07-22
+
+ <braunr> antrik: you can't block in servers with sync ipc
+ <braunr> so in this case, "select" becomes a request for notifications
+ <braunr> whereas with async ipc, you can, so it's less efficient to make a
+ full round trip just to ask for requests when you can just do async
+ requests (doing the actual blocking) and wait for any reply after
+ <antrik> braunr: I don't understand. why can't you block in servers with
+ async IPC?
+ <antrik> braunr: err... with sync IPC I mean
+ <braunr> antrik: because select operates on more than one fd
+ <antrik> braunr: and what does that got to do with sync vs. async IPC?...
+ <antrik> maybe you are thinking of endpoints here, which is a whole
+ different story
+ <antrik> traditional L4 has IPC ports bound to specific threads; so
+ implementing select requires a separate client thread for each
+ server. but that's not mandatory for sync IPC. Viengoos has endpoints not
+ bound to threads
+ <braunr> antrik: i don't know what "endpoint" means here
+ <braunr> but, you can't use sync IPC to implement select on multiple fds
+ (and thus possibly multiple servers) by blocking in the servers
+ <braunr> you'd block in the first and completely miss the others
+ <antrik> braunr: I still don't see why... or why async IPC would change
+ anything in that regard
+ <braunr> antrik: well, you call select on 3 fds, each implemented by
+ different servers
+ <braunr> antrik: you call a sync select on the first fd, obviously you'll
+ block there
+ <braunr> antrik: if it's async, you don't block, you just send the
+ requests, and wait for any reply
+ <braunr> like we do
+ <antrik> braunr: I think you might be confused about the meaning of sync
+ IPC. it doesn't in any way imply that after sending an RPC request you
+ have to block on some particular reply...
+ <youpi> antrik: what does sync mean then?
+ <antrik> braunr: you can have any number of threads listening for replies
+ from the various servers (if using an L4-like model); or even a single
+ thread, if you have endpoints that can listen on replies from different
+ sources (which was pretty much the central concern in the Viengoos IPC
+ design AIUI)
+ <youpi> antrik: I agree with your "so it makes some sense to make sure that
+ select() really doesn't delay because of a busy server" (for blocking
+ select) and "OTOH, unless the server is actually broken (in which
+ anything could happen), a 0-time select should never actually block" (for
+ non-blocking select)
+ <antrik> youpi: regarding the select, I was thinking out loud; the former
+ statement was mostly cancelled by my later conclusions...
+ <antrik> and I'm not sure the latter statement was quite clear
+ <youpi> do you know when it was?
+ <antrik> after rethinking it, I finally concluded that it's probably *not*
+ a problem to rely on the server to observe the timout. if it's really
+ busy, it might take longer than the designated timeout (especially if
+ timeout is 0, hehe) -- but I don't think this is a problem
+ <antrik> and if it doens't observe the timout because it's
+ broken/malicious, that's not more problematic that any other RPC the
+ server doesn't handle as expected
+ <youpi> ok
+ <youpi> did somebody wrote down the conclusion "let's make select timeout
+ handled at server side" somewhere?
+ <antrik> youpi: well, neal already said that in a followup to the select
+ issue Debian bug... and after some consideration, I completely agree with
+ his reasoning (as does braunr)
+
+
+## IRC, freenode, #hurd, 2012-07-23
+
+ <braunr> antrik: i was meaning sync in the most common meaning, yes, the
+ client blocking on the reply
+ <antrik> braunr: I think you are confusing sync IPC with sync I/O ;-)
+ <antrik> braunr: by that definition, the vast majority of Hurd IPC would be
+ sync... but that's obviously not the case
+ <antrik> synchronous IPC means that send and receive happen at the same
+ time -- nothing more, nothing less. that's why it's called synchronous
+ <braunr> antrik: yes
+ <braunr> antrik: so it means the client can't continue unless he actually
+ receives
+ <antrik> in a pure sync model such as L4 or EROS, this means either the
+ sender or the receiver has to block, so synchronisation can happen. which
+ one is server and which one is client is completely irrelevant here --
+ this is about individual message transfer, not any RPC model on top of it
+ <braunr> i the case of select, i assume sender == client
+ <antrik> in Viengoos, the IPC is synchronous in the sense that transfer
+ from the send buffer to the receive buffer happens at the same time; but
+ it's asynchronous in the sense that the receiver doesn't necessarily have
+ to be actively waiting for the incoming message
+ <braunr> ok, i was talking about a pure sync model
+ <antrik> (though it most cases it will still do so...)
+ <antrik> braunr: BTW, in the case of select, the sender is *not* the
+ client. the reply is relevant here, not the request -- so the client is
+ the receiver
+ <antrik> (the select request is boring)
+ <braunr> sorry, i don't understand, you seem to dismiss the select request
+ for no valid reason
+ <antrik> I still don't see how sync vs. async affects the select reply
+ receive though... blocking seems the right approach in either case
+ <braunr> blocking is required
+ <braunr> but you either block in the servers, or in the client
+ <braunr> (and if blocking in the servers, the client also blocks)
+ <braunr> i'll explain how i see it again
+ <braunr> there are two approaches to implementing select
+ <braunr> 1/ send requests to all servers, wait for any reply, this is what
+ the hurd does
+ <braunr> but it's possible because you can send all the requests without
+ waiting for the replies
+ <braunr> 2/ send notification requests, wait for a notification
+ <braunr> this doesn't require blocking in the servers (so if you have many
+ clients, you don't need as many threads)
+ <braunr> i was wondering which approach was used by the hurd, and if it
+ made sense to change
+ <antrik> TBH I don't see the difference between 1) and 2)... whether the
+ message from the server is called an RPC reply or a notification is just
+ a matter of definition
+ <antrik> I think I see though what you are getting at
+ <antrik> with sync IPC, if the client sent all requests and only afterwards
+ started to listen for replies, the servers might need to block while
+ trying to deliver the reply because the client is not ready yet
+ <braunr> that's one thing yes
+ <antrik> but even in the sync case, the client can immediately wait for
+ replies to each individual request -- it might just be more complicated,
+ depending on the specifics of the IPC design
+ <braunr> what i mean by "send notification requests" is actually more than
+ just sending, it's a complete RPC
+ <braunr> and notifications are non-blocking, yes
+ <antrik> (with L4, it would require a separate client thread for each
+ server contacted... which is precisely why a different mechanism was
+ designed for Viengoos)
+ <braunr> seems weird though
+ <braunr> don't they have a portset like abstraction ?
+ <antrik> braunr: well, having an immediate reply to the request and a
+ separate notification later is just a waste of resources... the immediate
+ reply would have no information value
+ <antrik> no, in original L4 IPC is always directed to specific threads
+ <braunr> antrik: some could see the waste of resource as being the
+ duplication of the number of client threads in the server
+ <antrik> you could have one thread listening to replies from several
+ servers -- but then, replies can get lost
+ <braunr> i see
+ <antrik> (or the servers have to block on the reply)
+ <braunr> so, there are really no capabilities in the original l4 design ?
+ <antrik> though I guess in the case of select() it wouldn't really matter
+ if replies get lost, as long as at least one is handled... would just
+ require the listener thread by separate from the thread sending the
+ requests
+ <antrik> braunr: right. no capabilities of any kind
+ <braunr> that was my initial understanding too
+ <braunr> thanks
+ <antrik> so I partially agree: in a purely sync IPC design, it would be
+ more complicated (but not impossible) to make sure the client gets the
+ replies without the server having to block while sending replies
+
+ <braunr> arg, we need hurd_condition_timedwait (and possible
+ condition_timedwait) to cleanly fix io_select
+ <braunr> luckily, i still have my old patch for condition_timedwait :>
+ <braunr> bddebian: in order to implement timeouts in select calls, servers
+ now have to use a hurd_condition_timedwait function
+ <braunr> is it possible that a thread both gets canceled and timeout on a
+ wait ?
+ <braunr> looks unlikely to me
+
+ <braunr> hm, i guess the same kind of compatibility constraints exist for
+ hurd interfaces
+ <braunr> so, should we have an io_select1 ?
+ <antrik> braunr: I would use a more descriptive name: io_select_timeout()
+ <braunr> antrik: ah yes
+ <braunr> well, i don't really like the idea of having 2 interfaces for the
+ same call :)
+ <braunr> because all select should be select_timeout :)
+ <braunr> but ok
+ <braunr> antrik: actually, having two select calls may be better
+ <braunr> oh it's really minor, we do'nt care actually
+ <antrik> braunr: two select calls?
+ <braunr> antrik: one with a timeout and one without
+ <braunr> the glibc would choose at runtime
+ <antrik> right. that was the idea. like with most transitions, that's
+ probably the best option
+ <braunr> there is no need to pass the timeout value if it's not needed, and
+ it's easier to pass NULL this way
+ <antrik> oh
+ <antrik> nah, that would make the transition more complicated I think
+ <braunr> ?
+ <braunr> ok
+ <braunr> :)
+ <braunr> this way, it becomes very easy
+ <braunr> the existing io_select call moves into a select_common() function
+ <antrik> the old variant doesn't know that the server has to return
+ immediately; changing that would be tricky. better just use the new
+ variant for the new behaviour, and deprecate the old one
+ <braunr> and the entry points just call this common function with either
+ NULL or the given timeout
+ <braunr> no need to deprecate the old one
+ <braunr> that's what i'm saying
+ <braunr> and i don't understand "the old variant doesn't know that the
+ server has to return immediately"
+ <antrik> won't the old variant block indefinitely in the server if there
+ are no ready fds?
+ <braunr> yes it will
+ <antrik> oh, you mean using the old variant if there is no timeout value?
+ <braunr> yes
+ <antrik> well, I guess this would work
+ <braunr> well of course, the question is rather if we want this or not :)
+ <antrik> hm... not sure
+ <braunr> we need something to improve the process of changing our
+ interfaces
+ <braunr> it's really painful currnelty
+ <antrik> inside the servers, we probably want to use common code
+ anyways... so in the long run, I think it simplifies the code when we can
+ just drop the old variant at some point
+ <braunr> a lot of the work we need to do involves changing interfaces, and
+ we very often get to the point where we don't know how to do that and
+ hardly agree on a final version :
+ <braunr> :/
+ <braunr> ok but
+ <braunr> how do you tell the server you don't want a timeout ?
+ <braunr> a special value ? like { -1; -1 } ?
+ <antrik> hm... good point
+ <braunr> i'll do it that way for now
+ <braunr> it's the best way to test it
+ <antrik> which way you mean now?
+ <braunr> keeping io_select as it is, add io_select_timeout
+ <antrik> yeah, I thought we agreed on that part... the question is just
+ whether io_select_timeout should also handle the no-timeout variant going
+ forward, or keep io_select for that. I'm really not sure
+ <antrik> maybe I'll form an opinion over time :-)
+ <antrik> but right now I'm undecided
+ <braunr> i say we keep io_select
+ <braunr> anyway it won't change much
+ <braunr> we can just change that at the end if we decide otherwise
+ <antrik> right
+ <braunr> even passing special values is ok
+ <braunr> with a carefully written hurd_condition_timedwait, it's very easy
+ to add the timeouts :)
+ <youpi> antrik, braunr: I'm wondering, another solution is to add an
+ io_probe, i.e. the server has to return an immediate result, and the
+ client then just waits for all results, without timeout
+ <youpi> that'd be a mere addition in the glibc select() call: when timeout
+ is 0, use that, and otherwise use the previous code
+ <youpi> the good point is that it looks nicer in fs.defs
+ <youpi> are there bad points?
+ <youpi> (I don't have the whole issues in the mind now, so I'm probably
+ missing things)
+ <braunr> youpi: the bad point is duplicating the implementation maybe
+ <youpi> what duplication ?
+ <youpi> ah you mean for the select case
+ <braunr> yes
+ <braunr> although it would be pretty much the same
+ <braunr> that is, if probe only, don't enter the wait loop
+ <youpi> could that be just some ifs here and there?
+ <youpi> (though not making the code easier to read...)
+ <braunr> hm i'm not sure it's fine
+ <youpi> in that case oi_select_timeout looks ncier ideed :)
+ <braunr> my problem with the current implementation is having the timeout
+ at the client side whereas the server side is doing the blocking
+ <youpi> I wonder how expensive a notification is, compared to blocking
+ <youpi> a blocking indeed needs a thread stack
+ <youpi> (and kernel thread stuff)
+ <braunr> with the kind of async ipc we have, it's still better to do it
+ that way
+ <braunr> and all the code already exists
+ <braunr> having the timeout at the client side also have its advantage
+ <braunr> has*
+ <braunr> latency is more precise
+ <braunr> so the real problem is indeed the non blocking case only
+ <youpi> isn't it bound to kernel ticks anyway ?
+ <braunr> uh, not if your server sucks
+ <braunr> or is loaded for whatever reason
+ <youpi> ok, that's not what I understood by "precision" :)
+ <youpi> I'd rather call it robustness :)
+ <braunr> hm
+ <braunr> right
+ <braunr> there are several ways to do this, but the io_select_timeout one
+ looks fine to me
+ <braunr> and is already well on its way
+ <braunr> and it's reliable
+ <braunr> (whereas i'm not sure about reliability if we keep the timeout at
+ client side)
+ <youpi> btw make the timeout nanoseconds
+ <braunr> ??
+ <youpi> pselect uses timespec, not timeval
+ <braunr> do we want pselect ?
+ <youpi> err, that's the only safe way with signals
+ <braunr> not only, no
+ <youpi> and poll is timespec also
+ <youpi> not only??
+ <braunr> you mean ppol
+ <braunr> ppoll
+ <youpi> no, poll too
+ <youpi> by "the only safe way", I mean for select calls
+ <braunr> i understand the race issue
+ <youpi> ppoll is a gnu extension
+ <braunr> int poll(struct pollfd *fds, nfds_t nfds, int timeout);
+ <youpi> ah, right, I was also looking at ppoll
+ <youpi> any
+ <youpi> way
+ <youpi> we can use nanosecs
+ <braunr> most event loops use a pipe or a socketpair
+ <youpi> there's no reason not to
+ <antrik> youpi: I briefly considered special-casisg 0 timeouts last time we
+ discussed this; but I concluded that it's probably better to handle all
+ timeouts server-side
+ <youpi> I don't see why we should even discuss that
+ <braunr> and translate signals to writes into the pipe/socketpair
+ <youpi> antrik: ok
+ <antrik> you can't count on select() timout precision anyways
+ <antrik> a few ms more shouldn't hurt any sanely written program
+ <youpi> braunr: "most" doesn't mean "all"
+ <youpi> there *are* applications which use pselect
+ <braunr> well mach only handles millisedonds
+ <braunr> seconds
+ <youpi> and it's not going out of the standard
+ <youpi> mach is not the hurd
+ <youpi> if we change mach, we can still keep the hurd ipcs
+ <youpi> anyway
+ <youpi> agagin
+ <youpi> I reallyt don't see the point of the discussion
+ <youpi> is there anything *against* using nanoseconds?
+ <braunr> i chose the types specifically because of that :p
+ <braunr> but ok i can change again
+ <youpi> becaus what??
+ <braunr> i chose to use mach's native time_value_t
+ <braunr> because it matches timeval nicely
+ <youpi> but it doesn't match timespec nicely
+ <braunr> no it doesn't
+ <braunr> should i add a hurd specific time_spec_t then ?
+ <youpi> "how do you tell the server you don't want a timeout ? a special
+ value ? like { -1; -1 } ?"
+ <youpi> you meant infinite blocking?
+ <braunr> youpi: yes
+ <braunr> oh right, pselect is posix
+ <youpi> actually posix says that there can be limitations on the maximum
+ timeout supported, which should be at least 31 days
+ <youpi> -1;-1 is thus fine
+ <braunr> yes
+ <braunr> which is why i could choose time_value_t (a struct of 2 integer_t)
+ <youpi> well, I'd say gnumach could grow a nanosecond-precision time value
+ <youpi> e.g. for clock_gettime precision and such
+ <braunr> so you would prefer me adding the time_spec_t time to gnumach
+ rather than the hurd ?
+ <youpi> well, if hurd RPCs are using mach types and there's no mach type
+ for nanoseconds, it m akes sense to add one
+ <youpi> I don't know about the first part
+ <braunr> yes some hurd itnerfaces also use time_value_t
+ <antrik> in general, I don't think Hurd interfaces should rely on a Mach
+ timevalue. it's really only meaningful when Mach is involved...
+ <antrik> we could even pass the time value as an opaque struct. don't
+ really need an explicit MIG type for that.
+ <braunr> opaque ?
+ <youpi> an opaque type would be a step backward from multi-machine support
+ ;)
+ <antrik> youpi: that's a sham anyways ;-)
+ <youpi> what?
+ <youpi> ah, using an opaque type, yes :)
+ <braunr> probably why my head bugged while reading that
+ <antrik> it wouldn't be fully opaque either. it would be two ints, right?
+ even if Mach doesn't know what these two ints mean, it still could to
+ byte order conversion, if we ever actually supported setups where it
+ matters...
+ <braunr> so uh, should this new time_spec_t be added in gnumach or the hurd
+ ?
+ <braunr> youpi: you're the maintainer, you decide :p
+ *** antrik (~olaf@port-92-195-60-96.dynamic.qsc.de) has joined channel
+ #hurd
+ <youpi> well, I don't like deciding when I didn't even have read fs.defs :)
+ <youpi> but I'd say the way forward is defining it in the hurd
+ <youpi> and put a comment "should be our own type" above use of the mach
+ type
+ <braunr> ok
+ *** antrik (~olaf@port-92-195-60-96.dynamic.qsc.de) has quit: Remote host
+ closed the connection
+ <braunr> and, by the way, is using integer_t fine wrt the 64-bits port ?
+ <youpi> I believe we settled on keeping integer_t a 32bit integer, like xnu
+ does
+ *** elmig (~elmig@a89-155-34-142.cpe.netcabo.pt) has quit: Quit: leaving
+ <braunr> ok so it's not
+ *** antrik (~olaf@port-92-195-60-96.dynamic.qsc.de) has joined channel
+ #hurd
+ <braunr> uh well
+ <youpi> why "not" ?
+ <braunr> keeping it 32-bits for the 32-bits userspace hurd
+ <braunr> but i'm talking about a true 64-bits version
+ <braunr> wouldn't integer_t get 64-bits then ?
+ <youpi> I meant we settled on a no
+ <youpi> like xnu does
+ <braunr> xnu uses 32-bits integer_t even when userspace runs in 64-bits
+ mode ?
+ <youpi> because things for which we'd need 64bits then are offset_t,
+ vm_size_t, and such
+ <youpi> yes
+ <braunr> ok
+ <braunr> youpi: but then what is the type to use for long integers ?
+ <braunr> or uintptr_t
+ <youpi> braunr: uintptr_t
+ <braunr> the mig type i mean
+ <youpi> type memory_object_offset_t = uint64_t;
+ <youpi> (and size)
+ <braunr> well that's a 64-bits type
+ <youpi> well, yes
+ <braunr> natural_t and integer_t were supposed to have the processor word
+ size
+ <youpi> probably I didn't understand your question
+ <braunr> if we remove that property, what else has it ?
+ <youpi> yes, but see rolands comment on this
+ <braunr> ah ?
+ <youpi> ah, no, he just says the same
+ <antrik> braunr: well, it's debatable whether the processor word size is
+ really 64 bit on x86_64...
+ <antrik> all known compilers still consider int to be 32 bit
+ <antrik> (and int is the default word size)
+ <braunr> not really
+ <youpi> as in?
+ <braunr> the word size really is 64-bits
+ <braunr> the question concerns the data model
+ <braunr> with ILP32 and LP64, int is always 32-bits, and long gets the
+ processor word size
+ <braunr> and those are the only ones current unices support
+ <braunr> (which is why long is used everywhere for this purpose instead of
+ uintptr_t in linux)
+ <antrik> I don't think int is 32 bit on alpha?
+ <antrik> (and probably some other 64 bit arches)
+ <braunr> also, assuming we want to maintain the ability to support single
+ system images, do we really want RPC with variable size types ?
+ <youpi> antrik: linux alpha's int is 32bit
+ <braunr> sparc64 too
+ <youpi> I don't know any 64bit port with 64bit int
+ <braunr> i wonder how posix will solve the year 2038 problem ;p
+ <youpi> time_t is a long
+ <youpi> the hope is that there'll be no 32bit systems by 2038 :)
+ <braunr> :)
+ <youpi> but yes, that matters to us
+ <youpi> number of seconds should not be just an int
+ <braunr> we can force a 64-bits type then
+ <braunr> i tend to think we should have no variable size type in any mig
+ interface
+ <braunr> youpi: so, new hurd type, named time_spec_t, composed of two
+ 64-bits signed integers
+ <pinotree> braunr: i added that in my prototype of monotonic clock patch
+ for gnumach
+ <braunr> oh
+ <youpi> braunr: well, 64bit is not needed for the nanosecond part
+ <braunr> right
+ <braunr> it will be aligned anyway :p
+ <youpi> I know
+ <youpi> uh, actually linux uses long there
+ <braunr> pinotree: i guess your patch is still in debian ?
+ <braunr> youpi: well yes
+ <braunr> youpi: why wouldn't it ? :)
+ <pinotree> no, never applied
+ <youpi> braunr: because 64bit is not needed
+ <braunr> ah, i see what you mean
+ <youpi> oh, posix says longa ctually
+ <youpi> *exactly* long
+ <braunr> i'll use the same sizes
+ <braunr> so it fits nicely with timespec
+ <braunr> hm
+ <braunr> but timespec is only used at the client side
+ <braunr> glibc would simply move the timespec values into our hurd specific
+ type (which can use 32-bits nanosecs) and servers would only use that
+ type
+ <braunr> all right, i'll do it that way, unless there are additional
+ comments next morning :)
+ <antrik> braunr: we never supported federations, and I'm pretty sure we
+ never will. the remnants of network IPC code were ripped out some years
+ ago. some of the Hurd interfaces use opaque structs too, so it wouldn't
+ even work if it existed. as I said earlier, it's really all a sham
+ <antrik> as for the timespec type, I think it's easier to stick with the
+ API definition at RPC level too
+
+
+## IRC, freenode, #hurd, 2012-07-24
+
+ <braunr> youpi: antrik: is vm_size_t an appropriate type for a c long ?
+ <braunr> (appropriate mig type)
+ <antrik> I wouldn't say so. while technically they are pretty much
+ guaranteed to be the same, conceptually they are entirely different
+ things -- it would be confusing at least to do it that way...
+ <braunr> antrik: well which one then ? :(
+ <antrik> braunr: no idea TBH
+ <braunr> antrik_: that should have been natural_t and integer_t
+ <braunr> so maybe we should new types to replace them
+ <antrik_> braunr: actually, RPCs should never have nay machine-specific
+ types... which makes me realise that a 1:1 translation to the POSIX
+ definition is actually not possible if we want to follow the Mach ideals
+ <braunr> i agree
+ <braunr> (well, the original mach authors used natural_t in quite a bunch
+ of places ..)
+ <braunr> the mig interfaces look extremely messy to me because of this type
+ issue
+ <braunr> and i just want to move forward with my work now
+ <braunr> i could just use 2 integer_t, that would get converted in the
+ massive future revamp of the interfaces for the 64-bits userspace
+ <braunr> or 2 64-bits types
+ <braunr> i'd like us to agree on one of the two not too late so i can
+ continue
+
+
+## IRC, freenode, #hurd, 2012-07-25
+
+ <antrik_> braunr: well, for actual kernel calls, machine-specific types are
+ probably hard to avoid... the problem is when they are used in other RPCs
+ <braunr> antrik: i opted for a hurd specific time_data_t = struct[2] of
+ int64
+ <braunr> and going on with this for now
+ <braunr> once it works we'll finalize the types if needed
+ <antrik> I'm really not sure how to best handle such 32 vs. 64 bit issues
+ in Hurd interfaces...
+ <braunr> you *could* consider time_t and long to be machine specific types
+ <antrik> well, they clearly are
+ <braunr> long is
+ <braunr> time_t isn't really
+ <antrik> didn't you say POSIX demands it to be longs?
+ <braunr> we could decide to make it 64 bits in all versions of the hurd
+ <braunr> no
+ <braunr> posix requires the nanoseconds field of timespec to be long
+ <braunr> the way i see it, i don't see any problem (other than a little bit
+ of storage and performance) using 64-bits types here
+ <antrik> well, do we really want to use a machine-independent time format,
+ if the POSIX interfaces we are mapping do not?...
+ <antrik> (perhaps we should; I'm just uncertain what's better in this case)
+ <braunr> this would require creating new types for that
+ <braunr> probably mach types for consistency
+ <braunr> to replace natural_t and integer_t
+ <braunr> now this concerns a totally different issue than select
+ <braunr> which is how we're gonna handle the 64-bits port
+ <braunr> because natural_t and integer_t are used almost everywhere
+ <antrik> indeed
+ <braunr> and we must think of 2 ports
+ <braunr> the 32-bits over 64-bits gnumach, and the complete 64-bits one
+ <antrik> what do we do for the interfaces that are explicitly 64 bit?
+ <braunr> what do you mean ?
+ <braunr> i'm not sure there is anything to do
+ <antrik> I mean what is done in the existing ones?
+ <braunr> like off64_t ?
+ <antrik> yeah
+ <braunr> they use int64 and unsigned64
+ <antrik> OK. so we shouldn't have any trouble with that at least...
+ <pinotree> braunr: were you adding a time_value_t in mach, but for
+ nanoseconds?
+ <braunr> no i'm adding a time_data_t to the hurd
+ <braunr> for nanoseconds yes
+ <pinotree> ah ok
+ <pinotree> (maybe sure it is available in hurd/hurd_types.defs)
+ <braunr> yes it's there
+ <pinotree> \o/
+ <braunr> i mean, i didn't forget to add it there
+ <braunr> for now it's a struct[2] of int64
+ <braunr> but we're not completely sure of that
+ <braunr> currently i'm teaching the hurd how to use timeouts
+ <pinotree> cool
+ <braunr> which basically involves adding a time_data_t *timeout parameter
+ to many functions
+ <braunr> and replacing hurd_condition_wait with hurd_condition_timedwait
+ <braunr> and making sure a timeout isn't an error on the return path
+ * pinotree has a simplier idea for time_data_t: add a file_utimesns to
+ fs.defs
+ <braunr> hmm, some functions have a nonblocking parameter
+ <braunr> i'm not sure if it's better to replace them with the timeout, or add the timeout parameter
+ <braunr> considering the functions involved may return EWOULDBLOCK
+ <braunr> for now i'll add a timeout parameter, so that the code requires as little modification as possible
+ <braunr> tell me your opinion on that please
+ <antrik> braunr: what functions?
+ <braunr> connq_listen in pflocal for example
+ <antrik> braunr: I don't really understand what you are talking about :-(
+ <braunr> some servers implement select this way :
+ <braunr> 1/ call a function in non-blocking mode, if it indicates data is available, return immediately
+ <braunr> 2/ call the same function, in blocking mode
+ <braunr> normally, with the new timeout parameter, non-blocking could be passed in the timeout parameter (with a timeout of 0)
+ <braunr> operating in non-blocking mode, i mean
+ <braunr> antrik: is it clear now ? :)
+ <braunr> i wonder how the hurd managed to grow so much code without a cond_timedwait function :/
+ <braunr> i think i have finished my io_select_timeout patch on the hurd side
+ <braunr> :)
+ <braunr> a small step for the hurd, but a big one against vim latencies !!
+ <braunr> (which is the true reason i'm working on this haha)
+ <braunr> new hurd rbraun/io_select_timeout branch for those interested
+ <braunr> hm, my changes clashes hard with the debian pflocal patch by neal :/
+ <braunr> clash*
+ <antrik> braunr: replace I'd say. no need to introduce redundancy; and code changes not affecting interfaces are cheap
+ <antrik> (in general, I'm always in favour of refactoring)
+ <braunr> antrik: replace what ?
+ <antrik> braunr: wow, didn't think moving the timeouts to server would be such a quick task :-)
+ <braunr> antrik: :)
+ <antrik> 16:57 < braunr> hmm, some functions have a nonblocking parameter
+ <antrik> 16:58 < braunr> i'm not sure if it's better to replace them with the timeout, or add the timeout parameter
+ <braunr> antrik: ah about that, ok
+
+
+## IRC, freenode, #hurd, 2012-07-26
+
+ <pinotree> braunr: wrt your select_timeout branch, why not push only the
+ time_data stuff to master?
+ <braunr> pinotree: we didn't agree on that yet
+
+ <braunr> ah better, with the correct ordering of io routines, my hurd boots
+ :)
+ <pinotree> and works too? :p
+ <braunr> so far yes
+ <braunr> i've spotted some issues in libpipe but nothing major
+ <braunr> i "only" have to adjust the client side select implementation now
+
+
+## IRC, freenode, #hurd, 2012-07-27
+
+ <braunr> io_select should remain a routine (i.e. synchronous) for server
+ side stub code
+ <braunr> but should be asynchronous (send only) for client side stub code
+ <braunr> (since _hurs_select manually handles replies through a port set)
+
+
+## IRC, freenode, #hurd, 2012-07-28
+
+ <braunr> why are there both REPLY_PORTS and IO_SELECT_REPLY_PORT macros in
+ the hurd ..
+ <braunr> and for the select call only :(
+ <braunr> and doing the exact same thing unless i'm mistaken
+ <braunr> the reply port is required for select anyway ..
+ <braunr> i just want to squeeze them into a new IO_SELECT_SERVER macro
+ <braunr> i don't think i can maintain the use the existing io_select call
+ as it is
+ <braunr> grr, the io_request/io_reply files aren't synced with the io.defs
+ file
+ <braunr> calls like io_sigio_request seem totally unused
+ <antrik> yeah, that's a major shortcoming of MIG -- we shouldn't need to
+ have separate request/reply defs
+ <braunr> they're not even used :/
+ <braunr> i did something a bit ugly but it seems to do what i wanted
+
+
+## IRC, freenode, #hurd, 2012-07-29
+
+ <braunr> good, i have a working client-side select
+ <braunr> now i need to fix the servers a bit :x
+ <braunr> arg, my test cases work, but vim doesn't :((
+ <braunr> i hate select :p
+ <braunr> ah good, my problems are caused by a deadlock because of my glibc
+ changes
+ <braunr> ah yes, found my locking problem
+ <braunr> building my final libc now
+ * braunr crosses fingers
+ <braunr> (the deadlock issue was of course a one liner)
+ <braunr> grr deadlocks again
+ <braunr> grmbl, my deadlock is in pfinet :/
+ <braunr> my select_timeout code makes servers deadlock on the libports
+ global lock :/
+ <braunr> wtf..
+ <braunr> youpi: it may be related to the failed asserttion
+ <braunr> deadlocking on mutex_unlock oO
+ <braunr> grr
+ <braunr> actually, mutex_unlock sends a message to notify other threads
+ that the lock is ready
+ <braunr> and that's what is blocking ..
+ <braunr> i'm not sure it's a fundamental problem here
+ <braunr> it may simply be a corruption
+ <braunr> i have several (but not that many) threads blocked in mutex_unlock
+ and one blocked in mutex_lcok
+ <braunr> i fail to see how my changes can create such a behaviour
+ <braunr> the weird thing is that i can't reproduce this with my test cases
+ :/
+ <braunr> only vim makes things crazy
+ <braunr> and i suppose it's related to the terminal
+ <braunr> (don't terminals relay select requests ?)
+ <braunr> when starting vim through ssh, pfinet deadlocks, and when starting
+ it on the mach console, the console term deadlocks
+ <pinotree> no help/hints when started with rpctrace?
+ <braunr> i only get assertions with rpctrace
+ <braunr> it's completely unusable for me
+ <braunr> gdb tells vim is indeed blocked in a select request
+ <braunr> and i can't see any in the remote servers :/
+ <braunr> this is so weird ..
+ <braunr> when using vim with the unmodified c library, i clearly see the
+ select call, and everything works fine ....
+ <braunr> 2e27: a1 c4 d2 b7 f7 mov 0xf7b7d2c4,%eax
+ <braunr> 2e2c: 62 (bad)
+ <braunr> 2e2d: f6 47 b6 69 testb $0x69,-0x4a(%edi)
+ <braunr> what's the "bad" line ??
+ <braunr> ew, i think i understand my problem now
+ <braunr> the timeout makes blocking threads wake prematurely
+ <braunr> but on an mutex unlock, or a condition signal/broadcast, a message
+ is still sent, as it is expected a thread is still waiting
+ <braunr> but the receiving thread, having returned sooner than expected
+ from mach_msg, doesn't dequeue the message
+ <braunr> as vim does a lot of non blocking selects, this fills the message
+ queue ...
+
+
+## IRC, freenode, #hurd, 2012-07-30
+
+ <braunr> hm nice, the problem i have with my hurd_condition_timedwait seems
+ to also exist in libpthread
+
+[[!taglink open_issue_libpthread]].
+
+ <braunr> although at a lesser degree (the implementation already correctly
+ removes a thread that timed out from a condition queue, and there is a
+ nice FIXME comment asking what to do with any stale wakeup message)
+ <braunr> and the only solution i can think of for now is to drain the
+ message queue
+ <braunr> ah yes, i know have vim running with my io_select_timeout code :>
+ <braunr> but hum
+ <braunr> eating all cpu
+ <braunr> ah nice, an infinite loop in _hurd_critical_section_unlock
+ <braunr> grmbl
+ <tschwinge> braunr: But not this one?
+ http://www.gnu.org/software/hurd/open_issues/fork_deadlock.html
+ <braunr> it looks similar, yes
+ <braunr> let me try again to compare in detail
+ <braunr> pretty much the same yes
+ <braunr> there is only one difference but i really don't think it matters
+ <braunr> (#3 _hurd_sigstate_lock (ss=0x2dff718) at hurdsig.c:173
+ <braunr> instead of
+ <braunr> #3 _hurd_sigstate_lock (ss=0x1235008) at hurdsig.c:172)
+ <braunr> ok so we need to review jeremie's work
+ <braunr> tschwinge: thanks for pointing me at this
+ <braunr> the good thing with my patch is that i can reproduce in a few
+ seconds
+ <braunr> consistently
+ <tschwinge> braunr: You're welcome. Great -- a reproducer!
+ <tschwinge> You might also build a glibc without his patches as a
+ cross-test to see the issues goes away?
+ <braunr> right
+ <braunr> i hope they're easy to find :)
+ <tschwinge> Hmm, have you already done changes to glibc? Otherwise you
+ might also simply use a Debian package from before?
+ <braunr> yes i have local changes to _hurd_select
+ <tschwinge> OK, too bad.
+ <tschwinge> braunr: debian/patches/hurd-i386/tg-hurdsig-*, I think.
+ <braunr> ok
+ <braunr> hmmmmm
+ <braunr> it may be related to my last patch on the select_timeout branch
+ <braunr> (i mean, this may be caused by what i mentioned earlier this
+ morning)
+ <braunr> damn i can't build glibc without the signal disposition patches :(
+ <braunr> libpthread_sigmask.diff depends on it
+ <braunr> tschwinge: doesn't libpthread (as implemented in the debian glibc
+ patches) depend on global signal dispositions ?
+ <braunr> i think i'll use an older glibc for now
+ <braunr> but hmm which one ..
+ <braunr> oh whatever, let's fix the deadlock, it's simpler
+ <braunr> and more productive anyway
+ <tschwinge> braunr: May be that you need to revert some libpthread patch,
+ too. Or even take out the libpthread build completely (you don't need it
+ for you current work, I think).
+ <tschwinge> braunr: Or, of course, you locate the deadlock. :-)
+ <braunr> hum, now why would __io_select_timeout return
+ EMACH_SEND_INVALID_DEST :(
+ <braunr> the current glibc code just transparently reports any such error
+ as a false positive oO
+ <braunr> hm nice, segfault through recursion
+ <braunr> "task foo destroying an invalid port bar" everywhere :((
+ <braunr> i still have problems at the server side ..
+ <braunr> ok i think i have a solution for the "synchronization problem"
+ <braunr> (by this name, i refer to the way mutex and condition variables
+ are implemented"
+ <braunr> (the problem being that, when a thread unblocks early, because of
+ a timeout, another may still send a message to attempt it, which may fill
+ up the message queue and make the sender block, causing a deadlock)
+ <braunr> s/attempt/attempt to wake/
+ <bddebian> Attempts to wake a dead thread?
+ <braunr> no
+ <braunr> attempt to wake an already active thread
+ <braunr> which won't dequeue the message because it's doing something else
+ <braunr> bddebian: i'm mentioning this because the problem potentially also
+ exists in libpthread
+
+[[!taglink open_issue_libpthread]].
+
+ <braunr> since the underlying algorithms are exactly the same
+ <youpi> (fortunately the time-out versions are not often used)
+ <braunr> for now :)
+ <braunr> for reference, my idea is to make the wake call truely non
+ blocking, by setting a timeout of 0
+ <braunr> i also limit the message queue size to 1, to limit the amount of
+ spurious wakeups
+ <braunr> i'll be able to test that in 30 mins or so
+ <braunr> hum
+ <braunr> how can mach_msg block with a timeout of 0 ??
+ <braunr> never mind :p
+ <braunr> unfortunately, my idea alone isn't enough
+ <braunr> for those interested in the problem, i've updated the analysis in
+ my last commit
+ (http://git.savannah.gnu.org/cgit/hurd/hurd.git/commit/?h=rbraun/select_timeout&id=40fe717ba9093c0c893d9ea44673e46a6f9e0c7d)
+
+
+## IRC, freenode, #hurd, 2012-08-01
+
+ <braunr> damn, i can't manage to make threads calling condition_wait to
+ dequeue themselves from the condition queue :(
+ <braunr> (instead of the one sending the signal/broadcast)
+ <braunr> my changes on cthreads introduce 2 intrusive changes
+ <braunr> the first is that the wakeup port is limited to 1 port, and the
+ wakeup operation is totally non blocking
+ <braunr> which is something we should probably add in any case
+ <braunr> the second is that condition_wait dequeues itself after blocking,
+ instead of condition_signal/broadcast
+ <braunr> and this second change seems to introduce deadlocks, for reasons
+ completely unknown to me :((
+ <braunr> limited to 1 message*
+ <braunr> if anyone has an idea about why it is bad for a thread to remove
+ itself from a condition/mutex queue, i'm all ears
+ <braunr> i'm hitting a wall :(
+ <braunr> antrik: if you have some motivation, can you review this please ?
+ http://www.sceen.net/~rbraun/0001-Rework-condition-signal-broadcast.patch
+ <braunr> with this patch, i get threads blocked in condition_wait,
+ apparently waiting for a wakeup that never comes (or was already
+ consumed)
+ <braunr> and i don't understand why :
+ <braunr> :(
+ <bddebian> braunr: The condition never happens?
+ <braunr> bddebian: it works without the patch, so i guess that's not the
+ problem
+ <braunr> bddebian: hm, you could be right actually :p
+ <bddebian> braunr: About what? :)
+ <braunr> 17:50 < bddebian> braunr: The condition never happens?
+ <braunr> although i doubt it again
+ <braunr> this problem is getting very very frustrating
+ <bddebian> :(
+ <braunr> it frightens me because i don't see any flaw in the logic :(
+
+
+## IRC, freenode, #hurd, 2012-08-02
+
+ <braunr> ah, seems i found a reliable workaround to my deadlock issue, and
+ more than a workaround, it should increase efficiency by reducing
+ messaging
+ * braunr happy
+ <kilobug> congrats :)
+ <braunr> the downside is that we may have a problem with non blocking send
+ calls :/
+ <braunr> which are used for signals
+ <braunr> i mean, this could be a mach bug
+ <braunr> let's try running a complete hurd with the change
+ <braunr> arg, the boot doesn't complete with the patch .. :(
+ <braunr> grmbl, by changing only a few bits in crtheads, the boot process
+ freezes in an infinite loop in somethign started after auth
+ (/etc/hurd/runsystem i assume)
+
+
+## IRC, freenode, #hurd, 2012-08-03
+
+ <braunr> glibc actually makes some direct use of cthreads condition
+ variables
+ <braunr> and my patch seems to work with servers in an already working
+ hurd, but don't allow it to boot
+ <braunr> and the hang happens on bash, the first thing that doesn't come
+ from the hurd package
+ <braunr> (i mean, during the boot sequence)
+ <braunr> which means we can't change cthreads headers (as some primitives
+ are macros)
+ <braunr> *sigh*
+ <braunr> the thing is, i can't fix select until i have a
+ condition_timedwait primitive
+ <braunr> and i can't add this primitive until either 1/ cthreads are fixed
+ not to allow the inlining of its primitives, or 2/ the switch to pthreads
+ is done
+ <braunr> which might take a loong time :p
+ <braunr> i'll have to rebuild a whole libc package with a fixed cthreads
+ version
+ <braunr> let's do this
+ <braunr> pinotree: i see two __condition_wait calls in glibc, how is the
+ double underscore handled ?
+ <pinotree> where do you see it?
+ <braunr> sysdeps/mach/hurd/setpgid.c and sysdeps/mach/hurd/setsid.c
+ <braunr> i wonder if it's even used
+ <braunr> looks like we use posix/setsid.c now
+ <pinotree> #ifdef noteven
+ <braunr> ?
+ <pinotree> the two __condition_wait calls you pointed out are in such
+ preprocessor block
+ <pinotree> s
+ <braunr> but what does it mean ?
+ <pinotree> no idea
+ <braunr> ok
+ <pinotree> these two files should be definitely be used, they are found
+ earlier in the vpath
+ <braunr> hum, posix/setsid.c is a nop stub
+ <pinotree> i don't see anything defining "noteven" in glibc itself nor in
+ hurd
+ <braunr> :(
+ <pinotree> yes, most of the stuff in posix/, misc/, signal/, time/ are
+ ENOSYS stubs, to be reimplemented in a sysdep
+ <braunr> hm, i may have made a small mistake in cthreads itself actually
+ <braunr> right
+ <braunr> when i try to debug using a subhurd, gdb tells me the blocked
+ process is spinning in ld ..
+ <braunr> i mean ld.so
+ <braunr> and i can't see any debugging symbol
+ <braunr> some progress, it hangs at process_envvars
+ <braunr> eh
+ <braunr> i've partially traced my problem
+ <braunr> when a "normal" program starts, libc creates the signal thread
+ early
+ <braunr> the main thread waits for the creation of this thread by polling
+ its address
+ <braunr> (i.e. while (signal_thread == 0); )
+ <braunr> for some reason, it is stuck in this loop
+ <braunr> cthread creation being actually governed by
+ condition_wait/broadcast, it makes some sense
+ <bddebian> braunr: When you say the "main" thread, do you mean the main
+ thread of the program?
+ <braunr> bddebian: yes
+ <braunr> i think i've determined my mistake
+ <braunr> glibc has its own variants of the mutex primitives
+ <braunr> and i changed one :/
+ <bddebian> Ah
+ <braunr> it's good news for me :)
+ <braunr> hum no, that's not exactly what i described
+ <braunr> glibc has some stubs, but it's not the problem, the problem is
+ that mutex_lock/unlock are macros, and i changed one of them
+ <braunr> so everything that used that macro inside glibc wasn't changed
+ <braunr> yes!
+ <braunr> my patched hurd now boots :)
+ * braunr relieved
+ <braunr> this experience at least taught me that it's not possible to
+ easily change the singly linked queues of thread (waiting for a mutex or
+ a condition variable) :(
+ <braunr> for now, i'm using a linear search from the start
+ <braunr> so, not only does this patched hurd boot, but i was able to use
+ aptitude, git, build a whole hurd, copy the whole thing, and remove
+ everything, and it still runs fine (whereas usually it would fail very
+ early)
+ * braunr happy
+ <antrik> and vim works fine now?
+ <braunr> err, wait
+ <braunr> this patch does only one thing
+ <braunr> it alters the way condition_signal/broadcast and
+ {hurd_,}condition_wait operate
+ <braunr> currently, condition_signal/broadcast dequeues threads from a
+ condition queue and wake them
+ <braunr> my patch makes these functions only wake the target threads
+ <braunr> which dequeue themselves
+ <braunr> (a necessary requirement to allow clean timeout handling)
+ <braunr> the next step is to fix my hurd_condition_wait patch
+ <braunr> and reapply the whole hurd patch indotrucing io_select_timeout
+ <braunr> introducing*
+ <braunr> then i'll be able to tell you
+ <braunr> one side effect of my current changes is that the linear search
+ required when a thread dequeues itself is ugly
+ <braunr> so it'll be an additional reason to help the pthreads porting
+ effort
+ <braunr> (pthreads have the same sort of issues wrt to timeout handling,
+ but threads are a doubly-linked lists, making it way easier to adjust)
+ <braunr> +on
+ <braunr> damn i'm happy
+ <braunr> 3 days on this stupid bug
+ <braunr> (which is actually responsible for what i initially feared to be a
+ mach bug on non blocking sends)
+ <braunr> (and because of that, i worked on the code to make it sure that 1/
+ waking is truely non blocking and 2/ only one message is required for
+ wakeups
+ <braunr> )
+ <braunr> a simple flag is tested instead of sending in a non blocking way
+ :)
+ <braunr> these improvments should be ported to pthreads some day
+
+[[!taglink open_issue_libpthread]]
+
+ <braunr> ahah !
+ <braunr> view is now FAST !
+ <mel-> braunr: what do you mean by 'view'?
+ <braunr> mel-: i mean the read-only version of vim
+ <mel-> aah
+ <braunr> i still have a few port leaks to fix
+ <braunr> and some polishing
+ <braunr> but basically, the non-blocking select issue seems fixed
+ <braunr> and with some luck, we should get unexpected speedups here and
+ there
+ <mel-> so vim was considerable slow on the Hurd before? didn't know that.
+ <braunr> not exactly
+ <braunr> at first, it wasn't, but the non blocking select/poll calls
+ misbehaved
+ <braunr> so a patch was introduced to make these block at least 1 ms
+ <braunr> then vim became slow, because it does a lot of non blocking select
+ <braunr> so another patch was introduced, not to set the 1ms timeout for a
+ few programs
+ <braunr> youpi: darnassus is already running the patched hurd, which shows
+ (as expected) that it can safely be used with an older libc
+ <youpi> i.e. servers with the additional io_select?
+ <braunr> yes
+ <youpi> k
+ <youpi> good :)
+ <braunr> and the modified cthreads
+ <braunr> which is the most intrusive change
+ <braunr> port leaks fixed
+ <gnu_srs> braunr: Congrats:-D
+ <braunr> thanks
+ <braunr> it's not over yet :p
+ <braunr> tests, reviews, more tests, polishing, commits, packaging
+
+
+## IRC, freenode, #hurd, 2012-08-04
+
+ <braunr> grmbl, apt-get fails on select in my subhurd with the updated
+ glibc
+ <braunr> otherwise it boots and runs fine
+ <braunr> fixed :)
+ <braunr> grmbl, there is a deadlock in pfinet with my patch
+ <braunr> deadlock fixed
+ <braunr> the sigstate and the condition locks must be taken at the same
+ time, for some obscure reason explained in the cthreads code
+ <braunr> but when a thread awakes and dequeues itself from the condition
+ queue, it only took the condition lock
+ <braunr> i noted in my todo list that this could create problems, but
+ wanted to leave it as it is to really see it happen
+ <braunr> well, i saw :)
+ <braunr> the last commit of my hurd branch includes the 3 line fix
+ <braunr> these fixes will be required for libpthreads
+ (pthread_mutex_timedlock and pthread_cond_timedwait) some day
+ <braunr> after the select bug is fixed, i'll probably work on that with you
+ and thomas d
+
+
+## IRC, freenode, #hurd, 2012-08-05
+
+ <braunr> eh, i made dpkg-buildpackage use the patched c library, and it
+ finished the build oO
+ <gnu_srs> braunr: :)
+ <braunr> faked-tcp was blocked in a select call :/
+ <braunr> (with the old libc i mean)
+ <braunr> with mine i just worked at the first attempt
+ <braunr> i'm not sure what it means
+ <braunr> it could mean that the patched hurd servers are not completely
+ compatible with the current libc, for some weird corner cases
+ <braunr> the slowness of faked-tcp is apparently inherent to its
+ implementation
+ <braunr> all right, let's put all these packages online
+ <braunr> eh, right when i upload them, i get a deadlock
+ <braunr> this one seems specific to pfinet
+ <braunr> only one deadlock so far, and the libc wasn't in sync with the
+ hurd
+ <braunr> :/
+ <braunr> damn, another deadlock as soon as i send a mail on bug-hurd :(
+ <braunr> grr
+ <pinotree> thou shall not email
+ <braunr> aptitude seems to be a heavy user of select
+ <braunr> oh, it may be due to my script regularly chaning the system time
+ <braunr> or it may not be a deadlock, but simply the linear queue getting
+ extremely large
+
+
+## IRC, freenode, #hurd, 2012-08-06
+
+ <braunr> i have bad news :( it seems there can be memory corruptions with
+ my io_select patch
+ <braunr> i've just seen an auth server (!) spinning on a condition lock
+ (the internal spin lock), probably because the condition was corrupted ..
+ <braunr> i guess it's simply because conditions embedded in dynamically
+ allocated structures can be freed while there are still threads waiting
+ ...
+ <braunr> so, yes the solution to my problem is simply to dequeue threads
+ from both the waker when there is one, and the waiter when no wakeup
+ message was received
+ <braunr> simple
+ <braunr> it's so obvious i wonder how i didn't think of it earlier :(-
+ <antrik> braunr: an elegant solution always seems obvious afterwards... ;-)
+ <braunr> antrik: let's hope this time, it's completely right
+ <braunr> good, my latest hurd packages seem fixed finally
+ <braunr> looks like i got another deadlock
+ * braunr hangs himselg
+ <braunr> that, or again, condition queues can get very large (e.g. on
+ thread storms)
+ <braunr> looks like this is the case yes
+ <braunr> after some time the system recovered :(
+ <braunr> which means a doubly linked list is required to avoid pathological
+ behaviours
+ <braunr> arg
+ <braunr> it won't be easy at all to add a doubly linked list to condition
+ variables :(
+ <braunr> actually, just a bit messy
+ <braunr> youpi: other than this linear search on dequeue, darnassus has
+ been working fine so far
+ <youpi> k
+ <youpi> Mmm, you'd need to bump the abi soname if changing the condition
+ structure layout
+ <braunr> :(
+ <braunr> youpi: how are we going to solve that ?
+ <youpi> well, either bump soname, or finish transition to libpthread :)
+ <braunr> it looks better to work on pthread now
+ <braunr> to avoid too many abi changes
+
+[[libpthread]].
+
+
# See Also
See also [[select_bogus_fd]] and [[select_vs_signals]].
diff --git a/open_issues/strict_aliasing.mdwn b/open_issues/strict_aliasing.mdwn
index 01019372..b7d39805 100644
--- a/open_issues/strict_aliasing.mdwn
+++ b/open_issues/strict_aliasing.mdwn
@@ -19,3 +19,13 @@ License|/fdl]]."]]"""]]
instead?
<braunr> pinotree: if we can rely on gcc for the warnings, yes
<braunr> but i suspect there might be other silent issues in very old code
+
+
+# IRC, freenode, #hurd, 2012-07-12
+
+ <braunr> btw, i'm building glibc right now, and i can see a few strict
+ aliasing warnings
+ <braunr> fixing them will allow us to avoid wasting time on very obscure
+ issues (if gcc catches them all)
+ <tschwinge> The strict aliasing things should be fixed, yes. Some might be
+ from MIG.
diff --git a/open_issues/synchronous_ipc.mdwn b/open_issues/synchronous_ipc.mdwn
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..57bcdda7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/open_issues/synchronous_ipc.mdwn
@@ -0,0 +1,64 @@
+[[!meta copyright="Copyright © 2012 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]]."]]"""]]
+
+[[!tag open_issue_hurd]]
+
+
+# IRC, freenode, #hurd, 2012-07-20
+
+From [[Genode RPC|microkernel/genode/rpc]].
+
+ <braunr> assuming synchronous ipc is the way to go (it seems so), there is
+ still the need for some async ipc (e.g signalling untrusted recipients
+ without risking blocking on them)
+ <braunr> 1/ do you agree on that and 2/ how would this low-overhead async
+ ipc be done ? (and 3/ are there relevant examples ?
+ <antrik> if you think about this stuff too much you will end up like marcus
+ and neal ;-)
+ <braunr> antrik: likely :)
+ <antrik> the truth is that there are various possible designs all with
+ their own tradeoffs, and nobody can really tell which one is better
+ <braunr> the only sensible one i found is qnx :/
+ <braunr> but it's still messy
+ <braunr> they have what they call pulses, with a strictly defined format
+ <braunr> so it's actually fine because it guarantees low overhead, and can
+ easily be queued
+ <braunr> but i'm not sure about the format
+ <antrik> I must say that Neal's half-sync approach in Viengoos still sounds
+ most promising to me. it's actually modelled after the needs of a
+ Hurd-like system; and he thought about it a lot...
+ <braunr> damn i forgot to reread that
+ <braunr> stupid me
+ <antrik> note that you can't come up with a design that allows both a)
+ delivering reliably and b) never blocking the sender -- unless you cache
+ in the kernel, which we don't want
+ <antrik> but I don't think it's really necessary to fulfill both of these
+ requirements
+ <antrik> it's up to the receiver to make sure it gets important signals
+ <braunr> right
+ <braunr> caching in the kernel is ok as long as the limit allows the
+ receiver to handle its signals
+ <antrik> in the Viengoos approach, the receiver can allocate a number of
+ receive buffers; so it's even possible to do some queuing if desired
+ <braunr> ah great, limits in the form of resources lent by the receiver
+ <braunr> one thing i really don't like in mach is the behaviour on full
+ message queues
+ <braunr> blocking :/
+ <braunr> i bet the libpager deadlock is due to that
+
+[[libpager_deadlock]].
+
+ <braunr> it simply means async ipc doesn't prevent at all from deadlocks
+ <antrik> the sender can set a timeout. blocking only happens when setting
+ it to infinite...
+ <braunr> which is commonly the case
+ <antrik> well, if you see places where blocking is done but failing would
+ be more appropriate, try changing them I'd say...
+ <braunr> it's not that easy :/
diff --git a/open_issues/usleep.mdwn b/open_issues/usleep.mdwn
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..b71cd902
--- /dev/null
+++ b/open_issues/usleep.mdwn
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+[[!meta copyright="Copyright © 2012 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]]."]]"""]]
+
+[[!tag open_issue_glibc]]
+
+# IRC, OFTC, #debian-hurd, 2012-07-14
+
+ <pinotree> eeek, usleep has the issues which i fixed in nanosleep
+ <bdefreese> pinotree: ?
+ * pinotree ponders a `mv sysdeps/unix/sysv/linux/usleep.c
+ sysdeps/mach/usleep.c`
+ <pinotree> s/mv/cp/
+ <bdefreese> What the heck is the point of usleep(0) anyway? Isn't that
+ basically saying suspend for 0 milliseconds?
+ <youpi> it's rounded up by the kernel I guess
+ <youpi> i.e. suspend for the shortest time possible (a clock tick)
+ <pinotree> posix 2001 says that «If the value of useconds is 0, then the
+ call has no effect.»
diff --git a/open_issues/virtualbox.mdwn b/open_issues/virtualbox.mdwn
index 9440284f..d0608b4a 100644
--- a/open_issues/virtualbox.mdwn
+++ b/open_issues/virtualbox.mdwn
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-[[!meta copyright="Copyright © 2011 Free Software Foundation, Inc."]]
+[[!meta copyright="Copyright © 2011, 2012 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
@@ -8,11 +8,15 @@ 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]]."]]"""]]
+[[!toc]]
+
+
+# Running GNU Mach in VirtualBox crashes during initialization.
+
[[!tag open_issue_gnumach]]
-Running GNU Mach in VirtualBox crashes during initialization.
-IRC, freenode, #hurd, 2011-08-15
+## IRC, freenode, #hurd, 2011-08-15
<BlueT_> HowTo Reproduce: 1) Use `reboot` to reboot the system. 2) Once
you see the Grub menu, turn off the debian hurd box. 3) Let the box boot
@@ -97,3 +101,37 @@ IRC, freenode, #hurd, 2011-08-15
<youpi> what's interesting is that that one means that $USER_DS did load in
%es fine at least once
<youpi> and it's the reload that fails
+
+
+# Slow SCSI probing
+
+[[!tag open_issue_gnumach]]
+
+
+## IRC, freenode, #hurd, 2012-08-07
+
+ <braunr> youpi: it seems the slow boot on virtualbox is really because of
+ scsi (it spends a long time in scsi_init, probing for all the drivers)
+ <youpi> braunr: we know that
+ <youpi> isn't it in the io port probe printed at boot?
+ <youpi> iirc that was that
+ <braunr> the discussion i found was about eata
+ <braunr> not the whole scsi group
+ <youpi> there used to be another in eata, yas
+ <braunr> oh
+ <braunr> i must have missed the first discussion then
+ <youpi> I mean
+ <youpi> the eata is the first
+ <braunr> ok
+ <youpi> and scsi was mentioned later
+ <youpi> just nobody took the time to track it down
+ <braunr> ok
+ <braunr> so it's not just a matter of disabling a single driver :(
+ <youpi> braunr: I still believe it's a matter of disableing a single driver
+ <youpi> I don't see why scsi in general should take a lot of time
+ <braunr> youpi: it doesn't on qemu, it may simply be virtualbox's fault
+ <youpi> it is, yes
+ <youpi> and virtualbox people say it's hurd's fault, of course
+ <braunr> both are possible
+ <braunr> but we can't expect them to fix it :)
+ <youpi> that's what I mean
diff --git a/open_issues/wait_errors.mdwn b/open_issues/wait_errors.mdwn
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..855b9add
--- /dev/null
+++ b/open_issues/wait_errors.mdwn
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+[[!meta copyright="Copyright © 2012 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]]."]]"""]]
+
+[[!tag open_issue_glibc open_issue_hurd]]
+
+# IRC, freenode, #hurd, 2012-07-12
+
+ <braunr> tschwinge: have you encountered wait() errors ?
+ <tschwinge> What kind of wait errors?
+ <braunr> when running htop or watch vmstat, other apparently unrelated
+ processes calling wait() sometimes fail with an error
+ <braunr> i saw it mostly during builds, as they spawn lots of children
+ <braunr> (and used the aforementioned commands to monitor the builds)
+ <tschwinge> Sounds nasty... No, don't remember seeing that. But I don't
+ typiclly invoke such commands during builds.
+ <tschwinge> So this wait thing suggests there's something going wrong in
+ the proc server?
+ <braunr> tschwinge: yes