microsoft / microsoft/cppwinrt

Bug: There is a data race in the `test_old` test

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Description

While running the CI for my own fork of C++/WinRT, I observed that test_old fails randomly (typically requiring 100-500 runs to reproduce). The failure line is https://github.com/microsoft/cppwinrt/blob/129c9258fedbae96a0155f634bf56b68f6f75053/test/old_tests/UnitTests/async.cpp#L1411, and I have identified the root cause.

The following is a simplified version of the code, stripped of all unrelated distractions. It is equivalent to the content in async.cpp, with some comments added to aid understanding.

struct signal_done
{
    HANDLE signal;
    ~signal_done()
    {
        SetEvent(signal);
    }
};
IAsyncOperationWithProgress<std::uint64_t, std::uint64_t> AutoCancel_IAsyncOperationWithProgress(HANDLE go)
{
    signal_done d{ go };
    co_await resume_on_signal(go); // switches to the thread pool due to suspension.
    co_await std::suspend_never{}; // at this point, an exception is thrown due to cancellation being detected
    REQUIRE(false);
    co_return 0;
}
TEST_CASE("async, AutoCancel_IAsyncOperationWithProgress, 2")
{
    handle event { CreateEvent(nullptr, false, false, nullptr)}; // # 1 auto-reset event and initialized as unset
    IAsyncOperationWithProgress<std::uint64_t, std::uint64_t> async = AutoCancel_IAsyncOperationWithProgress(event.get());
    REQUIRE(async.Status() == AsyncStatus::Started);

    bool completed = false;     // # 2 not atomic and not protected by a mutex
    bool objectMatches = false;
    bool statusMatches = false;

    async.Completed([&](const IAsyncOperationWithProgress<std::uint64_t, std::uint64_t> & sender, AsyncStatus status)
    {
        completed = true; # 3
        objectMatches = (async == sender);
        statusMatches = (status == AsyncStatus::Canceled);
    });

    async.Cancel();
    SetEvent(event.get()); // #4 signal async to run
    REQUIRE(WaitForSingleObject(event.get(), INFINITE) == WAIT_OBJECT_0); // # 5 wait for async to be canceled
    REQUIRE(async.Status() == AsyncStatus::Canceled);
    REQUIRE_THROWS_AS(async.GetResults(), hresult_canceled); # 6

    REQUIRE(completed);     # 7
    REQUIRE(objectMatches);
    REQUIRE(statusMatches);
}

A simplified execution flow of this test is as follows:

  1. An auto-reset event is create. WaitForSingleObject is responsible for resetting it.
  2. Execute the coroutine and its body (C++/WinRT coroutine's initial_awaiter::suspend does not suspend the coroutine). https://github.com/microsoft/cppwinrt/blob/129c9258fedbae96a0155f634bf56b68f6f75053/strings/base_coroutine_foundation.h#L582
  3. signal_done is initialized; it will signal the event upon destruction.
  4. Execute co_await resume_on_signal(go);. This causes the coroutine to switch to the thread pool and suspend. https://github.com/microsoft/cppwinrt/blob/129c9258fedbae96a0155f634bf56b68f6f75053/strings/base_coroutine_threadpool.h#L486-L498
  5. The coroutine returns to the test function.
  6. Set the completion callback.
  7. Set the coroutine state to canceled.
  8. Signal the event.
  9. The coroutine resumes.
  10. A. co_await std::suspend_never{}; detects that the coroutine has been canceled and throws a canceled exception.
    B. The test function is suspended at step # 5, waiting for the signal.
  11. A. signal_done destructs and signals the event.
    B. The test function resumes execution.
  12. A. The coroutine executes final_suspend, which invokes the completion callback. https://github.com/microsoft/cppwinrt/blob/129c9258fedbae96a0155f634bf56b68f6f75053/strings/base_coroutine_foundation.h#L585-L610
    B. The test function checks the completed variable at step # 7.

The problem lies in step 4. The coroutine is resumed on the thread pool. Consequently, the completed callback is set to true on a thread pool thread (# 3). Simultaneously, the test thread checks the variable at step # 7. The setting of the completed variable and the checking of it are unordered. This causes the test to fail randomly. The failure is not always observed because step # 7 throws and catches an exception, which often slows down the test function, creating a timing window that allows the test to pass more often than it fails.

I believe the key to this issue lies in two points:

  1. Is this test correct?
  2. Does the completion callback have to be executed in final_suspend? Can it be executed by the Cancel function? By modifying basic_coroutine_foundation.h as follows, the test can also succeed.

https://github.com/microsoft/cppwinrt/blob/129c9258fedbae96a0155f634bf56b68f6f75053/strings/base_coroutine_foundation.h#L481-L509

void Cancel() noexcept
{
    winrt::delegate<> cancel;
    async_completed_handler_t<AsyncInterface> completed; // NB
    {
        slim_lock_guard const guard(m_lock);
        if (m_status.load(std::memory_order_relaxed) == AsyncStatus::Started)
        {
            m_status.store(AsyncStatus::Canceled, std::memory_order_relaxed);
            if (cancellable_promise::originate_on_cancel())
            {
                m_exception = std::make_exception_ptr(hresult_canceled());
            }
            else
            {
                m_exception = std::make_exception_ptr(hresult_canceled(hresult_error::no_originate));
            }
            cancel = std::move(m_cancel);
            completed = std::move(this->m_completed); // NB
        }
    }
    if (cancel)
    {
        cancel();
    }
    cancellable_promise::cancel();
    if (completed) // NB
    {
        winrt::impl::invoke(completed, *this, AsyncStatus::Canceled); //NB
    }
}

This change gives the completion callback a chance to execute on the thread that calls Cancel. I'm not sure if this is a good idea or if it will break existing code. The documentation currently doesn't specify this in detail.

Contributor guide

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First steps

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  2. Comment on the issue to say you are picking it up — it saves two people doing the same work.
  3. Fork the repository and make your change on a branch.
  4. Open a pull request that references the issue number.

Research direction

Start with test/old_tests/UnitTests/async.cpp at the failing test and review the coroutine behavior in strings/base_coroutine_foundation.h and strings/base_coroutine_threadpool.h. Reproduce the intermittent failure and trace completion callback ordering around cancellation and final_suspend. Done means the test no longer has an unordered access and the chosen callback semantics are validated without breaking existing behavior.

Written by the indexing model from the issue text.

Assessment

Tech stack
cpp
Domain
testing-qa
Issue type
Bug
Difficulty
4/5
Estimated time
3-5 days
Activity status
Stale
Clarity
Mostly clear
Newbie friendliness
45/100

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