[Zodb-checkins] CVS: ZODB3/Persistence - ring.h:1.1.2.4

[Tim Peters]

Update of /cvs-repository/ZODB3/Persistence
In directory cvs.zope.org:/tmp/cvs-serv25279/Persistence

Modified Files:
      Tag: zodb33-devel-branch
	ring.h 
Log Message:
Beef up the comments.


=== ZODB3/Persistence/ring.h 1.1.2.3 => 1.1.2.4 ===
--- ZODB3/Persistence/ring.h:1.1.2.3	Wed Jul  9 16:34:43 2003
+++ ZODB3/Persistence/ring.h	Wed Jul  9 17:07:01 2003
@@ -14,15 +14,22 @@
 
 /* Support routines for the doubly-linked list of cached objects.
 
-The cache stores a doubly-linked list of persistent objects, with
-space for the pointers allocated in the objects themselves.  The cache
-stores the distinguished head of the list, which is not a valid
-persistent object.
-
-The next pointers traverse the ring in order starting with the least
-recently used object.  The prev pointers traverse the ring in order
-starting with the most recently used object.
+The cache stores a headed, doubly-linked, circular list of persistent
+objects, with space for the pointers allocated in the objects themselves.
+The cache stores the distinguished head of the list, which is not a valid
+persistent object.  The other list members are non-ghost persistent
+objects, linked in LRU (least-recently used) order.
 
+The r_next pointers traverse the ring starting with the least recently used
+object.  The r_prev pointers traverse the ring starting with the most
+recently used object.
+
+Obscure:  While each object is pointed at twice by list pointers (once by
+its predecessor's r_next, again by its successor's r_prev), the refcount
+on the object is bumped only by 1.  This leads to some possibly surprising
+sequences of incref and decref code.  Note that since the refcount is
+bumped at least once, the list does hold a strong reference to each
+object in it.
 */
 
 typedef struct CPersistentRing_struct
@@ -31,6 +38,29 @@
     struct CPersistentRing_struct *r_next;
 } CPersistentRing;
 
+/* The list operations here take constant time independent of the
+ * number of objects in the list:
+ */
+
+/* Add elt as the most recently used object.  elt must not already be
+ * in the list, although this isn't checked.
+ */
 void ring_add(CPersistentRing *ring, CPersistentRing *elt);
+
+/* Remove elt from the list.  elt must already be in the list, although
+ * this isn't checked.
+ */
 void ring_del(CPersistentRing *elt);
+
+/* elt must already be in the list, although this isn't checked.  It's
+ * unlinked from its current position, and relinked into the list as the
+ * most recently used object (which is arguably the tail of the list
+ * instead of the head -- but the name of this function could be argued
+ * either way).  This is equivalent to
+ *
+ *     ring_del(elt);
+ *     ring_add(ring, elt);
+ *
+ * but may be a little quicker.
+ */
 void ring_move_to_head(CPersistentRing *ring, CPersistentRing *elt);