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Diffstat (limited to 'docs/spice_threading_model.txt')
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diff --git a/docs/spice_threading_model.txt b/docs/spice_threading_model.txt new file mode 100644 index 00000000..1101f5d0 --- /dev/null +++ b/docs/spice_threading_model.txt @@ -0,0 +1,80 @@ +How does SPICE handle threading +=============================== + +Lots of code runs in a single thread. + +Qemu usually calls SPICE from its main thread except on callbacks to code +already running in different threads. + +Channels (RedChannel/RedChannelClient code) run mostly on a single +thread except RedChannels on creation and destruction which MUST be +done in the main thread. +Lots of channels run in the main thread but currently CursorChannel and +DisplayChannel are run from within a thread created by RedWorker. +Note that different CursorChannel/DisplayChannel (they differ by id) run in +separate RedWorker threads (currently a single RedWorker thread runs a pair +of CursorChannel and DisplayChannel). + +RedChannelClient runs in the RedChannel thread. Creation is done in the same +thread while destruction can happen in different threads. + +A RedClient instance groups the various RedChannelClient connected to +the same remote SPICE client. +These RedChannelClient instances can run in separate threads: +MainChannelClient and most of the other RedChannelClient will be +running in the main thread, while the CursorChannelClient and the +DisplayChannelClient usually will be running from a different thread. + +Another important aspect of dealing with multiple threads are the dispatchers. +Dispatchers are used to send messages/request from one thread to another. +The main dispatcher is used to send requests to the main thread. +The Qxl uses a dispatcher to send requests to the RedWorker which will forward +to DisplayChannel/CursorChannel. + +One aspect to take into consideration is the event scheduling. SPICE uses some +`SpiceCoreInterface` to handle events. As the events will be handled from a +thread based on the core interface you have to use the correct core. Each +channel has an associated core interface which can be retrieved using +`RedChannel::get_core_interface`. There's also a main core interface you can get +using `reds_get_core_interface`. `reds_core_timer_*` and `reds_core_watch_*` +functions use the main core interface. +Even though multiple channel types run in the main thread and so could use +directly the main code interface, for coherence, rule simplicity and to allows +the code to be moved in a separate thread easily if needed, it's advisable to +use the channel core interface (that will be the main core interface in this +case). +Currently character devices and not channel code runs in the main thread. + +Reference counting and ownership +-------------------------------- +-> pointer + +=> pointer with owning (mostly GObject ref counting) + +RedChannelClient::client -> RedClient + +RedClient::channels => RedChannelClient + +RedClient::mcc -> MainChannelClient + +RedChannelClient::channel => RedChannel + +RedChannel::clients -> RedChannelClient + +The RedClient represents a connection from a remote SPICE client, +RedClient::channels corresponding to the connections for the individual +channels. Their lifetime is tied to the TCP connection to this remote client. +When a disconnection is detected, the corresponding RedChannelClient are +removed from RedClient::channels and RedChannel::clients (the main owner of +RedChannelClient is RedClient). +When MainChannelClient is disconnected, all RedChannelClients connected to the +same RedClient are automatically disconnected. + +Who owns RedClient? RedClient is released when the MainChannelClient attached +to it is disconnected. In this case a request is scheduled in the main thread +(even if MainChannelClient runs on the main thread too) and +reds_client_disconnect is called which calls RedClient::destroy which uses +RedClient::unref to free the object. + +Where is the MainChannelClient freed? On disconnection like other channel +clients, currently before RedClient which will have a dangling pointer. |