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    1/*  Part of SWI-Prolog
    2
    3    Author:        Jan Wielemaker
    4    E-mail:        J.Wielemaker@vu.nl
    5    WWW:           http://www.swi-prolog.org
    6    Copyright (c)  2008-2022, University of Amsterdam
    7                              VU University Amsterdam
    8                              CWI, Amsterdam
    9                              SWI-Prolog Solutions b.v.
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   12    Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without
   13    modification, are permitted provided that the following conditions
   14    are met:
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   17       notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer.
   18
   19    2. Redistributions in binary form must reproduce the above copyright
   20       notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer in
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   22       distribution.
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   24    THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS AND CONTRIBUTORS
   25    "AS IS" AND ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT
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   27    FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE ARE DISCLAIMED. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE
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   33    LIABILITY, OR TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN
   34    ANY WAY OUT OF THE USE OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE
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   36*/
   37
   38:- module(process,
   39          [ process_create/3,           % +Exe, +Args, +Options
   40            process_wait/2,             % +PID, -Status
   41            process_wait/3,             % +PID, -Status, +Options
   42            process_id/1,               % -PID
   43            process_id/2,               % +Process, -PID
   44            is_process/1,               % +PID
   45            process_release/1,          % +PID
   46            process_kill/1,             % +PID
   47            process_group_kill/1,       % +PID
   48            process_group_kill/2,       % +PID, +Signal
   49            process_kill/2,             % +PID, +Signal
   50
   51            process_set_method/1        % +CreateMethod
   52          ]).   53:- autoload(library(apply),[maplist/3]).   54:- autoload(library(error),[must_be/2,existence_error/2]).   55:- autoload(library(option),[select_option/3]).   56
   57
   58:- use_foreign_library(foreign(process)).   59
   60:- predicate_options(process_create/3, 3,
   61                     [ stdin(any),
   62                       stdout(any),
   63                       stderr(any),
   64                       cwd(atom),
   65                       env(list(any)),
   66                       environment(list(any)),
   67                       priority(+integer),
   68                       process(-integer),
   69                       detached(+boolean),
   70                       window(+boolean)
   71                     ]).

Create processes and redirect I/O

The module library(process) implements interaction with child processes and unifies older interfaces such as shell/[1,2], open(pipe(command), ...) etc. This library is modelled after SICStus 4.

The main interface is formed by process_create/3. If the process id is requested the process must be waited for using process_wait/2. Otherwise the process resources are reclaimed automatically.

In addition to the predicates, this module defines a file search path (see file_search_path/2 and absolute_file_name/3) named path that locates files on the system's search path for executables. E.g. the following finds the executable for ls:

?- absolute_file_name(path(ls), Path, [access(execute)]).

Incompatibilities and current limitations

Compatibility
- SICStus 4 */
To be done
- Implement detached option in process_create/3
 process_create(+Exe, +Args:list, +Options) is det
Create a new process running the file Exe and using arguments from the given list. Exe is a file specification as handed to absolute_file_name/3. Typically one use the path file alias to specify an executable file on the current PATH. Args is a list of arguments that are handed to the new process. On Unix systems, each element in the list becomes a separate argument in the new process. In Windows, the arguments are simply concatenated to form the commandline. Each argument itself is either a primitive or a list of primitives. A primitive is either atomic or a term file(Spec). Using file(Spec), the system inserts a filename using the OS filename conventions which is properly quoted if needed.

Options:

stdin(Spec)
stdout(Spec)
stderr(Spec)
Bind the standard streams of the new process. Spec is one of the terms below. If pipe(Pipe) is used, the Prolog stream is a stream in text-mode using the encoding of the default locale. The encoding can be changed using set_stream/2, or by using the two-argument form of pipe, which accepts an encoding(Encoding) option. The options stdout and stderr may use the same stream, in which case both output streams are connected to the same Prolog stream.
std
Just share with the Prolog I/O streams. On Unix, if the user_input, etc. are bound to a file handle but not to 0,1,2 the process I/O is bound to the file handles of these streams.
null
Bind to a null stream. Reading from such a stream returns end-of-file, writing produces no output
pipe(-Stream)
pipe(-Stream, +StreamOptions)
Attach input and/or output to a Prolog stream. The optional StreamOptions argument is a list of options that affect the stream. Currently only the options type(+Type) and encoding(+Encoding) are supported, which have the same meaning as the stream properties of the same name (see stream_property/2). StreamOptions is provided mainly for SICStus compatibility - the SWI-Prolog predicate set_stream/2 can be used for the same purpose.
stream(+Stream)
Attach input or output to an existing Prolog stream. This stream must be associated with an OS file handle (see stream_property/2, property file_no). This option is not provided by the SICStus implementation.
cwd(+Directory)
Run the new process in Directory. Directory can be a compound specification, which is converted using absolute_file_name/3. See also process_set_method/1.
env(+List)
As environment(List), but only the specified variables are passed, i.e., no variables are inherited.
environment(+List)
Specify additional environment variables for the new process. List is a list of Name=Value terms, where Value is expanded the same way as the Args argument. If neither env nor environment is passed the environment is inherited from the Prolog process. At most one env(List) or environment(List) term may appear in the options. If multiple appear a permission_error is raised for the second option.
process(-PID)
Unify PID with the process id of the created process.
detached(+Bool)
In Unix: If true, detach the process from the terminal Currently mapped to setsid(); Also creates a new process group for the child In Windows: If true, detach the process from the current job via the CREATE_BREAKAWAY_FROM_JOB flag. In Vista and beyond, processes launched from the shell directly have the 'compatibility assistant' attached to them automatically unless they have a UAC manifest embedded in them. This means that you will get a permission denied error if you try and assign the newly-created PID to a job you create yourself.
window(+Bool)
If true, create a window for the process (Windows only)
priority(+Priority)
In Unix: specifies the process priority for the newly created process. Priority must be an integer between -20 and 19. Positive values are nicer to others, and negative values are less so. The default is zero. Users are free to lower their own priority. Only the super-user may raise it to less-than zero.

If the user specifies the process(-PID) option, he must call process_wait/2 to reclaim the process. Without this option, the system will wait for completion of the process after the last pipe stream is closed.

If the process is not waited for, it must succeed with status 0. If not, an process_error is raised.

Windows notes

On Windows this call is an interface to the CreateProcess() API. The commandline consists of the basename of Exe and the arguments formed from Args. Arguments are separated by a single space. If all characters satisfy iswalnum() it is unquoted. If the argument contains a double-quote it is quoted using single quotes. If both single and double quotes appear a domain_error is raised, otherwise double-quote are used.

The CreateProcess() API has many options. Currently only the CREATE_NO_WINDOW options is supported through the window(+Bool) option. If omitted, the default is to use this option if the application has no console. Future versions are likely to support more window specific options and replace win_exec/2.

Examples

First, a very simple example that behaves the same as shell('ls -l'), except for error handling:

?- process_create(path(ls), ['-l'], []).

The following example uses grep to find all matching lines in a file.

grep(File, Pattern, Lines) :-
        setup_call_cleanup(
            process_create(path(grep), [ Pattern, file(File) ],
                           [ stdout(pipe(Out))
                           ]),
            read_lines(Out, Lines),
            close(Out)).

read_lines(Out, Lines) :-
        read_line_to_codes(Out, Line1),
        read_lines(Line1, Out, Lines).

read_lines(end_of_file, _, []) :- !.
read_lines(Codes, Out, [Line|Lines]) :-
        atom_codes(Line, Codes),
        read_line_to_codes(Out, Line2),
        read_lines(Line2, Out, Lines).
Errors
- process_error(Exe, Status) where Status is one of exit(Code) or killed(Signal). Raised if the process is waited for (i.e., Options does not include process(-PID)), and does not exit with status 0.
bug
- On Windows, environment(List) is handled as env(List), i.e., the environment is not inherited.
  271process_create(Exe, Args, Options) :-
  272    (   exe_options(ExeOptions),
  273        absolute_file_name(Exe, PlProg, ExeOptions)
  274    ->  true
  275    ),
  276    must_be(list, Args),
  277    maplist(map_arg, Args, Av),
  278    prolog_to_os_filename(PlProg, Prog),
  279    Term =.. [Prog|Av],
  280    expand_cwd_option(Options, Options1),
  281    expand_env_option(env, Options1, Options2),
  282    expand_env_option(environment, Options2, Options3),
  283    process_create(Term, Options3).
 exe_options(-Options) is multi
Get options for absolute_file_name to find an executable file. On Windows we first look for a readable file, but if this does not exist we are happy with a existing file because the file may be a reparse point
  292exe_options(Options) :-
  293    current_prolog_flag(windows, true),
  294    !,
  295    (   Options = [ extensions(['',exe,com]), access(read), file_errors(fail) ]
  296    ;   Options = [ extensions(['',exe,com]), access(exist) ]
  297    ).
  298exe_options(Options) :-
  299    Options = [ access(execute) ].
  300
  301expand_cwd_option(Options0, Options) :-
  302    select_option(cwd(Spec), Options0, Options1),
  303    !,
  304    (   compound(Spec)
  305    ->  absolute_file_name(Spec, PlDir, [file_type(directory), access(read)]),
  306        prolog_to_os_filename(PlDir, Dir),
  307        Options = [cwd(Dir)|Options1]
  308    ;   exists_directory(Spec)
  309    ->  Options = Options0
  310    ;   existence_error(directory, Spec)
  311    ).
  312expand_cwd_option(Options, Options).
  313
  314expand_env_option(Name, Options0, Options) :-
  315    Term =.. [Name,Value0],
  316    select_option(Term, Options0, Options1),
  317    !,
  318    must_be(list, Value0),
  319    maplist(map_env, Value0, Value),
  320    NewOption =.. [Name,Value],
  321    Options = [NewOption|Options1].
  322expand_env_option(_, Options, Options).
  323
  324map_env(Name=Value0, Name=Value) :-
  325    map_arg(Value0, Value).
 map_arg(+ArgIn, -Arg) is det
Map an individual argument. Primitives are either file(Spec) or an atomic value (atom, string, number). If ArgIn is a non-empty list, all elements are converted and the results are concatenated.
  334map_arg([], []) :- !.
  335map_arg(List, Arg) :-
  336    is_list(List),
  337    !,
  338    maplist(map_arg_prim, List, Prims),
  339    atomic_list_concat(Prims, Arg).
  340map_arg(Prim, Arg) :-
  341    map_arg_prim(Prim, Arg).
  342
  343map_arg_prim(file(Spec), File) :-
  344    !,
  345    (   compound(Spec)
  346    ->  absolute_file_name(Spec, PlFile)
  347    ;   PlFile = Spec
  348    ),
  349    prolog_to_os_filename(PlFile, File).
  350map_arg_prim(Arg, Arg).
 process_id(-PID) is det
True if PID is the process id of the running Prolog process.
deprecated
- Use current_prolog_flag(pid, PID)
  359process_id(PID) :-
  360    current_prolog_flag(pid, PID).
 process_id(+Process, -PID) is det
PID is the process id of Process. Given that they are united in SWI-Prolog, this is a simple unify.
  367process_id(PID, PID).
 is_process(+PID) is semidet
True if PID might be a process. Succeeds for any positive integer.
  374is_process(PID) :-
  375    integer(PID),
  376    PID > 0.
 process_release(+PID)
Release process handle. In this implementation this is the same as process_wait(PID, _).
  383process_release(PID) :-
  384    process_wait(PID, _).
 process_wait(+PID, -Status) is det
 process_wait(+PID, -Status, +Options) is det
True if PID completed with Status. This call normally blocks until the process is finished. Options:
timeout(+Timeout)
Default: infinite. If this option is a number, the waits for a maximum of Timeout seconds and unifies Status with timeout if the process does not terminate within Timeout. In this case PID is not invalidated. On Unix systems only timeout 0 and infinite are supported. A 0-value can be used to poll the status of the process.
release(+Bool)
Do/do not release the process. We do not support this flag and a domain_error is raised if release(false) is provided.
Arguments:
Status- is one of exit(Code) or killed(Signal), where Code and Signal are integers. If the timeout option is used Status is unified with timeout after the wait timed out.
  409process_wait(PID, Status) :-
  410    process_wait(PID, Status, []).
 process_kill(+PID) is det
 process_kill(+PID, +Signal) is det
Send signal to process PID. Default is term. Signal is an integer, Unix signal name (e.g. SIGSTOP) or the more Prolog friendly variation one gets after removing SIG and downcase the result: stop. On Windows systems, Signal is ignored and the process is terminated using the TerminateProcess() API. On Windows systems PID must be obtained from process_create/3, while any PID is allowed on Unix systems.
Compatibility
- SICStus does not accept the prolog friendly version. We choose to do so for compatibility with on_signal/3.
  426process_kill(PID) :-
  427    process_kill(PID, term).
 process_group_kill(+PID) is det
 process_group_kill(+PID, +Signal) is det
Send signal to the group containing process PID. Default is term. See process_wait/1 for a description of signal handling. In Windows, the same restriction on PID applies: it must have been created from process_create/3, and the the group is terminated via the TerminateJobObject API.
  439process_group_kill(PID) :-
  440    process_group_kill(PID, term).
 process_set_method(+Method) is det
Determine how the process is created on Unix systems. Method is one of spawn (default), fork or vfork. If the method is spawn but this cannot be used because it is either not supported by the OS or the cwd(Dir) option is given fork is used.

The problem is to be understood as follows. The official portable and safe method to create a process is using the fork() system call. This call however copies the process page tables and get seriously slow as the (Prolog) process is multiple giga bytes large. Alternatively, we may use vfork() which avoids copying the process space. But, the safe usage as guaranteed by the POSIX standard of vfork() is insufficient for our purposes. On practical systems your mileage may vary. Modern posix systems also provide posix_spawn(), which provides a safe and portable alternative for the fork() and exec() sequence that may be implemented using fork() or may use a fast but safe alternative. Unfortunately posix_spawn() doesn't support the option to specify the working directory for the child and we cannot use working_directory/2 as the working directory is shared between threads.

Summarizing, the default is safe and tries to be as fast as possible. On some scenarios and on some OSes it is possible to do better. It is generally a good idea to avoid using the cwd(Dir) option of process_create/3 as without we can use posix_spawn().

  471                 /*******************************
  472                 *            MESSAGES          *
  473                 *******************************/
  474
  475:- multifile
  476    prolog:error_message/3.  477
  478prolog:error_message(process_error(File, exit(Status))) -->
  479    [ 'Process "~w": exit status: ~w'-[File, Status] ].
  480prolog:error_message(process_error(File, killed(Signal))) -->
  481    [ 'Process "~w": killed by signal ~w'-[File, Signal] ].
  482prolog:error_message(existence_error(source_sink, path(Exe))) -->
  483    [ 'Could not find executable file "~p" in '-[Exe] ],
  484    path_var.
  485
  486path_var -->
  487    (   { current_prolog_flag(windows, true) }
  488    ->  [ '%PATH%'-[] ]
  489    ;   [ '$PATH'-[] ]
  490    )