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To: python-list@python.org
From: =?UTF-8?Q?Florian_R=c3=bcchel?= <florian.ruechel.pythonlist@inexplicity.de>
Subject: Segmentation Fault with multiple interpreters
Date: Mon, 29 Jun 2015 22:43:19 +0200
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Hey there,

I'm not sure this is the correct list considering the level of internal
Python knowledge it likely requires. If I should take this to another
list, please let me know.

I have written an application that links against libpython and starts
multiple interpreters within one thread. Beyond that it actually links
against libpython2.7 *and* libpython3.4 (though I doubt that makes a
difference here). In addition to launching my own interpreters I created
a custom C module that can be called from Python (and will be loaded
during my own init function).

The problem is a bit weird and not easy to reproduce. There are two
types of behaviors launched, both running the same C code but diverting
during interpreter runtime. The problem happens only if I start 8
instances of type A and at least one of type B. All instances of type A
start before any instance of type B starts. On the first start of tpye B
the program segfaults. Decreasing the number to 7 yields normal execution.

I could now go along and post a lot of code here and explain the complex
setup but I think it is much more helpful if I can get hints on how to
debug this myself. An excerpt of the traceback (full can be found here:
http://pastebin.com/unAaG6qi)

#0  0x00007f922096cd6a in visit_decref (op=0x7f921d801518
<__hoisted_globals+216>, data=0x0) at Modules/gcmodule.c:360
#1  0x00007f92208aadf2 in meth_traverse (m=0x7f921d4f0d40,
visit=0x7f922096cd52 <visit_decref>, arg=0x0) at Objects/methodobject.c:166
#2  0x00007f922096ce2c in subtract_refs (containers=0x7f9220c108e0
<generations+96>) at Modules/gcmodule.c:385
#3  0x00007f922096dac9 in collect (generation=0x2) at Modules/gcmodule.c:925
#4  0x00007f922096de0a in collect_generations () at Modules/gcmodule.c:1050
#5  0x00007f922096e939 in _PyObject_GC_Malloc (basicsize=0x20) at
Modules/gcmodule.c:1511
#6  0x00007f922096e9d9 in _PyObject_GC_NewVar (tp=0x7f9220bf1540
<PyTuple_Type>, nitems=0x1) at Modules/gcmodule.c:1531
#7  0x00007f92208c7681 in PyTuple_New (size=0x1) at Objects/tupleobject.c:90
...
#58 0x00007f9220953ff7 in initsite () at Python/pythonrun.c:726
#59 0x00007f9220953d94 in Py_NewInterpreter () at Python/pythonrun.c:621
#60 0x00007f921d60024b in prepare_interpreter (argc=0x9, argv=0x387ee70,
m=0x3861e80) at
/home/javex/Thesis/src/shadow-plugin-extras/python/src/python.c:19
#61 0x00007f921d5ff925 in python_new (argc=0x9, argv=0x387ee70,
log=0x421420 <_thread_interface_log>) at
/home/javex/Thesis/src/shadow-plugin-extras/python/src/python.c:160

with the exact point of segfault being this:

355     /* A traversal callback for subtract_refs. */
356     static int
357     visit_decref(PyObject *op, void *data)
358     {
359         assert(op != NULL);
360         if (PyObject_IS_GC(op)) { <---- segfault here
361             PyGC_Head *gc = AS_GC(op);
362             /* We're only interested in gc_refs for objects in the
363              * generation being collected, which can be recognized
364              * because only they have positive gc_refs.

With "op" being:
gdb$ print *op
$4 = {ob_refcnt = 0x1, ob_type = 0x0}

Now I vaguely remember having seen this error before. It *might* have
been that I was passing back Py_None without increasing its reference
(but it later being decref'ed). That case is now solved and I don't
return Py_None at another place.

So the big question is: How do I find out what is happening here? From
what I can gather it looks like GC is cleaning up so I guess I have a
refcount wrong. But which? Where? Can I debug this?

If you think this might help in any case, my source code is also
available:
https://github.com/Javex/shadow-plugin-extras/tree/master/python/src
Here the files python-logging.c, python.c and python-plugin.c are in use
with python.c having most of the magic and python-logging.c being my own
module. Beyond that there's only python code, no more C of my own.

Thanks in advance for any help you can provide. Kind regards,
Florian