Implemented proper thread sleeping and additional output thread

- Replaced previous inefficient "spin-waiting" with proper thread sleeping.
- Added threading primitives to the queue type to enable this.
- Added additional thread for output management.
- Miscellanous cleanup and restructuring.

src/client/SilverMUDClient.c

@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@
 #include <sys/socket.h>
 #include <gnutls/gnutls.h>
 
+#include "../queue.h"
 #include "../constants.h"
 #include "../playerdata.h"
 #include "../texteffects.h"
@@ -225,7 +226,7 @@ int main(int argc, char ** argv)
 	serverAddress.sin_port = htons(port);
   
 	// Connect the server and client sockets, Kronk:
-         	if (connect(socketFileDesc, (sockaddr*)&serverAddress, sizeof(serverAddress)) != 0)
+	if (connect(socketFileDesc, (sockaddr*)&serverAddress, sizeof(serverAddress)) != 0)
 	{
 		slowPrint("Connection with the Silverkin Industries Comm-Link Server Failed:\nPlease contact your service representative.\n", characterDelay);
 		exit(0);

src/gamelogic.c

@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@
 // =======================
 
 // Thread function which runs the main game loop, given the needed parameters:
-void * gameLogicLoop(void * parameters)
+void * gameLogicHandler(void * parameters)
 {
 	gameLogicParameters * threadParameters = parameters;
 	inputMessage * currentInput = NULL;
@@ -25,11 +25,17 @@ void * gameLogicLoop(void * parameters)
 	while(true)
 	{
 		// Evaluate remaining commands:
-		if(commandQueue->currentLength != 0)
+		while(commandQueue->currentLength != 0)
 		{
 			evaluateNextCommand(threadParameters, commandQueue);
 		}
 
+		// Wait if there is nothing to do:
+		if(threadParameters->inputQueue->itemCount == 0)
+		{
+			pthread_cond_wait(&threadParameters->inputQueue->condition, &threadParameters->inputQueue->mutex);
+		}
+		
 		// Check for new messages and pop them off the queue:
 		if(threadParameters->inputQueue->itemCount != 0)
 		{

src/gamelogic.h

@@ -8,35 +8,10 @@
 #include "playerdata.h"
 #include "inputoutput.h"
 
-// Let the compiler know there will be structs defined elsewhere:
-typedef struct queue queue;
+// ========================
+// -=[ Data Structures ]=-:
+// ========================
 
-// =======================
-// -=[ Main Game Loop ]=-:
-// =======================
-
-// A data-structure containing the needed parameters for a main game loop:
-typedef struct gameLogicParameters
-{
-	// Players:
-	int * playerCount;
-	playerInfo * connectedPlayers;
-
-	// Queues:
-	queue * inputQueue;
-	queue * outputQueue;
-
-	// Lists:
-	list * areaList;
-	list * globalSkillList;
-} gameLogicParameters;
-
-// Thread function which runs the main game loop, given the needed parameters:
-void * gameLogicLoop(void * parameters);
-
-// ======================
-// -=[ Command Queue ]=-:
-// ======================
 typedef struct commandEvent commandEvent;
 typedef struct commandEvent
 {
@@ -56,6 +31,32 @@ typedef struct commandQueue
 	commandEvent * front;
 } commandQueue;
 
+// A data-structure containing the needed parameters for a main game loop:
+typedef struct gameLogicParameters
+{
+	// Players:
+	int * playerCount;
+	playerInfo * connectedPlayers;
+
+	// Queues:
+	queue * inputQueue;
+	queue * outputQueue;
+
+	// Lists:
+	list * areaList;
+	list * globalSkillList;
+} gameLogicParameters;
+
+// ========================
+// -=[    Functions    ]=-:
+// ========================
+
+// Player movement:
+int movePlayerToArea(playerInfo * player, char * requestedPath);
+
+// Thread function which runs the main game loop, given the needed parameters:
+void * gameLogicHandler(void * parameters);
+
 // Create a commandQueue:
 commandQueue * createCommandQueue(void);
 
@@ -82,9 +83,6 @@ int evaluateNextCommand(gameLogicParameters * parameters, commandQueue * queue);
 // -=[ Gameplay Primitives ]=-:
 // ============================
 
-// Player movement:
-int movePlayerToArea(playerInfo * player, char * requestedPath);
-
 typedef enum outcome
 {
 	CRITICAL_FAILURE,
@@ -94,6 +92,9 @@ typedef enum outcome
 	ERROR
 } outcome;
 
+// Player movement:
+int movePlayerToArea(playerInfo * player, char * requestedPath);
+
 // Run a stat check:
 outcome statCheck(playerInfo * player, int chance, coreStat statToCheck);
 

src/inputoutput.c

@@ -5,7 +5,10 @@
 #include <stdlib.h>
 #include <string.h>
 #include <stdbool.h>
+#include <pthread.h>
 #include <gnutls/gnutls.h>
+
+#include "queue.h"
 #include "constants.h"
 #include "playerdata.h"
 #include "inputoutput.h"
@@ -46,6 +49,7 @@ int messageReceive(gnutls_session_t receiveFromSession, userMessage * receiveToM
 	return returnValue;
 }
 
+// Allocate and initialize an outputMessage targeted to a variable amount of players:
 outputMessage * createTargetedOutputMessage(userMessage * messageToQueue, playerInfo ** recipients, int recipientsCount)
 {
 	// Allocate a new output message:
@@ -64,10 +68,72 @@ outputMessage * createTargetedOutputMessage(userMessage * messageToQueue, player
 	return newOutputMessage;
 }
 
+// A function for the output thread, which sends queued messages:
+void * outputThreadHandler(void * parameters)
+{
+	outputThreadParameters * variables = parameters;
+   	queue * outputQueue = variables->outputQueue;
+	gnutls_session_t * tlssessions = variables->tlssessions;
+	playerInfo * connectedPlayers = variables->connectedPlayers;
+	
+	while(true)
+	{
+		if(outputQueue->itemCount == 0)
+		{
+			pthread_cond_wait(&outputQueue->condition, &outputQueue->mutex);
+		}
+		// Run through the output queue and send all unused messages:
+		while(outputQueue->itemCount != 0)
+		{
+			// Wait until the queue unlocks:
+			while(outputQueue->lock);
+			
+			// Lock the queue:
+			outputQueue->lock = true;
+
+			// Get a message off the queue:
+			outputMessage * message = peekQueue(outputQueue)->data.outputMessage;
+
+			// Unlock the queue:
+			outputQueue->lock = false;
+			
+			// If the first target is set to NULL, it's intended for all connected:
+			if(message->recipientsCount == 0)
+			{
+				for (int index = 0; index < PLAYERCOUNT; index++)  
+				{
+					messageSend(tlssessions[index], message->content);
+				}
+			}
+			// Otherwise, send it only to the targeted players:
+			else
+			{
+				int targetIndex = 0;
+				for(int index = 0; index < PLAYERCOUNT; index++)
+				{
+					if(targetIndex == message->recipientsCount)
+					{
+						break;
+					}
+					if(&connectedPlayers[index] == message->recipients[targetIndex])
+					{
+						targetIndex++;
+						messageSend(tlssessions[index], message->content);
+					}
+				}
+			}
+			// Remove the output message from the queue:
+			popQueue(outputQueue);
+		}
+	}		
+}
+
+// Sanatize user input to ensure it's okay to process:
 void userInputSanatize(char * inputString, int length)
 {
 	for(int index = 0; index <= length; index++)
 	{
+		// If it's not a printable character, it has no buisness being here:
 		if(!isprint(inputString[index]))
 		{
 			inputString[index] = '\n';
@@ -75,18 +141,22 @@ void userInputSanatize(char * inputString, int length)
 			break;
 		}
 	}
+	// Make sure it's null-terminated:
 	inputString[length - 1] = '\0';
 }
 
+// Sanatize user names so they display correctly;
 void userNameSanatize(char * inputString, int length)
 {
 	for(int index = 0; index <= length; index++)
 	{
+		// If it's not a printable character, it has no buisness being here:
 		if(!isprint(inputString[index]))
 		{
 			inputString[index] = '\0';
 			break;
 		}
 	}
+	// Make sure it's null-terminated:
 	inputString[length - 1] = '\0';
 }

src/inputoutput.h

@@ -4,33 +4,36 @@
 #ifndef INPUTOUTPUT_H
 #define INPUTOUTPUT_H
 #include <ctype.h>
-#include <stdbool.h>
 #include <stdlib.h>
-#include "constants.h"
-#include "playerdata.h"
+#include <stdbool.h>
 #include <gnutls/gnutls.h>
 
-// A message datastructure containing a user/character name and the content:
+#include "queue.h"
+#include "constants.h"
+#include "playerdata.h"
+
+// Let the compiler know there will be structs defined elsewhere:
+typedef struct queue queue;
+
+// ========================
+// -=[ Data Structures ]=-:
+// ========================
+
+// Contains a character/player name and the content of a message:
 typedef struct userMessage
 {	
 	char senderName[32];
 	char messageContent[MAX];
 } userMessage;
 
-// ==================
-// -=[Message I/O]=-:
-// ==================
+// Contains a userMessage and a pointer to the playerInfo of the connection which sent it:
+typedef struct inputMessage
+{
+	playerInfo * sender;
+	userMessage * content;
+} inputMessage;
 
-// Sends a message to a given TLS session, wraps the calls to gnutls_write:
-int messageSend(gnutls_session_t receivingSession, userMessage * messageToSend);
-
-// Receives a message from a given TLS session, wraps the calls to gnutls_read:
-int messageReceive(gnutls_session_t receiveFromSession, userMessage * receiveToMessage);
-
-// ===================
-// -=[Output Queue]=-:
-// ===================
-typedef struct outputMessage outputMessage;
+// Contains a userMessage and pointers to the playerInfo of the recipients and the number of them:
 typedef struct outputMessage
 {
 	int recipientsCount;
@@ -38,27 +41,34 @@ typedef struct outputMessage
 	playerInfo ** recipients;
 } outputMessage;
 
+// Contains the relevant parameters for the outputThreadLoop function:
+typedef struct outputThreadParameters
+{
+	queue * outputQueue;
+	gnutls_session_t * tlssessions;
+	playerInfo * connectedPlayers;
+} outputThreadParameters;
+
+// ========================
+// -=[    Functions    ]=-:
+// ========================
+
+// Sends a message to a given TLS session, wraps the calls to gnutls_write:
+int messageSend(gnutls_session_t receivingSession, userMessage * messageToSend);
+
+// Receives a message from a given TLS session, wraps the calls to gnutls_read:
+int messageReceive(gnutls_session_t receiveFromSession, userMessage * receiveToMessage);
+
 // Create a targetedOutput message to be delivered to the players pointed to in recipients:
 outputMessage * createTargetedOutputMessage(userMessage * messageToQueue, playerInfo ** recipients, int recipientCount);
 
-// ==================
-// -=[Input Queue]=-:
-// ==================
-typedef struct inputMessage inputMessage;
-typedef struct inputMessage
-{
-	playerInfo * sender;
-	userMessage * content;
-} inputMessage;
+// A function for the output thread, which sends queued messages:
+void * outputThreadHandler(void * parameters);
 
-// =======================
-// -=[Input Sanitation]=-:
-// =======================
-
-// Sanatize user input to ensure it's okay to send to the server:
+// Sanatize user input to ensure it's okay to process:
 void userInputSanatize(char * inputString, int length);
 
-// Sanatize user names so they display correctly;
+// Sanatize user names so they display correctly:
 void userNameSanatize(char * inputString, int length);
 
 #endif

src/queue.c

@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 // queue.c: Implements the queue data type and associated functions for SilverMUD.
 // Barry Kane, 2022
+#include <pthread.h>
 #include "queue.h"
 
 // Allocates and instantiates a queue:
@@ -13,6 +14,10 @@ queue * createQueue(void)
 	newQueue->front = NULL;
 	newQueue->back = NULL;
 
+	// Create the threading constructs:
+	newQueue->mutex = (pthread_mutex_t)PTHREAD_MUTEX_INITIALIZER;   
+	newQueue->condition = (pthread_cond_t)PTHREAD_COND_INITIALIZER;
+	
 	// Return the pointer to the new queue:
 	return newQueue;
 }
@@ -28,6 +33,9 @@ void destroyQueue(queue ** queue)
 
 	// Deallocate the queue:
 	free(*queue);
+
+	// Point the queue pointer to NULL;
+	*queue = NULL;
 }
 
 // Returns the data at the front of the given queue:
@@ -203,4 +211,7 @@ void pushQueue(queue * queue, void * data, queueDataType type)
 
 	// Unlock the queue:
 	queue->lock = false;
+
+	// Flag that the queue was modified:
+	pthread_cond_broadcast(&queue->condition);
 }

src/queue.h

@@ -9,6 +9,9 @@
 // -=[ Data Structures ]=-:
 // ========================
 
+// Let the compiler know there will be structs defined elsewhere:
+typedef struct queue queue;
+
 typedef enum queueDataType
 {
 	EVENT,
@@ -38,6 +41,8 @@ typedef struct queue
 	size_t itemCount;
 	queueNode * front;
 	queueNode * back;
+	pthread_mutex_t mutex;
+	pthread_cond_t condition;
 } queue;
 
 // ========================

src/server/SilverMUDServer.c

@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ int main(int argc, char ** argv)
 	int socketFileDesc, connectionFileDesc, length, clientsAmount,
 		socketCheck, activityCheck, returnVal;
 	fd_set connectedClients;
-	pthread_t gameLogicThread;
+	pthread_t gameLogicThread, outputThread;
 	int clientSockets[PLAYERCOUNT];
 	userMessage sendBuffer, receiveBuffer;
 	playerInfo connectedPlayers[PLAYERCOUNT];
@@ -54,11 +54,11 @@ int main(int argc, char ** argv)
 	{
 		switch(currentopt)
 		{
-			case 'd':
-			{
-				delay = atoi(optarg);
-				break;
-			}
+		case 'd':
+		{
+			delay = atoi(optarg);
+			break;
+		}
 		}
 	}
 	
@@ -146,7 +146,6 @@ int main(int argc, char ** argv)
 		slowPrint("\tSocket Creation is:\t\033[32;40mGREEN.\033[0m\n", delay);
 	}
 
-	// 
 	bzero(&serverAddress, sizeof(serverAddress));
   
 	// Assign IP and port:
@@ -207,11 +206,19 @@ int main(int argc, char ** argv)
 	gameLogicThreadParameters->outputQueue = outputQueue;
 	gameLogicThreadParameters->inputQueue = inputQueue;
 	gameLogicThreadParameters->areaList = areas;
-	pthread_create(&gameLogicThread, NULL, &gameLogicLoop, gameLogicThreadParameters);
+	pthread_create(&gameLogicThread, NULL, &gameLogicHandler, gameLogicThreadParameters);
 
 	slowPrint("\tEvent Thread is:\t\033[32;40mGREEN.\033[0m\n", delay);
+	
+	// Prepare the output queue thread:
+	outputThreadParameters * outputParameters = malloc(sizeof(outputThreadParameters));
+	outputParameters->outputQueue = outputQueue;
+	outputParameters->tlssessions = tlssessions;
+	outputParameters->connectedPlayers = connectedPlayers;
+	pthread_create(&outputThread, NULL, &outputThreadHandler, outputParameters);
+
+	slowPrint("\tOutput Thread is:\t\033[32;40mGREEN.\033[0m\n", delay);
 	slowPrint("=====\n", delay);
-	struct timeval timeout = {0, 500};
 	
 	while(true)
 	{
@@ -239,7 +246,7 @@ int main(int argc, char ** argv)
 		}
 
 		// See if a connection is ready to be interacted with:
-		activityCheck = select((clientsAmount + 1), &connectedClients, NULL, NULL, &timeout);
+		activityCheck = select((clientsAmount + 1), &connectedClients, NULL, NULL, NULL);
 
 		// Check if select() worked:
 		if ((activityCheck < 0) && (errno != EINTR))  
@@ -286,7 +293,6 @@ int main(int argc, char ** argv)
 
 					// Push the new message onto the queue:
 					pushQueue(inputQueue, newMessage, INPUT_MESSAGE);
-
 					break;  
 				}  
 			}  
@@ -340,52 +346,8 @@ int main(int argc, char ** argv)
 				}			
 			}
 		}
-
-		// Run through the output queue and send all unused messages:
-		while(outputQueue->itemCount != 0)
-		{
-			// Wait until the queue unlocks:
-			while(outputQueue->lock);
-			
-			// Lock the queue:
-			outputQueue->lock = true;
-
-			// Get a message off the queue:
-			outputMessage * message = peekQueue(outputQueue)->data.outputMessage;
-
-			// Unlock the queue:
-			outputQueue->lock = false;
-			
-			// If the first target is set to NULL, it's intended for all connected:
-			if(message->recipientsCount == 0)
-			{
-				for (int index = 0; index < PLAYERCOUNT; index++)  
-				{
-					messageSend(tlssessions[index], message->content);
-				}
-			}
-			// Otherwise, send it only to the targeted players:
-			else
-			{
-				int targetIndex = 0;
-				for(int index = 0; index < PLAYERCOUNT; index++)
-				{
-					if(targetIndex == message->recipientsCount)
-					{
-						break;
-					}
-					if(&connectedPlayers[index] == message->recipients[targetIndex])
-					{
-						targetIndex++;
-						messageSend(tlssessions[index], message->content);
-					}
-				}
-			}
-			// Remove the output message from the queue:
-			popQueue(outputQueue);
-		}
 	}
 	pthread_cancel(gameLogicThread);
+	pthread_cancel(outputThread);
 	exit(EXIT_SUCCESS);
 }
-