Question

C# Deadlock problem

Asked by: MikeDotNet555

Hi, I have a code that seem to be giving me some deadlocks within my code. I can't really find what is wrong with it please give me any advices. (the function sometime block and never returns).

I know the code could be written in a better way but for now it does the job I only need to make sure it returns.

static readonly object locker = new object();
 
        static List<string> EastGameList = new List<string>();
        static List<string> WestGameList = new List<string>();
        static List<string> EuropeGameList = new List<string>();
        static List<string> AsiaGameList = new List<string>();
 
        internal static string GetGameToJoin(List<SpamGame> gameList, Server realm)
        {
            //string[] GameList = gameList.ToArray();
            lock (locker)
            {
                IEnumerable<string> GameList;
                switch (realm)
                {
                    case Server.UsEast:
                        if (EastGameList.Count > 1000)
                            EastGameList.Clear();
                        GameList = from k in gameList orderby k.Players descending select k.GameName;
                        foreach (string game in GameList)
                        {
                            if (!EastGameList.Contains(game))
                            {
                                EastGameList.Add(game);
                                return game;
                            }
                        }
                        break;
                    case Server.UsWest:
                        if (WestGameList.Count > 1000)
                            WestGameList.Clear();
                        GameList = from k in gameList orderby k.Players descending select k.GameName;
                        foreach (string game in GameList)
                        {
                            if (!WestGameList.Contains(game))
                            {
                                WestGameList.Add(game);
                                return game;
                            }
                        }
                        break;
                    case Server.Europe:
                        if (EuropeGameList.Count > 1000)
                            EuropeGameList.Clear();
                        GameList = from k in gameList orderby k.Players descending select k.GameName;
                        foreach (string game in GameList)
                        {
                            if (!EuropeGameList.Contains(game))
                            {
                                EuropeGameList.Add(game);
                                return game;
                            }
                        }
                        break;
                    case Server.Asia:
                        if (AsiaGameList.Count > 1000)
                            AsiaGameList.Clear();
                        GameList = from k in gameList orderby k.Players descending select k.GameName;
                        foreach (string game in GameList)
                        {
                            if (!AsiaGameList.Contains(game))
                            {
                                AsiaGameList.Add(game);
                                return game;
                            }
                        }
                        break;
                }
            }
            return null;
        }

                                  
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Asked On
2008-12-13 at 10:16:59ID23982353
Tags

c#

,

Deadlock

,

multithread

Topic

C# Programming Language

Participating Experts
4
Points
500
Comments
14

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Answers

 

by: informaniacPosted on 2008-12-13 at 10:36:05ID: 23164905

Try writing a default condition in the switch clause.

 

by: MikeDotNet555Posted on 2008-12-13 at 10:54:03ID: 23164960

I can guarantee that this method does not get called with something else than those 4 values. While I agree that adding default case in there might be better practice, it wouldn't fix my deadlock problem (except if I missed something really big there).

And even if a different value was passed, it should just return null, exiting the switch clause, no?

 

by: Idle_MindPosted on 2008-12-13 at 12:08:25ID: 23165238

If you're convinced it is a DEADLOCK problem then the source probably lies here:

    lock (locker)
    {
         // ...
    }

What other pieces of code are using "locker" to sync with?  The function will BLOCK until it can get exclusive access to "locker" so if another method has it and doesn't release it (or is waiting for some other condition) then you end up with the deadlock..

 

by: MikeDotNet555Posted on 2008-12-13 at 12:12:53ID: 23165251

Well actually that is the whole class so this is the only call to locker, I cannot think about what could cause a method not to release the lock. It might be something else than a deadlock but what happen is there is a call in that funtion that never returns, but other calls susceed so I am a little confused now.

 

by: MikeDotNet555Posted on 2008-12-13 at 12:18:17ID: 23165267

Just a little clarification. The deadlock occurs after the first "ReportProgress" and befor the last one:

ReportProgress("Requesting a game from SpamManager");
                        sleep(1000);
                        string GameToJoin = SpamManager.GetGameToJoin(JoinGameList, cfg.Server);

                        JoinGameList.Clear();

                        if (GameToJoin == null)
                        {
                            DebugLog.WriteLine("Game is null");
                            ReportProgress("Game is null");
                            sleep(3000);
                            continue;
                        }
                        ReportProgress("Joining game: " + GameToJoin);

So I really think the problem lies within that own method.

 

by: Idle_MindPosted on 2008-12-13 at 13:09:05ID: 23165458

What does ReportProgress() look like?...

 

by: MikeDotNet555Posted on 2008-12-13 at 13:26:16ID: 23165513

It simply print a text on a label on a form. This works great and is used in all my application modules, the error only happen at that specific place.

 

by: MikeDotNet555Posted on 2008-12-13 at 13:28:09ID: 23165523

To be more precise, it calls BackgroundWorker.ReportProgress with the passed string formatted to my likings.

 

by: CyrexCore2kPosted on 2008-12-13 at 20:33:37ID: 23166563

I think a slight redesign might help you pinpoint the problem a bit easier. Set up your function more along this line

SpamGame ret = null;
lock(locker)
{
    // Set ret to value. Do not use "return" statement.
}
return ret;

The multiple exits complicate the function. Try this method and see if you can't track down the issue.

Also, once you realize the application has deadlocked you can look at all your threads to determine which one is still locking your object.

 

by: MikeDotNet555Posted on 2008-12-14 at 13:46:50ID: 23169485

Thanks, I will try that. The problem with checking the threads is that I cannot seem to reproduce the problem in my development environment: it only occurs on a client machine and I cannot debug the app there since he only have the executables.

 

by: CyrexCore2kPosted on 2008-12-14 at 15:07:36ID: 23170310

You could also create an additional timeout thread that keeps track of every call to that function and times out if the flag is never reset? That way you could log the parameters and perhaps some other state information that may give you the answer?

 

by: MikeDotNet555Posted on 2008-12-14 at 19:46:40ID: 23171105

I do not understand what you mean by a thread that keeps track of every call to that function, could you elabore a little please?

thanks

 

by: Mishu007Posted on 2008-12-17 at 22:54:45ID: 23201148

Try using Monitor.Enter() and Monitor.Exit() instead of lock()...

Hope this helps!

Regards,
Mishu

 

by: MikeDotNet555Posted on 2008-12-18 at 07:57:39ID: 23204544

Ok I will try it, it may take awhile to test it because it can happen after some time but I willl get back here for sure if it works. thanks!

20120131-EE-VQP-002

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