[Python-Dev] pthreads question: typedef ??? pthread_t and hacky return statements

[Trent Mick]

On Wed, Aug 16, 2000 at 11:34:12PM -0400, Tim Peters wrote:
> [Trent Mick]
> > I am porting Python to Monterey (64-bit AIX) and have a small
> > (hopefully) question about POSIX threads.
> 
> POSIX threads. "small question".  HAHAHAHAHAHA.  Thanks, that felt good
> <wink>.

Happy to provide you with cheer. <grumble>



> > Does the POSIX threads spec specify a C type or minimum size for
> > pthread_t?
> 
> or user-space arrays of structs.  So I think it's *safe* to assume it will
> always fit in an integral type large enough to hold a pointer, but not
> guaranteed.  Plain "long" certainly isn't safe in theory.

Not for pthread ports to Win64 anyway. But that is not my concern right now.
I'll let the pthreads-on-Windows fans worry about that when the time comes.


> > this up. On Linux (mine at least):
> >   /usr/include/bits/pthreadtypes.h:120:typedef unsigned long int
> > pthread_t;
> 
> And this is a 32- or 64-bit Linux?

That was 32-bit Linux. My 64-bit Linux box is down right now, I can tell
later if you really want to know.


> > WHAT IS UP WITH THAT return STATEMENT?
> >   return (long) *(long *) &threadid;
> 
<snip>
> 
> So, here's the scoop:
> 
<snip>

Thanks for trolling the cvs logs, Tim!

> 
> So one of two things can be done:
> 
> 1. Bite the bullet and do it correctly.  For example, maintain a static
>    dict mapping the native pthread_self() return value to Python ints,
>    and return the latter as Python's thread.get_ident() value.  Much
>    better would to implement a x-platform thread-local storage
>    abstraction, and use that to hold a Python-int ident value.
> 
> 2. Continue in the tradition already established <wink>, and #ifdef the
>    snot out of it for Monterey.
> 
> In favor of #2, the code is already so hosed that making it hosier won't be
> a significant relative increase in its inherent hosiness.
> 
> spoken-like-a-true-hoser-ly y'rs  - tim
> 

I'm all for being a hoser then. #ifdef's a-comin' down the pipe. One thing,
the only #define that I know I have a handle on for Monterey is '_LP64'. Do
you have an objection to that (seeing at is kind of misleading)? I will
accompany it with an explicative comment of course.


take-off-you-hoser-ly y'rs - wannabe Bob & Doug fan

-- 
Trent Mick
TrentM@ActiveState.com