Re: [LAD] QTractor: QThreads: Not realtime on Linux without root?

On 12/26/2016 12:58 AM, termtech wrote:
> Hi list. Hope Rui gets this...
> I have a puzzling technical question, involving QTractor.
>
> I have been looking very closely at how Qt's class QThread works.
>
> Actually, it doesn't. On Linux. As a normal user.
>
> A long investigation into its source code and ultimately some test programs,
> shows that on Linux it ignores what priority you attempt to start it with,
> if running with normal user privileges.
>
> In Qt's qtbase/src/corelib/thread/qthread_unix.cpp:
>
> void QThread::start(Priority priority)
> {
> ...
> pthread_attr_t attr;
> pthread_attr_init(&attr);
> ...
> }
>
> This code in Qt shows it initializes with default attributes which have
> scheduling 'other' and thus the range of priority levels is ZERO and thus
> QThread is lying about being at QThread::TimeCriticalPriority for example -
> it is NOT, it stored your requested level but did not actually set it.
>
> I just finished examining the following programs using 'htop' plus a
> custom program to ask what each's scheduling policy is,
> using pthread_attr_getschedpolicy():
>
> (With Jack running realtime etc. etc...)
>
> a) MusE : Two threads running FIFO policy (policy = '1'). Good, expected.
> MusE directly uses pthreads, and set policies and levels.
> I assume since I'm in the audio group with good rt limits,
> some help is going on, 'cause I ain't runnin' as root.
> b) QTractor : NO threads running FIFO (all policies = '0'). Bad? Unexpected?
> QTractor uses a few different QThreads with various priority settings
> including one requesting TimeCriticalPriority. Seem's it's not happening?
> c) Qt5Creator test program using QThread set to TimeCriticalPriority: Bad -
> thread has policy = '0'.
>
> The Mixxx project found the exact same thing:
> https://www.mixxx.org/wiki/doku.php/performance_improvements
>
> "RJ discovered that Mixxx's requests for real-time priority on this thread are
> having no effect. Running as a regular user on Linux shows that the priority
> range is from 0 to 0, and as root from 1 to 99, but it is set to 1 (the
> lowest) by default. However, calling
> setPriority(QThread::TimeCriticalPriority) (while running as root)
> does result in priority escalation. "
>
> A further look at the ticket shows they had to go with pthreads directly.
>
> What are your thoughts on this? Am I doing something wrong?
> Is QTractor really running realtime or not?
>
> After seeing the source and fooling with this, I'm disliking QThread.
>
> Before creating a QThread, I tried to elevate using seteuid, setegid
> and so on, and tried elevating to group 'audio'.
> Permissions denied, of course.
>

that is an interesting finding Tim. but maybe not one of big concern.

you see, none of the qtractor subclassed QThread's needs to be real-time
at all. the only instance on that premises is, of course, the jack
process one, which is a regular pthread for all the real, real-time
scheduling class (FF) and on started jackd -P rtprio minus 5 points as
usual for all jack clients.

and actually, the issue is clearly stated in Qt documention, see
http://doc.qt.io/qt-5/qthread.html#setPriority

byee

-- 
rncbc aka. Rui Nuno Capela

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