December 2022 - Pharo-dev - lists.pharo.org

Sockets not working under heavy VM load?
by Pavel Krivanek Oct. 3, 2023

Oct. 3, 2023

Hi, we have some performance issues with Glorp over P3 and, after some investigation, I have a theory that could explain it. And I would like to know your opinion if it is correct. To reproduce this issue, you can try something easy. Just create a process with normal or higher priority that will try to read something from a socket. And, in parallel, do in a separate thread an operation that takes all the processor time for several seconds. ```` [ 5 seconds wait. Time now traceCr. ZnClient new url: 'https://www.google.com'; get. Time now traceCr. ] forkAt: 60. [1000 timesRepeat: [ 10000 factorial ] ] timeToRun ```` (you may try a different safe server address) The processes run in parallel until the time when the first process tries to obtain data from the socket. Then it hangs and waits until finishing of the second process. My theory is that the VM socket plugin is able to receive incoming data from the connection and save it into the buffer. In the meantime, the reading process is waiting on the socket semaphore. But it looks like the plugin is not able to release the semaphore while the VM is actually doing something. It needs to wait until the VM has nothing useful to do, and then it is finally able to release the semaphores so Pharo processes are resumed and can start to read. Is my theory right? Cheers, -- Pavel

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What did happen with CustomHelp?
by Denis Kudriashov Jan. 3, 2023

Jan. 3, 2023

Hi. There is no CustomHelp in Pharo 11 anymore. And no Help Browser in the menu. What is the story behind it? Is there any new alternative? Now any external {Project}-Help package is not loadable into the new system. Regards, Denis

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Inovation Technology Award Submission: Polyphemus
by pmissech Dec. 27, 2022

Dec. 27, 2022

Hello, Although i will not be able to attend ESUG'22, a friend agreed to present one of our projects to the innovation award. **Polyphemus** is aÂ VM related, but public aims at any kind of developers. Particularly, the video submission talks about how to look at an image and how to **recover** dead images. Feel free to contact me if you have any questions ! Enjoy (and vote for Polyphemus!). 5 minutes video, Innovation Technology Award submission: https://youtu.be/zf3cCtNW830 Repository: github.com/hogoww/Polyphemus/ Additionnal information on image recovery: https://github.com/hogoww/Polyphemus/blob/main/Documentation/ResurrectingDe… Cheers !

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Phep proposal: A proposal to introduce a non misleading not equals selector in the default Pharo image
by Christophe Demarey Dec. 23, 2022

Dec. 23, 2022

Hi, I proposed a Phep to introduce a non misleading not equals selector in the default Pharo image: https://github.com/pharo-project/pheps/blob/4136ba7ddbcbf757f8cc68dde6a20cc… <https://github.com/pharo-project/pheps/blob/4136ba7ddbcbf757f8cc68dde6a20cc…> As always, there are pros and cons. This message will allow to start the discussion in the community. Regards, Christophe

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This week (50/2022) on the Pharo Issue Tracker
by Marcus Denker Dec. 16, 2022

Dec. 16, 2022

This week, we merged 19 PRs, we closed 36 issues on the main issue tracker. Features ======== - Fix 12044 introduces hexString and related tests #12045 https://github.com/pharo-project/pharo/pull/12045 Blocks ====== - Enable Constant Block Compilation by default #11931 https://github.com/pharo-project/pharo/pull/11931 - 11984-CompiledBlockhasMethodReturn-is-not-a-good-name #12020 https://github.com/pharo-project/pharo/pull/12020 - 11965-Implement-ContextactiveHome-without-using-home #12063 https://github.com/pharo-project/pharo/pull/12063 - 12014-HECompiledBlockvalue-send-non-exiting-selector-encoderClassName #12070 https://github.com/pharo-project/pharo/pull/12070 - 12034-Context-we-have-both-home-and-methodReturnContext #12098 https://github.com/pharo-project/pharo/pull/12098 - Context: unify #selector and #methodSelector #12100 https://github.com/pharo-project/pharo/pull/12100 Fixes ===== - 12066-CI-test-failing-on-CI-SystemDependenciesTesttestExternalBasicToolsDependencies #12073 https://github.com/pharo-project/pharo/pull/12073 - Add missing keyDown: message in FTSearchFunction #12087 https://github.com/pharo-project/pharo/pull/12087 - Fix: #12089 the metaclass was placing one # while it should not! + adâ¦ #12090 https://github.com/pharo-project/pharo/pull/12090 - Fix class editor not refreshing when switching between class/instance sides #12095 https://github.com/pharo-project/pharo/pull/12095 - 12110-ReAbstractCritique-asModalWindow #12111 https://github.com/pharo-project/pharo/pull/12111 - Debugger-Implementors-Of #1337 https://github.com/pharo-spec/Spec/pull/1337 - Fix Filetree to Tonel transformation #1646 https://github.com/pharo-vcs/iceberg/pull/1646 - Introduce input validation as first precondition of a refactoring #12050 https://github.com/pharo-project/pharo/pull/12050 Cleanups ======== - merge ReAssignmentWithoutEffectRule and ReRemoveAssignmentWithoutEffectRule #12071 https://github.com/pharo-project/pharo/pull/12071 - Factorize the list of VM parameters #12072 https://github.com/pharo-project/pharo/pull/12072 - Cleanup: lint cleanup regarding class side #initialize categorization for Metacello classes #12076 https://github.com/pharo-project/pharo/pull/12076 - Small lint issue in Athens cairo tests #12092 https://github.com/pharo-project/pharo/pull/12092 - Cleanup: Fix typo in DailyNonInteractiveTranscript>>#initializeStream #12094 https://github.com/pharo-project/pharo/pull/12094

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Pharo VM Release - v9.0.21
by tesonep＠gmail.com Dec. 14, 2022

Dec. 14, 2022

Hello, I have released a new version of the Pharo VM for Pharo 9, Pharo 10 and Pharo 11. This VM is accessible right now from Zero-Conf, updating it in the Pharo Launcher or using the usual downloads (as described in pharo.org/download) This version includes a series of bug fixes and upgrades on the third-party libraries. Changelog: - Implementing High resolution clock for ARM64 (Used during profiling) - Updating third party libraries for all the graphic layer. - Fixing a performance regression on the allocation of opcodes and fix-ups. Cleaning only the ones that are going to be used. Like this, this version has the same speed than before when allocating in the stack. - Correctly handling the encoding of the command line arguments of the VM (Windows) - Allocating the opcodes and fixup structs only once and reusing them (Reducing risk of C Stack Overflow) Thanks a lot, and any doubt please let me know. Cheers, Pablo on behalf of the whole Pharo team. -- Pablo Tesone. tesonep(a)gmail.com

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[Issue Tracker] Please check your issues
by Marcus Denker Dec. 14, 2022

Dec. 14, 2022

Hi, The issue tracker has a bit the problem that outdated issues are never cleaned - sometimes PRs are merged but the issue is not closed because it was never connected to the PR ( github sometimes just does not do it correctly ) - Duplicated reports, bug is fixed but the other issue was closed - Problem fixed due to other reasons Or your issue might have seen someone asking a question. People tend to just wait for an answer to those. Or maybe the issue has just not enough information for others to take action? Maybe you could submit a PR instead of just describing the change you think should be done? The best would be if everyone who opened an issue would check all the issues they submitted. you can just add a filter to https://github.com/pharo-project/pharo/issues, e.g. author:MarcusDenker shows you all that I submitted Marcus

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Looking for a job....
by stephane ducasse Dec. 13, 2022

Dec. 13, 2022

Hello, My name is Daniel Camacho, for the last 6 months I've been working as a Software Engineering intern in the research team RMoD at Inria. We are focused on object-oriented programming languages designing and modeling. In this context, I've implemented a meta-object protocol that allows developers to instrument objects at runtime. This will be the base layer from which a new generation of debugging tools focusing on objects rather than focusing on the execution stack will be built. Now ending my internship, I am seeking for a software engineer position, I am particularly interested research implementation projects, web development and cloud computing field. The fact that I successfully completed my internship assignment is a proven track record of my learning and problem solving abilities. I remain at your disposal to schedule an interview so that we can discuss on how I may be a good fit to your company. Thank you in advance for your attention and I wish you an excellent day. Sincerely Daniel Camacho Santa Cruz Software engineer T: +33 695489293

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This week (49/2022) on the Pharo Issue Tracker
by Marcus Denker Dec. 9, 2022

Dec. 9, 2022

This week we merged 20 PRs. Blocks ====== Status: All tests green when compiling with ConstantBlockClosure (but the option is not yet enabled by default) Work continues to reducing the use of #home, this week by using #homeMethod instead of "home method" - 12008-Blocks-check-senders-of-compiledCode-can-we-use-homeMethod #12032 https://github.com/pharo-project/pharo/pull/12032 - Context-use-homeMethod #12007 https://github.com/pharo-project/pharo/pull/12007 - some trivial improvements batched (Compiler / Context / Blocks) #12035 https://github.com/pharo-project/pharo/pull/12035 - ConstantBlocks-fix-testIsNotTerminatedWhenItIsInsideLastTerminationMethod #12026 https://github.com/pharo-project/pharo/pull/12026 - ConstantBlocks-Fix-Announcement-Tests #12027 https://github.com/pharo-project/pharo/pull/12027 - Disablequickreturn in blocks #12053 https://github.com/pharo-project/pharo/pull/12053 Refactoring Engine ================== - Refactor make class abstract #12060 https://github.com/pharo-project/pharo/pull/12060 Features ===== - Environment: comment #allMethods, add #methods #12028 https://github.com/pharo-project/pharo/pull/12028 - help method for converting integers into correspâ¦ #11800 https://github.com/pharo-project/pharo/pull/11800 - Extend DiffMorph to make it navigable accross differences #11641 https://github.com/pharo-project/pharo/pull/11641 Fixes ===== - 12049-CI-failure-in-build-testSetUpMethodInSUnitTestsNeedsToBeInRunningProtocol #12051 https://github.com/pharo-project/pharo/pull/12051 - Fix #11995: Handle attempted creation of existing package gracefully #12048 https://github.com/pharo-project/pharo/pull/12048 - Should fix issue 11915 - Pharo compound shortcuts #11954 https://github.com/pharo-project/pharo/pull/11954 - [fix] Pharo issue # 11390: Browsing implementors/senders from source code editors doesn't browse expected selector #1298 https://github.com/pharo-spec/Spec/pull/1298 - Using version v3.0.4 of libgit to fix the 1.4.4 version in linux #1643 https://github.com/pharo-vcs/iceberg/pull/1643 - Fix Crash when invalid credentials #1642 https://github.com/pharo-vcs/iceberg/pull/1642 Cleanup ======= - Replacing baseColor method call from class to instance side #12030 https://github.com/pharo-project/pharo/pull/12030 - Fix lint issues #11978 https://github.com/pharo-project/pharo/pull/11978 - 12046 has non standard palette is always returning false #12047 https://github.com/pharo-project/pharo/pull/12047 Pharo10 ======= - [backport] CompiledCode: add #bytecodes #12031 https://github.com/pharo-project/pharo/pull/12031

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[Compiler] A Small experiment with Syntax Errors
by Marcus Denker Dec. 8, 2022

Dec. 8, 2022

This is a small experiment about syntax errors when evaluating code. With #evaluate:, we can compile and run a DoIt, for example: Smalltalk compiler evaluate: '1+2' Imagine you evaluate a String, but it is actually not syntactically correct: Smalltalk compiler evaluate: '1+' We get an exception (while parsing), a SyntaxErrorDebugger is opened: This tool is not used often and is fairly odd, in practice we use it for two things: Look at the error message and use the (not easy to find) menu "debug calling process" to see where the eval was called to understand what went wrong (why we consructed a string of invalid code). The problem is that the tool is not easy to understand, and it is not easy to maintain as part of the debugger framework (it is a bit broken even now, especially wrt to editing and continue, which does not matter for DoIts, though). Could we no do better? Evaluating code means: - We parse the string to an AST - we translate the AST to a DoIt Method - we execute that method The error happens inside the parse phase: no method gets contructed, intead an exception is raised. There is quite some machinary to allow re-starting parsing after the error is fixed (see the exception ReparseAfterSourceEditing and how it is used, quite hard to understand). The idea that syntax errors are hard errors is quite natural. With batch compilers, there is some effort done to do some auto-repair. This was very useful in old times (punch cards!) to avoid seeing an aborted job the next morning just due to a missing comma. These days it is used to allow better error messages. But it is common to treat syntax errors as hard errors. This is seen as good as they are detected very early and the fact that compiling is not possible is seen as the goal for any kind of error. In the end, type systems try to extend this to non-syntactic problems: If a program is wrong, it should not run. If we call a method that does not exist, the program should not compile. What if we not follow this standard advice and go the exact opposite direction? Let's try: Our tools parse code after *every* keystroke. The resulting AST is used for syntax highlighting. Which means, we can parse the expression '1+â without any problem, if we use the same mode for the Parser: Smalltalk compiler options: #(+ optionParseErrors); parse: '1+' We see that the parser created an AST, with a ParseErrorNode as the argument of the message send +. This AST would used by the Syntax HighLighter, and for code completion. But it is in the end just the normal AST that the Compiler uses to compile source text to CompiledMethods. So can we not just implement the code in the compiler to compile this AST? The node implements the visitor pattern #acceptVisitor:, which calls visitParseErrorNode:. So we can add support to the compiler by just implementing OCASTTranslator>>#visitParseErrorNode: visitParseErrorNode: anErrorNode methodBuilder pushLiteralVariable: RuntimeSyntaxError binding; pushLiteral: anErrorNode; send: #signalSyntaxError: This just reads the global Variable RuntimeSyntaxError (which is subclass of Error), pushes the error node itself as an argument and sends #signalSyntaxError: signalSyntaxError: aNode "we use signalSyntaxError: instead of signal: so we can quickly check compiledMethods for syntax errors by checking the literals" ^(self new errorNode: aNode) signal To see what the compiler compiled for that expression, lets compile a DoIt method (this is what #evaluate: does to get a method to execute): compiledMethod := Smalltalk compiler noPattern: true; options: #(+ optionParseErrors); compile: '1+â So it did compile this bytecode, as expected: 49 <51> pushConstant: 1 50 <10> pushLit: RuntimeSyntaxError 51 <21> pushConstant: RBParseErrorNode() 52 <92> send: signalSyntaxError: 53 <60> send: + 54 <5C> returnTop To finish what #evaluate does, we can evaluate the compiledMethod (with a nil receiver): compiledMethod valueWithReceiver: nil arguments: #() and it works! The standard debugger opens, on the RunTimeSyntaxError: Can we do that by default for #evaluate? Go to OpalCompiler>>#evaluate and add the optionParseErrors line before compiling: ... options: #(+ optionParseErrors); doItMethod := self compile. ... If you now run Smalltalk compiler evaluate: '1+' It will open the normal debugger. What needs to be improved? - The error message is not shown other than in the debugger window title. (but all the infos to print a nice error in place is contained in the AST) - Maybe allowing to edit and proceed could be interesting (not that much for evaluate) (I will turn this into a blog post later) Marcus

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