From edc67817a312d2c7924ae333facb9294ff751008 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Steve Klabnik Date: Fri, 23 Jan 2015 15:02:05 -0500 Subject: [PATCH] Improve libcore/cell.rs docs --- src/libcore/cell.rs | 294 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++------------- 1 file changed, 209 insertions(+), 85 deletions(-) diff --git a/src/libcore/cell.rs b/src/libcore/cell.rs index 7f73be9eb5f..202d860021e 100644 --- a/src/libcore/cell.rs +++ b/src/libcore/cell.rs @@ -10,39 +10,30 @@ //! Shareable mutable containers. //! -//! Values of the `Cell` and `RefCell` types may be mutated through -//! shared references (i.e. the common `&T` type), whereas most Rust -//! types can only be mutated through unique (`&mut T`) references. We -//! say that `Cell` and `RefCell` provide *interior mutability*, in -//! contrast with typical Rust types that exhibit *inherited -//! mutability*. +//! Values of the `Cell` and `RefCell` types may be mutated through shared references (i.e. +//! the common `&T` type), whereas most Rust types can only be mutated through unique (`&mut T`) +//! references. We say that `Cell` and `RefCell` provide 'interior mutability', in contrast +//! with typical Rust types that exhibit 'inherited mutability'. //! -//! Cell types come in two flavors: `Cell` and `RefCell`. `Cell` -//! provides `get` and `set` methods that change the -//! interior value with a single method call. `Cell` though is only -//! compatible with types that implement `Copy`. For other types, -//! one must use the `RefCell` type, acquiring a write lock before -//! mutating. +//! Cell types come in two flavors: `Cell` and `RefCell`. `Cell` provides `get` and `set` +//! methods that change the interior value with a single method call. `Cell` though is only +//! compatible with types that implement `Copy`. For other types, one must use the `RefCell` +//! type, acquiring a write lock before mutating. //! -//! `RefCell` uses Rust's lifetimes to implement *dynamic borrowing*, -//! a process whereby one can claim temporary, exclusive, mutable -//! access to the inner value. Borrows for `RefCell`s are tracked *at -//! runtime*, unlike Rust's native reference types which are entirely -//! tracked statically, at compile time. Because `RefCell` borrows are -//! dynamic it is possible to attempt to borrow a value that is -//! already mutably borrowed; when this happens it results in task -//! panic. +//! `RefCell` uses Rust's lifetimes to implement 'dynamic borrowing', a process whereby one can +//! claim temporary, exclusive, mutable access to the inner value. Borrows for `RefCell`s are +//! tracked 'at runtime', unlike Rust's native reference types which are entirely tracked +//! statically, at compile time. Because `RefCell` borrows are dynamic it is possible to attempt +//! to borrow a value that is already mutably borrowed; when this happens it results in task panic. //! //! # When to choose interior mutability //! -//! The more common inherited mutability, where one must have unique -//! access to mutate a value, is one of the key language elements that -//! enables Rust to reason strongly about pointer aliasing, statically -//! preventing crash bugs. Because of that, inherited mutability is -//! preferred, and interior mutability is something of a last -//! resort. Since cell types enable mutation where it would otherwise -//! be disallowed though, there are occasions when interior -//! mutability might be appropriate, or even *must* be used, e.g. +//! The more common inherited mutability, where one must have unique access to mutate a value, is +//! one of the key language elements that enables Rust to reason strongly about pointer aliasing, +//! statically preventing crash bugs. Because of that, inherited mutability is preferred, and +//! interior mutability is something of a last resort. Since cell types enable mutation where it +//! would otherwise be disallowed though, there are occasions when interior mutability might be +//! appropriate, or even *must* be used, e.g. //! //! * Introducing inherited mutability roots to shared types. //! * Implementation details of logically-immutable methods. @@ -50,15 +41,13 @@ //! //! ## Introducing inherited mutability roots to shared types //! -//! Shared smart pointer types, including `Rc` and `Arc`, provide -//! containers that can be cloned and shared between multiple parties. -//! Because the contained values may be multiply-aliased, they can -//! only be borrowed as shared references, not mutable references. -//! Without cells it would be impossible to mutate data inside of -//! shared boxes at all! +//! Shared smart pointer types, including `Rc` and `Arc`, provide containers that can be +//! cloned and shared between multiple parties. Because the contained values may be +//! multiply-aliased, they can only be borrowed as shared references, not mutable references. +//! Without cells it would be impossible to mutate data inside of shared boxes at all! //! -//! It's very common then to put a `RefCell` inside shared pointer -//! types to reintroduce mutability: +//! It's very common then to put a `RefCell` inside shared pointer types to reintroduce +//! mutability: //! //! ``` //! use std::collections::HashMap; @@ -80,12 +69,10 @@ //! //! ## Implementation details of logically-immutable methods //! -//! Occasionally it may be desirable not to expose in an API that -//! there is mutation happening "under the hood". This may be because -//! logically the operation is immutable, but e.g. caching forces the -//! implementation to perform mutation; or because you must employ -//! mutation to implement a trait method that was originally defined -//! to take `&self`. +//! Occasionally it may be desirable not to expose in an API that there is mutation happening +//! "under the hood". This may be because logically the operation is immutable, but e.g. caching +//! forces the implementation to perform mutation; or because you must employ mutation to implement +//! a trait method that was originally defined to take `&self`. //! //! ``` //! use std::cell::RefCell; @@ -123,13 +110,11 @@ //! //! ## Mutating implementations of `clone` //! -//! This is simply a special - but common - case of the previous: -//! hiding mutability for operations that appear to be immutable. -//! The `clone` method is expected to not change the source value, and -//! is declared to take `&self`, not `&mut self`. Therefore any -//! mutation that happens in the `clone` method must use cell -//! types. For example, `Rc` maintains its reference counts within a -//! `Cell`. +//! This is simply a special - but common - case of the previous: hiding mutability for operations +//! that appear to be immutable. The `clone` method is expected to not change the source value, and +//! is declared to take `&self`, not `&mut self`. Therefore any mutation that happens in the +//! `clone` method must use cell types. For example, `Rc` maintains its reference counts within a +//! `Cell`. //! //! ``` //! use std::cell::Cell; @@ -153,10 +138,6 @@ //! } //! ``` //! -// FIXME: Explain difference between Cell and RefCell -// FIXME: Downsides to interior mutability -// FIXME: Can't be shared between threads. Dynamic borrows -// FIXME: Relationship to Atomic types and RWLock #![stable] @@ -169,6 +150,8 @@ use option::Option; use option::Option::{None, Some}; /// A mutable memory location that admits only `Copy` data. +/// +/// See the [module-level documentation](../index.html) for more. #[stable] pub struct Cell { value: UnsafeCell, @@ -176,6 +159,14 @@ pub struct Cell { impl Cell { /// Creates a new `Cell` containing the given value. + /// + /// # Examples + /// + /// ``` + /// use std::cell::Cell; + /// + /// let c = Cell::new(5); + /// ``` #[stable] pub fn new(value: T) -> Cell { Cell { @@ -184,6 +175,16 @@ impl Cell { } /// Returns a copy of the contained value. + /// + /// # Examples + /// + /// ``` + /// use std::cell::Cell; + /// + /// let c = Cell::new(5); + /// + /// let five = c.get(); + /// ``` #[inline] #[stable] pub fn get(&self) -> T { @@ -191,6 +192,16 @@ impl Cell { } /// Sets the contained value. + /// + /// # Examples + /// + /// ``` + /// use std::cell::Cell; + /// + /// let c = Cell::new(5); + /// + /// c.set(10); + /// ``` #[inline] #[stable] pub fn set(&self, value: T) { @@ -201,9 +212,19 @@ impl Cell { /// Get a reference to the underlying `UnsafeCell`. /// - /// This can be used to circumvent `Cell`'s safety checks. + /// # Unsafety /// /// This function is `unsafe` because `UnsafeCell`'s field is public. + /// + /// # Examples + /// + /// ``` + /// use std::cell::Cell; + /// + /// let c = Cell::new(5); + /// + /// let uc = unsafe { c.as_unsafe_cell() }; + /// ``` #[inline] #[unstable] pub unsafe fn as_unsafe_cell<'a>(&'a self) -> &'a UnsafeCell { @@ -237,6 +258,8 @@ impl PartialEq for Cell { } /// A mutable memory location with dynamically checked borrow rules +/// +/// See the [module-level documentation](../index.html) for more. #[stable] pub struct RefCell { value: UnsafeCell, @@ -250,7 +273,15 @@ const UNUSED: BorrowFlag = 0; const WRITING: BorrowFlag = -1; impl RefCell { - /// Create a new `RefCell` containing `value` + /// Creates a new `RefCell` containing `value`. + /// + /// # Examples + /// + /// ``` + /// use std::cell::RefCell; + /// + /// let c = RefCell::new(5); + /// ``` #[stable] pub fn new(value: T) -> RefCell { RefCell { @@ -260,6 +291,16 @@ impl RefCell { } /// Consumes the `RefCell`, returning the wrapped value. + /// + /// # Examples + /// + /// ``` + /// use std::cell::RefCell; + /// + /// let c = RefCell::new(5); + /// + /// let five = c.into_inner(); + /// ``` #[stable] pub fn into_inner(self) -> T { // Since this function takes `self` (the `RefCell`) by value, the @@ -285,12 +326,39 @@ impl RefCell { /// Immutably borrows the wrapped value. /// - /// The borrow lasts until the returned `Ref` exits scope. Multiple - /// immutable borrows can be taken out at the same time. + /// The borrow lasts until the returned `Ref` exits scope. Multiple immutable borrows can be + /// taken out at the same time. /// /// # Panics /// /// Panics if the value is currently mutably borrowed. + /// + /// # Examples + /// + /// ``` + /// use std::cell::RefCell; + /// + /// let c = RefCell::new(5); + /// + /// let borrowed_five = c.borrow(); + /// let borrowed_five2 = c.borrow(); + /// ``` + /// + /// An example of panic: + /// + /// ``` + /// use std::cell::RefCell; + /// use std::thread::Thread; + /// + /// let result = Thread::scoped(move || { + /// let c = RefCell::new(5); + /// let m = c.borrow_mut(); + /// + /// let b = c.borrow(); // this causes a panic + /// }).join(); + /// + /// assert!(result.is_err()); + /// ``` #[stable] pub fn borrow<'a>(&'a self) -> Ref<'a, T> { match self.try_borrow() { @@ -315,12 +383,38 @@ impl RefCell { /// Mutably borrows the wrapped value. /// - /// The borrow lasts until the returned `RefMut` exits scope. The value - /// cannot be borrowed while this borrow is active. + /// The borrow lasts until the returned `RefMut` exits scope. The value cannot be borrowed + /// while this borrow is active. /// /// # Panics /// /// Panics if the value is currently borrowed. + /// + /// # Examples + /// + /// ``` + /// use std::cell::RefCell; + /// + /// let c = RefCell::new(5); + /// + /// let borrowed_five = c.borrow_mut(); + /// ``` + /// + /// An example of panic: + /// + /// ``` + /// use std::cell::RefCell; + /// use std::thread::Thread; + /// + /// let result = Thread::scoped(move || { + /// let c = RefCell::new(5); + /// let m = c.borrow_mut(); + /// + /// let b = c.borrow_mut(); // this causes a panic + /// }).join(); + /// + /// assert!(result.is_err()); + /// ``` #[stable] pub fn borrow_mut<'a>(&'a self) -> RefMut<'a, T> { match self.try_borrow_mut() { @@ -402,7 +496,9 @@ impl<'b> Clone for BorrowRef<'b> { } } -/// Wraps a borrowed reference to a value in a `RefCell` box. +/// A wrapper type for an immutably borrowed value from a `RefCell`. +/// +/// See the [module-level documentation](../index.html) for more. #[stable] pub struct Ref<'b, T:'b> { // FIXME #12808: strange name to try to avoid interfering with @@ -460,7 +556,9 @@ impl<'b> BorrowRefMut<'b> { } } -/// Wraps a mutable borrowed reference to a value in a `RefCell` box. +/// A wrapper type for a mutably borrowed value from a `RefCell`. +/// +/// See the [module-level documentation](../index.html) for more. #[stable] pub struct RefMut<'b, T:'b> { // FIXME #12808: strange name to try to avoid interfering with @@ -489,28 +587,25 @@ impl<'b, T> DerefMut for RefMut<'b, T> { /// The core primitive for interior mutability in Rust. /// -/// `UnsafeCell` type that wraps a type T and indicates unsafe interior -/// operations on the wrapped type. Types with an `UnsafeCell` field are -/// considered to have an *unsafe interior*. The `UnsafeCell` type is the only -/// legal way to obtain aliasable data that is considered mutable. In general, -/// transmuting an &T type into an &mut T is considered undefined behavior. +/// `UnsafeCell` is a type that wraps some `T` and indicates unsafe interior operations on the +/// wrapped type. Types with an `UnsafeCell` field are considered to have an 'unsafe interior'. +/// The `UnsafeCell` type is the only legal way to obtain aliasable data that is considered +/// mutable. In general, transmuting an `&T` type into an `&mut T` is considered undefined behavior. /// -/// Although it is possible to put an `UnsafeCell` into static item, it is -/// not permitted to take the address of the static item if the item is not -/// declared as mutable. This rule exists because immutable static items are -/// stored in read-only memory, and thus any attempt to mutate their interior -/// can cause segfaults. Immutable static items containing `UnsafeCell` -/// instances are still useful as read-only initializers, however, so we do not -/// forbid them altogether. +/// Although it is possible to put an `UnsafeCell` into static item, it is not permitted to take +/// the address of the static item if the item is not declared as mutable. This rule exists because +/// immutable static items are stored in read-only memory, and thus any attempt to mutate their +/// interior can cause segfaults. Immutable static items containing `UnsafeCell` instances are +/// still useful as read-only initializers, however, so we do not forbid them altogether. /// -/// Types like `Cell` and `RefCell` use this type to wrap their internal data. +/// Types like `Cell` and `RefCell` use this type to wrap their internal data. /// -/// `UnsafeCell` doesn't opt-out from any kind, instead, types with an -/// `UnsafeCell` interior are expected to opt-out from kinds themselves. +/// `UnsafeCell` doesn't opt-out from any marker traits, instead, types with an `UnsafeCell` +/// interior are expected to opt-out from those traits themselves. /// -/// # Example: +/// # Examples /// -/// ```rust +/// ``` /// use std::cell::UnsafeCell; /// use std::marker::Sync; /// @@ -521,9 +616,8 @@ impl<'b, T> DerefMut for RefMut<'b, T> { /// unsafe impl Sync for NotThreadSafe {} /// ``` /// -/// **NOTE:** `UnsafeCell` fields are public to allow static initializers. It -/// is not recommended to access its fields directly, `get` should be used -/// instead. +/// **NOTE:** `UnsafeCell`'s fields are public to allow static initializers. It is not +/// recommended to access its fields directly, `get` should be used instead. #[lang="unsafe"] #[stable] pub struct UnsafeCell { @@ -539,22 +633,52 @@ impl UnsafeCell { /// Construct a new instance of `UnsafeCell` which will wrap the specified /// value. /// - /// All access to the inner value through methods is `unsafe`, and it is - /// highly discouraged to access the fields directly. + /// All access to the inner value through methods is `unsafe`, and it is highly discouraged to + /// access the fields directly. + /// + /// # Examples + /// + /// ``` + /// use std::cell::UnsafeCell; + /// + /// let uc = UnsafeCell::new(5); + /// ``` #[stable] pub fn new(value: T) -> UnsafeCell { UnsafeCell { value: value } } /// Gets a mutable pointer to the wrapped value. + /// + /// # Examples + /// + /// ``` + /// use std::cell::UnsafeCell; + /// + /// let uc = UnsafeCell::new(5); + /// + /// let five = uc.get(); + /// ``` #[inline] #[stable] pub fn get(&self) -> *mut T { &self.value as *const T as *mut T } /// Unwraps the value /// - /// This function is unsafe because there is no guarantee that this or other - /// tasks are currently inspecting the inner value. + /// # Unsafety + /// + /// This function is unsafe because there is no guarantee that this or other threads are + /// currently inspecting the inner value. + /// + /// # Examples + /// + /// ``` + /// use std::cell::UnsafeCell; + /// + /// let uc = UnsafeCell::new(5); + /// + /// let five = unsafe { uc.into_inner() }; + /// ``` #[inline] #[stable] pub unsafe fn into_inner(self) -> T { self.value }