[RFC PATCH v5 9/9] libcamera: process: Remove `ProcessManager` singleton

Kieran Bingham kieran.bingham at ideasonboard.com
Sat Apr 26 15:27:55 CEST 2025


Quoting Barnabás Pőcze (2025-04-24 12:41:03)
> The `ProcessManager` is a singleton class to handle `SIGCHLD` signals
> and report the exit status to the particular `Process` instance.
> 
> However, having a singleton in a library is not favourable and it is
> even less favourable if it installs a signal handler.

Do we still have the segfault signal handler? I thought we had some
custom handler to print a backtrace somewhere...

I guess that's separate.

> Using pidfd it is possible to avoid the need for the signal handler;
> and the `Process` objects can watch their pidfd themselves, eliminating
> the need for the `ProcessManager` class altogether.
> 
> `P_PIDFD` for `waitid()` was introduced in Linux 5.4, so this change
> raises the minimum supported kernel version. `clone3()`, `CLONE_PIDFD`,
> `pidfd_send_signal()` were all introduced earlier.
> 
> Furthermore, the call to the `unshare()` system call can be removed
> as those options can be passed to `clone3()` directly.

I know we've had issues in CI tests before with unshare() so I think
that being removed sounds good, except I expect the same permission
requirements of unshare() on the clone3() so I guess it won't change
much.

Is there anything to explore here that the process we launch can have
custom restrictions/jails added? (or is that where we would have to
handle things in a separate daemon context?)

Anyway, that's a lot of code removed, which if it doesn't mean a loss of
functionality is a good thing.


> Signed-off-by: Barnabás Pőcze <barnabas.pocze at ideasonboard.com>
> Reviewed-by: Laurent Pinchart <laurent.pinchart at ideasonboard.com>
> ---
>  include/libcamera/internal/camera_manager.h |   1 -
>  include/libcamera/internal/process.h        |  34 +--
>  meson.build                                 |   2 +-
>  src/libcamera/process.cpp                   | 245 +++++---------------
>  test/ipc/unixsocket_ipc.cpp                 |   2 -
>  test/log/log_process.cpp                    |   2 -
>  test/process/process_test.cpp               |   2 -
>  7 files changed, 60 insertions(+), 228 deletions(-)
> 
> diff --git a/include/libcamera/internal/camera_manager.h b/include/libcamera/internal/camera_manager.h
> index 0150ca61f..5dfbe1f65 100644
> --- a/include/libcamera/internal/camera_manager.h
> +++ b/include/libcamera/internal/camera_manager.h
> @@ -65,7 +65,6 @@ private:
>         std::unique_ptr<DeviceEnumerator> enumerator_;
>  
>         std::unique_ptr<IPAManager> ipaManager_;
> -       ProcessManager processManager_;
>  };
>  
>  } /* namespace libcamera */
> diff --git a/include/libcamera/internal/process.h b/include/libcamera/internal/process.h
> index e55d11fa3..27d4b9258 100644
> --- a/include/libcamera/internal/process.h
> +++ b/include/libcamera/internal/process.h
> @@ -7,7 +7,6 @@
>  
>  #pragma once
>  
> -#include <signal.h>
>  #include <string>
>  
>  #include <libcamera/base/class.h>
> @@ -45,41 +44,14 @@ public:
>  private:
>         LIBCAMERA_DISABLE_COPY_AND_MOVE(Process)
>  
> -       int isolate();
> -       void died(int wstatus);
> +       void onPidfdNotify();
>  
>         pid_t pid_;
>         enum ExitStatus exitStatus_;
>         int exitCode_;
>  
> -       friend class ProcessManager;
> -};
> -
> -class ProcessManager
> -{
> -public:
> -       ProcessManager();
> -       ~ProcessManager();
> -
> -       void registerProcess(Process *proc);
> -
> -       static ProcessManager *instance();
> -
> -       int writePipe() const;
> -
> -       const struct sigaction &oldsa() const;
> -
> -private:
> -       static ProcessManager *self_;
> -
> -       void sighandler();
> -
> -       std::list<Process *> processes_;
> -
> -       struct sigaction oldsa_;
> -
> -       EventNotifier *sigEvent_;
> -       UniqueFD pipe_[2];
> +       UniqueFD pidfd_;
> +       std::unique_ptr<EventNotifier> pidfdNotify_;
>  };
>  
>  } /* namespace libcamera */
> diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
> index ae13727eb..3c895ae9e 100644
> --- a/meson.build
> +++ b/meson.build
> @@ -265,7 +265,7 @@ subdir('Documentation')
>  subdir('test')
>  
>  if not meson.is_cross_build()
> -    kernel_version_req = '>= 5.0.0'
> +    kernel_version_req = '>= 5.4.0'
>      kernel_version = run_command('uname', '-r', check : true).stdout().strip()
>      if not kernel_version.version_compare(kernel_version_req)
>          warning('The current running kernel version @0@ is too old to run libcamera.'
> diff --git a/src/libcamera/process.cpp b/src/libcamera/process.cpp
> index 42b56374d..b01c78034 100644
> --- a/src/libcamera/process.cpp
> +++ b/src/libcamera/process.cpp
> @@ -10,15 +10,18 @@
>  #include <algorithm>
>  #include <dirent.h>
>  #include <fcntl.h>
> -#include <list>
>  #include <signal.h>
>  #include <string.h>
>  #include <sys/socket.h>
> +#include <sys/syscall.h>
>  #include <sys/types.h>
>  #include <sys/wait.h>
>  #include <unistd.h>
>  #include <vector>
>  
> +#include <linux/sched.h>
> +#include <linux/wait.h> /* glibc only provides `P_PIDFD` in `sys/wait.h` since 2.36 */
> +
>  #include <libcamera/base/event_notifier.h>
>  #include <libcamera/base/log.h>
>  #include <libcamera/base/utils.h>
> @@ -32,37 +35,8 @@ namespace libcamera {
>  
>  LOG_DEFINE_CATEGORY(Process)
>  
> -/**
> - * \class ProcessManager
> - * \brief Manager of processes
> - *
> - * The ProcessManager singleton keeps track of all created Process instances,
> - * and manages the signal handling involved in terminating processes.
> - */
> -
>  namespace {
>  
> -void sigact(int signal, siginfo_t *info, void *ucontext)
> -{
> -#pragma GCC diagnostic push
> -#pragma GCC diagnostic ignored "-Wunused-result"
> -       /*
> -        * We're in a signal handler so we can't log any message, and we need
> -        * to continue anyway.
> -        */
> -       char data = 0;
> -       write(ProcessManager::instance()->writePipe(), &data, sizeof(data));
> -#pragma GCC diagnostic pop
> -
> -       const struct sigaction &oldsa = ProcessManager::instance()->oldsa();
> -       if (oldsa.sa_flags & SA_SIGINFO) {
> -               oldsa.sa_sigaction(signal, info, ucontext);
> -       } else {
> -               if (oldsa.sa_handler != SIG_IGN && oldsa.sa_handler != SIG_DFL)
> -                       oldsa.sa_handler(signal);
> -       }
> -}
> -
>  void closeAllFdsExcept(Span<const int> fds)
>  {
>         std::vector<int> v(fds.begin(), fds.end());
> @@ -118,129 +92,6 @@ void closeAllFdsExcept(Span<const int> fds)
>  
>  } /* namespace */
>  
> -void ProcessManager::sighandler()
> -{
> -       char data;
> -       ssize_t ret = read(pipe_[0].get(), &data, sizeof(data));
> -       if (ret < 0) {
> -               LOG(Process, Error)
> -                       << "Failed to read byte from signal handler pipe";
> -               return;
> -       }
> -
> -       for (auto it = processes_.begin(); it != processes_.end();) {
> -               Process *process = *it;
> -
> -               int wstatus;
> -               pid_t pid = waitpid(process->pid_, &wstatus, WNOHANG);
> -               if (process->pid_ != pid) {
> -                       ++it;
> -                       continue;
> -               }
> -
> -               it = processes_.erase(it);
> -               process->died(wstatus);
> -       }
> -}
> -
> -/**
> - * \brief Register process with process manager
> - * \param[in] proc Process to register
> - *
> - * This function registers the \a proc with the process manager. It
> - * shall be called by the parent process after successfully forking, in
> - * order to let the parent signal process termination.
> - */
> -void ProcessManager::registerProcess(Process *proc)
> -{
> -       processes_.push_back(proc);
> -}
> -
> -ProcessManager *ProcessManager::self_ = nullptr;
> -
> -/**
> - * \brief Construct a ProcessManager instance
> - *
> - * The ProcessManager class is meant to only be instantiated once, by the
> - * CameraManager.
> - */
> -ProcessManager::ProcessManager()
> -{
> -       if (self_)
> -               LOG(Process, Fatal)
> -                       << "Multiple ProcessManager objects are not allowed";
> -
> -       sigaction(SIGCHLD, NULL, &oldsa_);
> -
> -       struct sigaction sa;
> -       memset(&sa, 0, sizeof(sa));
> -       sa.sa_sigaction = &sigact;
> -       memcpy(&sa.sa_mask, &oldsa_.sa_mask, sizeof(sa.sa_mask));
> -       sigaddset(&sa.sa_mask, SIGCHLD);
> -       sa.sa_flags = oldsa_.sa_flags | SA_SIGINFO;
> -
> -       sigaction(SIGCHLD, &sa, NULL);
> -
> -       int pipe[2];
> -       if (pipe2(pipe, O_CLOEXEC | O_DIRECT | O_NONBLOCK))
> -               LOG(Process, Fatal)
> -                       << "Failed to initialize pipe for signal handling";
> -
> -       pipe_[0] = UniqueFD(pipe[0]);
> -       pipe_[1] = UniqueFD(pipe[1]);
> -
> -       sigEvent_ = new EventNotifier(pipe_[0].get(), EventNotifier::Read);
> -       sigEvent_->activated.connect(this, &ProcessManager::sighandler);
> -
> -       self_ = this;
> -}
> -
> -ProcessManager::~ProcessManager()
> -{
> -       sigaction(SIGCHLD, &oldsa_, NULL);
> -
> -       delete sigEvent_;
> -
> -       self_ = nullptr;
> -}
> -
> -/**
> - * \brief Retrieve the Process manager instance
> - *
> - * The ProcessManager is constructed by the CameraManager. This function shall
> - * be used to retrieve the single instance of the manager.
> - *
> - * \return The Process manager instance
> - */
> -ProcessManager *ProcessManager::instance()
> -{
> -       return self_;
> -}
> -
> -/**
> - * \brief Retrieve the Process manager's write pipe
> - *
> - * This function is meant only to be used by the static signal handler.
> - *
> - * \return Pipe for writing
> - */
> -int ProcessManager::writePipe() const
> -{
> -       return pipe_[1].get();
> -}
> -
> -/**
> - * \brief Retrive the old signal action data
> - *
> - * This function is meant only to be used by the static signal handler.
> - *
> - * \return The old signal action data
> - */
> -const struct sigaction &ProcessManager::oldsa() const
> -{
> -       return oldsa_;
> -}
> -
>  /**
>   * \class Process
>   * \brief Process object
> @@ -291,8 +142,6 @@ int Process::start(const std::string &path,
>                    Span<const std::string> args,
>                    Span<const int> fds)
>  {
> -       int ret;
> -
>         if (pid_ > 0)
>                 return -EBUSY;
>  
> @@ -301,20 +150,29 @@ int Process::start(const std::string &path,
>                         return -EINVAL;
>         }
>  
> -       int childPid = fork();
> -       if (childPid == -1) {
> -               ret = -errno;
> +       clone_args cargs = {};
> +       int pidfd;
> +
> +       cargs.flags = CLONE_CLEAR_SIGHAND | CLONE_PIDFD | CLONE_NEWUSER | CLONE_NEWNET;
> +       cargs.pidfd = reinterpret_cast<uintptr_t>(&pidfd);
> +       cargs.exit_signal = SIGCHLD;
> +
> +       long childPid = syscall(SYS_clone3, &cargs, sizeof(cargs));
> +       if (childPid < 0) {
> +               int ret = -errno;
>                 LOG(Process, Error) << "Failed to fork: " << strerror(-ret);
>                 return ret;
> -       } else if (childPid) {
> +       }
> +
> +       if (childPid) {
>                 pid_ = childPid;
> -               ProcessManager::instance()->registerProcess(this);
> +               pidfd_ = UniqueFD(pidfd);
> +               pidfdNotify_ = std::make_unique<EventNotifier>(pidfd_.get(), EventNotifier::Type::Read);
> +               pidfdNotify_->activated.connect(this, &Process::onPidfdNotify);
>  
> -               return 0;
> +               LOG(Process, Debug) << this << "[" << childPid << ':' << pidfd << "]"
> +                                   << " forked";
>         } else {
> -               if (isolate())
> -                       _exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
> -
>                 closeAllFdsExcept(fds);
>  
>                 const char *file = utils::secure_getenv("LIBCAMERA_LOG_FILE");
> @@ -333,35 +191,44 @@ int Process::start(const std::string &path,
>  
>                 exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
>         }
> -}
> -
> -int Process::isolate()
> -{
> -       int ret = unshare(CLONE_NEWUSER | CLONE_NEWNET);
> -       if (ret) {
> -               ret = -errno;
> -               LOG(Process, Error) << "Failed to unshare execution context: "
> -                                   << strerror(-ret);
> -               return ret;
> -       }
>  
>         return 0;
>  }
>  
> -/**
> - * \brief SIGCHLD handler
> - * \param[in] wstatus The status as output by waitpid()
> - *
> - * This function is called when the process associated with Process terminates.
> - * It emits the Process::finished signal.
> - */
> -void Process::died(int wstatus)
> +void Process::onPidfdNotify()
>  {
> -       pid_ = -1;
> -       exitStatus_ = WIFEXITED(wstatus) ? NormalExit : SignalExit;
> -       exitCode_ = exitStatus_ == NormalExit ? WEXITSTATUS(wstatus) : -1;
> +       auto pidfdNotify = std::exchange(pidfdNotify_, {});
> +       auto pidfd = std::exchange(pidfd_, {});
> +       auto pid = std::exchange(pid_, -1);
> +
> +       ASSERT(pidfdNotify);
> +       ASSERT(pidfd.isValid());
> +       ASSERT(pid > 0);
> +
> +       siginfo_t info;
> +
> +       /*
> +        * `static_cast` is needed because `P_PIDFD` is not defined in `sys/wait.h` if the C standard library
> +        * is old enough. So `P_PIDFD` is taken from `linux/wait.h`, where it is just an integer #define.
> +        */
> +       if (waitid(static_cast<idtype_t>(P_PIDFD), pidfd.get(), &info, WNOHANG | WEXITED) >= 0) {
> +               ASSERT(info.si_pid == pid);
>  
> -       finished.emit(exitStatus_, exitCode_);
> +               LOG(Process, Debug)
> +                       << this << "[" << pid << ':' << pidfd.get() << "]"
> +                       << " code: " << info.si_code
> +                       << " status: " << info.si_status;
> +
> +               exitStatus_ = info.si_code == CLD_EXITED ? Process::NormalExit : Process::SignalExit;
> +               exitCode_ = info.si_code == CLD_EXITED ? info.si_status : -1;
> +
> +               finished.emit(exitStatus_, exitCode_);
> +       } else {
> +               int err = errno;
> +               LOG(Process, Warning)
> +                       << this << "[" << pid << ":" << pidfd.get() << "]"
> +                       << " waitid() failed: " << strerror(err);

I wonder if there's any extra way we can get custom messages from the
IPA's over to the main process to report /why/ they shut down in event
of failures.

So frequently when IPA's are isolated - do we get difficult to support
issues from users who's IPA isn't running - and we don't report in
libcamera any thing about /why/

Anyway - I don't see anything wrong with this patch so :

Reviewed-by: Kieran Bingham <kieran.bingham at ideasonboard.com>

> +       }
>  }
>  
>  /**
> @@ -399,8 +266,8 @@ void Process::died(int wstatus)
>   */
>  void Process::kill()
>  {
> -       if (pid_ > 0)
> -               ::kill(pid_, SIGKILL);
> +       if (pidfd_.isValid())
> +               syscall(SYS_pidfd_send_signal, pidfd_.get(), SIGKILL, nullptr, 0);
>  }
>  
>  } /* namespace libcamera */
> diff --git a/test/ipc/unixsocket_ipc.cpp b/test/ipc/unixsocket_ipc.cpp
> index df7d9c2b4..f3e3c09ef 100644
> --- a/test/ipc/unixsocket_ipc.cpp
> +++ b/test/ipc/unixsocket_ipc.cpp
> @@ -209,8 +209,6 @@ protected:
>         }
>  
>  private:
> -       ProcessManager processManager_;
> -
>         unique_ptr<IPCPipeUnixSocket> ipc_;
>  };
>  
> diff --git a/test/log/log_process.cpp b/test/log/log_process.cpp
> index 9609e23d5..367b78803 100644
> --- a/test/log/log_process.cpp
> +++ b/test/log/log_process.cpp
> @@ -137,8 +137,6 @@ private:
>                 exitCode_ = exitCode;
>         }
>  
> -       ProcessManager processManager_;
> -
>         Process proc_;
>         Process::ExitStatus exitStatus_ = Process::NotExited;
>         string logPath_;
> diff --git a/test/process/process_test.cpp b/test/process/process_test.cpp
> index a88d8fef1..fe76666e6 100644
> --- a/test/process/process_test.cpp
> +++ b/test/process/process_test.cpp
> @@ -86,8 +86,6 @@ private:
>                 exitCode_ = exitCode;
>         }
>  
> -       ProcessManager processManager_;
> -
>         Process proc_;
>         enum Process::ExitStatus exitStatus_;
>         int exitCode_;
> -- 
> 2.49.0
>


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