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Module Thread_pool

module Thread_pool: sig .. end
A thread pool is a set of OCaml threads used to do work, where each piece of work is simply a thunk. One creates a thread pool, and then uses add_work to submit work to it. Work is done first-come-first-served by available threads in the pool. Any of the available threads in the pool could be used to do work submitted to the pool (except helper threads, see below).

A thread pool starts with no threads. As work is added, the thread pool creates new threads to do the work, up to the maximum number of allowed threads, max_num_threads, supplied to create. Thread-pool threads never die. They just get created up until max_num_threads is reached and then live forever, doing work. Each thread in the pool is in a loop, waiting for a piece of work, running the thunk, and then repeating. It may be that all the threads in the pool are not doing anything, but in this case, the threads still exist, and are simply blocked waiting for work.

Sometimes one wants work to run in a dedicated thread, e.g. some C libraries require this. To do this, use Helper_thread, see below.

All of the functions exposed by this module are thread safe; they synchronize using a mutex on the thread pool.

One can control the priority of threads in the pool (in the sense of Linux_ext.setpriority). Work added to the pool can optionally be given a priority, and the pool will set the priority of the thread that runs it for the duration of the work. Helper threads can also be given a priority, which will be used for all work run by the helper thread, unless the work has an overriding priority. The thread pool has a "default" priority that will be used for all work and helper threads that have no specified priority. The default is simply the priority in effect when create is called.

Behavior is unspecified if work calls setpriority directly.

module Priority: module type of Linux_ext.Priority  with type t = Linux_ext.Priority.t
type t 
include Invariant.S
val create : max_num_threads:int -> t Core.Std.Or_error.t
create ~max_num_threads returns a new thread pool. It is an error if max_num_threads < 1.
val finished_with : t -> unit
finished_with t makes it an error to subsequently call add_work* t or create_helper_thread t. And, once all current work in t is finished, destroys all the threads in t. It is OK to call finished_with multiple times on the same t; subsequent calls will have no effect.
val max_num_threads : t -> int
max_num_threads t returns the maximum number of threads that t is allowed to create.
val num_threads : t -> int
num_threads t returns the number of threads that the pool t has created.
val default_priority : t -> Priority.t
default_priority t returns the priority that will be used for work performed by t, unless that work is added with an overriding priority.
val add_work : ?priority:Priority.t ->
       ?name:string -> t -> (unit -> unit) -> unit Core.Std.Or_error.t
add_work ?priority ?name t f enqueues f to be done by some thread in the pool.

Exceptions raised by f are silently ignored.

While the work is run, the name of the thread running the work will be set (via Linux_ext.pr_set_name) to name and the priority of the thread will be set to priority.

It is an error to call add_work t after finished_with t.

module Helper_thread: sig .. end
val create_helper_thread : ?priority:Priority.t ->
       ?name:string ->
       t -> Helper_thread.t Core.Std.Or_error.t
create_helper_thread ?priority ?name t creates a new helper thread.

The thread pool does not internally refer to the Helper_thread.t it returns. So, it is OK for client code to use a finalizer to detect it becoming unused.

It is an error if no threads are available. It is an error to call create_helper_thread t after finished_with t.

When the helper thread runs work, it will be at the helper thread's name and priority, except for work that is added with an overriding priority or name.

val add_work_for_helper_thread : ?priority:Priority.t ->
       ?name:string ->
       t ->
       Helper_thread.t -> (unit -> unit) -> unit Core.Std.Or_error.t
add_work_for_helper_thread ?priority ?name t helper_thread f enqueues f on helper_thread's work queue.

Exceptions raised by f are silently ignored.

It is an error to call add_work_for_helper_thread t after finished_with_helper_thread t.

When the helper thread runs f, it will be at the helper thread's name and priority, unless overriden by name or priority.

val finished_with_helper_thread : t -> Helper_thread.t -> unit
finished_with_helper_thread t helper_thread informs thread pool t that no future work will be added for helper_thread, and makes it an error to in the future add work for helper_thread. Furthermore, once helper_thread finishes with its last piece of work, it will revert to a general thread-pool thread. It is OK to call finished_with_helper_thread multiple times on the same helper_thread; subsequent calls will have no effect.
val sexp_of_t : t -> Sexplib.Sexp.t

create ~max_num_threads returns a new thread pool. It is an error if max_num_threads < 1.

finished_with t makes it an error to subsequently call add_work* t or create_helper_thread t. And, once all current work in t is finished, destroys all the threads in t. It is OK to call finished_with multiple times on the same t; subsequent calls will have no effect.

max_num_threads t returns the maximum number of threads that t is allowed to create.

num_threads t returns the number of threads that the pool t has created.

default_priority t returns the priority that will be used for work performed by t, unless that work is added with an overriding priority.

add_work ?priority ?name t f enqueues f to be done by some thread in the pool.

Exceptions raised by f are silently ignored.

While the work is run, the name of the thread running the work will be set (via Linux_ext.pr_set_name) to name and the priority of the thread will be set to priority.

It is an error to call add_work t after finished_with t.

A helper thread is a thread with its own dedicated work queue. Work added for the helper thread is guaranteed to be run by that thread. The helper thread only runs work explicitly supplied to it.

default_name t returns the name that will be used for work performed by t, unless that work is added with an overriding name

default_priority t returns the priority that will be used for work performed by t, unless that work is added with an overriding priority.

create_helper_thread ?priority ?name t creates a new helper thread.

The thread pool does not internally refer to the Helper_thread.t it returns. So, it is OK for client code to use a finalizer to detect it becoming unused.

It is an error if no threads are available. It is an error to call create_helper_thread t after finished_with t.

When the helper thread runs work, it will be at the helper thread's name and priority, except for work that is added with an overriding priority or name.

add_work_for_helper_thread ?priority ?name t helper_thread f enqueues f on helper_thread's work queue.

Exceptions raised by f are silently ignored.

It is an error to call add_work_for_helper_thread t after finished_with_helper_thread t.

When the helper thread runs f, it will be at the helper thread's name and priority, unless overriden by name or priority.

finished_with_helper_thread t helper_thread informs thread pool t that no future work will be added for helper_thread, and makes it an error to in the future add work for helper_thread. Furthermore, once helper_thread finishes with its last piece of work, it will revert to a general thread-pool thread. It is OK to call finished_with_helper_thread multiple times on the same helper_thread; subsequent calls will have no effect.