Re: [PATCH] stap/staprun do not terminate properly

[David Smith <dsmith at redhat dot com>]

On 03/06/2014 03:30 PM, Torsten Polle wrote:
> Hi,
> 
> I'm using the uprobes-inode with task_finder2.c and had two problems,
> when I wanted to terminate my probe runs.
> 
> I tested the patches with uprobes-inode and the utrace based version.
> 
> Kind Regards,
> Torsten

Torsten,

Thanks *so* much for the patches. I've seen a hang in stap around this
area, but I could never reproduce it.

I checked the 1st patch in as commit e695d46 and the 2nd patch (tweaked)
in as commit 9ee1bfe.

I tweaked the 2nd patch just a bit. Originally the flow went like:

====
stap_stap_task_finder()
{
  // ...

  // Note that utrace_exit() calls stp_task_work_exit()
  utrace_exit();

  __stp_tf_cancel_task_work();
}
====

Your patch changed it to this:

====
stap_stap_task_finder()
{
  // ...

  utrace_exit();

  // Note that __stp_tf_cancel_task_work() calls
  // stp_task_work_exit()
  __stp_tf_cancel_task_work();
}
====

I saw what you were doing, but that didn't "feel" quite right.
utrace_init() calls stp_task_work_init(), so it made sense for
utrace_exit() to call stp_task_work_exit().

So, instead I did this:

====
stap_stap_task_finder()
{
  // ...

  __stp_tf_cancel_task_work();

  // Note that utrace_exit() calls stp_task_work_exit()
  utrace_exit();
}
====

This moves canceling all outstanding task_work items before shutting
down utrace (and calling stp_task_work_exit()). I think the end result
is the same as your patch, and I think this makes a little more sense.
This way we've canceled all the task_work items before shutting down
utrace (and freeing all the memory allocated for utrace).

If this doesn't work for you or you see a hole in this logic please let
me know.

BTW, if you have a good idea for a reproducer for the original problem
I'd like to see it. Perhaps I could add a test case for it.

Thanks again for the patches!

-- 
David Smith
dsmith@redhat.com
Red Hat
http://www.redhat.com
256.217.0141 (direct)
256.837.0057 (fax)