[PD-announce] threadlib

[Georg Holzmann]

Hallo!

threadlib is a library for threaded patching and threaded PD externals
heavily based on pd_devel code by Tim Blechmann (his detach/join for 
pd_devel)

you can get it there (also binaries):
http://grh.mur.at/software/threadlib.html
or in cvs ...

LG
Georg

PS: README file:

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PD objects for threaded patching:
- detach	run part of the patch in a helper thread
- join		synchronize messages to pd's main thread
- sleep		blocks the system for a specific time
- threadedsf	modified threaded soundfiler from pd_devel_0.38

WARNING:
these objects (especially detach/join) are very experimental and may
crash your patches if you use them in the wrong way, because some
externals/internals are not threadsafe!

Features for PD external programmers:
- lockfree FIFO from pd_devel
- callback system like in pd_devel:
     Instead of the idle callbacks, which are not really useable
     in current main pd, it uses clock callbacks
- USAGE: you have to link your externals against threadlib
          (see sndfiler as an example)
- ADVANTAGES: so it's possible to write threaded externals
          for main and devel pd with the same source code
          (using the lockfree FIFO and sys_callback)

Many thanks to Tim Blechmann for his code and help!

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detach:
Detach is working on control objects only, creates a helper thread
and runs all functions of the following objects in this helper thread.
If a message from that thread reaches a join object a callback for
running the outlet function will be placed in the scheduler and run in
the next scheduler loop - so you can synchronize the message with pd's
main thread again.
Detach is useful if you have a control operation that would be too
CPU-intensive and would disturb dsp.

join:
The message to the inlet will be sent to the outlet during the
next clock callback of the scheduler. It doesn't matter, which thread
the message was coming from. Messages from the main pd thread will be
rescheduled.
Join can be used everywhere, where a message has to be rescheduled, this
is also useful to place behind any threaded external calling the outlet
functions from the helper thread, to make sure the following messages
are being run in the main pd thread.

!!! WARNING: !!!
detach/join provide the possibility of threaded patching.
beware of the risks:
- not every pd object is thread-safe (if unsure, look at the source
code or ask at the pd-list or me)
- pd is not completely thread-safe itself
- everything that is triggered by the detached message will be
detached. don't mix threaded and non-threaded message paths unless you
know what you are doing. use the join external to synchronize with the
main pd thread!!!!
- if detach/join crashes pd during a performance, don't complain ...
- both detach and join have an overhead ... so only use them, if you
really need threaded patching, e.g. have a subpatch that has to run for
quite some time and would interrupt audio or something else