[ python-Bugs-1379804 ] HP-UX thread stack size needs to be increased

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Bugs item #1379804, was opened at 2005-12-13 20:22
Message generated for change (Comment added) made by blade_doyle
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Category: Documentation
Group: Platform-specific
Status: Open
Resolution: None
Priority: 5
Submitted By: Blade (blade_doyle)
Assigned to: Nobody/Anonymous (nobody)
Summary: HP-UX thread stack size needs to be increased

Initial Comment:
On HP-UX the default thread stack size is
"insufficient" and probably needs to be increased if
threads are performing any heavy tasks.  Obviously, the
ideal size depends on you application but I find that
THREAD_STACK_SIZE=0x50000 works well for me.

Using the default thread stack size my multi-threading
tests were failing with a corrupt stack sometimes and
this stack trace other times:

#0  0x79db8c0c in _isspace+0x2d8 () from
/usr/lib/libnss_dns.1
#1  0x7aff62c4 in nss_search+0x28c () from /usr/lib/libc.2
#2  0x7af4d320 in __gethostbyname_r+0x140 () from
/usr/lib/libc.2
#3  0x7af4d4bc in gethostbyname+0x94 () from
/usr/lib/libc.2
#4  here, I am calling: gethostbyname("localhost")
[cut]
#23 0x7a8c49ac in OpSession::begin+0x1c0 ()
from /space/bdoyle/hprisc/lib/oopython.sl
#24 0x7aa42660 in PyCFunction_Call+0xc8 ()
from
/space/bdoyle/PythonBinding/Python-2.4.2/libpython2.4.sl
[cut]
#38 0x7aabbda0 in PyEval_CallObjectWithKeywords+0x1c4 ()
from
/space/bdoyle/PythonBinding/Python-2.4.2/libpython2.4.sl
#39 0x7ab17e8c in t_bootstrap+0xa0 ()
from
/space/bdoyle/PythonBinding/Python-2.4.2/libpython2.4.sl
#40 0x7ab6400c in __pthread_body+0x44 () from
/usr/lib/libpthread.1
#41 0x7ab6e29c in __pthread_start+0x14 () from
/usr/lib/libpthread.1


I tested both Python 2.3.4 and 2.4.2 and increased
stack size solves the probem on both.

I suggest that a note be added to the Python README
under the HP-UX section.  The note should suggest that
the "BASECFLAGS" environment variable be set to include
"-DTHREAD_STACK_SIZE=0x50000" prior to running
configure.  I dont know that 0x50000 is really the
ideal stack size.....

Blade.

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>Comment By: Blade (blade_doyle)
Date: 2006-01-11 23:42

Message:
Logged In: YES 
user_id=1404264

I think I can generate that patch.  I'll give a try.  I
found the patch guidelines for the Python project at
http://www.python.org/patches/  so that greatly increases my
chances of success!

One concern that I have is with the stack size value of
"0x50000".  I find that there is a wide range of default
stack sizes for the various operating systems.  There does
not seem to be any consensus on a good default value.  This
quote exemplifies the situation:

"On Tru64 UNIX, the default thread stack size increased from
24 KB to 5 MB in Version 5.0. On HP-UX, it is only 64 KB on
PA systems and 256 KB on Itanium®-based systems."

Quote From:
http://devrsrc1.external.hp.com/STKT/impacts/i375.html

How can I settle on a stacksize for this patch?  Unless
there are other suggestions I'll stick with "0x50000"
because I have tested that and know it works for what I
consider an 'average' application.

Thanks,
Blade.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Comment By: Martin v. Löwis (loewis)
Date: 2006-01-11 22:57

Message:
Logged In: YES 
user_id=21627

Can you provide a patch to configure.in that adds this
automatically?

----------------------------------------------------------------------

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