PyEval_AcquireLock deadlock mystery

[Simon Burton]

AFAICT I am trying to get the GIL
from a thread created outside of python, but a deadlock ensues.

I have tried python 2.2 and 2.3. I am running this on Linux, and have
verified, using a backtrace, that it is the child thread calling
PyEval_AcquireLock. PyGILState_Ensure also deadlocks.

The child thread is created by an audio library (portaudio) to run a callback.

I have written my own test of the basic locking mechanism using
pthread_create, and it all works fine (see below).

I have been using pyrex for all this, re-writing a c coded extension
which works fine with the portaudio thread.

So, I am flumoxed.

What debugging techniques should I now persue ?

Here is the test script:

#################################################

cdef void *start_routine( void * arg ):
  PyEval_AcquireLock()
  PyThreadState_Swap(ts)
  print "I'm in python now!"
  PyThreadState_Swap(NULL)
  PyEval_ReleaseLock()

cdef pthread_t pth

from time import sleep
PyEval_InitThreads()

cdef PyThreadState * mts
cdef PyThreadState * ts
mts = PyThreadState_Get()
if mts == NULL:
  raise Error, "PyThreadState_Get: failed"
ts = PyThreadState_New(mts.interp)
if ts == NULL:
  raise Error, "PyThreadState_New: failed"

#start_routine(NULL) # deadlock
sleep(1)
# create our own thread instead of using portaudio's thread
pthread_create( &pth, NULL, start_routine, NULL )
sleep(1)

#############################################


Simon.


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Simon Burton, B.Sc.
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