* Semaphores::
* Locks::
* Monitors::
-* Memory Barriers::
+* Optimization Barriers::
@end menu
@node Disabling Interrupts
@}
@end example
-@node Memory Barriers
-@subsection Memory Barriers
+@node Optimization Barriers
+@subsection Optimization Barriers
@c We should try to come up with a better example.
@c Perhaps something with a linked list?
@samp{volatile} are not well-defined, so it is not a good general
solution.
-Usually, the best solution is to use a compiler feature called a
-@dfn{memory barrier}, a special statement that prevents the compiler
-from reordering memory operations across the barrier. In Pintos,
-@file{threads/synch.h} defines the @code{barrier()} macro as a memory
-barrier. Here's how we would use a memory barrier to fix this code:
+Usually, the best solution is to use a compiler feature called an
+@dfn{optimization barrier}, a special statement that prevents the compiler
+from reordering operations across the barrier. In Pintos,
+@file{threads/synch.h} defines the @code{barrier()} macro as an optimization
+barrier. Here's how we would use a optimization barrier to fix this code:
@example
timer_put_char = 'x';
@end example
The compiler also treats invocation of any function defined externally,
-that is, in another source file, as a limited form of a memory barrier.
+that is, in another source file, as a limited form of a optimization barrier.
Specifically, the compiler assumes that any externally defined function
may access any statically or dynamically allocated data and any local
variable whose address is taken. This often means that explicit
does not need any barriers.
A function defined in the same source file, or in a header included by
-the source file, cannot be relied upon as a memory barrier.
+the source file, cannot be relied upon as a optimization barrier.
This applies even to invocation of a function before its
definition, because the compiler may read and parse the entire source
file before performing optimization.
system.
Pintos already implements thread creation and thread completion,
a simple scheduler to switch between threads, and synchronization
-primitives (semaphores, locks, condition variables, and memory
+primitives (semaphores, locks, condition variables, and optimization
barriers).
Some of this code might seem slightly mysterious. If
@item synch.c
@itemx synch.h
Basic synchronization primitives: semaphores, locks, condition
-variables, and memory barriers. You will need to use these for
+variables, and optimization barriers. You will need to use these for
synchronization in all
four projects. @xref{Synchronization}, for more information.
void cond_signal (struct condition *, struct lock *);
void cond_broadcast (struct condition *, struct lock *);
-/* Memory barrier.
+/* Optimization barrier.
- The compiler will not reorder operations that access memory
- across a memory barrier. */
+ The compiler will not reorder operations across an
+ optimization barrier. */
#define barrier() asm volatile ("")
#endif /* threads/synch.h */
- Synchronization: Most solutions manipulate the list with
interrupts disabled to protect against the interrupt
handler. Other solutions are possible but most of them are
- incorrect--watch out for missing memory barriers (see the
- Memory Barriers section in the reference guide) or bad
+ incorrect--watch out for missing optimization barriers (see the
+ Optimization Barriers section in the reference guide) or bad
assumptions of atomicity when there is none.
In most solutions only the list insertion (typically a