October 2014 - Pharo-users - lists.pharo.org

Re: [Pharo-users] FFI structs

by Ronie Salgado

> > Ronie is working on unifying all the api and proposing one syntax > mechanism for > - nativeBoost back-end > - FFI > and may be Alien I had a skype session with Eliot the last. He taught me about the callback mechanism and I am actually going to use Alien for the callbacks, by adapting it to perform the marshalling into the UFFI/NativeBoost types. In the future, I am planning in using Lowcode to perform the whole callback process, but now for simplicity I am just going to piggy back in Alien. I still have to finish the callout by fixing a complicated bug. With Eliot we discussed a workaround for this bug. I haven't implemented those workaround yet, because I have been a bit busy with my university studies. As long as we keep what is working, ahem, working. I now depend on quite a > couple of FFI related libs. > > What I need is an easy FFI wrapping tool, like > https://github.com/ronsaldo/swig. Is UFFI going that way? > Well, I made the swig adaptation for NativeBoost. Making it for the UFFI is actually something trivial. So, we are going to have a powerful FFI and a binding generator for it. The only problem with Swig, is that the bindings generated by it are not perfect, because it exposes the exact same C API. A C library that uses some kind of object model, cannot be exposed in a clean object oriented way cleanly by a generic automatic tool. The FFI situation is not good and we know we should improve it. For the record, the current FFI situation can be traced to the historical origins of Smalltalk and even Squeak. The original Smalltalk was an actual operating system, and Squeak was also made as an operating system. Because of this, they were not designed to interact with other languages. Getting a perfect FFI is going to take a lot of time, because of other problems, such as Multi-threading and the mandatory use of non-blocking IO. Fortunately, Eliot made a way to have a threaded FFI, in which a single thread owns the VM at a single time. With this threaded FFI we can have things such as a callback from a different thread, which is required by some libraries such as the sound API of SDL2. Of course the UFFI is going to support this threaded FFI in some point of time. To support the threaded FFI I only have to pin/unpin some object, and call two VM functions, disownVM() and ownVM(). As for getting some actual parallelism in Pharo, this is something that I think is going to take a big amount of time. For now the best thing we can do is to use OpenCL. This week I have been doing some experimenting in making an API for linear algebra, that uses OpenCL to perform computations in parallel. Later I will publish a video. Greetings, Ronie 2014-10-31 19:23 GMT-03:00 Alain Rastoul <alf.mmm.cat(a)gmail.com>: > Hi Annick, > > you can't pass smalltalk strings or objects to ffi as parameters, > you have to allocate the buffer member of your structure > on the external heap ( plus to avoid being gc'd before ffi call) > with ExternalAddress allocate: <your buffer/string size +1 for string null > termination> > fill your buffer with byteAt:put: method, > and release this memory with free when you have finished. > > not sure, but you could try something like: > > s := '05:45' copyWith: (Character value: 0). > a := ExternalAddress allocate: s size. > s asByteArray withIndexDo: [ :b :i | a byteAt: i put: b ]. > myStruct time: a. > ... call your ffi ... > a free > > > Regards, > > Alain > > Le 29/10/2014 11:59, Annick Fron a Ã©crit : > > I I have a C struct with a char* >> >> struct result { >> char* time } >> >> I define an ExternalStructure in FFI , with one field of type char* (note >> that the syntax char [5] is not accepted ! ). >> >> defineFields generates the accessors time and time: >> >> If I use >> time: â05:45â >> >> I get an error. >> How do I set a string value in an ExternalStructure ? >> >> Annick >> >> >> >> >> >> > > >

Oct. 31, 2014

Re: [Pharo-users] FFI structs

by Alain Rastoul

Hi Annick, you can't pass smalltalk strings or objects to ffi as parameters, you have to allocate the buffer member of your structure on the external heap ( plus to avoid being gc'd before ffi call) with ExternalAddress allocate: <your buffer/string size +1 for string null termination> fill your buffer with byteAt:put: method, and release this memory with free when you have finished. not sure, but you could try something like: s := '05:45' copyWith: (Character value: 0). a := ExternalAddress allocate: s size. s asByteArray withIndexDo: [ :b :i | a byteAt: i put: b ]. myStruct time: a. ... call your ffi ... a free Regards, Alain Le 29/10/2014 11:59, Annick Fron a Ã©crit : > I I have a C struct with a char* > > struct result { > char* time } > > I define an ExternalStructure in FFI , with one field of type char* (note that the syntax char [5] is not accepted ! ). > > defineFields generates the accessors time and time: > > If I use > time: â05:45â > > I get an error. > How do I set a string value in an ExternalStructure ? > > Annick > > > > >

Oct. 31, 2014

Re: [Pharo-users] FFI structs

by phil＠highoctane.be

On Fri, Oct 31, 2014 at 6:51 AM, Tudor Girba <tudor(a)tudorgirba.com> wrote: > That is cool. > As long as we keep what is working, ahem, working. I now depend on quite a couple of FFI related libs. What I need is an easy FFI wrapping tool, like https://github.com/ronsaldo/swig. Is UFFI going that way? Phil > > Doru > > On Thu, Oct 30, 2014 at 11:37 PM, stepharo <stepharo(a)free.fr> wrote: > >> Ronie is working on unifying all the api and proposing one syntax >> mechanism for >> - nativeBoost back-end >> - FFI >> and may be Alien >> >> The FFI situation is not good and we know we should improve it. >> >> >> On 29/10/14 20:18, Thomas Bany wrote: >> >> Oops, sorry, I was misslead by Steph reply. >> >> Some of the comments might still hold. For the *time: â05:45â* code to >> work, you would need FFI to handle all the hassle of memory management and >> actually allocate the memory for 5 characters and copying it. I never used >> FFI but I doubt it does this. >> >> Looking at FFI library, you both have ExternalAddress (for the struct >> with char*) and ExternalType (for the struct with char[5]) that you can >> use. For the later solution, it still looks like you should define a >> specific 5 bytes ArrayOf5Char type. >> >> 2014-10-29 18:34 GMT+01:00 Annick Fron <list(a)afceurope.com>: >> >>> I canât use NativeBoost on the Raspberry, I would be glad if I could !!! >>> >>> >>> Le 29 oct. 2014 Ã 12:18, stepharo <stepharo(a)free.fr> a Ã©crit : >>> >>> > did you read the NativeBoost tutorial on the PharoForTheEntreprise >>> book? >>> > If you do please report potential mistakes so that we can improve. >>> > >>> > >>> > On 29/10/14 05:59, Annick Fron wrote: >>> >> I I have a C struct with a char* >>> >> >>> >> struct result { >>> >> char* time } >>> >> >>> >> I define an ExternalStructure in FFI , with one field of type char* >>> (note that the syntax char [5] is not accepted ! ). >>> >> >>> >> defineFields generates the accessors time and time: >>> >> >>> >> If I use >>> >> time: â05:45â >>> >> >>> >> I get an error. >>> >> How do I set a string value in an ExternalStructure ? >>> >> >>> >> Annick >>> >> >>> >> >>> >> >>> >> >>> >> >>> > >>> > >>> >>> >>> >> >> > > > -- > www.tudorgirba.com > > "Every thing has its own flow" >

Oct. 31, 2014

Re: [Pharo-users] FFI structs

by Tudor Girba

That is cool. Doru On Thu, Oct 30, 2014 at 11:37 PM, stepharo <stepharo(a)free.fr> wrote: > Ronie is working on unifying all the api and proposing one syntax > mechanism for > - nativeBoost back-end > - FFI > and may be Alien > > The FFI situation is not good and we know we should improve it. > > > On 29/10/14 20:18, Thomas Bany wrote: > > Oops, sorry, I was misslead by Steph reply. > > Some of the comments might still hold. For the *time: â05:45â* code to > work, you would need FFI to handle all the hassle of memory management and > actually allocate the memory for 5 characters and copying it. I never used > FFI but I doubt it does this. > > Looking at FFI library, you both have ExternalAddress (for the struct > with char*) and ExternalType (for the struct with char[5]) that you can > use. For the later solution, it still looks like you should define a > specific 5 bytes ArrayOf5Char type. > > 2014-10-29 18:34 GMT+01:00 Annick Fron <list(a)afceurope.com>: > >> I canât use NativeBoost on the Raspberry, I would be glad if I could !!! >> >> >> Le 29 oct. 2014 Ã 12:18, stepharo <stepharo(a)free.fr> a Ã©crit : >> >> > did you read the NativeBoost tutorial on the PharoForTheEntreprise book? >> > If you do please report potential mistakes so that we can improve. >> > >> > >> > On 29/10/14 05:59, Annick Fron wrote: >> >> I I have a C struct with a char* >> >> >> >> struct result { >> >> char* time } >> >> >> >> I define an ExternalStructure in FFI , with one field of type char* >> (note that the syntax char [5] is not accepted ! ). >> >> >> >> defineFields generates the accessors time and time: >> >> >> >> If I use >> >> time: â05:45â >> >> >> >> I get an error. >> >> How do I set a string value in an ExternalStructure ? >> >> >> >> Annick >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> > >> > >> >> >> > > -- www.tudorgirba.com "Every thing has its own flow"

Oct. 31, 2014

Re: [Pharo-users] Bug? in Filein

by JosÃ© ComesaÃ±a

I see. But WATestError it is in the same package it is "Fileing", on line 3284 and is referenced many times before. I am sorry I have not enough knowledge about the internals to do more debugging. Seems to be a lack of coordination between FileOut and FileIn. Maybe nothing to do... Now a simpler and clearer test: 1. Back to the original situation. 2. FileOut *only* WAContextTest. It has a comment: "I am the base class for all tests that need a WARequestContext present.", in .st file in line 8. 3. Remove it. 4. FileIn again. No errors on Transcript BUT no comment appears for WAContextTest. Maybe, if I get a couple of free hours I could dare to debug a little.... Best 2014-10-30 23:30 GMT+01:00 stepharo <stepharo(a)free.fr>: > It says that the class WATestError is not available. > > > > Yes, I did. It is in the .st file > > > >> c. You get a bunch of errors in Transcript while filing in >>> >> No magic ball so we cannot guess. >> >> > Example of Transcript messages (in case it helps): > WADocumentHandlerResponseTest>>createAndVerifyBinaryDocumentNamed:hasAttachment: > (WATestingFiles is Undeclared) > > WAExceptionHandlerTest>>testCommaReturnsExceptionSet (WATestError is > Undeclared) > > WAExceptionHandlerTest>>testCommaReturnsExceptionSet (WATestError is > Undeclared) > > WAExceptionHandlerTest>>testCommaReturnsExceptionSet (WATestError is > Undeclared) > > WAExceptionHandlerTest>>testCommaReturnsExceptionSet (WATestError is > Undeclared) > > WAExceptionHandlerTest>>testInternalError (WATestError is Undeclared) > > > It happens in more cases. I just took this one because this is a package > anyone can install in order to reproduce the problem. > > Thanks > > >

Oct. 30, 2014

Re: [Pharo-users] FFI structs

by stepharo

Ronie is working on unifying all the api and proposing one syntax mechanism for - nativeBoost back-end - FFI and may be Alien The FFI situation is not good and we know we should improve it. On 29/10/14 20:18, Thomas Bany wrote: > Oops, sorry, I was misslead by Steph reply. > > Some of the comments might still hold. For the /time: â05:45â/ code to > work, you would need FFI to handle all the hassle of memory management > and actually allocate the memory for 5 characters and copying it. I > never used FFI but I doubt it does this. > > Looking at FFI library, you both have ExternalAddress (for the struct > with char*) and ExternalType (for the struct with char[5]) that you > can use. For the later solution, it still looks like you should define > a specific 5 bytes ArrayOf5Char type. > > 2014-10-29 18:34 GMT+01:00 Annick Fron <list(a)afceurope.com > <mailto:list@afceurope.com>>: > > I canât use NativeBoost on the Raspberry, I would be glad if I > could !!! > > > Le 29 oct. 2014 Ã 12:18, stepharo <stepharo(a)free.fr > <mailto:stepharo@free.fr>> a Ã©crit : > > > did you read the NativeBoost tutorial on the > PharoForTheEntreprise book? > > If you do please report potential mistakes so that we can improve. > > > > > > On 29/10/14 05:59, Annick Fron wrote: > >> I I have a C struct with a char* > >> > >> struct result { > >> char* time } > >> > >> I define an ExternalStructure in FFI , with one field of type > char* (note that the syntax char [5] is not accepted ! ). > >> > >> defineFields generates the accessors time and time: > >> > >> If I use > >> time: â05:45â > >> > >> I get an error. > >> How do I set a string value in an ExternalStructure ? > >> > >> Annick > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > > > > > > >

Oct. 30, 2014

Re: [Pharo-users] AST tokens question

by stepharo

> this one is in SmaCC. I'll see if I can switch to your solution. > > I had a look at Nautilus add protocol for fun. 2303 entries for a > subclass of MorphTreeModel :( I reduce that to 11 entries in > AltBrowser add protocol for the same use case. :( Same feeling here but we will live with it for now. I started to change to the feel of the pop up. Stef

Oct. 30, 2014

Re: [Pharo-users] Bug? in Filein

by stepharo

It says that the class WATestError is not available. > > Yes, I did. It is in the .st file > > c. You get a bunch of errors in Transcript while filing in > > No magic ball so we cannot guess. > > > Example of Transcript messages (in case it helps): > WADocumentHandlerResponseTest>>createAndVerifyBinaryDocumentNamed:hasAttachment: > (WATestingFiles is Undeclared) > > WAExceptionHandlerTest>>testCommaReturnsExceptionSet (WATestError is > Undeclared) > > WAExceptionHandlerTest>>testCommaReturnsExceptionSet (WATestError is > Undeclared) > > WAExceptionHandlerTest>>testCommaReturnsExceptionSet (WATestError is > Undeclared) > > WAExceptionHandlerTest>>testCommaReturnsExceptionSet (WATestError is > Undeclared) > > WAExceptionHandlerTest>>testInternalError (WATestError is Undeclared) > > > It happens in more cases. I just took this one because this is a > package anyone can install in order to reproduce the problem. > > Thanks >

Oct. 30, 2014

Re: [Pharo-users] nautilus plugin documentation

by stepharo

Here is what I learned. I cleaned the code and fix some broken plugins too. Feel free to enhance it. Stef On 30/10/14 07:27, stepharo wrote: > Paul > > I'm going over the plugin code and hierarchy and I will probably clean > it a bit and publish real class comments. > I'm checking the plugin to see the ones that are working and the one > we can remove or fix. > Writing what I'm learning in > https://github.com/SquareBracketAssociates/PharoForTheEnterprise-english/tr… > > Stef > > On 29/10/14 18:38, Paul DeBruicker wrote: >> Hi - >> >> Where is the content that was at this link: >> >> http://rmod.inria.fr/web/pier/software/Tools-Improvement/NautilusDocumentat… >> >> >> ? >> >> >> Thanks >> >> Paul >> >> > > > >

Oct. 30, 2014

Re: [Pharo-users] Bug? in Filein

by JosÃ© ComesaÃ±a

2014-10-30 13:16 GMT+01:00 stepharo <stepharo(a)free.fr>: > > On 30/10/14 06:57, JosÃ© ComesaÃ±a wrote: > >> I've found this problem in Pharo 3 (seems to happen in Pharo 4 too): >> >> Do: >> >> 1. Fileout Seaside-Tests-Core >> 2. Remove Seaside-Test-Core >> 3. File in the file created in step 1 >> >> You will find: >> >> a. The structure of the package changes. >> > What do you mean by it changes? > New packages? Removed packages? dirty ones? > > New package: Seaside-Tests-Core-RequestHandling. WaContextText is now in that package > b. Comments for WaContextTest are lost >> > May be the fileout does not export the comment. Did you check in the .st > file? > > > Yes, I did. It is in the .st file > c. You get a bunch of errors in Transcript while filing in >> > No magic ball so we cannot guess. > > Example of Transcript messages (in case it helps): WADocumentHandlerResponseTest>>createAndVerifyBinaryDocumentNamed:hasAttachment: (WATestingFiles is Undeclared) WAExceptionHandlerTest>>testCommaReturnsExceptionSet (WATestError is Undeclared) WAExceptionHandlerTest>>testCommaReturnsExceptionSet (WATestError is Undeclared) WAExceptionHandlerTest>>testCommaReturnsExceptionSet (WATestError is Undeclared) WAExceptionHandlerTest>>testCommaReturnsExceptionSet (WATestError is Undeclared) WAExceptionHandlerTest>>testInternalError (WATestError is Undeclared) It happens in more cases. I just took this one because this is a package anyone can install in order to reproduce the problem. Thanks

Oct. 30, 2014