Changeset 4706098c


Ignore:
Timestamp:
Jan 25, 2021, 11:02:36 AM (4 years ago)
Author:
Peter A. Buhr <pabuhr@…>
Branches:
ADT, arm-eh, ast-experimental, enum, forall-pointer-decay, jacob/cs343-translation, master, new-ast-unique-expr, pthread-emulation, qualifiedEnum
Children:
c627777
Parents:
6c79bef
Message:

proofread chapter "features", and adjust formatting

Location:
doc/theses/andrew_beach_MMath
Files:
4 edited

Legend:

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Added
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  • doc/theses/andrew_beach_MMath/existing.tex

    r6c79bef r4706098c  
    1 \chapter{\CFA Existing Features}
     1\chapter{\texorpdfstring{\CFA Existing Features}{Cforall Existing Features}}
    22
    33\CFA (C-for-all)~\cite{Cforall} is an open-source project extending ISO C with
    … …  
    1212obvious to the reader.
    1313
    14 \section{Overloading and \lstinline|extern|}
     14\section{\texorpdfstring{Overloading and \lstinline|extern|}{Overloading and extern}}
    1515\CFA has extensive overloading, allowing multiple definitions of the same name
    1616to be defined.~\cite{Moss18}

  • doc/theses/andrew_beach_MMath/features.tex

    r6c79bef r4706098c  
    1 \chapter{Features}
    2 
    3 This chapter covers the design and user interface of the \CFA exception
    4 handling mechanism.
    5 
    6 \section{Virtual Casts}
    7 
    8 Virtual casts and virtual types are not truly part of the exception system but
    9 they did not exist in \CFA and are useful in exceptions. So a minimal version
    10 of they virtual system was designed and implemented.
    11 
    12 Virtual types are organized in simple hierarchies. Each virtual type may have
    13 a parent and can have any number of children. A type's descendants are its
    14 children and its children's descendants. A type may not be its own descendant.
    15 
    16 Each virtual type has an associated virtual table type. A virtual table is a
    17 structure that has fields for all the virtual members of a type. A virtual
    18 type has all the virtual members of its parent and can add more. It may also
    19 update the values of the virtual members and should in many cases.
    20 
    21 Except for virtual casts, this is only used internally in the exception
    22 system. There is no general purpose interface for the other features. A
    23 a virtual cast has the following syntax:
    24 
    25 \begin{lstlisting}
     1\chapter{Exception Features}
     2
     3This chapter covers the design and user interface of the \CFA
     4exception-handling mechanism.
     5
     6\section{Virtuals}
     7Virtual types and casts are not required for a basic exception-system but are
     8useful for advanced exception features. However, \CFA is not object-oriented so
     9there is no obvious concept of virtuals.  Hence, to create advanced exception
     10features for this work, I needed to designed and implemented a virtual-like
     11system for \CFA.
     12
     13Object-oriented languages often organized exceptions into a simple hierarchy,
     14\eg Java.
     15\begin{center}
     16\setlength{\unitlength}{4000sp}%
     17\begin{picture}(1605,612)(2011,-1951)
     18\put(2100,-1411){\vector(1, 0){225}}
     19\put(3450,-1411){\vector(1, 0){225}}
     20\put(3550,-1411){\line(0,-1){225}}
     21\put(3550,-1636){\vector(1, 0){150}}
     22\put(3550,-1636){\line(0,-1){225}}
     23\put(3550,-1861){\vector(1, 0){150}}
     24\put(2025,-1490){\makebox(0,0)[rb]{\LstBasicStyle{exception}}}
     25\put(2400,-1460){\makebox(0,0)[lb]{\LstBasicStyle{arithmetic}}}
     26\put(3750,-1460){\makebox(0,0)[lb]{\LstBasicStyle{underflow}}}
     27\put(3750,-1690){\makebox(0,0)[lb]{\LstBasicStyle{overflow}}}
     28\put(3750,-1920){\makebox(0,0)[lb]{\LstBasicStyle{zerodivide}}}
     29\end{picture}%
     30\end{center}
     31The hierarchy provides the ability to handle an exception at different degrees
     32of specificity (left to right).  Hence, it is possible to catch a more general
     33exception-type in higher-level code where the implementation details are
     34unknown, which reduces tight coupling to the lower-level implementation.
     35Otherwise, low-level code changes require higher-level code changes, \eg,
     36changing from raising @underflow@ to @overflow@ at the low level means changing
     37the matching catch at the high level versus catching the general @arithmetic@
     38exception. In detail, each virtual type may have a parent and can have any
     39number of children. A type's descendants are its children and its children's
     40descendants. A type may not be its own descendant.
     41
     42The exception hierarchy allows a handler (@catch@ clause) to match multiple
     43exceptions, \eg a base-type handler catches both base and derived
     44exception-types.
     45\begin{cfa}
     46try {
     47        ...
     48} catch(arithmetic &) {
     49        ... // handle arithmetic, underflow, overflow, zerodivide
     50}
     51\end{cfa}
     52Most exception mechanisms perform a linear search of the handlers and select
     53the first matching handler, so the order of handers is now important because
     54matching is many to one.
     55
     56Each virtual type needs an associated virtual table. A virtual table is a
     57structure with fields for all the virtual members of a type. A virtual type has
     58all the virtual members of its parent and can add more. It may also update the
     59values of the virtual members and often does.
     60
     61While much of the virtual infrastructure is created, it is currently only used
     62internally for exception handling. The only user-level feature is the virtual
     63cast, which is the same as the \CC \lstinline[language=C++]|dynamic_cast|.
     64\begin{cfa}
    2665(virtual TYPE)EXPRESSION
    27 \end{lstlisting}
    28 
    29 This has the same precedence as a traditional C-cast and can be used in the
    30 same places. This will convert the result of EXPRESSION to the type TYPE. Both
    31 the type of EXPRESSION and TYPE must be pointers to virtual types.
    32 
    33 The cast is checked and will either return the original value or null, based
    34 on the result of the check. The check is does the object pointed at have a
    35 type that is a descendant of the target type. If it is the result is the
    36 pointer, otherwise the result is null.
    37 
    38 \section{Exceptions}
     66\end{cfa}
     67Note, the syntax and semantics matches a C-cast, rather than the unusual \CC
     68syntax for special casts. Both the type of @EXPRESSION@ and @TYPE@ must be a
     69pointer to a virtual type. The cast dynamically checks if the @EXPRESSION@ type
     70is the same or a subtype of @TYPE@, and if true, returns a pointer to the
     71@EXPRESSION@ object, otherwise it returns @0p@ (null pointer).
     72
     73\section{Exception}
    3974% Leaving until later, hopefully it can talk about actual syntax instead
    4075% of my many strange macros. Syntax aside I will also have to talk about the
    4176% features all exceptions support.
    4277
    43 \subsection{Exception Traits}
    44 Exceptions are defined by the trait system; there are a series of traits and
    45 if a type satisfies them then they can be used as exceptions.
    46 
    47 \begin{lstlisting}
    48 trait is_exception(dtype exceptT, dtype virtualT) {
    49     virtualT const & get_exception_vtable(exceptT *);
     78Exceptions are defined by the trait system; there are a series of traits, and
     79if a type satisfies them, then it can be used as an exception.  The following
     80is the base trait all exceptions need to match.
     81\begin{cfa}
     82trait is_exception(exceptT &, virtualT &) {
     83        virtualT const & @get_exception_vtable@(exceptT *);
    5084};
    51 \end{lstlisting}
    52 This is the base trait that all exceptions need to match.
    53 The single function takes any pointer (including the null pointer) and
    54 returns a reference to the virtual table instance. Defining this function
    55 also establishes the virtual type and virtual table pair to the resolver
    56 and promises that @exceptT@ is a virtual type and a child of the
    57 base exception type.
    58 
    59 One odd thing about @get_exception_vtable@ is that it should always
    60 be a constant function, returning the same value regardless of its argument.
    61 A pointer or reference to the virtual table instance could be used instead,
    62 however using a function has some ease of implementation advantages and
    63 allows for easier disambiguation because the virtual type name (or the
    64 address of an instance that is in scope) can be used instead of the mangled
    65 virtual table name.
    66 
    67 Also note the use of the word ``promise" in the trait description. \CFA
    68 cannot currently check to see if either @exceptT@ or
    69 @virtualT@ match the layout requirements. Currently this is
    70 considered part of @get_exception_vtable@'s correct implementation.
    71 
    72 \begin{lstlisting}
     85\end{cfa}
     86The function takes any pointer, including the null pointer, and returns a
     87reference to the virtual-table object. Defining this function also establishes
     88the virtual type and a virtual-table pair to the \CFA type-resolver and
     89promises @exceptT@ is a virtual type and a child of the base exception-type.
     90
     91{\color{blue} PAB: I do not understand this paragraph.}
     92One odd thing about @get_exception_vtable@ is that it should always be a
     93constant function, returning the same value regardless of its argument.  A
     94pointer or reference to the virtual table instance could be used instead,
     95however using a function has some ease of implementation advantages and allows
     96for easier disambiguation because the virtual type name (or the address of an
     97instance that is in scope) can be used instead of the mangled virtual table
     98name.  Also note the use of the word ``promise'' in the trait
     99description. Currently, \CFA cannot check to see if either @exceptT@ or
     100@virtualT@ match the layout requirements. This is considered part of
     101@get_exception_vtable@'s correct implementation.
     102
     103\section{Raise}
     104\CFA provides two kinds of exception raise: termination (see
     105\VRef{s:Termination}) and resumption (see \VRef{s:Resumption}), which are
     106specified with the following traits.
     107\begin{cfa}
    73108trait is_termination_exception(
    74         dtype exceptT, dtype virtualT | is_exception(exceptT, virtualT)) {
    75     void defaultTerminationHandler(exceptT &);
     109                exceptT &, virtualT & | is_exception(exceptT, virtualT)) {
     110        void @defaultTerminationHandler@(exceptT &);
    76111};
    77 \end{lstlisting}
    78 The only additional function required to make the exception usable with
    79 termination is a default handler. This function is called whenever a
    80 termination throw on an exception of this type is preformed and no handler
    81 is found.
    82 
    83 \begin{lstlisting}
     112\end{cfa}
     113The function is required to allow a termination raise, but is only called if a
     114termination raise does not find an appropriate handler.
     115
     116Allowing a resumption raise is similar.
     117\begin{cfa}
    84118trait is_resumption_exception(
    85         dtype exceptT, dtype virtualT | is_exception(exceptT, virtualT)) {
    86     void defaultResumptionHandler(exceptT &);
     119                exceptT &, virtualT & | is_exception(exceptT, virtualT)) {
     120        void @defaultResumptionHandler@(exceptT &);
    87121};
    88 \end{lstlisting}
    89 Creating a resumption exception is exactly the same except for resumption.
    90 The name change reflects that and the function is called when a resumption
    91 throw on an exception of this type is preformed and no handler is found.
    92 
    93 Finally there are three additional macros that can be used to refer to the
    94 these traits. They are @IS_EXCEPTION@,
    95 @IS_TERMINATION_EXCEPTION@ and @IS_RESUMPTION_EXCEPTION@.
    96 Each takes the virtual type's name and, for polymorphic types only, the
    97 parenthesized list of polymorphic arguments. These do the name mangling to
    98 get the virtual table name and provide the arguments to both sides.
    99 
    100 \section{Termination}
    101 
    102 Termination exception throws are likely the most familiar kind, as they are
    103 used in several popular programming languages. A termination will throw an
    104 exception, search the stack for a handler, unwind the stack to where the
    105 handler is defined, execute the handler and then continue execution after
    106 the handler. They are used when execution cannot continue here.
    107 
    108 Termination has two pieces of syntax it uses. The first is the throw:
    109 \begin{lstlisting}
     122\end{cfa}
     123The function is required to allow a resumption raise, but is only called if a
     124resumption raise does not find an appropriate handler.
     125
     126Finally there are three convenience macros for referring to the these traits:
     127@IS_EXCEPTION@, @IS_TERMINATION_EXCEPTION@ and @IS_RESUMPTION_EXCEPTION@.  Each
     128takes the virtual type's name, and for polymorphic types only, the
     129parenthesized list of polymorphic arguments. These macros do the name mangling
     130to get the virtual-table name and provide the arguments to both sides
     131{\color{blue}(PAB: What's a ``side''?)}
     132
     133\subsection{Termination}
     134\label{s:Termination}
     135
     136Termination raise, called ``throw'', is familiar and used in most programming
     137languages with exception handling. The semantics of termination is: search the
     138stack for a matching handler, unwind the stack frames to the matching handler,
     139execute the handler, and continue execution after the handler. Termination is
     140used when execution \emph{cannot} return to the throw. To continue execution,
     141the program must \emph{recover} in the handler from the failed (unwound)
     142execution at the raise to safely proceed after the handler.
     143
     144A termination raise is started with the @throw@ statement:
     145\begin{cfa}
    110146throw EXPRESSION;
    111 \end{lstlisting}
    112 
    113 The expression must evaluate to a reference to a termination exception. A
    114 termination exception is any exception with a
    115 @void defaultTerminationHandler(T &);@ (the default handler) defined
    116 on it. The handler is taken from the call sight with \CFA's trait system and
    117 passed into the exception system along with the exception itself.
    118 
    119 The exception passed into the system is then copied into managed memory.
    120 This is to ensure it remains in scope during unwinding. It is the user's
    121 responsibility to make sure the original exception is freed when it goes out
    122 of scope. Being allocated on the stack is sufficient for this.
    123 
    124 Then the exception system will search the stack starting from the throw and
    125 proceeding towards the base of the stack, from callee to caller. As it goes
    126 it will check any termination handlers it finds:
    127 
    128 \begin{lstlisting}
    129 try {
    130     TRY_BLOCK
    131 } catch (EXCEPTION_TYPE * NAME) {
    132     HANDLER
    133 }
    134 \end{lstlisting}
    135 
    136 This shows a try statement with a single termination handler. The statements
    137 in TRY\_BLOCK will be executed when control reaches this statement. While
    138 those statements are being executed if a termination exception is thrown and
    139 it is not handled by a try statement further up the stack the EHM will check
    140 all of the terminations handlers attached to the try block, top to bottom.
    141 
    142 At each handler the EHM will check to see if the thrown exception is a
    143 descendant of EXCEPTION\_TYPE. If it is the pointer to the exception is
    144 bound to NAME and the statements in HANDLER are executed. If control reaches
    145 the end of the handler then it exits the block, the exception is freed and
    146 control continues after the try statement.
    147 
    148 The default handler is only used if no handler for the exception is found
    149 after the entire stack is searched. When that happens the default handler
    150 is called with a reference to the exception as its only argument. If the
    151 handler returns control continues from after the throw statement.
    152 
    153 \paragraph{Conditional Catches}
    154 
    155 Catch clauses may also be written as:
    156 \begin{lstlisting}
    157 catch (EXCEPTION_TYPE * NAME ; CONDITION)
    158 \end{lstlisting}
    159 This has the same behaviour as a regular catch clause except that if the
    160 exception matches the given type the condition is also run. If the result is
    161 true only then is this considered a matching handler. If the result is false
    162 then the handler does not match and the search continues with the next clause
    163 in the try block.
    164 
    165 The condition considers all names in scope at the beginning of the try block
    166 to be in scope along with the name introduce in the catch clause itself.
    167 
    168 \paragraph{Re-Throwing}
    169 
    170 You can also re-throw the most recent termination exception with
    171 @throw;@. % This is terrible and you should never do it.
    172 This can be done in a handler or any function that could be called from a
    173 handler.
    174 
    175 This will start another termination throw reusing the exception, meaning it
    176 does not copy the exception or allocated any more memory for it. However the
    177 default handler is still at the original through and could refer to data that
    178 was on the unwound section of the stack. So instead a new default handler that
    179 does a program level abort is used.
    180 
    181 \section{Resumption}
    182 
    183 Resumption exceptions are less popular then termination but in many
    184 regards are simpler and easier to understand. A resumption throws an exception,
    185 searches for a handler on the stack, executes that handler on top of the stack
    186 and then continues execution from the throw. These are used when a problem
    187 needs to be fixed before execution continues.
    188 
    189 A resumption is thrown with a throw resume statement:
    190 \begin{lstlisting}
     147\end{cfa}
     148The expression must return a termination-exception reference, where the
     149termination exception has a type with a @void defaultTerminationHandler(T &)@
     150(default handler) defined. The handler is found at the call site using \CFA's
     151trait system and passed into the exception system along with the exception
     152itself.
     153
     154At runtime, a representation of the exception type and an instance of the
     155exception type is copied into managed memory (heap) to ensure it remains in
     156scope during unwinding. It is the user's responsibility to ensure the original
     157exception object at the throw is freed when it goes out of scope. Being
     158allocated on the stack is sufficient for this.
     159
     160Then the exception system searches the stack starting from the throw and
     161proceeding towards the base of the stack, from callee to caller. At each stack
     162frame, a check is made for termination handlers defined by the @catch@ clauses
     163of a @try@ statement.
     164\begin{cfa}
     165try {
     166        GUARDED_BLOCK
     167} @catch (EXCEPTION_TYPE$\(_1\)$ * NAME)@ { // termination handler 1
     168        HANDLER_BLOCK$\(_1\)$
     169} @catch (EXCEPTION_TYPE$\(_2\)$ * NAME)@ { // termination handler 2
     170        HANDLER_BLOCK$\(_2\)$
     171}
     172\end{cfa}
     173The statements in the @GUARDED_BLOCK@ are executed. If those statements, or any
     174functions invoked from those statements, throws an exception, and the exception
     175is not handled by a try statement further up the stack, the termination
     176handlers are searched for a matching exception type from top to bottom.
     177
     178Exception matching checks the representation of the thrown exception-type is
     179the same or a descendant type of the exception types in the handler clauses. If
     180there is a match, a pointer to the exception object created at the throw is
     181bound to @NAME@ and the statements in the associated @HANDLER_BLOCK@ are
     182executed. If control reaches the end of the handler, the exception is freed,
     183and control continues after the try statement.
     184
     185The default handler visible at the throw statement is used if no matching
     186termination handler is found after the entire stack is searched. At that point,
     187the default handler is called with a reference to the exception object
     188generated at the throw. If the default handler returns, the system default
     189action is executed, which often terminates the program. This feature allows
     190each exception type to define its own action, such as printing an informative
     191error message, when an exception is not handled in the program.
     192
     193\subsection{Resumption}
     194\label{s:Resumption}
     195
     196Resumption raise, called ``resume'', is as old as termination
     197raise~\cite{Goodenough75} but is less popular. In many ways, resumption is
     198simpler and easier to understand, as it is simply a dynamic call (as in
     199Lisp). The semantics of resumption is: search the stack for a matching handler,
     200execute the handler, and continue execution after the resume. Notice, the stack
     201cannot be unwound because execution returns to the raise point. Resumption is
     202used used when execution \emph{can} return to the resume. To continue
     203execution, the program must \emph{correct} in the handler for the failed
     204execution at the raise so execution can safely continue after the resume.
     205
     206A resumption raise is started with the @throwResume@ statement:
     207\begin{cfa}
    191208throwResume EXPRESSION;
    192 \end{lstlisting}
    193 The result of EXPRESSION must be a resumption exception type. A resumption
    194 exception type is any type that satisfies the assertion
    195 @void defaultResumptionHandler(T &);@ (the default handler). When the
    196 statement is executed the expression is evaluated and the result is thrown.
    197 
    198 Handlers are declared using clauses in try statements:
    199 \begin{lstlisting}
    200 try {
    201     TRY_BLOCK
    202 } catchResume (EXCEPTION_TYPE * NAME) {
    203     HANDLER
    204 }
    205 \end{lstlisting}
    206 This is a simple example with the try block and a single resumption handler.
    207 Multiple resumption handlers can be put in a try statement and they can be
    208 mixed with termination handlers.
    209 
    210 When a resumption begins it will start searching the stack starting from
    211 the throw statement and working its way to the callers. In each try statement
    212 handlers will be tried top to bottom. Each handler is checked by seeing if
    213 the thrown exception is a descendant of EXCEPTION\_TYPE. If not the search
    214 continues. Otherwise NAME is bound to a pointer to the exception and the
    215 HANDLER statements are executed. After they are finished executing control
    216 continues from the throw statement.
    217 
    218 If no appropriate handler is found then the default handler is called. The
    219 throw statement acts as a regular function call passing the exception to
    220 the default handler and after the handler finishes executing control continues
    221 from the throw statement.
    222 
    223 The exception system also tracks the position of a search on the stack. If
    224 another resumption exception is thrown while a resumption handler is running
    225 it will first check handlers pushed to the stack by the handler and any
    226 functions it called, then it will continue from the try statement that the
    227 handler is a part of; except for the default handler where it continues from
    228 the throw the default handler was passed to.
    229 
    230 This makes the search pattern for resumption reflect the one for termination,
    231 which is what most users expect.
     209\end{cfa}
     210The semantics of the @throwResume@ statement are like the @throw@, but the
     211expression has a type with a @void defaultResumptionHandler(T &)@ (default
     212handler) defined, where the handler is found at the call site by the type
     213system.  At runtime, a representation of the exception type and an instance of
     214the exception type is \emph{not} copied because the stack is maintained during
     215the handler search.
     216
     217Then the exception system searches the stack starting from the resume and
     218proceeding towards the base of the stack, from callee to caller. At each stack
     219frame, a check is made for resumption handlers defined by the @catchResume@
     220clauses of a @try@ statement.
     221\begin{cfa}
     222try {
     223        GUARDED_BLOCK
     224} @catchResume (EXCEPTION_TYPE$\(_1\)$ * NAME)@ { // resumption handler 1
     225        HANDLER_BLOCK$\(_1\)$
     226} @catchResume (EXCEPTION_TYPE$\(_2\)$ * NAME)@ { // resumption handler 2
     227        HANDLER_BLOCK$\(_2\)$
     228}
     229\end{cfa}
     230The statements in the @GUARDED_BLOCK@ are executed. If those statements, or any
     231functions invoked from those statements, resumes an exception, and the
     232exception is not handled by a try statement further up the stack, the
     233resumption handlers are searched for a matching exception type from top to
     234bottom. (Note, termination and resumption handlers may be intermixed in a @try@
     235statement but the kind of raise (throw/resume) only matches with the
     236corresponding kind of handler clause.)
     237
     238The exception search and matching for resumption is the same as for
     239termination, including exception inheritance. The difference is when control
     240reaches the end of the handler: the resumption handler returns after the resume
     241rather than after the try statement. The resume point assumes the handler has
     242corrected the problem so execution can safely continue.
     243
     244Like termination, if no resumption handler is found, the default handler
     245visible at the resume statement is called, and the system default action is
     246executed.
     247
     248For resumption, the exception system uses stack marking to partition the
     249resumption search. If another resumption exception is raised in a resumption
     250handler, the second exception search does not start at the point of the
     251original raise. (Remember the stack is not unwound and the current handler is
     252at the top of the stack.) The search for the second resumption starts at the
     253current point on the stack because new try statements may have been pushed by
     254the handler or functions called from the handler. If there is no match back to
     255the point of the current handler, the search skips the stack frames already
     256searched by the first resume and continues after the try statement. The default
     257handler always continues from default handler associated with the point where
     258the exception is created.
    232259
    233260% This might need a diagram. But it is an important part of the justification
    234261% of the design of the traversal order.
    235 It also avoids the recursive resumption problem. If the entire stack is
    236 searched loops of resumption can form. Consider a handler that handles an
    237 exception of type A by resuming an exception of type B and on the same stack,
    238 later in the search path, is a second handler that handles B by resuming A.
    239 
    240 Assuming no other handlers on the stack handle A or B then in either traversal
    241 system an A resumed from the top of the stack will be handled by the first
    242 handler. A B resumed from the top or from the first handler it will be handled
    243 by the second handler. The only difference is when A is thrown from the second
    244 handler. The entire stack search will call the first handler again, creating a
    245 loop. Starting from the position in the stack though will break this loop.
    246 
    247 \paragraph{Conditional Catches}
    248 
    249 Resumption supports conditional catch clauses like termination does. They
    250 use the same syntax except the keyword is changed:
    251 \begin{lstlisting}
    252 catchResume (EXCEPTION_TYPE * NAME ; CONDITION) 
    253 \end{lstlisting}
    254 
    255 It also has the same behaviour, after the exception type has been matched
    256 with the EXCEPTION\_TYPE the CONDITION is evaluated with NAME in scope. If
    257 the result is true then the handler is run, otherwise the search continues
    258 just as if there had been a type mismatch.
    259 
    260 \paragraph{Re-Throwing}
    261 
    262 You may also re-throw resumptions with a @throwResume;@ statement.
    263 This can only be done from inside of a @catchResume@ block.
    264 
    265 Outside of any side effects of any code already run in the handler this will
    266 have the same effect as if the exception had not been caught in the first
    267 place.
     262\begin{verbatim}
     263       throwResume2 ----------.
     264            |                 |
     265 generated from handler       |
     266            |                 |
     267         handler              |
     268            |                 |
     269        throwResume1 -----.   :
     270            |             |   :
     271           try            |   : search skip
     272            |             |   :
     273        catchResume  <----'   :
     274            |                 |
     275\end{verbatim}
     276
     277This resumption search-pattern reflect the one for termination, which matches
     278with programmer expectations. However, it avoids the \emph{recursive
     279resumption} problem. If parts of the stack are searched multiple times, loops
     280can easily form resulting in infinite recursion.
     281
     282Consider the trivial case:
     283\begin{cfa}
     284try {
     285        throwResume$\(_1\)$ (E &){};
     286} catch( E * ) {
     287        throwResume;
     288}
     289\end{cfa}
     290Based on termination semantics, programmer expectation is for the re-resume to
     291continue searching the stack frames after the try statement. However, the
     292current try statement is still on the stack below the handler issuing the
     293reresume (see \VRef{s:Reraise}). Hence, the try statement catches the re-raise
     294again and does another re-raise \emph{ad infinitum}, which is confusing and
     295difficult to debug. The \CFA resumption search-pattern skips the try statement
     296so the reresume search continues after the try, mathcing programmer
     297expectation.
     298
     299\section{Conditional Catch}
     300Both termination and resumption handler-clauses may perform conditional matching:
     301\begin{cfa}
     302catch (EXCEPTION_TYPE * NAME ; @CONDITION@)
     303\end{cfa}
     304First, the same semantics is used to match the exception type. Second, if the
     305exception matches, @CONDITION@ is executed. The condition expression may
     306reference all names in scope at the beginning of the try block and @NAME@
     307introduced in the handler clause.  If the condition is true, then the handler
     308matches. Otherwise, the exception search continues at the next appropriate kind
     309of handler clause in the try block.
     310\begin{cfa}
     311try {
     312        f1 = open( ... );
     313        f2 = open( ... );
     314        ...
     315} catch( IOFailure * f ; fd( f ) == f1 ) {
     316        // only handle IO failure for f1
     317}
     318\end{cfa}
     319Note, catching @IOFailure@, checking for @f1@ in the handler, and reraising the
     320exception if not @f1@ is different because the reraise does not examine any of
     321remaining handlers in the current try statement.
     322
     323\section{Reraise}
     324\label{s:Reraise}
     325Within the handler block or functions called from the handler block, it is
     326possible to reraise the most recently caught exception with @throw@ or
     327@throwResume@, respective.
     328\begin{cfa}
     329catch( ... ) {
     330        ... throw; // rethrow
     331} catchResume( ... ) {
     332        ... throwResume; // reresume
     333}
     334\end{cfa}
     335The only difference between a raise and a reraise is that reraise does not
     336create a new exception; instead it continues using the current exception, \ie
     337no allocation and copy. However the default handler is still set to the one
     338visible at the raise point, and hence, for termination could refer to data that
     339is part of an unwound stack frame. To prevent this problem, a new default
     340handler is generated that does a program-level abort.
     341
    268342
    269343\section{Finally Clauses}
    270 
    271 A @finally@ clause may be placed at the end of a try statement after
    272 all the handler clauses. In the simply case, with no handlers, it looks like
    273 this:
    274 
    275 \begin{lstlisting}
    276 try {
    277     TRY_BLOCK
     344A @finally@ clause may be placed at the end of a @try@ statement.
     345\begin{cfa}
     346try {
     347        GUARDED_BLOCK
     348} ...   // any number or kind of handler clauses
    278349} finally {
    279     FINAL_STATEMENTS
    280 }
    281 \end{lstlisting}
    282 
    283 Any number of termination handlers and resumption handlers may proceed the
    284 finally clause.
    285 
    286 The FINAL\_STATEMENTS, the finally block, are executed whenever the try
    287 statement is removed from the stack. This includes: the TRY\_BLOCK finishes
    288 executing, a termination exception finishes executing and the stack unwinds.
    289 
    290 Execution of the finally block should finish by letting control run off
    291 the end of the block. This is because after the finally block is complete
    292 control will continue to where ever it would if the finally clause was not
    293 present.
    294 
    295 Because of this local control flow out of the finally block is forbidden.
    296 The compiler rejects uses of @break@, @continue@,
    297 @fallthru@ and @return@ that would cause control to leave
    298 the finally block. Other ways to leave the finally block - such as a long
    299 jump or termination - are much harder to check, at best requiring additional
    300 run-time overhead, and so are merely discouraged.
     350        FINALLY_BLOCK
     351}
     352\end{cfa}
     353The @FINALLY_BLOCK@ is executed when the try statement is unwound from the
     354stack, \ie when the @GUARDED_BLOCK@ or any handler clause finishes. Hence, the
     355finally block is always executed.
     356
     357Execution of the finally block should always finish, meaning control runs off
     358the end of the block. This requirement ensures always continues as if the
     359finally clause is not present, \ie finally is for cleanup not changing control
     360flow.  Because of this requirement, local control flow out of the finally block
     361is forbidden.  The compiler precludes any @break@, @continue@, @fallthru@ or
     362@return@ that causes control to leave the finally block. Other ways to leave
     363the finally block, such as a long jump or termination are much harder to check,
     364and at best requiring additional run-time overhead, and so are discouraged.
    301365
    302366\section{Cancellation}
    303 
    304 Cancellation can be thought of as a stack-level abort or as an uncatchable
    305 termination. It unwinds the entirety of the current exception and if possible
    306 passes an exception to a different stack as a message.
    307 
    308 There is no special statement for starting a cancellation, instead you call
    309 the standard library function @cancel\_stack@ which takes an exception.
    310 Unlike in a throw this exception is not used in control flow but is just there
    311 to pass information about why the cancellation happened.
    312 
    313 The handler is decided entirely by which stack is being canceled. There are
    314 three handlers that apply to three different groups of stacks:
    315 \begin{itemize}
    316 \item Main Stack:
    317 The main stack is the one on which the program main is called at the beginning
    318 of your program. It is also the only stack you have without the libcfathreads.
    319 
    320 Because of this there is no other stack ``above" (or possibly at all) for main
    321 to notify when a cancellation occurs. So after the stack is unwound we do a
    322 program level abort.
    323 
    324 \item Thread Stack:
    325 Thread stacks are those created @thread@ or otherwise satisfy the
    326 @is\_thread@ trait.
    327 
    328 Threads only have two structural points of communication that must happen,
    329 start and join. As the thread must be running to preform a cancellation it
    330 will be after start and before join, so join is one cancellation uses.
    331 
    332 After the stack is unwound the thread will halt as if had completed normally
    333 and wait for another thread to join with it. The other thread, when it joins,
    334 checks for a cancellation. If so it will throw the resumption exception
    335 @ThreadCancelled@.
    336 
    337 There is a difference here in how explicate joins (with the @join@
    338 function) and implicate joins (from a destructor call). Explicate joins will
    339 take the default handler (@defaultResumptionHandler@) from the context
    340 and use like a regular through does if the exception is not caught. The
    341 implicate join does a program abort instead.
    342 
    343 This is for safety. One of the big problems in exceptions is you cannot handle
    344 two terminations or cancellations on the same stack as either can destroy the
    345 context required for the other. This can happen with join but as the
    346 destructors will always be run when the stack is being unwound and one
    347 termination/cancellation is already active. Also since they are implicit they
    348 are easier to forget about.
    349 
    350 \item Coroutine Stack:
    351 Coroutine stacks are those created with @coroutine@ or otherwise
    352 satisfy the @is\_coroutine@ trait.
    353 
    354 A coroutine knows of two other coroutines, its starter and its last resumer.
    355 The last resumer is ``closer" so that is the one notified.
    356 
    357 After the stack is unwound control goes to the last resumer.
    358 Resume will resume throw a @CoroutineCancelled@ exception, which is
    359 polymorphic over the coroutine type and has a pointer to the coroutine being
    360 canceled and the canceling exception. The resume function also has an
    361 assertion that the @defaultResumptionHandler@ for the exception. So it
    362 will use the default handler like a regular throw.
    363 
    364 \end{itemize}
     367Cancellation is a stack-level abort, which can be thought of as as an
     368uncatchable termination. It unwinds the entirety of the current stack, and if
     369possible forwards the cancellation exception to a different stack.
     370
     371There is no special statement for starting a cancellation; instead the standard
     372library function @cancel_stack@ is called passing an exception.  Unlike a
     373raise, this exception is not used in matching only to pass information about
     374the cause of the cancellation.
     375
     376Handling of a cancellation depends on which stack is being cancelled.
     377\begin{description}
     378\item[Main Stack:]
     379
     380The main stack is the one used by the program main at the start of execution,
     381and is the only stack in a sequential program.  Hence, when cancellation is
     382forwarded to the main stack, there is no other forwarding stack, so after the
     383stack is unwound, there is a program-level abort.
     384
     385\item[Thread Stack:]
     386A thread stack is created for a @thread@ object or object that satisfies the
     387@is_thread@ trait.  A thread only has two points of communication that must
     388happen: start and join. As the thread must be running to perform a
     389cancellation, it must occur after start and before join, so join is a
     390cancellation point.  After the stack is unwound, the thread halts and waits for
     391another thread to join with it. The joining thread, checks for a cancellation,
     392and if present, resumes exception @ThreadCancelled@.
     393
     394There is a subtle difference between the explicit join (@join@ function) and
     395implicit join (from a destructor call). The explicit join takes the default
     396handler (@defaultResumptionHandler@) from its calling context, which is used if
     397the exception is not caught. The implicit join does a program abort instead.
     398
     399This semantics is for safety. One difficult problem for any exception system is
     400defining semantics when an exception is raised during an exception search:
     401which exception has priority, the original or new exception? No matter which
     402exception is selected, it is possible for the selected one to disrupt or
     403destroy the context required for the other. {\color{blue} PAB: I do not
     404understand the following sentences.} This loss of information can happen with
     405join but as the thread destructor is always run when the stack is being unwound
     406and one termination/cancellation is already active. Also since they are
     407implicit they are easier to forget about.
     408
     409\item[Coroutine Stack:] A coroutine stack is created for a @coroutine@ object
     410or object that satisfies the @is_coroutine@ trait.  A coroutine only knows of
     411two other coroutines, its starter and its last resumer.  The last resumer has
     412the tightest coupling to the coroutine it activated.  Hence, cancellation of
     413the active coroutine is forwarded to the last resumer after the stack is
     414unwound, as the last resumer has the most precise knowledge about the current
     415execution. When the resumer restarts, it resumes exception
     416@CoroutineCancelled@, which is polymorphic over the coroutine type and has a
     417pointer to the cancelled coroutine.
     418
     419The resume function also has an assertion that the @defaultResumptionHandler@
     420for the exception. So it will use the default handler like a regular throw.
     421\end{description}

  • doc/theses/andrew_beach_MMath/unwinding.tex

    r6c79bef r4706098c  
    1 \chapter{Unwinding in \CFA}
     1\chapter{\texorpdfstring{Unwinding in \CFA}{Unwinding in Cforall}}
    22
    33Stack unwinding is the process of removing things from the stack. Within
    … …  
    9393are provided to do it.
    9494
    95 \section{\CFA Implementation}
     95\section{\texorpdfstring{\CFA Implementation}{Cforall Implementation}}
    9696
    9797To use libunwind, \CFA provides several wrappers, its own storage,

  • doc/theses/andrew_beach_MMath/uw-ethesis.tex

    r6c79bef r4706098c  
    163163\input{common}
    164164\CFAStyle                                               % CFA code-style for all languages
    165 \lstset{basicstyle=\linespread{0.9}\tt}
     165\lstset{language=CFA,basicstyle=\linespread{0.9}\tt}    % CFA default lnaguage
    166166
    167167%======================================================================
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