Thread starvation

Hello,

In my game freeVikings [http://freevikings.sf.net] I have code listed
below.
It uses threads and sometimes problem known as “thread starvation”
occurs.
Does anyone know some solution?
(A more detailed description is under the code listing.)


def do_loading(&block)
Thread.abort_on_exception = true

load_t = Thread.new {
Thread.current.priority = 1
Thread.stop

block.call

}

progressbar_t = Thread.new {
Thread.current.priority = 2
load_t.run

loop {
  paint_loading_screen @app_window, true
  sleep 0.3
}

}

load_t.join
Thread.kill progressbar_t
end

It’s an instance method of class Game and is used in this way:
a_game.do_loading {

load something here

}

Purpose of this method is to show a simple progressbar while doing some
long-lasting operation (e.g. loading new level).

It creates two threads: load_t, in which given block is executed
and progressbar_t, which regularly calls Game#paint_loading_screen
(method, which repaints loading screen with progressbar).

Thread progressbar_t has higher priority, because I need it to be called
often and not to e.g. wait for load_t’s end.

Unfortunatelly from time to time Thread load_t is somehow “suspended” -
progressbar shows progress on and on, but nothing happens.
I think it’s a case of so called “thread starvation” and would be very
glad
to know how to avoid it.

Thank you very much.

Jakub Pavlik


“Configure complete, now type ‘make’ and PRAY.”

            (configure script of zsnes - www.zsnes.com)

On 18.01.2009 19:04, Jakub Pavlík jn. wrote:

(method, which repaints loading screen with progressbar).

Thread progressbar_t has higher priority, because I need it to be called
often and not to e.g. wait for load_t’s end.

Unfortunatelly from time to time Thread load_t is somehow “suspended” -
progressbar shows progress on and on, but nothing happens.
I think it’s a case of so called “thread starvation” and would be very glad
to know how to avoid it.

I guess this depends on what you do in “block”. It’s difficult to
analyze this without having all the information…

Can you provide more detail?

Cheers

robert

def do_loading(&block)
Thread.current.priority = 2
end
It creates two threads: load_t, in which given block is executed

remember.guy do |as, often| as.you_can - without end

Method do_loading is used for two purposes:

  1. loading of a world:
    code in the block goes through a tree of directories and in each
    reads
    a XML file
  2. loading of a level:
    two XML files (level description & map data created in Tiled) +
    one ruby script (which often requires many others) are loaded from a
    given directory, many graphics are loaded and huge SDL surfaces are
    built

Thread starvation usually occurs in the second case.

Jakub


“Configure complete, now type ‘make’ and PRAY.”

            (configure script of zsnes - www.zsnes.com)

2009/1/19 Jakub Pavlík jn. [email protected]:

def do_loading(&block)
Thread.current.priority = 2
end
It creates two threads: load_t, in which given block is executed

two XML files (level description & map data created in Tiled) +
one ruby script (which often requires many others) are loaded from a
given directory, many graphics are loaded and huge SDL surfaces are built

Thread starvation usually occurs in the second case.

This is still pretty vague IMHO. Did you try to trace execution via
set_trace_func? That might help.

Cheers

robert