table of contents
proc_lib(3erl) | Erlang Module Definition | proc_lib(3erl) |
NAME¶
proc_lib - Functions for asynchronous and synchronous start of
processes
adhering to the OTP design principles.
DESCRIPTION¶
This module is used to start processes adhering to the OTP Design Principles. Specifically, the functions in this module are used by the OTP standard behaviors (for example, gen_server and gen_statem) when starting new processes. The functions can also be used to start special processes, user-defined processes that comply to the OTP design principles. For an example, see section sys and proc_lib in OTP Design Principles.
Some useful information is initialized when a process starts. The registered names, or the process identifiers, of the parent process, and the parent ancestors, are stored together with information about the function initially called in the process.
While in "plain Erlang", a process is said to terminate normally only for exit reason normal, a process started using proc_lib is also said to terminate normally if it exits with reason shutdown or {shutdown,Term}. shutdown is the reason used when an application (supervision tree) is stopped.
When a process that is started using proc_lib terminates abnormally (that is, with another exit reason than normal, shutdown, or {shutdown,Term}), a crash report is generated, which is written to terminal by the default logger handler setup by Kernel. For more information about how crash reports were logged prior to Erlang/OTP 21.0, see SASL Error Logging in the SASL User's Guide.
Unlike in "plain Erlang", proc_lib processes will not generate error reports, which are written to the terminal by the emulator. All exceptions are converted to exits which are ignored by the default logger handler.
The crash report contains the previously stored information, such as ancestors and initial function, the termination reason, and information about other processes that terminate as a result of this process terminating.
DATA TYPES¶
spawn_option() = erlang:spawn_opt_option()
See erlang:spawn_opt/2,3,4,5.
start_spawn_option() =
link |
{priority, erlang:priority_level()} |
{fullsweep_after, integer() >= 0} |
{min_heap_size, integer() >= 0} |
{min_bin_vheap_size, integer() >= 0} |
{max_heap_size, erlang:max_heap_size()} |
{message_queue_data, erlang:message_queue_data()}
A restricted set of spawn options. Most notably monitor is not part of these options.
dict_or_pid() =
pid() |
(ProcInfo :: [term()]) |
{X :: integer(), Y :: integer(), Z :: integer()}
EXPORTS¶
format(CrashReport) -> string()
Types:
Equivalent to format(CrashReport, latin1).
format(CrashReport, Encoding) -> string()
Types:
Encoding = latin1 | unicode | utf8
This function can be used by a user-defined legacy error_logger event handler to format a crash report. The crash report is sent using logger(3erl), and the event to be handled is of the format {error_report, GL, {Pid, crash_report, CrashReport}}, where GL is the group leader pid of process Pid that sent the crash report.
format(CrashReport, Encoding, Depth) -> string()
Types:
Encoding = latin1 | unicode | utf8
Depth = unlimited | integer() >= 1
This function can be used by a user-defined legacy error_logger event handler to format a crash report. When Depth is specified as a positive integer, it is used in the format string to limit the output as follows: io_lib:format("~P", [Term,Depth]).
hibernate(Module, Function, Args) -> no_return()
Types:
Function = atom()
Args = [term()]
This function does the same as (and does call) the hibernate/3 BIF, but ensures that exception handling and logging continues to work as expected when the process wakes up.
Always use this function instead of the BIF for processes started using proc_lib functions.
init_ack(Ret) -> ok
init_ack(Parent, Ret) -> ok
Types:
Ret = term()
This function must only be used by a process that has been started by a start[_link|_monitor]/3,4,5 function. It tells Parent that the process has initialized itself and started.
Function init_ack/1 uses the parent value previously stored by the start function used.
If neither this function nor init_fail/2,3 is called by the started process, the start function returns an error tuple when the started process exits, or when the start function time-out (if used) has passed, see start/3,4,5.
The following example illustrates how this function and proc_lib:start_link/3 are used:
-module(my_proc). -export([start_link/0]). -export([init/1]). start_link() ->
proc_lib:start_link(my_proc, init, [self()]). init(Parent) ->
case do_initialization() of
ok ->
proc_lib:init_ack(Parent, {ok, self()});
{error, Reason} ->
exit(Reason)
end,
loop(). ...
init_fail(Ret, Exception) -> no_return()
init_fail(Parent, Ret, Exception) -> no_return()
Types:
Ret = term()
Exception = {Class, Reason} | {Class, Reason, Stacktrace}
This function must only be used by a process that has been started by a start[_link|_monitor]/3,4,5 function. It tells Parent that the process has failed to initialize, and immediately raises an exception according to Exception. The start function then returns Ret.
See erlang:raise/3 for a description of Class, Reason and Stacktrace.
Function init_fail/2 uses the parent value previously stored by the start function used.
If neither this function nor init_ack/1,2 is called by the started process, the start function returns an error tuple when the started process exits, or when the start function time-out (if used) has passed, see start/3,4,5.
The following example illustrates how this function and proc_lib:start_link/3 can be used:
-module(my_proc). -export([start_link/0]). -export([init/1]). start_link() ->
proc_lib:start_link(my_proc, init, [self()]). init(Parent) ->
case do_initialization() of
ok ->
proc_lib:init_ack(Parent, {ok, self()});
{error, Reason} = Error ->
proc_lib:init_fail(Parent, Error, {exit, normal})
end,
loop(). ...
initial_call(Process) -> {Module, Function, Args} | false
Types:
Module = module()
Function = atom()
Args = [atom()]
Extracts the initial call of a process that was started using one of the spawn or start functions in this module. Process can either be a pid, an integer tuple (from which a pid can be created), or the process information of a process Pid fetched through an erlang:process_info(Pid) function call.
If the process was spawned using a fun, initial_call/1 no longer returns the fun, but the module, function for the local function implementing the fun, and the arity, for example, {some_module,-work/3-fun-0-,0} (meaning that the fun was created in function some_module:work/3). The reason is that keeping the fun would prevent code upgrade for the module, and that a significant amount of memory could be wasted.
spawn(Fun) -> pid()
spawn(Node, Fun) -> pid()
spawn(Module, Function, Args) -> pid()
spawn(Node, Module, Function, Args) -> pid()
Types:
Fun = function()
Module = module()
Function = atom()
Args = [term()]
Spawns a new process and initializes it as described in the beginning of this manual page. The process is spawned using the spawn BIFs.
spawn_link(Fun) -> pid()
spawn_link(Node, Fun) -> pid()
spawn_link(Module, Function, Args) -> pid()
spawn_link(Node, Module, Function, Args) -> pid()
Types:
Fun = function()
Module = module()
Function = atom()
Args = [term()]
Spawns a new process and initializes it as described in the beginning of this manual page. The process is spawned using the spawn_link BIFs.
spawn_opt(Fun, SpawnOpts) -> pid() | {pid(), reference()}
spawn_opt(Node, Function, SpawnOpts) ->
pid() | {pid(), reference()}
spawn_opt(Module, Function, Args, SpawnOpts) ->
pid() | {pid(), reference()}
spawn_opt(Node, Module, Function, Args, SpawnOpts) ->
pid() | {pid(), reference()}
Types:
Fun = function()
Module = module()
Function = atom()
Args = [term()]
SpawnOpts = [spawn_option()]
Spawns a new process and initializes it as described in the beginning of this manual page. The process is spawned using the erlang:spawn_opt BIFs.
start(Module, Function, Args) -> Ret
start(Module, Function, Args, Time) -> Ret
start(Module, Function, Args, Time, SpawnOpts) -> Ret
Types:
Function = atom()
Args = [term()]
Time = timeout()
SpawnOpts = [start_spawn_option()]
Ret = term() | {error, Reason :: term()}
Starts a new process synchronously. Spawns the process and waits for it to start.
To indicate a succesful start, the started process must call init_ack(Parent, Ret) where Parent is the process that evaluates this function, or init_ack(Ret). Ret is then returned by this function.
If the process fails to start, it must fail; preferably by calling init_fail(Parent, Ret, Exception) where Parent is the process that evaluates this function, or init_fail(Ret, Exception). Ret is then returned by this function, and the started process fails with Exception.
If the process instead fails before calling init_ack/1,2 or init_fail/2,3, this function returns {error, Reason} where Reason depends a bit on the exception just like for a process link {'EXIT',Pid,Reason} message.
If Time is specified as an integer, this function waits for Time milliseconds for the new process to call init_ack/1,2 or init_fail/2,3, otherwise the process gets killed and Ret = {error, timeout} is returned.
Argument SpawnOpts, if specified, is passed as the last argument to the spawn_opt/2,3,4,5 BIF.
Using spawn option link will set a link to the spawned process, just like start_link/3,4,5.
start_link(Module, Function, Args) -> Ret
start_link(Module, Function, Args, Time) -> Ret
start_link(Module, Function, Args, Time, SpawnOpts) -> Ret
Types:
Function = atom()
Args = [term()]
Time = timeout()
SpawnOpts = [start_spawn_option()]
Ret = term() | {error, Reason :: term()}
Starts a new process synchronously. Spawns the process and waits for it to start. A link is atomically set on the newly spawned process.
Besides setting a link on the spawned process this function behaves like start/3,4,5.
When the calling process traps exits; if this function returns due to the spawned process exiting (any error return), this function receives (consumes) the 'EXIT' message, also when this function times out and kills the spawned process.
start_monitor(Module, Function, Args) -> {Ret, Mon}
start_monitor(Module, Function, Args, Time) -> {Ret, Mon}
start_monitor(Module, Function, Args, Time, SpawnOpts) ->
{Ret, Mon}
Types:
Function = atom()
Args = [term()]
Time = timeout()
SpawnOpts = [start_spawn_option()]
Mon = reference()
Ret = term() | {error, Reason :: term()}
Starts a new process synchronously. Spawns the process and waits for it to start. A monitor is atomically set on the newly spawned process.
Besides setting a monitor on the spawned process this function behaves like start/3,4,5.
The return value is {Ret, Mon} where Ret corresponds to the Ret argument in the call to init_ack/1,2 or init_fail/2,3, and Mon is the monitor reference of the monitor that has been set up.
If this function returns due to the spawned process exiting, that is returns any error value, a 'DOWN' message will be delivered to the calling process, also when this function times out and kills the spawned process.
Using spawn option link will set a link to the spawned process, just like start_link/3,4,5.
stop(Process) -> ok
Types:
Equivalent to stop(Process, normal, infinity).
stop(Process, Reason, Timeout) -> ok
Types:
Reason = term()
Timeout = timeout()
Orders the process to exit with the specified Reason and waits for it to terminate.
Returns ok if the process exits with the specified Reason within Timeout milliseconds.
If the call times out, a timeout exception is raised.
If the process does not exist, a noproc exception is raised.
The implementation of this function is based on the terminate system message, and requires that the process handles system messages correctly. For information about system messages, see sys(3erl) and section sys and proc_lib in OTP Design Principles.
translate_initial_call(Process) -> {Module, Function, Arity}
Types:
Module = module()
Function = atom()
Arity = byte()
This function is used by functions c:i/0 and c:regs/0 to present process information.
This function extracts the initial call of a process that was started using one of the spawn or start functions in this module, and translates it to more useful information. Process can either be a pid, an integer tuple (from which a pid can be created), or the process information of a process Pid fetched through an erlang:process_info(Pid) function call.
If the initial call is to one of the system-defined behaviors such as gen_server or gen_event, it is translated to more useful information. If a gen_server is spawned, the returned Module is the name of the callback module and Function is init (the function that initiates the new server).
A supervisor and a supervisor_bridge are also gen_server processes. To return information that this process is a supervisor and the name of the callback module, Module is supervisor and Function is the name of the supervisor callback module. Arity is 1, as the init/1 function is called initially in the callback module.
By default, {proc_lib,init_p,5} is returned if no information about the initial call can be found. It is assumed that the caller knows that the process has been spawned with the proc_lib module.
SEE ALSO¶
error_logger(3erl)
logger(3erl)
stdlib 5.2.2 | Ericsson AB |