Promises are now refs

compiler/ccgexprs.nim

@@ -1636,7 +1636,7 @@ proc genMagicExpr(p: BProc, e: PNode, d: var TLoc, op: TMagic) =
   of mSlurp..mQuoteAst:
     localError(e.info, errXMustBeCompileTime, e.sons[0].sym.name.s)
   of mSpawn:
-    let n = lowerings.wrapProcForSpawn(p.module.module, e[1], e.typ, nil, nil)
+    let n = lowerings.wrapProcForSpawn(p.module.module, e, e.typ, nil, nil)
     expr(p, n, d)
   of mParallel:
     let n = semparallel.liftParallel(p.module.module, e)

compiler/lowerings.nim

@@ -86,7 +86,7 @@ proc indirectAccess*(a: PNode, b: string, info: TLineInfo): PNode =
   # returns a[].b as a node
   var deref = newNodeI(nkHiddenDeref, info)
   deref.typ = a.typ.skipTypes(abstractInst).sons[0]
-  var t = deref.typ
+  var t = deref.typ.skipTypes(abstractInst)
   var field: PSym
   while true:
     assert t.kind == tyObject
@@ -94,6 +94,7 @@ proc indirectAccess*(a: PNode, b: string, info: TLineInfo): PNode =
     if field != nil: break
     t = t.sons[0]
     if t == nil: break
+    t = t.skipTypes(abstractInst)
   assert field != nil, b
   addSon(deref, a)
   result = newNodeI(nkDotExpr, info)
@@ -132,6 +133,11 @@ proc callCodegenProc*(name: string, arg1: PNode;
     if arg3 != nil: result.add arg3
     result.typ = sym.typ.sons[0]
 
+proc callProc(a: PNode): PNode =
+  result = newNodeI(nkCall, a.info)
+  result.add a
+  result.typ = a.typ.sons[0]
+
 # we have 4 cases to consider:
 # - a void proc --> nothing to do
 # - a proc returning GC'ed memory --> requires a promise
@@ -169,14 +175,14 @@ proc addLocalVar(varSection: PNode; owner: PSym; typ: PType; v: PNode): PSym =
 discard """
 We generate roughly this:
 
-proc f_wrapper(args) =
+proc f_wrapper(thread, args) =
   barrierEnter(args.barrier)  # for parallel statement
   var a = args.a # thread transfer; deepCopy or shallowCopy or no copy
                  # depending on whether we're in a 'parallel' statement
   var b = args.b
+  var prom = args.prom
 
-  args.prom = nimCreatePromise(thread, sizeof(T)) # optional
+  prom.owner = thread # optional
-  nimPromiseCreateCondVar(args.prom)  # optional
   nimArgsPassingDone() # signal parent that the work is done
   # 
   args.prom.blob = f(a, b, ...)
@@ -196,17 +202,6 @@ stmtList:
 
 """
 
-proc createNimCreatePromiseCall(prom, threadParam: PNode): PNode =
-  let size = newNodeIT(nkCall, prom.info, getSysType(tyInt))
-  size.add newSymNode(createMagic("sizeof", mSizeOf))
-  assert prom.typ.kind == tyGenericInst
-  size.add newNodeIT(nkType, prom.info, prom.typ.sons[1])
-
-  let castExpr = newNodeIT(nkCast, prom.info, prom.typ)
-  castExpr.add emptyNode
-  castExpr.add callCodeGenProc("nimCreatePromise", threadParam, size)
-  result = castExpr
-
 proc createWrapperProc(f: PNode; threadParam, argsParam: PSym;
                        varSection, call, barrier, prom: PNode;
                        spawnKind: TSpawnResult): PSym =
@@ -223,14 +218,14 @@ proc createWrapperProc(f: PNode; threadParam, argsParam: PSym;
     threadLocalProm = addLocalVar(varSection, argsParam.owner, prom.typ, prom)
   elif prom != nil:
     internalAssert prom.typ.kind == tyGenericInst
-    threadLocalProm = addLocalVar(varSection, argsParam.owner, prom.typ, 
+    threadLocalProm = addLocalVar(varSection, argsParam.owner, prom.typ, prom)
-      createNimCreatePromiseCall(prom, threadParam.newSymNode))
     
   body.add varSection
   if prom != nil and spawnKind != srByVar:
-    body.add newFastAsgnStmt(prom, threadLocalProm.newSymNode)
+    # generate:
-    if barrier == nil:
+    #   prom.owner = threadParam
-      body.add callCodeGenProc("nimPromiseCreateCondVar", prom)
+    body.add newAsgnStmt(indirectAccess(threadLocalProm.newSymNode,
+      "owner", prom.info), threadParam.newSymNode)
 
   body.add callCodeGenProc("nimArgsPassingDone", threadParam.newSymNode)
   if spawnKind == srByVar:
@@ -404,10 +399,11 @@ proc setupArgsForParallelism(n: PNode; objType: PType; scratchObj: PSym;
                                     indirectAccess(castExpr, field, n.info))
       call.add(threadLocal.newSymNode)
 
-proc wrapProcForSpawn*(owner: PSym; n: PNode; retType: PType; 
+proc wrapProcForSpawn*(owner: PSym; spawnExpr: PNode; retType: PType; 
                        barrier, dest: PNode = nil): PNode =
   # if 'barrier' != nil, then it is in a 'parallel' section and we
   # generate quite different code
+  let n = spawnExpr[1]
   let spawnKind = spawnResult(retType, barrier!=nil)
   case spawnKind
   of srVoid:
@@ -489,6 +485,11 @@ proc wrapProcForSpawn*(owner: PSym; n: PNode; retType: PType;
     objType.addField(field)
     promField = newDotExpr(scratchObj, field)
     promAsExpr = indirectAccess(castExpr, field, n.info)
+    # create promise:
+    result.add newFastAsgnStmt(promField, callProc(spawnExpr[2]))
+    if barrier == nil:
+      result.add callCodeGenProc("nimPromiseCreateCondVar", promField)
+
   elif spawnKind == srByVar:
     var field = newSym(skField, getIdent"prom", owner, n.info)
     field.typ = newType(tyPtr, objType.owner)

compiler/pragmas.nim

@@ -646,10 +646,11 @@ proc singlePragma(c: PContext, sym: PSym, n: PNode, i: int,
           processDynLib(c, it, sym)
         of wCompilerproc:
           noVal(it)           # compilerproc may not get a string!
-          makeExternExport(sym, "$1", it.info)
+          if sfFromGeneric notin sym.flags:
-          incl(sym.flags, sfCompilerProc)
+            makeExternExport(sym, "$1", it.info)
-          incl(sym.flags, sfUsed) # suppress all those stupid warnings
+            incl(sym.flags, sfCompilerProc)
-          registerCompilerProc(sym)
+            incl(sym.flags, sfUsed) # suppress all those stupid warnings
+            registerCompilerProc(sym)
         of wProcVar: 
           noVal(it)
           incl(sym.flags, sfProcvar)

compiler/semexprs.nim

@@ -1585,6 +1585,16 @@ proc createPromise(c: PContext; t: PType; info: TLineInfo): PType =
   addSonSkipIntLit(result, t)
   result = instGenericContainer(c, info, result, allowMetaTypes = false)
 
+proc instantiateCreatePromiseCall(c: PContext; t: PType;
+                                  info: TLineInfo): PSym =
+  let sym = magicsys.getCompilerProc("nimCreatePromise")
+  if sym == nil:
+    localError(info, errSystemNeeds, "nimCreatePromise")
+  var bindings: TIdTable 
+  initIdTable(bindings)
+  bindings.idTablePut(sym.ast[genericParamsPos].sons[0].typ, t)
+  result = c.semGenerateInstance(c, sym, bindings, info)
+
 proc setMs(n: PNode, s: PSym): PNode = 
   result = n
   n.sons[0] = newSymNode(s)
@@ -1626,6 +1636,7 @@ proc semMagic(c: PContext, n: PNode, s: PSym, flags: TExprFlags): PNode =
         result.typ = result[1].typ
       else:
         result.typ = createPromise(c, result[1].typ, n.info)
+      result.add instantiateCreatePromiseCall(c, result[1].typ, n.info).newSymNode
   else: result = semDirectOp(c, n, flags)
 
 proc semWhen(c: PContext, n: PNode, semCheck = true): PNode =

compiler/semparallel.nim

@@ -406,19 +406,19 @@ proc transformSpawn(owner: PSym; n, barrier: PNode): PNode =
         if result.isNil:
           result = newNodeI(nkStmtList, n.info)
           result.add n
-        result.add wrapProcForSpawn(owner, m[1], b.typ, barrier, it[0])
+        result.add wrapProcForSpawn(owner, m, b.typ, barrier, it[0])
         it.sons[it.len-1] = emptyNode
     if result.isNil: result = n
   of nkAsgn, nkFastAsgn:
     let b = n[1]
     if getMagic(b) == mSpawn:
       let m = transformSlices(b)
-      return wrapProcForSpawn(owner, m[1], b.typ, barrier, n[0])
+      return wrapProcForSpawn(owner, m, b.typ, barrier, n[0])
     result = transformSpawnSons(owner, n, barrier)
   of nkCallKinds:
     if getMagic(n) == mSpawn:
       result = transformSlices(n)
-      return wrapProcForSpawn(owner, result[1], n.typ, barrier, nil)
+      return wrapProcForSpawn(owner, result, n.typ, barrier, nil)
     result = transformSpawnSons(owner, n, barrier)
   elif n.safeLen > 0:
     result = transformSpawnSons(owner, n, barrier)

lib/pure/concurrency/threadpool.nim

@@ -85,25 +85,26 @@ type
     cv: CondVar
     idx: int
 
-  RawPromise* = ptr RawPromiseObj ## untyped base class for 'Promise[T]'
+  RawPromise* = ref RawPromiseObj ## untyped base class for 'Promise[T]'
-  RawPromiseObj {.inheritable.} = object # \
+  RawPromiseObj = object of TObject
-    # we allocate this with the thread local allocator; this
-    # is possible since we already need to do the GC_unref
-    # on the owning thread
     ready, usesCondVar: bool
     cv: CondVar #\
     # for 'awaitAny' support
     ai: ptr AwaitInfo
     idx: int
-    data: PObject  # we incRef and unref it to keep it alive
+    data: pointer  # we incRef and unref it to keep it alive
-    owner: ptr Worker
+    owner: pointer # ptr Worker
-    next: RawPromise
-    align: float64 # a float for proper alignment
 
-  Promise* {.compilerProc.} [T] = ptr object of RawPromiseObj
+  PromiseObj[T] = object of RawPromiseObj
-    blob: T  ## the underlying value, if available. Note that usually
+    blob: T
-             ## you should not access this field directly! However it can
+
-             ## sometimes be more efficient than getting the value via ``^``.
+  Promise*{.compilerProc.}[T] = ref PromiseObj[T]
+
+  ToFreeQueue = object
+    len: int
+    lock: TLock
+    empty: TCond
+    data: array[512, pointer]
 
   WorkerProc = proc (thread, args: pointer) {.nimcall, gcsafe.}
   Worker = object
@@ -115,37 +116,55 @@ type
     ready: bool # put it here for correct alignment!
     initialized: bool # whether it has even been initialized
     shutdown: bool # the pool requests to shut down this worker thread
-    promiseLock: TLock
+    q: ToFreeQueue
-    head: RawPromise
 
-proc finished*(prom: RawPromise) =
+proc await*(prom: RawPromise) =
-  ## This MUST be called for every created promise to free its associated
+  ## waits until the value for the promise arrives. Usually it is not necessary
-  ## resources. Note that the default reading operation ``^`` is destructive
+  ## to call this explicitly.
-  ## and calls ``finished``.
+  if prom.usesCondVar:
+    prom.usesCondVar = false
+    await(prom.cv)
+    destroyCondVar(prom.cv)
+
+proc finished(prom: RawPromise) =
   doAssert prom.ai.isNil, "promise is still attached to an 'awaitAny'"
-  assert prom.next == nil
+  # we have to protect against the rare cases where the owner of the promise
-  let w = prom.owner
+  # simply disregards the promise and yet the "promiser" has not yet written
-  acquire(w.promiseLock)
+  # anything to it:
-  prom.next = w.head
+  await(prom)
-  w.head = prom
+  if prom.data.isNil: return
-  release(w.promiseLock)
+  let owner = cast[ptr Worker](prom.owner)
+  let q = addr(owner.q)
+  var waited = false
+  while true:
+    acquire(q.lock)
+    if q.len < q.data.len:
+      q.data[q.len] = prom.data
+      inc q.len
+      release(q.lock)
+      break
+    else:
+      # the queue is exhausted! We block until it has been cleaned:
+      release(q.lock)
+      wait(q.empty, q.lock)
+      waited = true
+  prom.data = nil
+  # wakeup other potentially waiting threads:
+  if waited: signal(q.empty)
 
 proc cleanPromises(w: ptr Worker) =
-  var it = w.head
+  let q = addr(w.q)
-  acquire(w.promiseLock)
+  acquire(q.lock)
-  while it != nil:
+  for i in 0 .. <q.len:
-    let nxt = it.next
+    GC_unref(cast[PObject](q.data[i]))
-    if it.usesCondVar: destroyCondVar(it.cv)
+  q.len = 0
-    if it.data != nil: GC_unref(it.data)
+  release(q.lock)
-    dealloc(it)
+  signal(q.empty)
-    it = nxt
-  w.head = nil
-  release(w.promiseLock)
 
-proc nimCreatePromise(owner: pointer; blobSize: int): RawPromise {.
+proc promFinalizer[T](prom: Promise[T]) = finished(prom)
-                     compilerProc.} =
+
-  result = cast[RawPromise](alloc0(RawPromiseObj.sizeof + blobSize))
+proc nimCreatePromise[T](): Promise[T] {.compilerProc.} =
-  result.owner = cast[ptr Worker](owner)
+  new(result, promFinalizer)
 
 proc nimPromiseCreateCondVar(prom: RawPromise) {.compilerProc.} =
   prom.cv = createCondVar()
@@ -160,16 +179,12 @@ proc nimPromiseSignal(prom: RawPromise) {.compilerProc.} =
     signal(prom.ai.cv.c)
   if prom.usesCondVar: signal(prom.cv)
 
-proc await*[T](prom: Promise[T]) =
-  ## waits until the value for the promise arrives.
-  if prom.usesCondVar: await(prom.cv)
-
 proc awaitAndThen*[T](prom: Promise[T]; action: proc (x: T) {.closure.}) =
   ## blocks until the ``prom`` is available and then passes its value
   ## to ``action``. Note that due to Nimrod's parameter passing semantics this
   ## means that ``T`` doesn't need to be copied and so ``awaitAndThen`` can
   ## sometimes be more efficient than ``^``.
-  if prom.usesCondVar: await(prom)
+  await(prom)
   when T is string or T is seq:
     action(cast[T](prom.data))
   elif T is ref:
@@ -179,23 +194,17 @@ proc awaitAndThen*[T](prom: Promise[T]; action: proc (x: T) {.closure.}) =
   finished(prom)
 
 proc `^`*[T](prom: Promise[ref T]): foreign ptr T =
-  ## blocks until the value is available and then returns this value. Note
+  ## blocks until the value is available and then returns this value.
-  ## this reading is destructive for reasons of efficiency and convenience.
+  await(prom)
-  ## This calls ``finished(prom)``.
-  if prom.usesCondVar: await(prom)
   result = cast[foreign ptr T](prom.data)
-  finished(prom)
 
 proc `^`*[T](prom: Promise[T]): T =
-  ## blocks until the value is available and then returns this value. Note
+  ## blocks until the value is available and then returns this value.
-  ## this reading is destructive for reasons of efficiency and convenience.
+  await(prom)
-  ## This calls ``finished(prom)``.
-  if prom.usesCondVar: await(prom)
   when T is string or T is seq:
     result = cast[T](prom.data)
   else:
     result = prom.blob
-  finished(prom)
 
 proc awaitAny*(promises: openArray[RawPromise]): int =
   # awaits any of the given promises. Returns the index of one promise for which
@@ -245,7 +254,7 @@ proc slave(w: ptr Worker) {.thread.} =
     await(w.taskArrived)
     assert(not w.ready)
     w.f(w, w.data)
-    if w.head != nil: w.cleanPromises
+    if w.q.len != 0: w.cleanPromises
     if w.shutdown:
       w.shutdown = false
       atomicDec currentPoolSize
@@ -266,8 +275,9 @@ var
 proc activateThread(i: int) {.noinline.} =
   workersData[i].taskArrived = createCondVar()
   workersData[i].taskStarted = createCondVar()
-  initLock workersData[i].promiseLock
   workersData[i].initialized = true
+  initCond(workersData[i].q.empty)
+  initLock(workersData[i].q.lock)
   createThread(workers[i], slave, addr(workersData[i]))
 
 proc setup() =

lib/system/atomics.nim

@@ -153,9 +153,11 @@ when (defined(gcc) or defined(llvm_gcc)) and hasThreadSupport:
     ## A value of 0 indicates typical alignment should be used. The compiler may also 
     ## ignore this parameter.
 
+  template fence*() = atomicThreadFence(ATOMIC_SEQ_CST)
 elif defined(vcc) and hasThreadSupport:
   proc addAndFetch*(p: ptr int, val: int): int {.
     importc: "NimXadd", nodecl.}
+
 else:
   proc addAndFetch*(p: ptr int, val: int): int {.inline.} =
     inc(p[], val)
@@ -231,4 +233,10 @@ elif false:
 
   proc cpuRelax {.inline.} = os.sleep(1)
 
+when not defined(fence) and hasThreadSupport:
+  # XXX fixme
+  proc fence*() {.inline.} =
+    var dummy: bool
+    discard cas(addr dummy, false, true)
+
 {.pop.}

todo.txt

@@ -1,6 +1,20 @@
 version 0.9.6
 =============
 
+Concurrency
+-----------
+
+- document the new 'spawn' and 'parallel' statements
+- implement 'deepCopy' builtin
+- implement 'foo[1..4] = spawn(f[4..7])'
+- the disjoint checker needs to deal with 'a = spawn f(); g = spawn f()'
+- Minor: The copying of the 'ref Promise' into the thead local storage only
+  happens to work due to the write barrier's implementation
+
+
+Misc
+----
+
 - fix the bug that keeps 'defer' template from working
 - make '--implicitStatic:on' the default
 - fix the tuple unpacking in lambda bug