Issue #4711 - Rewrite legacy thread facilities

src/Scheduler.h

+/*
+ * This file is part of Adblock Plus <https://adblockplus.org/>,
+ * Copyright (C) 2006-2016 Eyeo GmbH
+ *
+ * Adblock Plus is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
+ * it under the terms of the GNU General Public License version 3 as
+ * published by the Free Software Foundation.
+ *
+ * Adblock Plus is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+ * but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+ * MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+ * GNU General Public License for more details.
+ *
+ * You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+ * along with Adblock Plus.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+ */
+
+#if !defined(ADBLOCKPLUS_SCHEDULER_H)
+#define ADBLOCKPLUS_SCHEDULER_H
+
+#include <memory>
+#include <functional>
+
+namespace AdblockPlus
+{
+  /*
+   * Adapter class for heap allocated function objects
+   *
+   * The legacy behavior of the original threading regime combined task life
+   * cycle and execution. Previously, tasks were allocated by the user and 
+   * deleted at the end of execution internally. This adapter class allows
+   * separation of these concerns. It allows the legacy allocation behavior 
+   * without burdening the new scheduler with any concern over task life cycle.
+   */
+  template<class T>
+  class HeapFunction
+  {
+    std::shared_ptr<T> body;
+
+  public:
+    HeapFunction(std::shared_ptr<T> body)
+      :body(body)
+    {}
+
+    void operator()()
+    {
+      if (body)
+      {
+        body->operator()();
+      }
+    }
+  };
+
+  /*
+   * Utility function uses type inference to simplify expressions at point of use.
+   */
+  template<class T>
+  HeapFunction<T> MakeHeapFunction(std::shared_ptr<T> body)

[sergei, 2017/01/16 14:50:13]

It seems it can be achieved in a simpler way, e.g.

template<T>
std::function<void()> MakeHeapFunction(const std::shared_ptr<T>& obj) {
  return !!obj ? [obj]{ (*obj)(); } : function<void()>();
}

However, it's difficult to find a good name, so we can choose whatever.

[Eric, 2017/01/16 15:20:16]

Later on, the type HeapFunction gets used explicitly.

And later than that HeapFunction and MakeHeapFunction go away entirely. They're
only used with detached threads, and those have been eliminated.

[hub, 2017/05/12 14:45:39]

If this is needed for something we want to remove, why the change? You can still
enforce the "single use" semantics with the move semantics and unique_ptr<>.
(based on how it is used in this changeset)

+  {
+    return HeapFunction<T>(body);
+  }
+
+  /*
+   * Scheduler for the execution of tasks.
+   *
+   * The present version is nothing more than a rewrite of the legacy behavior,
+   *   which was to create a new thread for each task.
+   */
+  class Scheduler
+  {
+  public:
+    /*
+     * Execute a task immediately in a thread created for this task only
+     */
+    static void StartImmediatelyInSingleUseThread(std::function<void()> task);

[sergei, 2017/01/16 14:50:13]

It would be better to use const reference here.

[Eric, 2017/01/16 15:20:16]

It's a transient function. We can change it, but it's make-work. It's already
eliminated in later change.

[hub, 2017/05/12 14:45:39]

Here we could just take a std::unique_ptr<T>&& as a parameter, and what's above
is no longer needed. (T is a template parameter, since there is no more base
class of the "task")

+  };
+}
+#endif