Why does .ctor call itself? - .net-assembly

Why does ctor calls itself and shouldn't this make it loop? I can't quite understand what's going on.
I have looked around online but still can't find an answer.
.method family hidebysig specialname rtspecialname instance void .ctor()
{
.maxstack 8
ldarg.0
ldstr asc_203C // ""
stfld string KGER.BaseConfiguration::_get
ldarg.0
**call instance void [mscorlib]System.Object::.ctor()**
nop
ret
}

Your constructor is chaining (calling) the constructor of your base class (which is System.Object).
Even though you do not call it in trivial cases (e.g. empty constructor), the compiler will emit the call as every "part" of your object must be properly constructed.

Related

Problems using malloc in D language: why writeln call the destructor twice in this example

I am trying to write a D wrapper for a C library (libmpdec) that stores its data using the standard C malloc function. But the are
some nasty bugs in my programs that I don't know how to solve.
So I have written the following test example, trying to understand this. The idea is to create structure holding a pointer to a memory area allocated using malloc in the constructor and that contains a zero-terminated C string, and free the area using the destructor. Also I can print the string using printf. The problem arises when I try to implement a method toString() so that I can use the standard D function writeln. For some reason that I don't understand the destructor seems to be called twice! (one after writeln) and so a segmentation fault occurs.
import std.stdio;
import core.stdc.stdlib;
import std.string;
import core.stdc.string;
struct Prueba {
char* pointer;
string name;
this(string given_name)
{
writeln("calling the constructor");
pointer= cast (char*) malloc(char.sizeof*10);
name=given_name;
char* p= pointer;
*p= 'a';
p++;
*p= 'b';
p++;
*p= '\n';
p++;
*p= '\0';
}
~this()
{
writeln("\n calling the destructor");
free(pointer);
}
void print()
{
printf("Using printf %s \n",pointer);
}
string toString()
{
ulong len=strlen(pointer);
return cast(string) pointer[0..len];
}
}
void main()
{
writeln("version 1");
Prueba p=Prueba("a");
writeln("using writeln ",p);
p.print();
}
But if I store the result in a string varible like
string s=p.toString();
writeln("using writeln ",s);
The program just works! I cannot figure out why!
You can see both versions of my test program at
https://github.com/pdenapo/example_programs_in_D/tree/master/using_malloc
Many thanks for any help!
Update: It seems that writeln plays no role here. And I can get the
same result with something like
void probando(Prueba q)
{
q.print();
}
probando(p);
The problem seems to be that a copy of p is created when calling a function.
In cases like this, it's often a good idea to see if it's the same instance being destroyed. Adding &this to the writeln calls, I get this output:
version 1
calling the constructor at 6FBB70F960
Instance on stack: 6FBB70F960
using writeln ab
calling the destructor at 6FBB70F820
calling the destructor at 6FBB70F7F0
As we can see, the pointers are different, so there's two instances.
D structs are value types, and so are copied and moved. When you call a function taking a class parameter, a pointer is what's actually being passed, and it basically says 'the class instance you're looking for is over there'. With structs a copy is created, and suddenly you have two independent objects living their separate lives.
Of course, that's not what you want - Prueba isn't actually a copyable type, since having two copies will result in two calls to the destructor, and thus double freeing. To mark it as non-copyable, simply add #disable this(this); to disable the postblit, and the compiler will helpfully throw error messages at you when a copy would be created.
This will cause a compiler error on the writeln line, and you will have to manually call toString, e.g.: writeln("using writeln ", p.toString());
Note that a non-copyable struct may be passed to functions as ref, since that doesn't create a new copy. We can't really modify writeln to do that, but it's worth knowing for your own functions.

Threads with same argument objects give different values

I have a problem where two threads with different functions and same argument objects result in giving different values for those objects.
To clearify, please observe the following code:
class Player(){
// Definition of Player here
// with get- and set functions
// for a certain value.
}
class Game(){
static void Draw(Player p){
while(1){
gotoxy(p.getValue(), 15);
cout << p.name();
}
}
static void Move(Player p){
int x = p.getValue();
while(1){
if(_kbhit()){
p.setValue(++x);
}
}
}
void startGame(){
Player pl1(5);
thread thd1(Move, pl1);
thread thd2(Draw, pl1);
thd1.join();
thd2.join();
}
}
While the value 'x' is changing in the function 'Move' for every key stroke, when getting that value in function 'Draw' still has the initial value for 'pl1' (which is 5).
How can I get 'Draw' to aquire the same value that 'Move' has given?
I appreciate any help and guidance.
Thank you in advance!
You are passing the player by value
static void Move(Player pl)
rather than by reference/pointer, so both functions have their own, local, copies of the original variable.
static void Move(Player& pl)
will take the variable by reference and give both functions access to the original variable.
Also, unless getValue and setValue implement some form of locking, this code is not thread safe.
The problem is that you are passing pl1 by value, when you want to be passing it by reference. Even though it looks like you are passing pl1 into each function, what's really going on is that the Move and Draw threads are each constructing new Player objects. If you pass by references, then both threads will refer to the same object as opposed to creating their own copies. Try changing the signatures of the functions to the following:
static void Move(Player &p);
static void Draw(Player &p);
Also, consider putting some exit condition into your function. Since while(1) will never exit, the join() functions will wait forever. Hope that helps!

Is there any way to print the object ref that called an instance/Static method, Using byte-code instrumentation

I read somewhere that when ever a method is called by "invokevirtual",
the object reference is fetched from the top of stack, followed by arguments.
I need to somehow print the object reference. Is it possible?
So, I'm not going to do it for you, because the actual code is annoying and tedious and if you're really genuinely interested you should learn how to do it yourself. But I will attempt to be helpful and provide you with some direction.
Firstly, you're going to want to read the ASM tutorials here.
The byte code format i'm going to write below comes from ASMIfier because it's much more clear. I'm going to completely ignore javap because it's even more pedantic and detailed, but if you want to know what it is actually showing you, then you should read about the Java ClassFile format.
Actually, you should do that first anyway, just to make sure that your background knowledge is somewhat filled out.
So, here's the nutshell of what you're going to want to do. You're going to want to write a ClassWriter that looks for instances of the INVOKEVIRTUAL opcode.
invokevirtual pops the values from the stack in reverse order, so last parameter first and the object you're invoking against last. the #38 you are referring too is not the object, its a reference to the constant pool which contains a method name and method descriptor pair which is used as metadata because the JVM is typesafe.
Lets assume you have this code:
package sample;
public class JavaSimpleHelloWorld {
public static void main(String[] args) {
System.out.println("Hello World");
}
}
If you run ASMIFier against it, you'll get something like this for just the main method ( cutting the context down for brevity )
public static main([Ljava/lang/String;)V
L0
LINENUMBER 6 L0
GETSTATIC java/lang/System.out : Ljava/io/PrintStream;
LDC "Hello World"
INVOKEVIRTUAL java/io/PrintStream.println (Ljava/lang/String;)V
L1
LINENUMBER 7 L1
RETURN
L2
LOCALVARIABLE args [Ljava/lang/String; L0 L2 0
MAXSTACK = 2
MAXLOCALS = 1
so, you implement some sort of static dump method ( public static final dump( Object o ) ) , and write a class visitor that reorganizes your byte code.
You can use the method descriptor to figure out how deep in the pervious stack push instructions ( ALOAD, LDC, ) you need to insert the the DUP/INVOKE to print your methods object target. For example the Method Descriptor for System.out.println is [Ljava/lang/String;]V Which means the method takes an array of Strings and returns void. So you need to go 1 back in the stack to find the object target. Your bytecode would, in turn, look like this:
Happy byte code twiddling.
public static main([Ljava/lang/String;)V
L0
GETSTATIC java/lang/System.out : Ljava/io/PrintStream;
DUP
INVOKESTATIC my/staticutil/ClassThatDumps.dump (Ljava/lang/Object;)V
LDC "Hello World"
INVOKEVIRTUAL java/io/PrintStream.println (Ljava/lang/String;)V
RETURN
L1
LOCALVARIABLE args [Ljava/lang/String; L0 L1 0
MAXSTACK = 2
MAXLOCALS = 1

Groovy's #CompileStatic and map constructors

I'm using #CompileStatic for the first time, and confused as to how Groovy's map constructors work in this situation.
#CompileStatic
class SomeClass {
Long id
String name
public static void main(String[] args) {
Map map = new HashMap()
map.put("id", 123L)
map.put("name", "test file")
SomeClass someClass1 = new SomeClass(map) // Does not work
SomeClass someClass2 = map as SomeClass // Works
}
}
Given the code above I see the following error when trying to compile
Groovyc: Target constructor for constructor call expression hasn't been set
If #CompileStatic is removed, both constructors work properly.
Can anyone explain why new SomeClass(map) does not compile with #CompileStatic? And a possible addition, why does map as SomeClass still work?
Groovy actually does not give you a "Map-Constructor". The constructors
in your class are what you write down. If there are none (like in your case),
then there is the default c'tor.
But what happens, if you use the so called map c'tor (or rather call it
"object construction by map")? The general approach of groovy is like this:
create a new object using the default c'tor (this is the reason, why the
construction-by-map no longer works, if there would be just e.g.
SomeClass(Long id, String name))
then use the passed down map and apply all values to the properties.
If you disassmble your code (with #CompileDynamic (the default)) you see, that
the construction is handled by CallSite.callConstructor(Object,Object),
which boils down to this this code area.
Now bring in the version of this construction by map, that is more familiar
for the regular groovyist:
SomeClass someClass3 = new SomeClass(id: 42L, name: "Douglas").
With the dynamic version of the code, the disassembly of this looks actually
alot like your code with the map. Groovy creates a map from the param(s) and
sends it off to callConstructor - so this is actually the same code path
taken (minus the implicit map creation).
For now ignore the "cast-case", as it is actually the same for both static and
dynamic: it will be sent to ScriptBytecodeAdapter.asType which basically
gives you the dynamic behaviour in any case.
Now the #CompileStatic case: As you have witnessed, your call with an
explicit map for the c'tor no longer works. This is due to the fact, that
there never was an explicit "map-c'tor" in the first place. The class still
only has its default c'tor and with static compilation groovyc now can just
work with the things that are there (or not if there aren't in this case).
What about new SomeClass(id: 42L, name: "Douglas") then? This still works
with static compilation! The reason for this is, that groovyc unrolls this
for you. As you can see, this simply boils down to def o = new SomeClass();
o.setId(42); o.setName('Douglas'):
new #2 // class SomeClass
dup
invokespecial #53 // Method "<init>":()V
astore_2
ldc2_w #54 // long 42l
dup2
lstore_3
aload_2
lload_3
invokestatic #45 // Method java/lang/Long.valueOf:(J)Ljava/lang/Long;
invokevirtual #59 // Method setId:(Ljava/lang/Long;)V
aconst_null
pop
pop2
ldc #61 // String Douglas
dup
astore 5
aload_2
aload 5
invokevirtual #65 // Method setName:(Ljava/lang/String;)V
As the CompileStatic documentation says:
will actually make sure that the methods which are inferred as being
called will effectively be called at runtime. This annotation turns
the Groovy compiler into a static compiler, where all method calls are
resolved at compile time and the generated bytecode makes sure that
this happens
As a result, a constructor with a Map argument is searched in the static compilation to "resolve it at compile time", but it is not found and thereby there is a compilation error:
Target constructor for constructor call expression hasn't been set
Adding such a constructor solves the issue with the #CompileStatic annotation, since it is resolved at compile time:
import groovy.transform.CompileStatic
#CompileStatic
class SomeClass {
Long id
String name
SomeClass(Map m) {
id = m.id as Long
name = m.name as String
}
public static void main(String[] args) {
Map map = new HashMap()
map.put("id", 123L)
map.put("name", "test file")
SomeClass someClass1 = new SomeClass(map) // Now it works also
SomeClass someClass2 = map as SomeClass // Works
}
}
You can check StaticCompilationVisitor if you want to dig deeper.
Regarding the line
SomeClass someClass2 = map as SomeClass
You are using there the asType() method of Groovy's GDK java.util.Map, so it is therefore solved at runtime even in static compilation:
Coerces this map to the given type, using the map's keys as the public
method names, and values as the implementation. Typically the value
would be a closure which behaves like the method implementation.

Cast a _com_ptr_t to void * and then back to _com_ptr_

How do you cast a COM interface pointer to void pointer and then back to the COM pointer? Here is some code to illustrate my problem. It's very similar to this sample code: _com_ptr_t assignment in VC++
CoInitialize(NULL);
COMLib::ICalcPtr pCalc = COMLib::ICalcPtr("MyLibrary.Calculator");
pCalc->doSomething();
CoUninitialize();
return 0;
Now, if I were to cast the pCalc object to void*, how would I cast it back to COMLib::ICalcPtr? For example, the second line in the following code gives me a compile error 'QueryInterface' : is not a member of 'System::Void'. Obviously, it's trying to call IUknown.QueryInterface() on the object. Preferably I would like to do this without creating a new interface (hence, without implicitly calling QueryInterface and AddRef).
void *test = pCalc;
COMLib::ICalcPtr pCalc2 = test;//'QueryInterface' : is not a member of 'System::Void'
FYI, the reason I'm doing this is that the object is going to be passed around from java to jni VC++ code as a void* type. I'm open to any suggestion on what to do or what is going on behind the scene.
Same way you pass any other opaque structure that either doesn't fit in a pointer or doesn't convert easily: by passing its address.
void* test = new COMLib::ICalcPtr(pCalc);
...
COMLib::ICalcPtr pCalc2 = *(COMLib::ICalcPtr*)test;
delete (COMLib::ICalcPtr*)test;
This will result in calls to AddRef and Release, but not QueryInterface.

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