Lua Lanes with MemoryEx

[Shrek]

actually I'm getting 'AllocateEx' is a nil value now and its pointing to my side of the code here:

local hBuffer = MemoryEx.AllocateEx(1024);

[webultra]

Here is a snippet I made, it's a kind of Event Driven programming implementation:

function setText(txt)
    local t = MemoryEx.Allocate(#txt + 1)
    MemoryEx.String(t, -1, MEMEX_ASCII, txt)
    local y = Bitwise.Or(Bitwise.ASL(0,16),0)
    local x = Bitwise.Or(Bitwise.ASL(0,16),y)
    if User32.SendMessageA(StatusBar.Handle,0x401,x,t) == 0 then
        MemoryEx.Free(t)
        return false, "Can't set text"
    else
        MemoryEx.Free(t)
        return true, "OK"
    end
end

EventManager = {
    addListener = function(eventName, callback)
        if type(EventManager.events[eventName]) == 'nil' then
            EventManager.events[eventName] = {}
        end
        table.insert(EventManager.events[eventName], callback);
    end,
    events = {},
    trigger = function(eventName, data)
        if type(EventManager.events[eventName]) == 'table' then
            for i, callback in pairs(EventManager.events[eventName]) do
                data = callback(data);
            end
        end
    end,
}

lanes = require "lanes"

EventManager.addListener('setText', setText);

function sendText()
    local dummyText = "Hello world";
    -- Set a timer for this demo function
    local start = os.time();
    while true do
        local diff = os.time() - start;
        if diff >= 10 then
            break;
        end
    end
    EventManager.trigger('setText', dummyText);
    return nil;
end

demoFunction = lanes.gen("*", {globals=_G}, sendText);
demoFunction(); 

Im still don't know why you are putting a setText function inside a lane, I don't have the full code to be in context lol

[Imagine Programming]

Happy new year everyone! Best wishes from the NL

Great to see this thread, I've never actually tested MX and LH modules inside Lanes yet, this is rather interesting!

[webultra]

Eagle, I have installed lua 5.1.5 and lua lanes 3.7 and I was able to load C functions. Since version 3.0, lua lanes no longer copy C functions pointer but it doesn't mean you can't pass it to the new Lane. I tested with lua socket 3.0 module. I don't have a windows pc to test if it works with AMS but here is the code:

socket = require "socket"
lanes = require"lanes".configure() -- This is how lua lanes 3.7 is loaded
function x() socket.sleep(1) print('done') end -- Just a dummy function
y = lanes.gen('*', {globals = _G, required={'socket'}}, x)
y() 

If someone can test it would be great

[Shrek]

Im still don't know why you are putting a setText function inside a lane, I don't have the full code to be in context lol

It was only inside the Lane to see if it worked within it as it never outside it but it don't work either way lol, all it is is using MemoryEx to have custom controls like ComBoBoxEx and ListView but having the Lane dealing with keeping them up to date so not to block the main thread.

[webultra]

I was using the following code on a project using the alien module (you can use it as an example using the user32 dll functions. This code was detecting if there were other application instances running, and sending to it a command arg, just to prevent from opening more than 2 application windows.

--------Globals User32.dll functions using alien module--------
require"alien";
user = alien.load 'user32.dll';
user.SendMessageA:types{ret = "long", abi = 'stdcall', "int", "int", "long", "pointer"};
user.EnumChildWindows:types{ret = "long", abi = 'stdcall', "int", "callback", "pointer"};
function SendTo(nHandle, sMessage)
    local SetText = user.SendMessageA;
    local a = SetText(nHandle, 12, 0, sMessage);
    SetText(nHandle, 256, 13, 0);
end
function GetFrom(nHandle)
    local GetText = user.SendMessageA;
    local buf = alien.buffer(512);
    local a = GetText(nHandle, 13, 512, buf);
    return a, buf:tostring();--Length, string
end
function EnumChildAndSend(n)
    local eee = user.EnumChildWindows;
    eee(n, hwnd_callback, nil);
end
function each_hwnd (hwnd,p)
    local a,b = GetFrom(hwnd);
    if b == "receiver" then
        SendTo(hwnd, cmd)
    end
    return 1;
end
hwnd_callback = alien.callback(each_hwnd,{"int","pointer",abi="stdcall"});

-----On Startup
local tP = Window.EnumerateTitles(true);
if tP then
    for handle, title in pairs(tP) do
        if title == "Generic Updater" then
            if handle ~= Application.GetWndHandle() then
                Window.Restore(handle);
                if _CommandLineArgs and #_CommandLineArgs > 0 then
                    cmd = table.concat(_CommandLineArgs, " ");
                    EnumChildAndSend(handle, cmd)
                end
                os.exit();
            end
        end
    end
end 

An example using the Status bar SetText function could be (untested):

require"alien";
user = alien.load 'user32.dll';
user.SendMessageA:types{ret = "long", abi = 'stdcall', "int", "int", "long", "pointer"};
function SendText(nHandle, sMessage)
    local SetText = user.SendMessageA;
    local a = SetText(nHandle, 1025, 0, sMessage);
end 

[Eagle]

hi dudes lua lanes v3.7.7.0 will work fine with standard modules, however the same issues since
v3.0beta with not loading c pointers and deep user data (Ams tables and functions etc) via _G.

I am when time permits working on a 'filtered' _G table function and other stuff including working
through the source code of Lanes and getting the registering of all _G into the lanes lookup database.

Also attempting to get rid of a few bugs in Lanes v2.2, so will post again if any worthwhile fixes etc

[Shrek]

@Eagle, if you can get MemoryEx passed in to the lane then AMS will reach a whole new level.

[Eagle]

After some _G sleuthing within a lua lane I have come up with several ways to fix MemoryEx plugin not being initialized properly within a lane function,
when the MemoryEx plugin is present in the AMS global state and _G is passed
to the lane call unaltered.

An important note regardless of which method you use:

MemoryEx v2.3 requires access to Ams global tables: Application, String, Table,
_tblErrorMessages and possibly _tblNotificationMessages

so these must be passed to the lane call so they are present in the new state _G
( see method 2 for passing a filtered minimum Ams _G table to a new lane )

Method 1.

prior to your code loading-registering the MemoryEx plugin in a lane main function thread, simply remove MemoryEx plugins 'OOP' tables from the lane Global environment (this assumes you have passed the Ams _G table in the new lane call) :

-- MemoryEx plugin fix (no mods to Ams _G table required) --

	--set AssemblerOOP, LibraryOOP, MemoryExOOP to nil in lane

	AssemblerOOP = nil; LibraryOOP = nil; MemoryExOOP = nil;

        --now load the MemoryEx plugin from any valid path:

        local path = _SourceFolder.."\\Data\\MemoryEx.lmd";	
        local bool, err = pcall(package.loadlib(path, "irPlg_Action_RegisterActions"));

Method 2.

Create a filtered _G table to pass to the new lane call:

-------------_FilterLaneGlobalTable_Min_MemoryEx_Fix_V1()-----------
--[[                                                              --
	Function to enable MemoryEx v2.3 to function as expected      --
	when run within a Lua Lane using Lanes version 2.2.0.1        -- 
	Note: this function fixes MemoryEx functionality within       --
	a running lane if the MemoryEx plugin was loaded at runtime   --
	( or it's functionality registered in Ams Global Table _G )   --
	                                                              --
	example:  _C = _FilterLaneGlobalTable_Min_MemoryEx_Fix_V1()   --
	 (you would then pass the new _C table to a lane)             -- 
	]]
	
	
	local function _FilterLaneGlobalTable_Min_MemoryEx_Fix_V1()
	--compatible with Lua Lanes versions v2x only
	
	local t2 = {};
	
	--cycle input table and apply filters
	
	for k,v in pairs(_G) do
	
		local vt = type(v);
		
		--pass no existing global functions to new table
		if vt ~= 'function' then
		
			--check if table and for minimal required tables:
			
			if vt == 'table' then
				--[[MemoryEx plugin v2.3 requires Ams Global tables: Application, String, Table
					also add Ams error checking tables, Debug, Dialog and _CommandLineArgs
					]]
				
				if k == 'Application' or k == 'String' or k == 'Table'
				   or k == '_tblErrorMessages' or k == '_tblNotificationMessages'
				   or k == 'Debug' or k == 'Dialog' or k == '_CommandLineArgs' then
				   
					t2[k] = v; --add filtered tables only
					
				end
				
			else
			
				--copy the minimum reccommended Ams constants for any 'lane':
								
				local s = String.Mid(k,1,1); --look for underscore _
				
				if s == '_' then
				
					--  _IR_ProductID , _VERSION , _WindowsFolder, _SystemFolder ,
					--   , _ProgramFilesFolder , _DesktopFolder , _DesktopFolderCommon ,
					--  _TempFolder , _SourceDrive , _SourceFolder, _SourceFilename , _LastErrorMessage
				
					t2[k] = v; --add filtered constants only
					
				end
						
			end --table and mimimal constants
							
		end --not a function
				
	end --input table cycle
	
	return t2; --the base filterd table Copy

end
	
------------End of _FilterLaneGlobalTable_Min_MemoryEx_Fix_V1() ----    
--------------------------------------------------------------------

_C = _FilterLaneGlobalTable_Min_MemoryEx_Fix_V1();

(yes many ams functions and methods do not work within a lane using lua lanes v2.2)


hth

SharedMemory previously allocated via code in main Ams state IS accessable via a lane state

[Eagle]

How to load a modules lua script using loadstring

example for initializing Lua Lanes v2.2x without the need for actual lanes.lua present

add this to Globals:

------------------------------------------------------------------
------------Lanes Lua via loadstring -----------------------------

function LanesV2x_Init()

local s_LanesV2Lua = [[

-- modified v2.2.0.1 script to be later lanes and Lua 5.2 compatible
-- module is depricated in lua 5.2 so 'require' will suffice
-- so load to a table and be done with it

local core = assert(require "lua51-lanes");
assert(type(core)=="table");
local lanes = {};
local thread_new = assert(core.thread_new);
local _single= assert(core._single);
local _version= assert(core._version);
local now_secs= assert(core.now_secs);
local wakeup_conv= assert(core.wakeup_conv);
local max_prio= assert(core.max_prio);
-- Cache globals for code that might run under sandboxing 
local assert= assert;
local string_gmatch= assert(string.gmatch);
local select= assert(select);
local type= assert(type);
local pairs= assert(pairs);
local tostring= assert(tostring);
local error= assert(error);

local function WR(str)
    io.stderr:write(str.."\n");
end

local function DUMP(tbl)
    if not tbl then return end
    local str="";
    for k,v in pairs(tbl) do
        str= str..k.."="..tostring(v).."\n";
    end
    WR(str);
end

local valid_libs= {
    ["package"]= true,
    ["table"]= true,
    ["io"]= true,
    ["os"]= true,
    ["string"]= true,
    ["math"]= true,
    ["debug"]= true,
    ["bit32"] = true, -- Lua 5.2 only, ignored silently under 5.1
    --
    ["base"]= true,
    ["coroutine"]= true, -- part of "base" in Lua 5.1
    ["*"]= true
};

local function gen( ... )
    local opt= {};
    local libs= nil;
    local lev= 2;  -- level for errors
    local n= select('#',...);    
    if n==0 then
        error("No parameters!");
    end

    for i=1,n-1 do
        local v= select(i,...);
        if type(v)=="string" then
            libs= libs and libs..","..v or v;
        elseif type(v)=="table" then
            for k,vv in pairs(v) do
                opt[k]= vv;
            end
        elseif v==nil then
            -- skip
        else
            error("Bad parameter: "..tostring(v));
        end
    end

    local func= select(n,...)
    local functype = type(func)
    if functype ~= "function" and functype ~= "string" then
        error("Last parameter not function or string: "..tostring(func));
    end

    if libs then
        for s in string_gmatch(libs, "[%a*]+") do
            if not valid_libs[s] then
                error("Bad library name: "..s);
            end
        end
    end
    
    local prio, cs, g_tbl, packagepath, packagecpath

    for k,v in pairs(opt) do
        if k=="priority" then prio= v
        elseif k=="cancelstep" then cs= (v==true) and 100 or
                                        (v==false) and 0 or 
                                        type(v)=="number" and v or
                                        error("Bad cancelstep: "..tostring(v), lev)
        elseif k=="globals" then g_tbl= v
        elseif k=="packagepath" then packagepath= v
        elseif k=="packagecpath" then packagecpath= v
        elseif k==1 then error("unkeyed option: ".. tostring(v), lev)
        else error("Bad option: ".. tostring(k), lev)
        end
    end
    -- Lane generator    
    return function(...)
              return thread_new(func, libs, cs, prio, g_tbl, packagepath, packagecpath, ...) -- args
           end
end

local linda = core.linda;

---=== Timers ===---
--next three lines from v3x 
local timer = function() error "timers are not active" end
local timer_lane = nil;
local timers = timer;
----------------------
local want_timers = true;
if want_timers then

local timer_gateway= assert(core.timer_gateway);
local TGW_KEY= "(timer control)";
local first_time_key= "first time";

local first_time= timer_gateway:get(first_time_key) == nil
timer_gateway:set(first_time_key,true);
-- Timer lane; initialize only on the first 'require "lanes"' instance (which naturally has 'table' always declared)
if first_time then
    local table_remove= assert(table.remove);
    local table_insert= assert(table.insert);
    local collection= {};

    local function set_timer(linda, key, wakeup_at, period)

        assert(wakeup_at==nil or wakeup_at>0.0);
        assert(period==nil or period>0.0);
        local linda_deep= linda:deep();
        assert(linda_deep);                
        local t1= collection[linda_deep];
        if not t1 then
            t1= {[linda_deep]= linda};
            collection[linda_deep]= t1;
        end    
        if wakeup_at==nil then            
            t1[key]= nil;
            local empty= true;
            for k,_ in pairs(t1) do
                if k~= linda_deep then
                    empty= false; break
                end
            end
            if empty then
                collection[linda_deep]= nil;
            end    
        else                        
            local t2= t1[key];
            if not t2 then
                t2= {}; t1[key]= t2;
            end    
            t2[1]= wakeup_at;
            t2[2]= period;
        end
    end    
    
    local function check_timers()
        local now= now_secs();
        local next_wakeup
        for linda_deep,t1 in pairs(collection) do
            for key,t2 in pairs(t1) do                
                if key==linda_deep then
                    
                else                    
                    local wakeup_at= t2[1];
                    local period= t2[2];                    
                    if wakeup_at <= now then    
                        local linda= t1[linda_deep];
                        assert(linda);    
                        linda:set(key, now);                        
                        if not period then                            
                            t1[key]= nil;
                            wakeup_at= nil;
                        else                                                        
                            repeat
                                wakeup_at= wakeup_at+period;
                            until wakeup_at > now    
                            t2[1]= wakeup_at;
                        end
                    end
                    
                    if wakeup_at and ((not next_wakeup) or (wakeup_at < next_wakeup)) then
                        next_wakeup= wakeup_at;
                    end 
                end
            end
        end
        
        return next_wakeup;
    end
       
    gen( "io,package", {priority=max_prio}, function()
        set_debug_threadname("LanesTimer")
        while true do
            local next_wakeup= check_timers();
            local secs;
            if next_wakeup then
                secs =  next_wakeup - now_secs();
                if secs < 0 then secs = 0 end
            end
            local linda= timer_gateway:receive(secs, TGW_KEY);
            if linda then
                local key= timer_gateway:receive(0.0, TGW_KEY);
                local wakeup_at= timer_gateway:receive(0.0, TGW_KEY);
                local period= timer_gateway:receive(0.0, TGW_KEY);
                assert(key and wakeup_at and period);
                set_timer(linda, key, wakeup_at, period>0 and period or nil);
            end
        end
    end )()
end

local function timer(linda, key, a, period)

    if a==0.0 then                
        linda:set(key, now_secs());
        if not period or period==0.0 then
            timer_gateway:send(TGW_KEY, linda, key, nil, nil);
            return;
        end
        a= period;
    end

    local wakeup_at= type(a)=="table" and wakeup_conv(a)
                                       or now_secs()+a
    
    timer_gateway:send(TGW_KEY, linda, key, wakeup_at, period);
end

end -- want_timers

local function genlock( linda, key, N )
    linda:limit(key,N);
    linda:set(key,nil);
    
    local function trues(n)
        if n>0 then return true,trues(n-1) end
    end

    return
    function(M)
        if M>0 then            
            linda:send(nil, key, trues(M));
        else
            for i=1,-M do
                linda:receive(key);
            end
        end
    end
end

local function genatomic(linda, key, initial_val)
    linda:limit(key,2);
    linda:set(key,initial_val or 0.0);

    return
    function(diff)        
        linda:send(nil, key, true);
        local val= linda:get(key) + (diff or 1.0);
        linda:set(key, val);
        return val;
    end
end

-- populate the 'lanes' table (modified from v3x and later)

	--lanes.require = assert(core.require, 'core.require')
	lanes.gen = assert(gen, 'gen')
	lanes.linda = assert(core.linda, 'core.linda')
	lanes.cancel_error = assert(core.cancel_error, 'core.cancel_error')
	--lanes.nameof = assert(core.nameof, 'core.nameof')
	lanes.threads = assert(core.threads or function() error "lane tracking is not available" end, 'core.threads') -- core.threads isn't registered if settings.track_lanes is false
	--lanes.set_thread_priority = assert(core.set_thread_priority, 'core.set_thread_priority')
	lanes.timer = assert(timer, 'timer')
	--lanes.timer_lane = assert(timer_lane, 'timer_lane')
	lanes.timers = assert(timers, 'timers')
	lanes.genlock = assert(genlock, 'genlock')
	lanes.now_secs = assert(core.now_secs, 'core.now_secs')
	lanes.genatomic = assert(genatomic, 'genatomic')
	--lanes.configure = nil -- no need to call configure() ever again
	return lanes;

]]

	--load the above lua lanes.lua to globals
	return assert (loadstring(s_LanesV2Lua) () , "load lua lanes failed");

end --func

------------End of Lanes Lua via loadstring function -----------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-----load lua lanes (calls require in the lanes lua string)-----

lanes = LanesV2x_Init(); --the function could be made local global(if local cannot be called from within a lane !))

----------------------------------------------------------------

hth

[Shrek]

^^ thanks for that

[Shrek]

@Eagle [or other Lanes guru], I've been using Lanes for a while and now successfully with MemoryEx but to date all I've been doing is starting a thread and then letting it do what's needed then return some values if needed but now with MemoryEx I'm loading that in a lane along with redefining structures and reopening library's to get things to work as I want and it's getting a bit CPU intensive on a second timer so what I'm wondering is how to open a lane and keep it open while just passing a table to it with info when I need it to process stuff so I need not keep loading modules and plugins, say like so:

MyLaneFunction = function()

--Load MemoryEx.
--Define structures.
--Load library's.

--[[

   1: Do nothing here until the lane receives a message.
   2: Once it's processed the message go back to 1 and wait for another message.

--]]

--Exit if a message is sent to exit.
--Return nothing.

end

[Shrek]

MyLaneFunction = function()

--Load MemoryEx.
--Define structures.
--Load library's.

 while true do
   local c = linda:receive("cmd")
   if c == "exit" then
    TextFile.WriteFromString(_DesktopFolder.."\\test.txt","Exit\n",true)
    break
   elseif c and (type(c) == "table") then
    TextFile.WriteFromString(_DesktopFolder.."\\test.txt","Test\n",true)
   end
 end

--Exit if a message is sent to exit.
--Return nothing.

end

function QueryAllowProjectClose()
  linda:send("cmd","exit")
end

On Timer:

t = {}
linda:send("cmd",t)

This is working great, it seems the while loop is non busy as it uses next to no CPU when doing nothing, think this is as close to a thread as one will get in AMS and with MemoryEX in action in the 'thread' this is a whole new level...........

[Eagle]

Ya dis is good ya, suggest using linda:set and linda:get as less overhead,
although linda:send and receive have more options available to them if really needed.

will post some more stuff on this and lua lanes in the showcase section under Webultra's easylanes thread
as he was the one who inspired me to look into 'lanes' a bit more.

will also include the latest compiled version of lanes which is currently at v3.9.5.0 for educational purposes.

nice work Shrek keep on 'Shreking' hehe

[Shrek]

^^, linda:set and linda:get don't seem to be working with EasyLanes used with your loadstring and Lua Lanes v2.2.

One other thing with MemoryEx in the lane loaded as in post 28, after a while for a random reason it will error out saying 'SendMessageA not found in loaded module' and it's a bit odd given it happily sends messages to windows previously, what could be the reason for forgetting what functions have been loaded in the dll?