[THRIFT-1361] Optional replacement of pthread by boost::thread

• Type: Improvement
• Status: Closed
• Priority: Minor
• Resolution: Fixed
• Affects Version/s: 0.8
• Fix Version/s: 0.8
• Component/s: C++ - Library
• Labels: patch

Environment

Linux and Windows

• Assignee: alexandre parenteau
• Reporter: alexandre parenteau
• Created: 26/Sep/11 00:13
• Updated: 16/Nov/11 19:24
• Resolved: 06/Nov/11 11:30

Description

What it is:

• an experimental alternative to using pthread in Thrift, by using boost::thread and boost::interprocess instead (--enable-boostthreads)
• a way for thrift clients already depending on boost::thread to blend better with thrift
• a solution to the Windows problem of having to link with ASF incompatible license of pthread_win32 (GPL), add more servers and transports to WIN32 (pooled, file, pipe...), and allow for a 64bits WIN32. See THRIFT-1031 for details.

What it is NOT:

• a replacement for the POSIX thread version of thrift: the POSIX pthread version has more features, and is probably more stable/mature. This feature is turned off by default by configure
• a mature code: it has been really lightly tested, and is aimed primarily at the WIN32 platform

New dependencies:

• if --enable-boostthreads is provided, libthrift.so will link with shared libboost_thread.so (cannot work with libboost_thread.a AFAIK). This forces in effect Thrift to use a version of boost compiled with "./bjam link=shared"

Bugs/Testing:

• ./TestServer --server-type=thread-pool: PASS
• ./TestServer --server-type=threaded: PASS
• TFileTransportTest::test_destructor: FAILS: could not tell whether this is because I'm using a slow (virtual) machine (as pointed by the test comment)
• Tested on Ubuntu/Windows, boost 1.44, libevent 2.0.14: however did not change the vc10 project files, because of potential conflict with on going THRIFT-1031
• It is now possible to include more servers/transports to Win32, and also remove all pthread_win32 dependencies

Related JIRA:

• THRIFT-1031: Windows port

Side notes:

• there are minor corrections inside PosixThreadFactory for all platforms ("started" vs "starting"...), so that Win32 port also works with pthread_win32
• TFileTransport has been enhanced to use the existing Mutex and Monitor abstractions
• a minor fix in TSocket.cpp prevents verbose error, WIN32 only
• minor enhancement by using WSAPoll if available, WIN32 only
• on msvc10 and boost 1.44, there is a problem deep inside boost::interprocess: boost/interprocess/detail/move.hpp needs to be patched:

index 31d108f..42aa227 100644
--- a/boost/interprocess/detail/move.hpp
+++ b/boost/interprocess/detail/move.hpp
@@ -339,7 +339,7 @@ rvalue_reference move (input_reference);
 #else
 template <class T> inline
 typename remove_reference<T>::type&& move(T&& t)
-{  return t;   }
+{  return static_cast<typename remove_reference<T>::type &&>(t);   }
 #endif

Please let me know of any questions, testing help appreciated (./configure --enable-boostthreads). This is an important change for our company, to get a Windows port of Thrift more on par with Linux features.