Issue 32377: Difference in ressurrection behavior with del in py2 vs. py3 (original) (raw)

Created on 2017-12-19 16:29 by Eric Cousineau, last changed 2022-04-11 14:58 by admin. This issue is now closed.

Files
File name Uploaded Description Edit
revive_test.py Eric Cousineau,2017-12-19 16:29 Repro example
Pull Requests
URL Status Linked Edit
PR 4927 merged pitrou,2017-12-19 17:39
PR 4929 merged python-dev,2017-12-19 18:49
Messages (9)
msg308660 - (view) Author: Eric Cousineau (Eric Cousineau) * Date: 2017-12-19 16:29
Due to how `PyObject_CallFinalizer` is written in python3, `__del__` will only *ever* be called once. In my use case, I am experimenting with a feature in `pybind11` to prevent slicing with Python class instances that inherit from pybind11-C++ base classes, which involves detecting when an instance loses all reference in Python (`Py_REFCNT(...) == 0`) but still has reference in C++ (`shared_ptr::count() > 0`), and reviving the Python portion when this situation happens. In python2, I could do this without a hitch, as a resurrected object could have its `__del__` method called multiple times (through `tp_dealloc` I believe?). But in python3, the object is marked with `_PyGC_SET_FINALIZED(...)`, thus preventing `__del__` from being called again. It'd be nice to either (a) somehow allow `__del__` to be called naturally without too much fuss or, at the least, (b) have this reflected in the documentation: https://docs.python.org/3/reference/datamodel.html#object.__del__ See attached `revive_test`. Example execution: ``` $ python2 ./revive_test.py Revive Destroy [ Done ] $ python3 ./revive_test.py Revive [ Done ] ```
msg308661 - (view) Author: Antoine Pitrou (pitrou) * (Python committer) Date: 2017-12-19 16:33
Thanks for the report. Apparently I forgot to update that piece of documentation when PEP 442 was implemented.
msg308662 - (view) Author: Eric Cousineau (Eric Cousineau) * Date: 2017-12-19 16:46
You're welcome, and thank you for the prompt response! I will say that it feels a tad odd to only have `tp_finalize` be called once for the entire lifetime of the object, while still having the option of it being resurrected. Is there any way to somehow "un-mark" the object to enable this workflow that I would like to have? My current hack is to call `_PyGC_SET_FINALIZED(self, 0)` - may I ask if there is a simpler way to do this?
msg308664 - (view) Author: Antoine Pitrou (pitrou) * (Python committer) Date: 2017-12-19 17:13
Le 19/12/2017 à 17:46, Eric Cousineau a écrit : > > My current hack is to call `_PyGC_SET_FINALIZED(self, 0)` - may I ask if there is a simpler way to do this? Well... perhaps you could create another PyObject (it's just a wrapper, right?) since the old one doesn't have any outside references to it remaining. Note that calling __del__ only once is also how PyPy works: http://doc.pypy.org/en/latest/cpython_differences.html#differences-related-to-garbage-collection-strategies If there is some demand we could expose a higher-level spelling of `_PyGC_SET_FINALIZED(self, 0)`.
msg308665 - (view) Author: Antoine Pitrou (pitrou) * (Python committer) Date: 2017-12-19 17:47
I've proposed a documentation improvement in https://github.com/python/cpython/pull/4927 . Please chime in if you see have issues with it.
msg308667 - (view) Author: Antoine Pitrou (pitrou) * (Python committer) Date: 2017-12-19 18:48
New changeset 4b965930e8625f77cb0e821daf5cc40e85b45f84 by Antoine Pitrou in branch 'master': bpo-32377: improve __del__ docs and fix mention about resurrection (#4927) https://github.com/python/cpython/commit/4b965930e8625f77cb0e821daf5cc40e85b45f84
msg308671 - (view) Author: Antoine Pitrou (pitrou) * (Python committer) Date: 2017-12-19 19:00
New changeset dc5770b161a5e28eeff73a406cd4eddb0676c5b5 by Antoine Pitrou (Miss Islington (bot)) in branch '3.6': bpo-32377: improve __del__ docs and fix mention about resurrection (GH-4927) (#4929) https://github.com/python/cpython/commit/dc5770b161a5e28eeff73a406cd4eddb0676c5b5
msg366057 - (view) Author: Eric Cousineau (Eric Cousineau) * Date: 2020-04-09 14:55
Super late response, but for this part: > Well... perhaps you could create another PyObject (it's just a wrapper, > right?) since the old one doesn't have any outside references to it > remaining. In certain cases, yes, that would be the case. I do have unittests that (hackily) check `id(o)` before and after resurrection by using a `weakref`, so I could relax that contract. However, in other cases, the "wrapper" object in Python is actually a C++ base class that has been derived from in Python. If ownership of the C++ instance (which should more-or-less own the Python portion) goes solely to C++, then the Python portion could be garbage collected, and you get a sort-of slicing effect: https://github.com/pybind/pybind11/issues/1145 Granted, within this web of issues, one alternative is to always extend the lifetime of the Python object by the C++ portion. However, that creates a (opaque?) reference cycle between C++ and CPython, so I am a bit afraid of what that would do. I would prefer to make memory management conservative if possible. Or rather: It's something cool to try out, but I have not yet had time to dig in :(
msg366068 - (view) Author: Eric Cousineau (Eric Cousineau) * Date: 2020-04-09 15:25
See also bpo-40240: "Expose public spelling of _PyGC_FINALIZED and _PyGC_SET_FINALIZED?"
History
Date User Action Args
2022-04-11 14:58:55 admin set github: 76558
2020-04-09 15:25:33 Eric Cousineau set messages: +
2020-04-09 14:55:48 Eric Cousineau set messages: +
2017-12-19 19:00:56 pitrou set status: open -> closedresolution: fixedstage: patch review -> resolved
2017-12-19 19:00:18 pitrou set messages: +
2017-12-19 18:49:01 python-dev set pull_requests: + <pull%5Frequest4823>
2017-12-19 18:48:47 pitrou set messages: +
2017-12-19 17:47:38 pitrou set messages: +
2017-12-19 17:39:31 pitrou set keywords: + patchstage: needs patch -> patch reviewpull_requests: + <pull%5Frequest4822>
2017-12-19 17:13:07 pitrou set messages: +
2017-12-19 16:46:38 Eric Cousineau set messages: +
2017-12-19 16:33:22 pitrou set versions: + Python 3.7, - Python 3.4, Python 3.5nosy: + pitroumessages: + stage: needs patch
2017-12-19 16:29:59 Eric Cousineau create