summaryrefslogtreecommitdiff
path: root/src/util/ralloc.c
blob: 821ee72fe8d2dfdf67d560284c6efc14e30ecee9 (plain)
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
169
170
171
172
173
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182
183
184
185
186
187
188
189
190
191
192
193
194
195
196
197
198
199
200
201
202
203
204
205
206
207
208
209
210
211
212
213
214
215
216
217
218
219
220
221
222
223
224
225
226
227
228
229
230
231
232
233
234
235
236
237
238
239
240
241
242
243
244
245
246
247
248
249
250
251
252
253
254
255
256
257
258
259
260
261
262
263
264
265
266
267
268
269
270
271
272
273
274
275
276
277
278
279
280
281
282
283
284
285
286
287
288
289
290
291
292
293
294
295
296
297
298
299
300
301
302
303
304
305
306
307
308
309
310
311
312
313
314
315
316
317
318
319
320
321
322
323
324
325
326
327
328
329
330
331
332
333
334
335
336
337
338
339
340
341
342
343
344
345
346
347
348
349
350
351
352
353
354
355
356
357
358
359
360
361
362
363
364
365
366
367
368
369
370
371
372
373
374
375
376
377
378
379
380
381
382
383
384
385
386
387
388
389
390
391
392
393
394
395
396
397
398
399
400
401
402
403
404
405
406
407
408
409
410
411
412
413
414
415
416
417
418
419
420
421
422
423
424
425
426
427
428
429
430
431
432
433
434
435
436
437
438
439
440
441
442
443
444
445
446
447
448
449
450
451
452
453
454
455
456
457
458
459
460
461
462
463
464
465
466
467
468
469
470
471
472
473
474
475
476
477
478
479
480
481
482
483
484
485
486
487
488
489
490
491
492
493
494
495
496
497
498
499
500
501
502
503
504
505
506
507
508
509
510
511
512
513
514
515
516
517
518
519
520
521
522
523
524
525
526
527
528
529
530
531
532
533
534
535
536
537
538
539
540
541
542
543
544
545
546
547
548
549
550
551
552
553
554
555
556
557
558
559
560
561
562
563
564
565
566
567
568
569
570
571
572
573
574
575
576
577
578
579
580
581
582
583
584
585
586
587
588
589
590
591
592
593
594
595
596
597
598
599
600
601
602
603
604
605
606
607
608
609
610
611
612
613
614
615
616
617
618
619
620
621
622
623
624
625
626
627
628
629
630
631
632
633
634
635
636
637
638
639
640
641
642
643
644
645
646
647
648
649
650
651
652
653
654
655
656
657
658
659
660
661
662
663
664
665
666
667
668
669
670
671
672
673
674
675
676
677
678
679
680
681
682
683
684
685
686
687
688
689
690
691
692
693
694
695
696
697
698
699
700
701
702
703
704
705
706
707
708
709
710
711
712
713
714
715
716
717
718
719
720
721
722
723
724
725
726
727
728
729
730
731
732
733
734
735
736
737
738
739
740
741
742
743
744
745
746
747
748
749
750
751
752
753
754
755
756
757
758
759
760
761
762
763
764
765
766
767
768
769
770
771
772
773
774
775
776
777
778
779
780
781
782
783
784
785
786
787
788
789
790
791
792
793
794
795
796
797
798
799
800
801
802
803
804
805
806
807
808
809
810
811
812
813
814
815
816
817
818
819
820
821
822
823
824
825
826
827
828
829
830
831
832
833
834
835
836
837
838
839
840
841
842
843
844
845
846
847
848
849
850
851
852
853
854
855
856
857
858
859
860
861
862
863
864
865
866
867
868
/*
 * Copyright © 2010 Intel Corporation
 *
 * Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a
 * copy of this software and associated documentation files (the "Software"),
 * to deal in the Software without restriction, including without limitation
 * the rights to use, copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense,
 * and/or sell copies of the Software, and to permit persons to whom the
 * Software is furnished to do so, subject to the following conditions:
 *
 * The above copyright notice and this permission notice (including the next
 * paragraph) shall be included in all copies or substantial portions of the
 * Software.
 *
 * THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR
 * IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY,
 * FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT.  IN NO EVENT SHALL
 * THE AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER
 * LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING
 * FROM, OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER
 * DEALINGS IN THE SOFTWARE.
 */

#include <assert.h>
#include <stdlib.h>
#include <stdarg.h>
#include <stdio.h>
#include <string.h>
#include <stdint.h>

/* Some versions of MinGW are missing _vscprintf's declaration, although they
 * still provide the symbol in the import library. */
#ifdef __MINGW32__
_CRTIMP int _vscprintf(const char *format, va_list argptr);
#endif

#include "ralloc.h"

#ifndef va_copy
#ifdef __va_copy
#define va_copy(dest, src) __va_copy((dest), (src))
#else
#define va_copy(dest, src) (dest) = (src)
#endif
#endif

#define CANARY 0x5A1106

/* Align the header's size so that ralloc() allocations will return with the
 * same alignment as a libc malloc would have (8 on 32-bit GLIBC, 16 on
 * 64-bit), avoiding performance penalities on x86 and alignment faults on
 * ARM.
 */
struct
#ifdef _MSC_VER
 __declspec(align(8))
#elif defined(__LP64__)
 __attribute__((aligned(16)))
#else
 __attribute__((aligned(8)))
#endif
   ralloc_header
{
#ifdef DEBUG
   /* A canary value used to determine whether a pointer is ralloc'd. */
   unsigned canary;
#endif

   struct ralloc_header *parent;

   /* The first child (head of a linked list) */
   struct ralloc_header *child;

   /* Linked list of siblings */
   struct ralloc_header *prev;
   struct ralloc_header *next;

   void (*destructor)(void *);
};

typedef struct ralloc_header ralloc_header;

static void unlink_block(ralloc_header *info);
static void unsafe_free(ralloc_header *info);

static ralloc_header *
get_header(const void *ptr)
{
   ralloc_header *info = (ralloc_header *) (((char *) ptr) -
					    sizeof(ralloc_header));
#ifdef DEBUG
   assert(info->canary == CANARY);
#endif
   return info;
}

#define PTR_FROM_HEADER(info) (((char *) info) + sizeof(ralloc_header))

static void
add_child(ralloc_header *parent, ralloc_header *info)
{
   if (parent != NULL) {
      info->parent = parent;
      info->next = parent->child;
      parent->child = info;

      if (info->next != NULL)
	 info->next->prev = info;
   }
}

void *
ralloc_context(const void *ctx)
{
   return ralloc_size(ctx, 0);
}

void *
ralloc_size(const void *ctx, size_t size)
{
   void *block = malloc(size + sizeof(ralloc_header));
   ralloc_header *info;
   ralloc_header *parent;

   if (unlikely(block == NULL))
      return NULL;

   info = (ralloc_header *) block;
   /* measurements have shown that calloc is slower (because of
    * the multiplication overflow checking?), so clear things
    * manually
    */
   info->parent = NULL;
   info->child = NULL;
   info->prev = NULL;
   info->next = NULL;
   info->destructor = NULL;

   parent = ctx != NULL ? get_header(ctx) : NULL;

   add_child(parent, info);

#ifdef DEBUG
   info->canary = CANARY;
#endif

   return PTR_FROM_HEADER(info);
}

void *
rzalloc_size(const void *ctx, size_t size)
{
   void *ptr = ralloc_size(ctx, size);

   if (likely(ptr))
      memset(ptr, 0, size);

   return ptr;
}

/* helper function - assumes ptr != NULL */
static void *
resize(void *ptr, size_t size)
{
   ralloc_header *child, *old, *info;

   old = get_header(ptr);
   info = realloc(old, size + sizeof(ralloc_header));

   if (info == NULL)
      return NULL;

   /* Update parent and sibling's links to the reallocated node. */
   if (info != old && info->parent != NULL) {
      if (info->parent->child == old)
	 info->parent->child = info;

      if (info->prev != NULL)
	 info->prev->next = info;

      if (info->next != NULL)
	 info->next->prev = info;
   }

   /* Update child->parent links for all children */
   for (child = info->child; child != NULL; child = child->next)
      child->parent = info;

   return PTR_FROM_HEADER(info);
}

void *
reralloc_size(const void *ctx, void *ptr, size_t size)
{
   if (unlikely(ptr == NULL))
      return ralloc_size(ctx, size);

   assert(ralloc_parent(ptr) == ctx);
   return resize(ptr, size);
}

void *
ralloc_array_size(const void *ctx, size_t size, unsigned count)
{
   if (count > SIZE_MAX/size)
      return NULL;

   return ralloc_size(ctx, size * count);
}

void *
rzalloc_array_size(const void *ctx, size_t size, unsigned count)
{
   if (count > SIZE_MAX/size)
      return NULL;

   return rzalloc_size(ctx, size * count);
}

void *
reralloc_array_size(const void *ctx, void *ptr, size_t size, unsigned count)
{
   if (count > SIZE_MAX/size)
      return NULL;

   return reralloc_size(ctx, ptr, size * count);
}

void
ralloc_free(void *ptr)
{
   ralloc_header *info;

   if (ptr == NULL)
      return;

   info = get_header(ptr);
   unlink_block(info);
   unsafe_free(info);
}

static void
unlink_block(ralloc_header *info)
{
   /* Unlink from parent & siblings */
   if (info->parent != NULL) {
      if (info->parent->child == info)
	 info->parent->child = info->next;

      if (info->prev != NULL)
	 info->prev->next = info->next;

      if (info->next != NULL)
	 info->next->prev = info->prev;
   }
   info->parent = NULL;
   info->prev = NULL;
   info->next = NULL;
}

static void
unsafe_free(ralloc_header *info)
{
   /* Recursively free any children...don't waste time unlinking them. */
   ralloc_header *temp;
   while (info->child != NULL) {
      temp = info->child;
      info->child = temp->next;
      unsafe_free(temp);
   }

   /* Free the block itself.  Call the destructor first, if any. */
   if (info->destructor != NULL)
      info->destructor(PTR_FROM_HEADER(info));

   free(info);
}

void
ralloc_steal(const void *new_ctx, void *ptr)
{
   ralloc_header *info, *parent;

   if (unlikely(ptr == NULL))
      return;

   info = get_header(ptr);
   parent = get_header(new_ctx);

   unlink_block(info);

   add_child(parent, info);
}

void
ralloc_adopt(const void *new_ctx, void *old_ctx)
{
   ralloc_header *new_info, *old_info, *child;

   if (unlikely(old_ctx == NULL))
      return;

   old_info = get_header(old_ctx);
   new_info = get_header(new_ctx);

   /* If there are no children, bail. */
   if (unlikely(old_info->child == NULL))
      return;

   /* Set all the children's parent to new_ctx; get a pointer to the last child. */
   for (child = old_info->child; child->next != NULL; child = child->next) {
      child->parent = new_info;
   }

   /* Connect the two lists together; parent them to new_ctx; make old_ctx empty. */
   child->next = new_info->child;
   child->parent = new_info;
   new_info->child = old_info->child;
   old_info->child = NULL;
}

void *
ralloc_parent(const void *ptr)
{
   ralloc_header *info;

   if (unlikely(ptr == NULL))
      return NULL;

   info = get_header(ptr);
   return info->parent ? PTR_FROM_HEADER(info->parent) : NULL;
}

void
ralloc_set_destructor(const void *ptr, void(*destructor)(void *))
{
   ralloc_header *info = get_header(ptr);
   info->destructor = destructor;
}

char *
ralloc_strdup(const void *ctx, const char *str)
{
   size_t n;
   char *ptr;

   if (unlikely(str == NULL))
      return NULL;

   n = strlen(str);
   ptr = ralloc_array(ctx, char, n + 1);
   memcpy(ptr, str, n);
   ptr[n] = '\0';
   return ptr;
}

char *
ralloc_strndup(const void *ctx, const char *str, size_t max)
{
   size_t n;
   char *ptr;

   if (unlikely(str == NULL))
      return NULL;

   n = strnlen(str, max);
   ptr = ralloc_array(ctx, char, n + 1);
   memcpy(ptr, str, n);
   ptr[n] = '\0';
   return ptr;
}

/* helper routine for strcat/strncat - n is the exact amount to copy */
static bool
cat(char **dest, const char *str, size_t n)
{
   char *both;
   size_t existing_length;
   assert(dest != NULL && *dest != NULL);

   existing_length = strlen(*dest);
   both = resize(*dest, existing_length + n + 1);
   if (unlikely(both == NULL))
      return false;

   memcpy(both + existing_length, str, n);
   both[existing_length + n] = '\0';

   *dest = both;
   return true;
}


bool
ralloc_strcat(char **dest, const char *str)
{
   return cat(dest, str, strlen(str));
}

bool
ralloc_strncat(char **dest, const char *str, size_t n)
{
   return cat(dest, str, strnlen(str, n));
}

char *
ralloc_asprintf(const void *ctx, const char *fmt, ...)
{
   char *ptr;
   va_list args;
   va_start(args, fmt);
   ptr = ralloc_vasprintf(ctx, fmt, args);
   va_end(args);
   return ptr;
}

/* Return the length of the string that would be generated by a printf-style
 * format and argument list, not including the \0 byte.
 */
static size_t
printf_length(const char *fmt, va_list untouched_args)
{
   int size;
   char junk;

   /* Make a copy of the va_list so the original caller can still use it */
   va_list args;
   va_copy(args, untouched_args);

#ifdef _WIN32
   /* We need to use _vcsprintf to calculate the size as vsnprintf returns -1
    * if the number of characters to write is greater than count.
    */
   size = _vscprintf(fmt, args);
   (void)junk;
#else
   size = vsnprintf(&junk, 1, fmt, args);
#endif
   assert(size >= 0);

   va_end(args);

   return size;
}

char *
ralloc_vasprintf(const void *ctx, const char *fmt, va_list args)
{
   size_t size = printf_length(fmt, args) + 1;

   char *ptr = ralloc_size(ctx, size);
   if (ptr != NULL)
      vsnprintf(ptr, size, fmt, args);

   return ptr;
}

bool
ralloc_asprintf_append(char **str, const char *fmt, ...)
{
   bool success;
   va_list args;
   va_start(args, fmt);
   success = ralloc_vasprintf_append(str, fmt, args);
   va_end(args);
   return success;
}

bool
ralloc_vasprintf_append(char **str, const char *fmt, va_list args)
{
   size_t existing_length;
   assert(str != NULL);
   existing_length = *str ? strlen(*str) : 0;
   return ralloc_vasprintf_rewrite_tail(str, &existing_length, fmt, args);
}

bool
ralloc_asprintf_rewrite_tail(char **str, size_t *start, const char *fmt, ...)
{
   bool success;
   va_list args;
   va_start(args, fmt);
   success = ralloc_vasprintf_rewrite_tail(str, start, fmt, args);
   va_end(args);
   return success;
}

bool
ralloc_vasprintf_rewrite_tail(char **str, size_t *start, const char *fmt,
			      va_list args)
{
   size_t new_length;
   char *ptr;

   assert(str != NULL);

   if (unlikely(*str == NULL)) {
      // Assuming a NULL context is probably bad, but it's expected behavior.
      *str = ralloc_vasprintf(NULL, fmt, args);
      *start = strlen(*str);
      return true;
   }

   new_length = printf_length(fmt, args);

   ptr = resize(*str, *start + new_length + 1);
   if (unlikely(ptr == NULL))
      return false;

   vsnprintf(ptr + *start, new_length + 1, fmt, args);
   *str = ptr;
   *start += new_length;
   return true;
}

/***************************************************************************
 * Linear allocator for short-lived allocations.
 ***************************************************************************
 *
 * The allocator consists of a parent node (2K buffer), which requires
 * a ralloc parent, and child nodes (allocations). Child nodes can't be freed
 * directly, because the parent doesn't track them. You have to release
 * the parent node in order to release all its children.
 *
 * The allocator uses a fixed-sized buffer with a monotonically increasing
 * offset after each allocation. If the buffer is all used, another buffer
 * is allocated, sharing the same ralloc parent, so all buffers are at
 * the same level in the ralloc hierarchy.
 *
 * The linear parent node is always the first buffer and keeps track of all
 * other buffers.
 */

#define ALIGN_POT(x, y) (((x) + (y) - 1) & ~((y) - 1))

#define MIN_LINEAR_BUFSIZE 2048
#define SUBALLOC_ALIGNMENT sizeof(uintptr_t)
#define LMAGIC 0x87b9c7d3

struct linear_header {
#ifdef DEBUG
   unsigned magic;   /* for debugging */
#endif
   unsigned offset;  /* points to the first unused byte in the buffer */
   unsigned size;    /* size of the buffer */
   void *ralloc_parent;          /* new buffers will use this */
   struct linear_header *next;   /* next buffer if we have more */
   struct linear_header *latest; /* the only buffer that has free space */

   /* After this structure, the buffer begins.
    * Each suballocation consists of linear_size_chunk as its header followed
    * by the suballocation, so it goes:
    *
    * - linear_size_chunk
    * - allocated space
    * - linear_size_chunk
    * - allocated space
    * etc.
    *
    * linear_size_chunk is only needed by linear_realloc.
    */
};

struct linear_size_chunk {
   unsigned size; /* for realloc */
   unsigned _padding;
};

typedef struct linear_header linear_header;
typedef struct linear_size_chunk linear_size_chunk;

#define LINEAR_PARENT_TO_HEADER(parent) \
   (linear_header*) \
   ((char*)(parent) - sizeof(linear_size_chunk) - sizeof(linear_header))

/* Allocate the linear buffer with its header. */
static linear_header *
create_linear_node(void *ralloc_ctx, unsigned min_size)
{
   linear_header *node;

   min_size += sizeof(linear_size_chunk);

   if (likely(min_size < MIN_LINEAR_BUFSIZE))
      min_size = MIN_LINEAR_BUFSIZE;

   node = ralloc_size(ralloc_ctx, sizeof(linear_header) + min_size);
   if (unlikely(!node))
      return NULL;

#ifdef DEBUG
   node->magic = LMAGIC;
#endif
   node->offset = 0;
   node->size = min_size;
   node->ralloc_parent = ralloc_ctx;
   node->next = NULL;
   node->latest = node;
   return node;
}

void *
linear_alloc_child(void *parent, unsigned size)
{
   linear_header *first = LINEAR_PARENT_TO_HEADER(parent);
   linear_header *latest = first->latest;
   linear_header *new_node;
   linear_size_chunk *ptr;
   unsigned full_size;

   assert(first->magic == LMAGIC);
   assert(!latest->next);

   size = ALIGN_POT(size, SUBALLOC_ALIGNMENT);
   full_size = sizeof(linear_size_chunk) + size;

   if (unlikely(latest->offset + full_size > latest->size)) {
      /* allocate a new node */
      new_node = create_linear_node(latest->ralloc_parent, size);
      if (unlikely(!new_node))
         return NULL;

      first->latest = new_node;
      latest->latest = new_node;
      latest->next = new_node;
      latest = new_node;
   }

   ptr = (linear_size_chunk *)((char*)&latest[1] + latest->offset);
   ptr->size = size;
   latest->offset += full_size;
   return &ptr[1];
}

void *
linear_alloc_parent(void *ralloc_ctx, unsigned size)
{
   linear_header *node;

   if (unlikely(!ralloc_ctx))
      return NULL;

   size = ALIGN_POT(size, SUBALLOC_ALIGNMENT);

   node = create_linear_node(ralloc_ctx, size);
   if (unlikely(!node))
      return NULL;

   return linear_alloc_child((char*)node +
                             sizeof(linear_header) +
                             sizeof(linear_size_chunk), size);
}

void *
linear_zalloc_child(void *parent, unsigned size)
{
   void *ptr = linear_alloc_child(parent, size);

   if (likely(ptr))
      memset(ptr, 0, size);
   return ptr;
}

void *
linear_zalloc_parent(void *parent, unsigned size)
{
   void *ptr = linear_alloc_parent(parent, size);

   if (likely(ptr))
      memset(ptr, 0, size);
   return ptr;
}

void
linear_free_parent(void *ptr)
{
   linear_header *node;

   if (unlikely(!ptr))
      return;

   node = LINEAR_PARENT_TO_HEADER(ptr);
   assert(node->magic == LMAGIC);

   while (node) {
      void *ptr = node;

      node = node->next;
      ralloc_free(ptr);
   }
}

void
ralloc_steal_linear_parent(void *new_ralloc_ctx, void *ptr)
{
   linear_header *node;

   if (unlikely(!ptr))
      return;

   node = LINEAR_PARENT_TO_HEADER(ptr);
   assert(node->magic == LMAGIC);

   while (node) {
      ralloc_steal(new_ralloc_ctx, node);
      node->ralloc_parent = new_ralloc_ctx;
      node = node->next;
   }
}

void *
ralloc_parent_of_linear_parent(void *ptr)
{
   linear_header *node = LINEAR_PARENT_TO_HEADER(ptr);
   assert(node->magic == LMAGIC);
   return node->ralloc_parent;
}

void *
linear_realloc(void *parent, void *old, unsigned new_size)
{
   unsigned old_size = 0;
   ralloc_header *new_ptr;

   new_ptr = linear_alloc_child(parent, new_size);

   if (unlikely(!old))
      return new_ptr;

   old_size = ((linear_size_chunk*)old)[-1].size;

   if (likely(new_ptr && old_size))
      memcpy(new_ptr, old, MIN2(old_size, new_size));

   return new_ptr;
}

/* All code below is pretty much copied from ralloc and only the alloc
 * calls are different.
 */

char *
linear_strdup(void *parent, const char *str)
{
   unsigned n;
   char *ptr;

   if (unlikely(!str))
      return NULL;

   n = strlen(str);
   ptr = linear_alloc_child(parent, n + 1);
   if (unlikely(!ptr))
      return NULL;

   memcpy(ptr, str, n);
   ptr[n] = '\0';
   return ptr;
}

char *
linear_asprintf(void *parent, const char *fmt, ...)
{
   char *ptr;
   va_list args;
   va_start(args, fmt);
   ptr = linear_vasprintf(parent, fmt, args);
   va_end(args);
   return ptr;
}

char *
linear_vasprintf(void *parent, const char *fmt, va_list args)
{
   unsigned size = printf_length(fmt, args) + 1;

   char *ptr = linear_alloc_child(parent, size);
   if (ptr != NULL)
      vsnprintf(ptr, size, fmt, args);

   return ptr;
}

bool
linear_asprintf_append(void *parent, char **str, const char *fmt, ...)
{
   bool success;
   va_list args;
   va_start(args, fmt);
   success = linear_vasprintf_append(parent, str, fmt, args);
   va_end(args);
   return success;
}

bool
linear_vasprintf_append(void *parent, char **str, const char *fmt, va_list args)
{
   size_t existing_length;
   assert(str != NULL);
   existing_length = *str ? strlen(*str) : 0;
   return linear_vasprintf_rewrite_tail(parent, str, &existing_length, fmt, args);
}

bool
linear_asprintf_rewrite_tail(void *parent, char **str, size_t *start,
                             const char *fmt, ...)
{
   bool success;
   va_list args;
   va_start(args, fmt);
   success = linear_vasprintf_rewrite_tail(parent, str, start, fmt, args);
   va_end(args);
   return success;
}

bool
linear_vasprintf_rewrite_tail(void *parent, char **str, size_t *start,
                              const char *fmt, va_list args)
{
   size_t new_length;
   char *ptr;

   assert(str != NULL);

   if (unlikely(*str == NULL)) {
      *str = linear_vasprintf(parent, fmt, args);
      *start = strlen(*str);
      return true;
   }

   new_length = printf_length(fmt, args);

   ptr = linear_realloc(parent, *str, *start + new_length + 1);
   if (unlikely(ptr == NULL))
      return false;

   vsnprintf(ptr + *start, new_length + 1, fmt, args);
   *str = ptr;
   *start += new_length;
   return true;
}

/* helper routine for strcat/strncat - n is the exact amount to copy */
static bool
linear_cat(void *parent, char **dest, const char *str, unsigned n)
{
   char *both;
   unsigned existing_length;
   assert(dest != NULL && *dest != NULL);

   existing_length = strlen(*dest);
   both = linear_realloc(parent, *dest, existing_length + n + 1);
   if (unlikely(both == NULL))
      return false;

   memcpy(both + existing_length, str, n);
   both[existing_length + n] = '\0';

   *dest = both;
   return true;
}

bool
linear_strcat(void *parent, char **dest, const char *str)
{
   return linear_cat(parent, dest, str, strlen(str));
}