so-5.5 In Depth - Timers

Introduction

Timers are actively used in typical SObjectizer's based applications.

That's why SObjectizer provides easy to use tools for dealing with timers:

• delayed messages;
• periodic messages.

A delayed message is delivered after a specified time interval since the message was sent.

It means that if a delayed message is sent at some time point T and the delay is 150ms then it will be pushed to subscribers' event queues at time point (T+150ms).

A periodic message is repeatedly delivered after a specified amount of time.

It means that if a periodic message is sent at some time point T with delay of 150ms and repetition period of 250ms then it will be pushed to subscribers' event queues first time at time point (T+150ms), then at time point (T+400ms), then at (T+650ms) and so on.

A periodic message will be repeated until it canceled.

Delayed Messages

There are three ways for sending a delayed messages.

The simplest one is to use so_5::send_delayed() function.

A reference to SO Environment instance is necessary for sending a delayed message. That's why the first argument of send_delayed() is reference to so_5::rt::environment_t or to so_5::rt::agent_t. In the later case SO Environment in which the agent is registered will be used.

This is an example of sending a delayed message from ordinary agent:

class my_agent : public so_5::rt::agent_t {
...
  virtual void so_evt_start() override {
    so_5::send_delayed< some_message >( *this, // For access to SO Environment.
      dest, // Destination mbox.
      std::chrono::milliseconds(125), // Delivery delay in ms.
      ... ); // Arguments to be forwarded to some_message constructor.
  }
};

This is an example of sending a delayed message via reference to SO Environment:

env.introduce_coop( []( so_5::rt::agent_coop_t & coop ) {
  coop.define_agent().on_start( [&coop] {
    so_5::send_delayed< some_message >(
      coop.environment(), // Access to SO Environment.
      dest, // Destination mbox.
      std::chrono::milliseconds(125), // Delivery delay in ms.
      ... ); // Arguments to be forwarded to some_message constructor.
   ...
 } );
} );

Helper function so_5::send_delayed_to_agent() can be used to sending a delayed message to the direct mbox of agent-receiver.

SO Environment in which the receiver is registered will be used in that case.

This is an example of sending a delayed message to the direct mbox of the agent-receiver:

class my_agent : public so_5::rt::agent_t {
...
  void evt_request( const request & evt ) {
    initiate_request_processing( evt );
    so_5::send_delayed_to_agent< check_request >(
      *this, // Destination for message.
      std::chrono::milliseconds(125), // Delivery delay in ms.
      ... ); // Arguments to be forwarded to check_request constructor.
  }
};

Function so_5::send_delayed_to_agent() also accepts an ad-hoc agent proxy:

env.introduce_coop( []( so_5::rt::agent_coop_t & coop ) {
   auto a = coop.define_agent();
   a.event( a, [a]( const request & evt ) {
     initiate_request_processing( evt );
     so_5::send_delayed_to_agent< check_request >(
      a, // Destination for message.
      std::chrono::milliseconds(125), // Delivery delay in ms.
      ... ); // Arguments to be forwarded to check_request constructor.
  } );
} );

The second way is to use so_5::rt::environment_t::single_timer() method:

class my_agent : public so_5::rt::agent_t {
...
  void evt_request( const request & evt ) {
    initiate_request_processing( evt );
    auto delayed_msg = std::make_unique< check_request >( ... );
    so_environment().single_timer( std::move(delayed_msg), // Message instance.
      so_direct_mbox(), // Destination for message.
      std::chrono::milliseconds(125) ); // Delivery delay in ms.
  }
};

Usage of single_timer() is not as easy as usage of send_delayed() or send_delayed_to_agent(). But single_timer() can be useful if a message instance is created somewhere else...

This is an example of a case where single_timer() can be useful:

class my_agent : public so_5::rt::agent_t {
...
  void evt_request( const request & evt ) {
    initiate_request_processing( evt );
    so_environment().single_timer(
      create_check_request_message( evt ), // Message instance.
      so_direct_mbox(), // Destination for message.
      std::chrono::milliseconds(125) ); // Delivery delay in ms.
  }
  std::unique_ptr< check_request > create_check_request_message(
    const request & evt ) {
    ... // Some complex logic.
    return std::make_unique< check_request >( ... );
  }
};

The third way is to use so_5::rt::environment_t::schedule_timer() method.

Method schedule_timer() returns timer ID which can be used for timer cancellation.

This is an example of delayed message cancellation:

class my_agent : public so_5::rt::agent_t {
  so_5::timer_id_t m_check_timer;
...
  void evt_request( const request & evt ) {
    initiate_request_processing( evt );
    m_check_timer = so_environment().schedule_timer(
      create_check_request_message( evt ), // Message instance.
      so_direct_mbox(), // Destination for message.
      std::chrono::milliseconds(125), // Delivery delay in ms.
      std::chrono::milliseconds::zero() ); // No repetition.
  }
  void evt_request_processed() {
    // There is no need for delayed message anymore.
    m_check_timer.release(); // Cancellation of delivery.
    ...
  }
  std::unique_ptr< check_request > create_check_request_message( const request & evt ) { ... }
};

Periodic Messages

Periodic message are repeated again and again until it will be cancelled.

The same message instance is delivered every time. It means that message instance is not deallocated after processing. Deallocation will occur when message will be cancelled.

There are two ways for sending a periodic message.

The simplest one is to use so_5::send_periodic() function.

As for delayed messages the access to SO Environment is necessary for sending a periodic message. That's why the first argument of send_periodic() must be a reference to so_5::rt::environment_t or to so_5::rt::agent_t. In the later case SO Environment in which the agent is registered will be used.

This is an example of sending of a periodic message from ordinary agent:

class my_agent : public so_5::rt::agent_t {
  so_5::timer_id_t m_status_timer;
...
  virtual void so_evt_start() override {
    m_status_timer = so_5::send_periodic< update_status >(
      *this, // For access to SO Environment.
      dest, // Destination mbox.
      std::chrono::milliseconds(125), // First delivery delay in ms.
      std::chrono::milliseconds(250), // Repetition period in ms.
      ... ); // Arguments to be forwarded to update_status constructor.
  }
};

There is also so_5::send_periodic_to_agent() function for sending message to the direct mbox of the agent-receiver:

class my_agent : public so_5::rt::agent_t {
  so_5::timer_id_t m_status_timer;
...
  virtual void so_evt_start() override {
    m_status_timer = so_5::send_periodic_to_agent< update_status >(
      *this, // Destination.
      std::chrono::milliseconds(125), // First delivery delay in ms.
      std::chrono::milliseconds(250), // Repetition period in ms.
      ... ); // Arguments to be forwarded to update_status constructor.
  }
};

The second way is to use so_5::rt::environment_t::schedule_timer() method:

class my_agent : public so_5::rt::agent_t {
  so_5::timer_id_t m_status_timer;
...
  virtual void so_evt_start() override {
    m_status_timer = so_environment().schedule_timer(
      create_status_message(), // Message to be sent periodically.
      so_direct_mbox(), // Destination.
      std::chrono::milliseconds(125), // First delivery delay in ms.
      std::chrono::milliseconds(250) ); // Repetition period in ms.
  }
  std::unique_ptr< update_status > create_status_message() { ... }
};

The most important moment in periodic messages sending - is storing the result value of send_periodic(), send_periodic_to_agent() and schedule_timer().

If the result value is not saved then periodic message will be cancelled immediately.

This is because the destructor of so_5::timer_id_t does timer cancellation.

The so_5::timer_id_t class works like a smart pointer.

Destruction of the last timer_id_t pointed to a timer will destroy the timer and periodic (or delayed) message will be cancelled.

That's why at least one timer_id_t object for periodic message must exist while message delivery is necessary.

Delayed and Periodic Messages Cancellation

There are three ways of delayed/periodic messages cancellation.

All of them use so_5::timer_id_t objects. It means that cancellation is only possible for messages sent via send_periodic(), send_periodic_to_agent() or schedule_timer().

The first way is to call so_5::timer_id_t::release() method.

auto id = so_5::send_periodic< Msg >(...);
...
id.release(); // Delivery canceled.

Please note that explicit call of so_5::timer_id_t::release() method cancels a message regardless of count of remaining timer_id_t objects pointed to that timer.

The second way is destruction of all timer_id_t objects pointing to the same timer.

If so_5::timer_id_t::release() method is not called explicitly it will be called in the destructor of the last timer_id_t object pointing to a timer. This way is often used in ordinary agents:

class request_processor : public so_5::rt::agent_t {
   so_5::timer_id_t m_check_request;
...
   void evt_request( const request & evt ) {
      m_check_request = so_5::send_periodic_to_agent< check_request >(
       *this, ...); // Timer will be cancelled automatically in
                      // the destructor of request_processor.
      ... 
   }
};

The third way is assignment of new value to so_5::timer_id_t object.

If this object was the last timer_id_t pointed to a timer then the timer will be destroyed and message will be cancelled:

auto id = so_5::send_periodic< Msg >(...);
... // Some actions.
id = so_5::send_periodic< Sig >(...); // Cancellation of Msg.

There is a trick moment with cancellation of delayed messages...

Delayed message will be cancelled only if it is still under control of timer thread. If message already leaved timer thread and is waiting in event queues of recipients then message delivery will not be cancelled and message will be processed by subscribers.

For example if delay was 125ms and cancelaction is initiated after 125ms after call to so_5::send_delayed() there is a high probability that message will be delivered anyway.

Timer Thread

SO Environment starts a special thread for handling timers. This thread is known as timer thread.

All timers are controlled and processed by that timer thread.

Timer thread can efficiently process big amount of timers: tens and hundreds of millions. Even billions of timers.

A user can choose a timer mechanism most appropriate for application needs.

Three timer mechanisms are supported. Each has its strengths and weakness:

• timer_wheel
• timer_list
• timer_heap

timer_wheel Mechanism

Can support very big amount of timers efficiently (tens, hundreds of millions, billions). It also equally efficient for delayed and periodic messages.

Because of that timer_wheel mechanism should be used when the application needs a big number of timers.

But there are some costs:

• this mechanism is not very precise (there is a step of timer wheel which could be configured, but small step decrease effectiveness);
• this mechanism consumes some resources even if there are no ready to use timers (this overhead is small but it is still here).

timer_list Mechanism

Works very well only if new timers will be added to the end of list of timers. Therefore this mechanism should be used in applications where there are many similar delayed messages with the same delays.

This mechanism does not consume resources when there are no ready to use timers. It also handles timers cancellation very efficiently.

timer_heap Mechanism

Has very fluent overall performance, especially on relative small amounts of timers (thousands, tens of thousands timers). It also does not consume resources if there are no ready to use timers.

Because of that timer_heap mechanism is used in SO Environment by default.

Specifying Timer Mechanism for SO Environment

Timer mechanism can be specified in Environment's parameters before start of SO Environment:

so_5::launch( []( so_5::rt::environment_t & env ) {
        // Some initialization stuff...
    },
    // SObjectizer Environment parameters tuning.
    []( so_5::rt::environment_params_t & params ) {
        // Use timer_wheel mechanism with wheel size 10000
        // and timer step size of 5ms.
        params.timer_thread(
            so_5::timer_wheel_factory( 10000, 
                std::chrono::milliseconds(5) ) );
        ...
    } );

Additional Information

For more information about timer mechanisms, their strengths and weakness see description of Timer Template Thread (timertt) library. This library is used for implementation of delayed and periodic messages in SO-5.5.