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Class: Signal


Inheritance:

   Object
   |
   +--Signal
      |
      +--QuerySignal
      |
      +--VAST::VastSignal

Package:
stx:libbasic
Category:
Kernel-Exceptions
Version:
rev: 1.131 date: 2019/03/13 09:30:11
user: cg
file: Signal.st directory: libbasic
module: stx stc-classLibrary: libbasic
Author:
Claus Gittinger

Description:


Note:
    The instance based Signal framework is being replaced by class based exceptions.
    I.e. what used to be instances of Signal/QuerySignal is being
    rewritten into subclasses of Exception/Error/Query and Warning.

    Although the functionality is basically unchanged, the new
    class based exceptions are easier to instantiate (no need for
    creation in a classes initialize method), easier to use (no real
    need for Signal-constant accessors) and allow for easier parameter
    passing (not only a single parameter, but allows for individual
    exception subclasses to add additional state).

    However, the old Signal hierarchy will remain in existance, since it allows
    funny instance-specific and anonymous exception handling schemes to be
    implemented, which are hard to built using class-based exceptions.

Signal and Exception provide a framework for exception handling.

A Signal object is usually defined somewhere up in the calling chain
and associated with some abnormal event. Many signals are also
created at startup time and reused.

When the event is raised (by Signal>>raise) the control will be either
given to a debugger or - if a handler was defined - to the handler.
The handler will get a description of what (and where) happened in an
Exception object and can decide how to react on the situation (i.e.
proceed, return or restart).

There is also a companion class called SignalSet, which allows handling
multiple signals with one handler (for example all arithmetic signals).
And, finally there is a very special SignalSet which allows catching
any signal (SignalSet>>anySignal).

Since there is no official documentation on signal handling (i.e. none
of the books describes it), this Signal implementation has been modeled
after what some PD programs seem to expect and what alpha/beta testers told
me it should look like.
It may not be perfect and undergo minor changes.

special:

In addition to the nested catch & throw mechanism, signals can also be
used when no such handler scope exists. To support this, signals can be
assigned a handlerBlock, which gets evaluated with the exception as argument
in case no handler was found (on the stack).

If no handler was found (i.e. neither a handler context on the stack, nor
a static handler block), the NoHandlerSignal will be raised instead,
passing it the original exception in its exception-parameter.
This NoHandlerSignal can be handled just like any other signal.
(therefore, it is possible to catch any error by catching NoHandlerSignal.

When the NoHandler signal is raised, and neither a handler-context, nor
a handler block is defined for it, an emergencyHandler(-block) is evaluated.
This block is either provided by the current process
(see Process>>emergencySignalHandler) or as a global default by the Exception
class (see Exception>>emergencyHandler).
The default emergencyHandlerBlock (from Exception) will bring up a debugger.

HandlerBlocks allow a global (if it's the EmergencyHandler in Exception)
or per-process signal handling to be added. Even to code which was never
planned to handle signals.

See samples in 'doc/coding' and actual raise code in Exception.

[Instance variables:]

    mayProceed      <Boolean>       hint for the debugger - program may
                                    proceed (currently not honored by the
                                    debugger)

    notifierString  <String>        error message to be output

    nameClass       <Class>         for the printOn-implementation; nameClass
                                    is the class, to which message (below)
                                    should be sent to create the receiver.

    message         <Symbol>        for the printOn-implementation; message
                                    is the selector, which should be sent to
                                    nameClass (above) to create the receiver.

    handlerBlock    <Block>         if nonNil, a 1-arg block to be
                                    evaluated when no handler context is
                                    found. The block gets the exception
                                    object as argument. This will play the role
                                    of an on-stack handler.


Related information:

    GenericException
    SignalSet
    QuerySignal
    Object
    [``Exception handling and signals'']

Class protocol:

Signal constants
o  genericSignal
return the generic signal - that's the parent of all signals
in the system.

o  noHandlerSignal
return the signal used to handle unhandled signals

instance creation
o  new
return a new signal

usage example(s):

     Signal new


Instance protocol:

Compatibility-ANSI
o  signal
ANSI compatibility

o  signalWith: messageText
ANSI compatibility

Compatibility-VW
o  messageText: aString

o  new
create a new signal, using the receiver as a prototype and
setting the parent of the new signal to the receiver.

JavaScript support
o  js_add: anExceptionHandler
( an extension from the stx:libjavascript package )
For JavaScript only:
Alternative error concatenation.
Generated for +-operator in javascript.

accessing
o  creator
return the creator of the exception (for exception protocol compatibilty).
For class based exceptions, that is the exception class;
for signals, that is the signal itself.
This used to be called 'signal' in earlier versions,
but due to the conflict with VSE, Squeak and others,
where 'signal' means 'raise', 'signal' was obsoleted by this method.

o  errorString
errorString is deprecated, use description instead

** This is an obsolete interface - do not use it (it may vanish in future versions) **

o  handlerBlock
return the handlerblock - if non-nil, this will be evaluated with the exception
object as argument, if no #handle:do: context was found on the stack.

o  handlerBlock: aOneArgBlock
set the handlerblock - this will be evaluated with the exception
object as argument, if no #handle:do: context was found on the stack.

o  mayProceed
return the signals ability to proceed.
This flag is (currently) not checked by the system;
be prepared for changes here, to eventually have nonProceedable
signals refuse to let you continue execution.

o  mayProceed: aBoolean
set/clear the signals ability to proceed.
This flag is (currently) not checked by the system;
be prepared for changes here, to eventually have nonProceedable
signals refuse to let you continue execution.

o  nameClass: aClass message: aSelector
this sets the class & selector of a method which returns
that signal - this is simply for documentation purposes -
see Signal>>printOn: implementation.
(took me a while to find that one out ;-)

o  notifierString
return the notifier string

o  notifierString: aString
set the notifier string

o  originalSignal
return the signal/exception which was originally raised.
For noHandler, that is my unhandled signal; for others, that's the exception itself.

o  parent
return the parent-signal of the receiver

o  parent: aSignal
set the parent-signal of the receiver.

o  parent: aSignal mayProceed: aBoolean
set the parent-signal and the mayProceed flag of the receiver.

converting
o  , anExceptionHandler
return a SignalSet with myself and anExceptionHandler

copying
o  deepCopyUsing: aDictionary postCopySelector: postCopySelector
raise an error - deepCopy is not allowed for signals

exception creation
o  newException
answer a new exception object for this signal.
Subclasses may redefine this method

instance creation
o  newSignal
create a new signal, using the receiver as a prototype and
setting the parent of the new signal to the receiver.

o  newSignalMayProceed: aBoolean
create a new signal, using the receiver as a prototype and
setting the parent of the new signal to the receiver.

printing & storing
o  description
return the notifier string.
If the notifier string starts with space, prepend
the parents notifier string

usage example(s):

     Error description

o  descriptionForDebugger
return the description string of the signal which is used in the
debugger title area

o  printOn: aStream
append a printed representation of the receiver on aStream

queries
o  accepts: aSignalOrExceptionClass
return true, if the receiver accepts the argument, aSignal.
(i.e. the receiver is aSignal or a parent of it). False otherwise.

o  catchInDebugger
if set, the debugger will handle this signal in its event loop and will close itself
without asking for close-confirmation.
This allows for debugged processes to be terminated without a user confirmation dialog
(for now, this is used in expecco's hard-terminate function to shut down any open debuggers
together with the test-process)

o  exceptionHandlerFor: anException in: aContext
answer the exceptionHandler for anException from aContext.

o  handlerForSignal: signal context: theContext originator: originator
answer the handler block for the signal from originator.
The block is retrieved from aContext.
Answer nil if the signal is not handled

o  handlerProtectedBlock: doBlock inContext: context
set the handlerProtectedBlock in context

o  handles: anException
return true, if the receiver handles the argument, anException.
(i.e. the receiver is anExceptions signal or a parent of it)

o  inheritsFrom: anotherSignal
return true, if the receiver is a child of anotherSignal
(i.e. if handling anotherSignal also handles the receiver)
This is almost the same as accepts, but returns false, if
the receiver is identical to anotherSignal.

** This is an obsolete interface - do not use it (it may vanish in future versions) **

o  isAcceptedBy: aHandlerSignalOrHandlerExceptionClass
return true, if the aHandlerSignalOrHandlerExceptionClass accepts the receiver.

o  isControlInterrupt

o  isExceptionCreator
return true, if the receiver can create exceptions,
this includes #raise, #raiseRequest as well as the behavior of
an exception handler, such as the #accepts: and #handles: messages

o  isExceptionHandler
return true, if the receiver responds to the exception handler protocol,
especially to the #accepts: and #handles: messages

o  isHandled
return true, if there is a handler for the receiver signal.
Raising an unhandled signal will usually lead into the debugger,
but can be caught globally by setting Exceptions EmergencyHandler.

o  isHandledIn: aContext
return true, if there is a handler for the receiver signal in the
contextChain starting with aContext.

o  isQuery
return true, if this is a query

o  isQuerySignal
return true, if this is a querySignal - always return false here

raising
o  raise
raise a signal nonproceedable.
The signals notifierString is used as messageText.

o  raiseErrorString: aString
raise a signal nonproceedable.
The argument is used as messageText.

o  raiseErrorString: aString in: aContext
raise a signal nonproceedable.
The argument is used as messageText.

o  raiseFrom: something
raise a signal nonproceedable.
The argument, something is passed both as parameter and originator.

o  raiseRequest
raise a signal proceedable.
The signals notifierString is used as messageText.

o  raiseRequestErrorString: aString
raise a signal proceedable.
The argument, aString is used as messageText.

o  raiseRequestFrom: something
raise a signal proceedable.
The argument, something is passed both as parameter and originator.

o  raiseRequestWith: aParameter
raise a signal proceedable.
The signals notifierString is used as messageText.

o  raiseRequestWith: aParameter errorString: aString
raise a signal proceedable.
The argument, aString is used as messageText.

o  raiseRequestWith: aParameter errorString: aString in: aContext
raise a signal proceedable.
The argument, aString is used as messageText.
The additional context is passed as the context responsible for the raise,
allowing a raise to mimicri the exception happened somewhere else.

o  raiseRequestWith: aParameter in: aContext
raise a signal proceedable.
The additional context is passed as the context responsible for the raise,
allowing a raise to mimicri the exception happened somewhere else.

o  raiseSignal
raise a signal (proceedable or not, whatever the proceedability is).
The signals notifierString is used as messageText.

o  raiseSignal: errorMessage
ANSI: raise a signal (proceedable or not, whatever the proceedability is).
The argument, errorMessage is used as messageText.

o  raiseSignal: errorMessage with: aParameter
ANSI: raise a signal (proceedable or not, whatever the proceedability is).
The argument, errorMessage is used as messageText.

o  raiseSignalErrorString: aString
raise a signal (proceedable or not, whatever the proceedability is).
The argument, aString is used as messageText.

o  raiseSignalWith: aParameter
raise a signal (proceedable or not, whatever the proceedability is).
The argument, aParameter is passed as parameter.

o  raiseSignalWith: aParameter errorString: aString
raise a signal (proceedable or not, whatever the proceedability is).
The argument, aString is used as messageText,
aParameter is passed as exception parameter.

o  raiseWith: aParameter
raise a signal nonproceedable.
The argument, aParameter is passed as parameter.

o  raiseWith: aParameter errorString: aString
raise a signal nonproceedable.
The argument, aString is used as messageText,
aParameter is passed as exception parameter.

o  raiseWith: aParameter errorString: aString in: aContext
raise a signal nonproceedable.
The argument, aString is used as messageText, aParameter is passed
as exception parameter.
The additional context is passed as the context responsible for the raise,
allowing a raise to mimicri the exception happened somewhere else.

o  raiseWith: aParameter in: aContext
raise a signal nonproceedable.
The argument, aParameter is passed as parameter.
The additional context is passed as the context responsible for the raise,
allowing a raise to mimicri the exception happened somewhere else.

save evaluation
o  catch: aBlock
evaluate the argument, aBlock.
If the receiver-signal is raised during evaluation, abort
the evaluation and return true; otherwise return false.
This is the catch & throw mechanism found in other languages,
where the returned value indicates if an exception occurred.

usage example(s):

     Object messageNotUnderstoodSignal catch:[
        123 size open
     ]

o  deferAfter: aBlock
evaluate the argument, aBlock.
Ignore the receiver-signal during evaluation - i.e. simply continue,
but remember if the signal was raised.
After the block evaluation, finally raise the signal - if it was raised in the block.
If the signal is raised multiple times, only the first raises parameter is remembered,
and only a single raise is performed after the block's evaluation.

Deferring makes sense for some signals, such as UserInterrupt or AbortSignal,
which must occasionally be delayed temporarily until a save place is reached
(especially when packages are sent across a communication channel, and you don't want
partial packages to be generated by user interruptions).

o  evaluate: aBlock ifRaised: exceptionValue
evaluate the argument, aBlock and return its value.
If the receiver-signal is raised during evaluation, abort
the evaluation and return the value from exceptionValue.
This is similar to the catch & throw mechanism found in other languages

usage example(s):

     Object messageNotUnderstoodSignal
        evaluate:[ 123 size open ]
        ifRaised:[ self halt ]

o  handle: handleBlock do: aBlock
evaluate the argument, aBlock.
If the receiver-signal is raised during evaluation,
evaluate the handleBlock passing it an Exception argument.
The handler may decide how to react to the signal by sending
a corresponding message to the exception (see there).
If the signal is not raised, return the value of evaluating
aBlock.

usage example(s):

     Object messageNotUnderstoodSignal handle:[:ex |
	'oops' printNL.
	ex return
     ] do:[
	123 size open
     ]

o  handle: handleBlock from: anObject do: aBlock
evaluate the argument, aBlock.
If the receiver-signal is raised during evaluation,
and the exception originated from anObject,
evaluate the handleBlock passing it an Exception argument.
The handler may decide how to react to the signal by sending
a corresponding message to the exception (see there).
If the signal is not raised, return the value of evaluating
aBlock.

o  ignoreIn: aBlock
evaluate the argument, aBlock.
Ignore the receiver-signal during evaluation - i.e. simply continue with the default resume value.
This makes only sense for some signals, such as UserInterrupt
or AbortOperationRequest, because continuing after an exception without any cleanup
often leads to followup-errors.

usage example(s):

      Object messageNotUnderstoodSignal ignoreIn:[
         123 size open
      ]



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