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Diffstat (limited to 'src/libcamera/thread.cpp')
| -rw-r--r-- | src/libcamera/thread.cpp | 84 |
1 files changed, 84 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/src/libcamera/thread.cpp b/src/libcamera/thread.cpp index fe32cd67..38e01771 100644 --- a/src/libcamera/thread.cpp +++ b/src/libcamera/thread.cpp @@ -20,6 +20,90 @@ #include "message.h" /** + * \page thread Thread Support + * + * libcamera supports multi-threaded applications through a threading model that + * sets precise rules to guarantee thread-safe usage of the API. Additionally, + * libcamera makes internal use of threads, and offers APIs that simplify + * interactions with application threads. Careful compliance with the threading + * model will ensure avoidance of race conditions. + * + * \section thread-objects Threads and Objects + * + * Instances of the Object class and all its derived classes are thread-aware + * and are bound to the thread they are created in. They are said to *live* in + * a thread, and they interact with the event loop of their thread for the + * purpose of message passing and signal delivery. Messages posted to the + * object with Object::postMessage() will be delivered from the event loop of + * the thread that the object lives in. Signals delivered to the object, unless + * explicitly connected with ConnectionTypeDirect, will also be delivered from + * the object thread's event loop. + * + * All Object instances created by libcamera are bound to an internal thread, + * and applications don't need to provide an event loop to support them. Object + * instances created by applications require an event loop. It is the + * responsibility of applications to provide that event loop, either explicitly + * through CameraManager::setEventDispatcher(), or by running the default event + * loop provided by CameraManager::eventDispatcher() in their main thread. The + * main thread of an application is the one that calls CameraManager::start(). + * + * \section thread-signals Threads and Signals + * + * When sent to a receiver that does not inherit from the Object class, signals + * are delivered synchronously in the thread of the sender. When the receiver + * inherits from the Object class, delivery is by default asynchronous if the + * sender and receiver live in different threads. In that case, the signal is + * posted to the receiver's message queue and will be delivered from the + * receiver's event loop, running in the receiver's thread. This mechanism can + * be overridden by selecting a different connection type when calling + * Signal::connect(). + * + * Asynchronous signal delivery is used internally in libcamera, but is also + * available to applications if desired. To use this feature, applications + * shall create receiver classes that inherit from the Object class, and + * provide an event loop to the CameraManager as explained above. Note that + * Object instances created by the application are limited to living in the + * application's main thread. Creating Object instances from another thread of + * an application causes undefined behaviour. + * + * \section thread-reentrancy Reentrancy and Thread-Safety + * + * Through the documentation, several terms are used to define how classes and + * their member functions can be used from multiple threads. + * + * - A **reentrant** function may be called simultaneously from multiple + * threads if and only if each invocation uses a different instance of the + * class. This is the default for all member functions not explictly marked + * otherwise. + * + * - \anchor thread-safe A **thread-safe** function may be called + * simultaneously from multiple threads on the same instance of a class. A + * thread-safe function is thus reentrant. Thread-safe functions may also be + * called simultaneously with any other reentrant function of the same class + * on the same instance. + * + * - \anchor thread-bound A **thread-bound** function may be called only from + * the thread that the class instances lives in (see section \ref + * thread-objects). For instances of classes that do not derive from the + * Object class, this is the thread in which the instance was created. A + * thread-bound function is not thread-safe, and may or may not be reentrant. + * + * Neither reentrancy nor thread-safety, in this context, mean that a function + * may be called simultaneously from the same thread, for instance from a + * callback invoked by the function. This may deadlock and isn't allowed unless + * separately documented. + * + * A class is defined as reentrant, thread-safe or thread-bound if all its + * member functions are reentrant, thread-safe or thread-bound respectively. + * Some member functions may additionally be documented as having additional + * thread-related attributes. + * + * Most classes are reentrant but not thread-safe, as making them fully + * thread-safe would incur locking costs considered prohibitive for the + * expected use cases. + */ + +/** * \file thread.h * \brief Thread support */ |