[Caml-list] enter_blocking_section / leave_blocking_section question

[Caml-list] enter_blocking_section / leave_blocking_section question

[Harry Chomsky]

I'm starting to use threads with my OCaml-Win32 library, and I'd like to
annotate it with appropriate calls to enter_blocking_section and
leave_blocking_section.  Clearly, if I make a call to a Win32 API function
that may take some time, I'll surround the call with enter_blocking_section
/ leave_blocking_section.  But what if that function may make a callback to
my own code, which may in turn pass control back to OCaml?

For instance, my OCaml code calls send_message, implemented as C code that
calls the Win32 SendMessage function.  If I'm sending a message to a system
window, SendMessage just returns.  But if I'm sending a message to an
OCaml-owned window, my C window procedure will be called, and that in turn
will call an OCaml window procedure.

I'm inclined to do something like this:

CAMLprim value send_message(...)
{
    enter_blocking_section();
    SendMessage(...);
    leave_blocking_section();
}

LRESULT window_proc(...)
{
    leave_blocking_section();
    callback(...); // call OCaml window proc
    enter_blocking_section();
}

Obviously I'll need to guarantee that whenever window_proc is called, it
happens during a blocking section.  Is it safe then for window_proc to
temporarily "suspend" the blocking section?  The enter_ and leave_ calls
will always occur in the proper alternation, but the stack will be in a
different state when leave_ is called than when enter_ was called.  I just
want to make sure that this still constitutes safe and proper use of the
blocking system.

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Re: [Caml-list] enter_blocking_section / leave_blocking_section question

[Xavier Leroy]

> I'm starting to use threads with my OCaml-Win32 library, and I'd like to
> annotate it with appropriate calls to enter_blocking_section and
> leave_blocking_section.  Clearly, if I make a call to a Win32 API function
> that may take some time, I'll surround the call with enter_blocking_section
> / leave_blocking_section.  But what if that function may make a callback to
> my own code, which may in turn pass control back to OCaml?

I believe the solution you outline in your message is correct:

> LRESULT window_proc(...)
> {
>     leave_blocking_section();
>     callback(...); // call OCaml window proc
>     enter_blocking_section();
> }
> 
> Obviously I'll need to guarantee that whenever window_proc is called, it
> happens during a blocking section.

Agreed.  Moreover, you should make sure that window_proc is always
called from a thread that was created by Caml, and not some other
thread created by the system.  (I don't believe Windows message
handling creates such extra threads, though.)

- Xavier Leroy
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