# Managing segfaults with gecko/webkit **URL:** \ **Category:** Ruby-Gnome 2\ **Created:** [April 21, 2009, 12:07pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/managing-segfaults-with-gecko-webkit/166056 "2009-04-21T12:07:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 3\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Andrew\_SSTownley](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/a/d07c76/32.png) [@Andrew\_SSTownley](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/Andrew_SSTownley)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2009, 12:07pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/managing-segfaults-with-gecko-webkit/166056/1 "2009-04-21T12:07:03Z")
Hi Folks, I’ve been fighting this issue for some time now, and I’ve been reading all of the recent posts regarding how Ruby’s threading model can fight with other “real” threads due to stack corruption. However, I see random crashes when I’m using embedded browsers (gecko or webkit) in my application. I’m guessing that it has to do with the fact that my callbacks might be triggered while some of the browser’s own threads are still operating (I’m not doing anything tricky, just handling nearly every signal). I’ve been meaning to try and dig into this issue a bit more to see if I can come up with a better threading solution, but I haven’t gotten the time. However, it’s _extremely_ annoying, and it is certainly something that would keep this application from being ready for prime time. Has anyone else observed this behavior and/or does anyone have any suggestions as to how to try and keep it from happening? excalibur$ ruby -v ruby 1.8.6 (2007-09-24 patchlevel 111) [x86\_64-linux] I’m using a relatively recent WebKit build (from a couple of weeks ago), and the versions of the gecko development libs current with Ubuntu 8.0.4 with ruby-gnome2 that’s been built from source. Thanks in advance for any ideas or info. Cheers, ## ast Andrew S. Townley [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) [http://atownley.org](http://atownley.org) ---
**Author:** ![Andrew\_SSTownley](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/a/d07c76/32.png) [@Andrew\_SSTownley](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/Andrew_SSTownley)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2009, 12:08pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/managing-segfaults-with-gecko-webkit/166056/2 "2009-04-23T12:08:54Z")
On Tue, Apr 21, 2009 at 11:45 AM, Andrew S. Townley [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote: > handling nearly every signal). > If you mean that gecko or webkit may trigger callbacks of your > application not from the main ruby thread, and you call some ruby-gtk > functions from these callbacks, then you need to change that behaviour > and make sure the ruby-gtk functions are call from the main ruby > thread. If your gtk callbacks are called while some unrelated threads of gecko or webkit are doing some job, it should not create problems. – Guillaume C. - [Guillaume Cottenceau](http://zarb.org/~gc/) ---
**Author:** ![Andrew\_SSTownley](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/a/d07c76/32.png) [@Andrew\_SSTownley](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/Andrew_SSTownley)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2009, 12:57pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/managing-segfaults-with-gecko-webkit/166056/3 "2009-04-24T12:57:56Z")
On Thu, 2009-04-23 at 12:07 +0200, Guillaume C. wrote: > > threads are still operating (I’m not doing anything tricky, just > > handling nearly every signal). > > If you mean that gecko or webkit may trigger callbacks of your > application not from the main ruby thread, and you call some ruby-gtk > functions from these callbacks, then you need to change that behaviour > and make sure the ruby-gtk functions are call from the main ruby > thread. In theory, this shouldn’t be possible. All of the callback routines use the Gtk.queue approach to try and do exactly what you say. That’s part of the reason that I’m so frustrated… > If your gtk callbacks are called while some unrelated threads of gecko > or webkit are doing some job, it should not create problems. That’s the behavior I’d expect. Admittedly, I’m kinda grasping at straws here because I’ve tried to ensure that I’ve followed all the guidelines for threading using GTK that I could, but I still get occasional segfaults. It doesn’t happen with any predictable way, which is why I’m guessing there’s some sort of threading issues at work here. At the moment, I’m in the process of refactoring the application to once again attempt to ensure things are playing by the rules and do some general clean-ups, so maybe I’ll fix it by “accident”, but I doubt it. Thanks for the suggestions. Cheers, ## ast Andrew S. Townley [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) [http://atownley.org](http://atownley.org)