Made thread_pool and parallel_for propagate exceptions from task threads to

calling code.

dlib/test/thread_pool.cpp

@@ -369,6 +369,39 @@ namespace
                     DLIB_TEST(d == 4);
                 }
 
+
+                tp.wait_for_all_tasks();
+
+                // make sure exception propagation from tasks works correctly.
+                auto f_throws = []() { throw dlib::error("test exception");};
+                bool got_exception = false;
+                try
+                {
+                    tp.add_task_by_value(f_throws);
+                    tp.wait_for_all_tasks();
+                }
+                catch(dlib::error& e)
+                {
+                    DLIB_TEST(e.info == "test exception");
+                    got_exception = true;
+                }
+                DLIB_TEST(got_exception);
+
+                dlib::future<int> aa;
+                auto f_throws2 = [](int& a) { a = 1; throw dlib::error("test exception");};
+                got_exception = false;
+                try
+                {
+                    tp.add_task(f_throws2, aa);
+                    aa.get();
+                }
+                catch(dlib::error& e)
+                {
+                    DLIB_TEST(e.info == "test exception");
+                    got_exception = true;
+                }
+                DLIB_TEST(got_exception);
+
             }
         }
 

dlib/threads/parallel_for_extension_abstract.h

@@ -24,7 +24,6 @@ namespace dlib
         requires
             - begin <= end
             - chunks_per_thread > 0
-            - funct does not throw any exceptions
         ensures
             - This is a convenience function for submitting a block of jobs to a thread_pool.  
               In particular, given the half open range [begin, end), this function will
@@ -61,7 +60,6 @@ namespace dlib
         requires
             - begin <= end
             - chunks_per_thread > 0
-            - funct does not throw any exceptions
         ensures
             - This function is equivalent to the following block of code:
                 thread_pool tp(num_threads);
@@ -82,7 +80,6 @@ namespace dlib
         requires
             - chunks_per_thread > 0
             - begin <= end
-            - funct does not throw any exceptions
         ensures
             - This is a convenience function for submitting a block of jobs to a
               thread_pool.  In particular, given the range [begin, end), this function will
@@ -117,7 +114,6 @@ namespace dlib
         requires
             - begin <= end
             - chunks_per_thread > 0
-            - funct does not throw any exceptions
         ensures
             - This function is equivalent to the following block of code:
                 thread_pool tp(num_threads);
@@ -137,7 +133,6 @@ namespace dlib
         requires
             - begin <= end
             - chunks_per_thread > 0
-            - funct does not throw any exceptions
         ensures
             - This function is equivalent to the following block of code:
                 parallel_for_blocked(default_thread_pool(), begin, end, funct, chunks_per_thread);
@@ -159,7 +154,6 @@ namespace dlib
         requires
             - begin <= end
             - chunks_per_thread > 0
-            - funct does not throw any exceptions
         ensures
             - This function is equivalent to the following function call:
               parallel_for_blocked(tp, begin, end, [&](long begin_sub, long end_sub) 
@@ -189,7 +183,6 @@ namespace dlib
         requires
             - begin <= end
             - chunks_per_thread > 0
-            - funct does not throw any exceptions
         ensures
             - This function is equivalent to the following block of code:
                 thread_pool tp(num_threads);
@@ -210,7 +203,6 @@ namespace dlib
         requires
             - begin <= end
             - chunks_per_thread > 0
-            - funct does not throw any exceptions
         ensures
             - This function is equivalent to the following function call:
               parallel_for_blocked(tp, begin, end, [&](long begin_sub, long end_sub) 
@@ -238,7 +230,6 @@ namespace dlib
         requires
             - begin <= end
             - chunks_per_thread > 0
-            - funct does not throw any exceptions
         ensures
             - This function is equivalent to the following block of code:
                 thread_pool tp(num_threads);
@@ -258,7 +249,6 @@ namespace dlib
         requires
             - begin <= end
             - chunks_per_thread > 0
-            - funct does not throw any exceptions
         ensures
             - This function is equivalent to the following block of code:
                 parallel_for(default_thread_pool(), begin, end, funct, chunks_per_thread);
@@ -280,7 +270,6 @@ namespace dlib
         requires
             - begin <= end
             - chunks_per_thread > 0
-            - funct does not throw any exceptions
         ensures
             - This function is identical to the parallel_for() routine defined above except
               that it will print messages to cout showing the progress in executing the
@@ -302,7 +291,6 @@ namespace dlib
         requires
             - begin <= end
             - chunks_per_thread > 0
-            - funct does not throw any exceptions
         ensures
             - This function is identical to the parallel_for() routine defined above except
               that it will print messages to cout showing the progress in executing the
@@ -323,7 +311,6 @@ namespace dlib
         requires
             - begin <= end
             - chunks_per_thread > 0
-            - funct does not throw any exceptions
         ensures
             - This function is identical to the parallel_for() routine defined above except
               that it will print messages to cout showing the progress in executing the
@@ -344,7 +331,6 @@ namespace dlib
         requires
             - begin <= end
             - chunks_per_thread > 0
-            - funct does not throw any exceptions
         ensures
             - This function is identical to the parallel_for() routine defined above except
               that it will print messages to cout showing the progress in executing the
@@ -364,7 +350,6 @@ namespace dlib
         requires
             - begin <= end
             - chunks_per_thread > 0
-            - funct does not throw any exceptions
         ensures
             - This function is identical to the parallel_for() routine defined above except
               that it will print messages to cout showing the progress in executing the
@@ -388,7 +373,6 @@ namespace dlib
         requires
             - begin <= end
             - chunks_per_thread > 0
-            - funct does not throw any exceptions
         ensures
             - This function is identical to the parallel_for_blocked() routine defined
               above except that it will print messages to cout showing the progress in
@@ -410,7 +394,6 @@ namespace dlib
         requires
             - begin <= end
             - chunks_per_thread > 0
-            - funct does not throw any exceptions
         ensures
             - This function is identical to the parallel_for_blocked() routine defined
               above except that it will print messages to cout showing the progress in
@@ -431,7 +414,6 @@ namespace dlib
         requires
             - begin <= end
             - chunks_per_thread > 0
-            - funct does not throw any exceptions
         ensures
             - This function is identical to the parallel_for_blocked() routine defined
               above except that it will print messages to cout showing the progress in
@@ -452,7 +434,6 @@ namespace dlib
         requires
             - begin <= end
             - chunks_per_thread > 0
-            - funct does not throw any exceptions
         ensures
             - This function is identical to the parallel_for_blocked() routine defined
               above except that it will print messages to cout showing the progress in
@@ -472,7 +453,6 @@ namespace dlib
         requires
             - begin <= end
             - chunks_per_thread > 0
-            - funct does not throw any exceptions
         ensures
             - This function is identical to the parallel_for_blocked() routine defined
               above except that it will print messages to cout showing the progress in

dlib/threads/thread_pool_extension.cpp

@@ -61,6 +61,11 @@ namespace dlib
         }
 
         wait();
+
+        // Throw any unhandled exceptions.  Since shutdown_pool() is only called in the
+        // destructor this will kill the program.
+        for (auto&& task : tasks)
+            task.propagate_exception();
     }
 
 // ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -94,6 +99,9 @@ namespace dlib
             const unsigned long idx = task_id_to_index(task_id);
             while (tasks[idx].task_id == task_id)
                 task_done_signaler.wait();
+
+            for (auto&& task : tasks)
+                task.propagate_exception();
         }
     }
 
@@ -124,6 +132,10 @@ namespace dlib
             if (found_task)
                 task_done_signaler.wait();
         }
+
+        // throw any exceptions generated by the tasks
+        for (auto&& task : tasks)
+            task.propagate_exception();
     }
 
 // ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -177,6 +189,9 @@ namespace dlib
                 task = tasks[idx];
             }
 
+            std::exception_ptr eptr;
+            try
+            {
                 // now do the task
                 if (task.bfp)
                     task.bfp();
@@ -186,6 +201,11 @@ namespace dlib
                     task.mfp1(task.arg1);
                 else if (task.mfp2)
                     task.mfp2(task.arg1, task.arg2);
+            }
+            catch(...)
+            {
+                eptr = std::current_exception();
+            }
 
             // Now let others know that we finished the task.  We do this
             // by clearing out the state of this task
@@ -198,6 +218,7 @@ namespace dlib
                 tasks[idx].mfp2.clear();
                 tasks[idx].arg1 = 0;
                 tasks[idx].arg2 = 0;
+                tasks[idx].eptr = eptr;
                 task_done_signaler.broadcast();
             }
 
@@ -210,6 +231,9 @@ namespace dlib
     find_empty_task_slot (
     ) const
     {
+        for (auto&& task : tasks)
+            task.propagate_exception();
+
         for (unsigned long i = 0; i < tasks.size(); ++i)
         {
             if (tasks[i].is_empty())

dlib/threads/thread_pool_extension.h

@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@
 #include "../array.h"
 #include "../smart_pointers_thread_safe.h"
 #include "../smart_pointers.h"
+#include <exception>
 
 namespace dlib
 {
@@ -451,6 +452,17 @@ namespace dlib
             bfp_type bfp;
 
             shared_ptr<function_object_copy> function_copy;
+            mutable std::exception_ptr eptr; // non-null if the task threw an exception
+
+            void propagate_exception() const
+            {
+                if (eptr)
+                {
+                    auto tmp = eptr;
+                    eptr = nullptr;
+                    std::rethrow_exception(tmp);
+                }
+            }
 
         };
 

dlib/threads/thread_pool_extension_abstract.h

@@ -225,9 +225,11 @@ namespace dlib
                 such as mutex objects. 
 
             EXCEPTIONS
-                Note that if an exception is thrown inside a task thread and 
+                Note that if an exception is thrown inside a task thread and is not caught
-                is not caught then the normal rule for uncaught exceptions in
+                then the exception will be trapped inside the thread pool and rethrown at a
-                threads applies. That is, the application will be terminated.
+                later time when someone calls one of the add task or wait member functions
+                of the thread pool.  This allows exceptions to propagate out of task threads
+                and into the calling code where they can be handled.
         !*/
 
     public:

examples/thread_pool_ex.cpp

@@ -5,8 +5,8 @@
     object from the dlib C++ Library.
 
 
-    This is a very simple example.  It creates a thread pool with 3
+    In this example we will crate a thread pool with 3 threads and then show a
-    threads and then sends a few simple tasks to the pool.
+    few different ways to send tasks to the pool.
 */
 
 
@@ -17,18 +17,19 @@
 
 using namespace dlib;
 
-// We will be using the dlib logger object to print out messages in this example
+// We will be using the dlib logger object to print messages in this example
 // because its output is timestamped and labeled with the thread that the log
-// message came from.  So this will make it easier to see what is going on in 
+// message came from.  This will make it easier to see what is going on in this
-// this example.  Here we make an instance of the logger.  See the logger 
+// example.  Here we make an instance of the logger.  See the logger
 // documentation and examples for detailed information regarding its use.
 logger dlog("main");
 
 
-// Here we make an instance of the thread pool object
+// Here we make an instance of the thread pool object.  You could also use the
+// global dlib::default_thread_pool(), which automatically selects the number of
+// threads based on your hardware.  But here let's make our own.
 thread_pool tp(3);
 
-
 // ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
 class test
@@ -37,27 +38,27 @@ class test
         The thread_pool accepts "tasks" from the user and schedules them for 
         execution in one of its threads when one becomes available.  Each task 
         is just a request to call a function.  So here we create a class called 
-        test with a few member functions which we will have the thread pool call 
+        test with a few member functions, which we will have the thread pool call 
         as tasks.
     */
 public:
 
-    void task()
+    void mytask()
     {
-        dlog << LINFO << "task start";
+        dlog << LINFO << "mytask start";
 
-        future<int> var;
+        dlib::future<int> var;
 
         var = 1;
 
         // Here we ask the thread pool to call this->subtask() and this->subtask2().
         // Note that calls to add_task() will return immediately if there is an 
-        // available thread to hand the task off to.  However, if there isn't a 
+        // available thread.  However, if there isn't a thread ready then
-        // thread ready then add_task() blocks until there is such a thread.
+        // add_task() blocks until there is such a thread.  Also, note that if
-        // Also note that since task() is executed within the thread pool (see main() below)
+        // mytask() is executed within the thread pool then calls to add_task()
-        // calls to add_task() will execute the requested task within the calling thread
+        // will execute the requested task within the calling thread in cases
-        // in cases where the thread pool is full.  This means it is always safe to 
+        // where the thread pool is full.  This means it is always safe to spawn
-        // spawn subtasks from within another task, which is what we are doing here.
+        // subtasks from within another task, which is what we are doing here.
         tp.add_task(*this,&test::subtask,var); // schedule call to this->subtask(var) 
         tp.add_task(*this,&test::subtask2);    // schedule call to this->subtask2() 
 
@@ -66,17 +67,16 @@ public:
         // return the integer it contains.  In this case result will be assigned 
         // the value 2 since var was incremented by subtask().
         int result = var;
-        // print out the result
         dlog << LINFO << "var = " << result;
 
         // Wait for all the tasks we have started to finish.  Note that
-        // wait_for_all_tasks() only waits for tasks which were started 
+        // wait_for_all_tasks() only waits for tasks which were started by the
-        // by the calling thread.  So you don't have to worry about other 
+        // calling thread.  So you don't have to worry about other unrelated
-        // unrelated parts of your application interfering.  In this case
+        // parts of your application interfering.  In this case it just waits
-        // it just waits for subtask2() to finish.
+        // for subtask2() to finish.
         tp.wait_for_all_tasks();
 
-        dlog << LINFO << "task end" ;
+        dlog << LINFO << "mytask end" ;
     }
 
     void subtask(int& a)
@@ -96,23 +96,7 @@ public:
 
 // ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
-class add_value
+int main() try
-{
-public:
-    add_value(int value):val(value) { }
-
-    void operator()( int& a )
-    {
-        a += val;
-    }
-
-private:
-    int val;
-};
-
-// ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-
-int main()
 {
     // tell the logger to print out everything
     dlog.set_level(LALL);
@@ -120,84 +104,80 @@ int main()
 
     dlog << LINFO << "schedule a few tasks";
 
-    test mytask;
+    test taskobj;
-    // Schedule the thread pool to call mytask.task().  Note that all forms of add_task()
+    // Schedule the thread pool to call taskobj.mytask().  Note that all forms of
-    // pass in the task object by reference.  This means you must make sure, in this case,
+    // add_task() pass in the task object by reference.  This means you must make sure,
-    // that mytask isn't destructed until after the task has finished executing.
+    // in this case, that taskobj isn't destructed until after the task has finished
-    tp.add_task(mytask, &test::task);
+    // executing.
+    tp.add_task(taskobj, &test::mytask);
 
-    // You can also pass task objects to a thread pool by value.  So in this case we don't
+    // This behavior of add_task() enables it to guarantee that no memory allocations
-    // have to worry about keeping our own instance of the task.  Here we construct a temporary 
+    // occur after the thread_pool has been constructed, so long as the user doesn't
-    // add_value object and pass it right in and everything works like it should.
+    // call any of the add_task_by_value() routines.  The future object also doesn't
-    future<int> num = 3;
+    // perform any memory allocations or contain any system resources such as mutex
-    tp.add_task_by_value(add_value(7), num);  // adds 7 to num
+    // objects.  If you don't care about memory allocations then you will likely find
+    // the add_task_by_value() interface more convenient to use, which is shown below.
+
+
+
+    // If we call add_task_by_value() we pass task objects to a thread pool by value.
+    // So in this case we don't have to worry about keeping our own instance of the
+    // task.  Here we create a lambda function and pass it right in and everything
+    // works like it should.
+    dlib::future<int> num = 3;
+    tp.add_task_by_value([](int& val){val += 7;}, num);  // adds 7 to num
     int result = num.get();
     dlog << LINFO << "result = " << result;   // prints result = 10
 
 
-
+    // dlib also contains dlib::async(), which is essentially identical to std::async()
-
+    // except that it launches tasks to a dlib::thread_pool (using add_task_by_value)
-
+    // rather than starting an unbounded number of threads.  As an example, here we
-// uncomment this line if your compiler supports the new C++0x lambda functions
+    // make 10 different tasks, each assigns a different value into the elements of the
-//#define COMPILER_SUPPORTS_CPP0X_LAMBDA_FUNCTIONS
+    // vector vect.
-#ifdef COMPILER_SUPPORTS_CPP0X_LAMBDA_FUNCTIONS
+    std::vector<std::future<unsigned long>> vect(10);
-
-    // In the above examples we had to explicitly create task objects which is
-    // inconvenient.  If you have a compiler which supports C++0x lambda functions
-    // then you can use the following simpler method.
-
-    // make a task which will just log a message
-    tp.add_task_by_value([](){
-                         dlog << LINFO << "A message from a lambda function running in another thread."; 
-                         });
-
-    // Here we make 10 different tasks, each assigns a different value into 
-    // the elements of the vector vect.
-    std::vector<int> vect(10);
     for (unsigned long i = 0; i < vect.size(); ++i)
-    {
+        vect[i] = dlib::async(tp, [i]() { return i*i; });
-        // Make a lambda function which takes vect by reference and i by value.  So what
+    // Print the results
-        // will happen is each assignment statement will run in a thread in the thread_pool.
+    for (unsigned long i = 0; i < vect.size(); ++i)
-        tp.add_task_by_value([&vect,i](){
+        dlog << LINFO << "vect["<<i<<"]: " << vect[i].get();
-                             vect[i] = i;
+
-                             });
+
-    }
+    // Finally, it's usually a good idea to wait for all your tasks to complete.
-    // Wait for all tasks which were requested by the main thread to complete.
+    // Moreover, if any of your tasks threw an exception then waiting for the tasks
+    // will rethrow the exception in the calling context, allowing you to handle it in
+    // your local thread.  Also, if you don't wait for the tasks and there is an
+    // exception and you allow the thread pool to be destructed your program will be
+    // terminated.  So don't ignore exceptions :)
     tp.wait_for_all_tasks();
-    for (unsigned long i = 0; i < vect.size(); ++i)
-    {
-        dlog << LINFO << "vect["<<i<<"]: " << vect[i];
-    }
-#endif
 
 
+    /* A possible run of this program might produce the following output (the first
+       column is the time the log message occurred and the value in [] is the thread
+       id for the thread that generated the log message):
 
-    /* A possible run of this program might produce the following output (the first column is 
+    0 INFO  [0] main: schedule a few tasks
-       the time the log message occurred and the value in [] is the thread id for the thread
+    0 INFO  [1] main: task start
-       that generated the log message):
+    0 INFO  [0] main: result = 10
-
+  200 INFO  [2] main: subtask end 
-    1 INFO  [0] main: schedule a few tasks
+  200 INFO  [1] main: var = 2
-    1 INFO  [1] main: task start
+  200 INFO  [0] main: vect[0]: 0
-    1 INFO  [0] main: result = 10
+  200 INFO  [0] main: vect[1]: 1
-  201 INFO  [2] main: subtask end 
+  200 INFO  [0] main: vect[2]: 4
-  201 INFO  [1] main: var = 2
+  200 INFO  [0] main: vect[3]: 9
-  201 INFO  [2] main: A message from a lambda function running in another thread.
+  200 INFO  [0] main: vect[4]: 16
-  301 INFO  [3] main: subtask2 end 
+  200 INFO  [0] main: vect[5]: 25
-  301 INFO  [1] main: task end
+  200 INFO  [0] main: vect[6]: 36
-  301 INFO  [0] main: vect[0]: 0
+  200 INFO  [0] main: vect[7]: 49
-  301 INFO  [0] main: vect[1]: 1
+  200 INFO  [0] main: vect[8]: 64
-  301 INFO  [0] main: vect[2]: 2
+  200 INFO  [0] main: vect[9]: 81
-  301 INFO  [0] main: vect[3]: 3
+  300 INFO  [3] main: subtask2 end 
-  301 INFO  [0] main: vect[4]: 4
+  300 INFO  [1] main: task end
-  301 INFO  [0] main: vect[5]: 5
-  301 INFO  [0] main: vect[6]: 6
-  301 INFO  [0] main: vect[7]: 7
-  301 INFO  [0] main: vect[8]: 8
-  301 INFO  [0] main: vect[9]: 9
     */
 }
-
+catch(std::exception& e)
-
+{
-
+    std::cout << e.what() << std::endl;
+}