Versions Compared

Key

  • This line was added.
  • This line was removed.
  • Formatting was changed.

To avoid data corruption in multithreaded Java programs, you have to protect data that are is touched by multiple threads , as it is described in detail in rule CON30-J. Synchronize access to shared mutable variables. This can be done at an object level and to protect the data in the synchronized block (coarse-grained locking), thus locking thus out any other thread from accessing themit. The locking Locking that is achieved in this way has no danger of deadlocks.
 

But in the case if you follow a fine-grained locking, using member locks, you may end up in a deadlock unless you ensure that each thread always requests locks in the same order. 

Compliant Solution

To implement a fine-grained strategy, take out a separate lock for each position in the balances array balances.

Code Block
bgColor#ccccff
class Stocks implements FundConstants {
    static int[] balances =
                       new int[noOfStocks];
    static Object[] locks =
                    new Object[noOfStocks];
    static
    {
        for (int n=0; n<noOfStocks; n++) {
            balances[n] = 10000;
            locks[n] = new Object();
        }
    }

    static void transfer(Transfer t) {
        int lo, hi;
        if (t.fundFrom < t.fundTo) {
            lo = t.fundFrom;
            hi = t.fundTo;
        } else {
            lo = t.fundTo;
            hi = t.fundFrom;
        }
        synchronized (locks[lo]) {
            synchronized (locks[hi]) {
                balances[t.fundFrom] -= t.amount;
                balances[t.fundTo] += t.amount;
            }
        }
    }

    static int sumHelper (int next) {
        synchronized (locks[next]) {
            if (next == (noOfStocks-1)) {
                return balances[next];
            } else {
                return balances[next] +
                       sumHelper(next+1);
            }
        }
    }

    static void checkSystem() {
        int actual = 0;
        actual = sumHelper(0);
        System.out.println("Actual balance is
                                   " + actual);
    }
}

Since you cannot lock on primitive types, you cannot take a direct lock on the items in the balances array. Instead, you have to create an array of Object object (locks).

The code above avoids deadlock because every thread requests monitors in the same order, since it is always acquiring the locks in number numeric order.

Noncompliant Code Example

Deadlock would occur if the transfer method acquired the monitors in decreasing numeric order, while the sumHelper method would still be using increasing numeric order.

...

Fine-grained locking may lead in deadlock if each thread does not always requests request locks in the same order.

Rule

Severity

Likelihood

Remediation Cost

Priority

Level

CON33-J

low

unlikely

high

P1

L3

...