Re: Libraries using longjmp for error handling

From	Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk>
Newsgroups	comp.lang.c
Subject	Re: Libraries using longjmp for error handling
Date	2023-10-01 20:49 +0100
Organization	A noiseless patient Spider
Message-ID	<874jjaced5.fsf@bsb.me.uk> (permalink)
References	(9 earlier) <86cyy0fee5.fsf@linuxsc.com> <87ttrbclcj.fsf@bsb.me.uk> <86r0mfdng1.fsf@linuxsc.com> <87il7qcsfz.fsf@bsb.me.uk> <86ediee28o.fsf@linuxsc.com>

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Tim Rentsch <tr.17687@z991.linuxsc.com> writes:

> Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> writes:
>
>> Tim Rentsch <tr.17687@z991.linuxsc.com> writes:
>>
>>> Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> writes:
>>>
>>>> Tim Rentsch <tr.17687@z991.linuxsc.com> writes:
>>>>
>>>>> Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> writes:
>>>>>
>>>>>> Tim Rentsch <tr.17687@z991.linuxsc.com> writes:
>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> writes:
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> [..how should errors be handled..]
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> How would you prefer these sorts of thing to be signalled?
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Let me give just one example.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> I wrote some code not long ago to add a value to a set of values,
>>>>>>> where the set is represented using a recursive binary tree structure
>>>>>>> (like red-black trees, but a little different).  Usually we may
>>>>>>> expect that a request to add a value would offer a value not already
>>>>>>> included in the set, but certainly it can happen that there is a
>>>>>>> call to add a value that is already included, in which case the top
>>>>>>> level return value should be the original tree structure.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> I thought it would be easier to write a simple recursive routine
>>>>>>> that assumes the to-be-added value is not yet included in the set,
>>>>>>> and if that assumption is violated raise an exception that is caught
>>>>>>> at the outermost level and simply returns the original argument tree
>>>>>>> value.  Certainly the code could have been written to handle the
>>>>>>> already-present situation at each level of the recursion, but it was
>>>>>>> much easier and much cleaner to handle it by raising an exception.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> This is one of those cases where I just have to take your word for it,
>>>>>> (and I am happy to do that).
>>>>>
>>>>> Responding here to just this one part.
>>>>>
>>>>> Here is a simpler version of the code, for an ordinary
>>>>> binary tree, and without any rebalancing:
>>>>>
>>>>>   module TreeSet = struct
>>>>>     type 'a treeset = Empty | Node of 'a treeset * 'a * 'a treeset
>>>>>     exception Present
>>>>>
>>>>>     let add tree element =
>>>>>       let rec add t e =
>>>>>         match t with
>>>>>         | Empty -> Node( Empty, e, Empty )
>>>>>         | Node( a, v, b ) ->
>>>>>             if  e < v  then  Node( add a e, v, b       )  else
>>>>>             if  e > v  then  Node( a,       v, add b e )  else
>>>>>             raise Present
>>>>>       in
>>>>>       try  add tree element  with  Present -> tree
>>>>>
>>>>>   end
>>>>
>>>> I'm not getting it.  I'd write 'else t' rather than 'else raise
>>>> Present' and I could then do away with the wrapping 'add' function.
>>>
>>> Doing that would result in returning a valid tree, but it would also
>>> needlessly replicate all nodes starting from the point where the
>>> match was found and going up to the root.  The consequence is more
>>> cycles used and more demand on the memory allocator.
>>
>> How can OCaml avoid making the allocations until it knows the exception
>> won't be raised?  Are they not all still being done?
>
> No, no allocations are done if the to-be-added element is found
> (and so an exception is raised).  Consider one of the lines where a
> Node is being constructed (which is synonymous with an allocation
> occurring):
>
>      if  e < v  then  Node( add a e, v, b       )  else
>
> The call to the Node() constructor doesn't take place until the
> recursive call to 'add' returns.  But if an equal value is found,
> then an exception is raised, and the call to 'add' does not /ever/
> return.  No return from 'add' means no Node() is constructed.

Ah, yes.  I was thinking in a lazy language (Haskell) whilst looking at
code in a strict one.

-- 
Ben.

Thread

Libraries using longjmp for error handling (was: Re: More on NNTP testing) Blue-Maned_Hawk <bluemanedhawk@invalid.invalid> - 2023-09-27 22:52 +0000
  Re: Libraries using longjmp for error handling (was: Re: More on NNTP testing) Johann 'Myrkraverk' Oskarsson <johann@myrkraverk.invalid> - 2023-09-28 08:19 +0800
    Re: Libraries using longjmp for error handling Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2023-09-28 02:18 +0100
      Re: Libraries using longjmp for error handling Blue-Maned_Hawk <bluemanedhawk@invalid.invalid> - 2023-09-28 22:30 +0000
        Re: Libraries using longjmp for error handling scott@slp53.sl.home (Scott Lurndal) - 2023-09-28 22:33 +0000
          Re: Libraries using longjmp for error handling Anton Shepelev <anton.txt@gmail.moc> - 2023-09-29 01:41 +0300
            Re: Libraries using longjmp for error handling scott@slp53.sl.home (Scott Lurndal) - 2023-09-28 23:45 +0000
          Re: Libraries using longjmp for error handling Keith Thompson <Keith.S.Thompson+u@gmail.com> - 2023-09-28 17:35 -0700
            Re: Libraries using longjmp for error handling David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2023-09-29 16:49 +0200
      Re: Libraries using longjmp for error handling Tim Rentsch <tr.17687@z991.linuxsc.com> - 2023-09-28 18:24 -0700
        Re: Libraries using longjmp for error handling Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2023-09-29 03:19 +0100
          Re: Libraries using longjmp for error handling Tim Rentsch <tr.17687@z991.linuxsc.com> - 2023-09-29 07:46 -0700
            Re: Libraries using longjmp for error handling Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2023-09-29 21:02 +0100
              Re: Libraries using longjmp for error handling Tim Rentsch <tr.17687@z991.linuxsc.com> - 2023-09-29 21:56 -0700
                Re: Libraries using longjmp for error handling Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2023-10-01 00:06 +0100
                Re: Libraries using longjmp for error handling Tim Rentsch <tr.17687@z991.linuxsc.com> - 2023-09-30 20:35 -0700
                Re: Libraries using longjmp for error handling Anton Shepelev <anton.txt@gmail.moc> - 2023-10-01 14:44 +0300
                Re: Libraries using longjmp for error handling Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2023-10-01 15:45 +0100
                Re: Libraries using longjmp for error handling Tim Rentsch <tr.17687@z991.linuxsc.com> - 2023-10-01 09:28 -0700
                Re: Libraries using longjmp for error handling Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2023-10-01 20:49 +0100
                Re: Libraries using longjmp for error handling Tim Rentsch <tr.17687@z991.linuxsc.com> - 2023-10-02 02:31 -0700
                Re: Libraries using longjmp for error handling Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2023-10-02 23:55 +0100
                Re: Libraries using longjmp for error handling Tim Rentsch <tr.17687@z991.linuxsc.com> - 2023-10-03 05:01 -0700
            Re: Libraries using longjmp for error handling Anton Shepelev <anton.txt@gmail.moc> - 2023-09-29 23:58 +0300
              Re: Libraries using longjmp for error handling Tim Rentsch <tr.17687@z991.linuxsc.com> - 2023-10-01 02:52 -0700
                Re: Libraries using longjmp for error handling Anton Shepelev <anton.txt@gmail.moc> - 2023-10-01 14:33 +0300
  Re: Libraries using longjmp for error handling Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2023-09-28 01:48 +0100
  Re: Libraries using longjmp for error handling (was: Re: More on NNTP testing) Kaz Kylheku <864-117-4973@kylheku.com> - 2023-09-28 05:11 +0000
    Re: Libraries using longjmp for error handling (was: Re: More on NNTP testing) Kaz Kylheku <864-117-4973@kylheku.com> - 2023-09-28 06:26 +0000
  Re: Libraries using longjmp for error handling (was: Re: More on NNTP testing) Anton Shepelev <anton.txt@gmail.moc> - 2023-09-28 16:02 +0300
    Re: Libraries using longjmp for error handling Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2023-09-28 14:44 +0100
      Re: Libraries using longjmp for error handling Anton Shepelev <anton.txt@gmail.moc> - 2023-09-28 18:31 +0300
        Re: Libraries using longjmp for error handling Kaz Kylheku <864-117-4973@kylheku.com> - 2023-09-28 16:43 +0000
          Re: Libraries using longjmp for error handling scott@slp53.sl.home (Scott Lurndal) - 2023-09-28 17:00 +0000
            Re: Libraries using longjmp for error handling Kaz Kylheku <864-117-4973@kylheku.com> - 2023-09-28 17:16 +0000
            Re: Libraries using longjmp for error handling Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2023-09-28 19:38 +0100
          Re: Libraries using longjmp for error handling Tim Rentsch <tr.17687@z991.linuxsc.com> - 2023-09-28 16:05 -0700
            Re: Libraries using longjmp for error handling Kaz Kylheku <864-117-4973@kylheku.com> - 2023-09-29 00:26 +0000
              Re: Libraries using longjmp for error handling Tim Rentsch <tr.17687@z991.linuxsc.com> - 2023-09-28 23:20 -0700
            Re: Libraries using longjmp for error handling Keith Thompson <Keith.S.Thompson+u@gmail.com> - 2023-09-28 18:31 -0700
              Re: Libraries using longjmp for error handling Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2023-09-29 03:24 +0100
                Re: Libraries using longjmp for error handling Kaz Kylheku <864-117-4973@kylheku.com> - 2023-09-29 03:12 +0000
              Re: Libraries using longjmp for error handling Tim Rentsch <tr.17687@z991.linuxsc.com> - 2023-09-28 22:45 -0700
                Re: Libraries using longjmp for error handling Spiros Bousbouras <spibou@gmail.com> - 2023-09-29 12:02 +0000
                Re: Libraries using longjmp for error handling Tim Rentsch <tr.17687@z991.linuxsc.com> - 2023-09-29 08:10 -0700
                Re: Libraries using longjmp for error handling Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2023-09-29 17:03 +0100
                Re: Libraries using longjmp for error handling Tim Rentsch <tr.17687@z991.linuxsc.com> - 2023-09-29 10:15 -0700
                Re: Libraries using longjmp for error handling gazelle@shell.xmission.com (Kenny McCormack) - 2023-09-29 17:17 +0000
                Re: Libraries using longjmp for error handling Kaz Kylheku <864-117-4973@kylheku.com> - 2023-09-29 18:53 +0000
                Re: Libraries using longjmp for error handling Anton Shepelev <anton.txt@gmail.moc> - 2023-09-29 18:11 +0300
                Re: Libraries using longjmp for error handling Tim Rentsch <tr.17687@z991.linuxsc.com> - 2023-09-29 10:20 -0700
                Re: Libraries using longjmp for error handling Keith Thompson <Keith.S.Thompson+u@gmail.com> - 2023-09-29 11:30 -0700
                Re: Libraries using longjmp for error handling Kaz Kylheku <864-117-4973@kylheku.com> - 2023-09-29 18:31 +0000
        Re: Libraries using longjmp for error handling Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2023-09-28 19:27 +0100
          Re: Libraries using longjmp for error handling Kaz Kylheku <864-117-4973@kylheku.com> - 2023-09-28 20:24 +0000
            Re: Libraries using longjmp for error handling Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2023-09-28 22:23 +0100
              Re: Libraries using longjmp for error handling Tim Rentsch <tr.17687@z991.linuxsc.com> - 2023-09-28 15:43 -0700
              Re: Libraries using longjmp for error handling Kaz Kylheku <864-117-4973@kylheku.com> - 2023-09-28 23:11 +0000
                Re: Libraries using longjmp for error handling Anton Shepelev <anton.txt@gmail.moc> - 2023-09-29 17:23 +0300
                Re: Libraries using longjmp for error handling Tim Rentsch <tr.17687@z991.linuxsc.com> - 2023-09-29 08:19 -0700
        Re: Libraries using longjmp for error handling David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2023-09-28 21:57 +0200
  Re: Libraries using longjmp for error handling Richard Kettlewell <invalid@invalid.invalid> - 2023-09-30 09:37 +0100

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