Associating a native resource with an application

• US 7,203,941 B2
• Filed: 11/14/2002
• Issued: 04/10/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Smith, Brian J., Huynh, Tuan, Demsey, Seth M., Zintel, William Michael, Holden, Scott K.
• Primary Examiner(s): An; Meng-Al T.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tang; Kenneth
• Application Number:
  US10/294,337
• Publication Number:
  US 20040098724A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,608 Days
• Field of Search: 717/140, 718/1, 718/104, 711/100
• US Class Current: 718/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 12/0253 Garbage collection, i.e. reclamation of unreferenced memory

Abstract

Handles associate respective native resources with an application that utilizes a library to call for the native resource. Each handle is created to track a native resource that has been allocated to an application. All native resources associated with the application are freed by examining the handles to find those native resources still being held by the application after they are no longer being used, or when that application has been, or is being, terminated. If a native resource is requested by the application and found to be unavailable, the handles are reviewed to collect allocated native resources that are found to be unneeded by their respective applications. A collected native resource corresponding to the requested native resource is thereby made available to be reallocated to the requesting application.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

requesting a native resource with an application;

creating a memory allocation containing an object that references the application and a name and an address of the native resource;

returning the object to the application for use of the native resource;

automatically checking the application to determine if the native resource can be released;

creating a plurality of memory allocations corresponding to a plurality of native resources allocated in response to a respective plurality of requests from one or more said applications, wherein each said memory allocation contains an object that references one said application and that includes the name and address of one said native resource;

wherein the creating a plurality of memory allocations further comprises, prior to creating each said memory allocation;

determining that the memory allocation cannot be created by determining that the native resource requested by the application is unavailable;

reviewing each said memory allocation that was previously created to determine if the application referenced by the object of the memory allocation is no longer using the native resource named in the object of the memory allocation;

for each said native resource determined to be no longer used, removing the memory allocation containing the object that includes the name of the native resource determined to be no longer used to thereby release the native resource; and

,

when a released said native resource corresponds to the native resource determined to be unavailable, creating a memory allocation containing an object that references the requesting said application and that includes the name and address of the released said native resource.

2. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein the returning the object to the application provides the application with access to and use of the native resource.

3. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein:

the requesting a native resource with an application occurs in a managed code portion of a computer environment; and

the creating a memory allocation occurs in a native code portion of a computer environment.

4. The method as defined in claim 3, wherein the computer environment comprises:

in the managed code portion;

the application in user code; and

a virtual machine;

in the native code portion;

a virtual machine execution engine;

the memory allocation; and

an operating system.

5. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein the requesting a native resource with an application further comprising requesting the native resource with a component of the application.

6. The method as defined in claim 1, further comprising releasing the native resource by:

identifying the memory allocation containing the object that references the application; and

when the name and address of the native resource to be released is contained in the object that references the application, removing the memory allocation to release the native resource.

7. The method as defined in claim 1, further comprising, when terminating one said application, removing each said memory allocation identified as containing an object that references the application to thereby release the native resource named in the object of the memory allocation so identified.

8. The method as defined in claim 1, further comprising a plurality of memory allocation tables each containing one or more said objects referencing one said application.

9. The method as defined in claim 1, further comprising, for each termination of each said application:

identifying each said memory allocation containing an object that references the application; and

removing each said identified memory allocation to release the native resource for which the name and address thereof is contained in the object.

10. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein the creating a plurality of memory allocations further comprises, prior to creating each said memory allocation:

reviewing each said memory allocation that was previously created to determine if the application referenced by the object of the memory allocation is no longer using the native resource contained in the object of the memory allocation; and

for each said native resource determined to be no longer used, removing the memory allocation containing the object that includes the name of the native resource determined to be no longer used to thereby release the native resource.

11. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein the determining that the native resource requested by the application is unavailable comprises determining that a predetermined number is exceeded by a count of the number of the memory allocations that contain an object that names one of the native resources that:

is of like kind to the native resource requested by the application; and

is still being used by the application referenced by the object.

12. A computer readable storage medium having computer instructions thereon that, where executed by a computer, perform acts comprising:

requesting a native resource with an application;

creating a memory allocation containing an object that references the application and a name and an address of the native resource;

returning the object to the application for use of the native resource;

automatically checking the application to determine if the native resource can be released;

creating a plurality of memory allocations corresponding to a plurality of native resources allocated in response to a respective plurality of requests from one or more said applications, wherein each said memory allocation contains an object that references one said application and that includes the name and address of one said native resource;

wherein the creating a plurality of memory allocations further comprises, prior to creating each said memory allocation;

determining that the memory allocation cannot be created by determining that the native resource requested by the application is unavailable;

reviewing each said memory allocation that was previously created to determine if the application referenced by the object of the memory allocation is no longer using the native resource named in the object of the memory allocation;

for each said native resource determined to be no longer used, removing the memory allocation containing the object that includes the name of the native resource determined to be no longer used to thereby release the native resource; and

,

when a released said native resource corresponds to the native resource determined to be unavailable, creating a memory allocation containing an object that references the requesting said application and that includes the name and address of the released said native resource.

13. A method comprising:

requesting a native resource with an application;

receiving the request and calling for the native resource with a library member;

allocating the native resource by;

creating a handle containing an object that references the application;

inputting a name and an address of the native resource in the object in the created handle;

returning the object to the calling library member;

returning the object to the application from the calling library member;

automatically checking the application to determine if the native resource can be released;

creating a plurality of handles corresponding to a plurality of native resources allocated in response to a respective plurality of requests from one or more said applications, wherein each said handle contains an object that references one said application and that includes the name and address of one said native resource;

wherein the creating a plurality of handles further comprises, prior to creating each said handle;

determining that the handle cannot be created by determining that the native resource requested by the application is unavailable;

reviewing each said handle that was previously created to determine if the application referenced by the object of the handle is no longer using the native resource for which the name and address thereof is contained in the object of the handle and which said native resource had been allocated in response to the request from the application;

for each said native resource determined to be no longer used, removing the handle containing the object that includes the name and address of the native resource determined to be no longer used to thereby release the native resource;

when a released said native resource corresponds to the native resource determined to be unavailable, reallocating the released said native resource by;

creating a handle containing an object that references the requesting said application; and

inputting the name and address of the released said native resource in the object in the created handle.

14. The method as defined in claim 13, wherein the returning the object to the application from the calling library member enables the application to access and use the native resource.

15. The method as defined in claim 13, wherein:

the requesting a native resource with an application occurs in a managed code portion of a computer environment;

the calling for the native resource with a library member occurs in a managed code portion of a computer environment; and

the allocating the native resource occurs in a native code portion of the computer environment.

16. The method as defined in claim 15, wherein the computer environment comprises:

in the managed code portion;

the application in user code; and

a virtual machine;

in the native code portion;

a virtual machine execution engine;

the handle; and

the operating system.

17. The method as defined in claim 13, wherein the requesting a native resource with an application further comprising requesting the native resource with a component of the application.

18. The method as defined in claim 13, further comprising releasing the native resource by:

identifying the handle containing the object that references the application; and

when the name and address of the native resource to be released is contained in the object that references the application, removing the handle to release the native resource.

19. The method as defined in claim 13, further comprising:

creating a plurality of handles corresponding to a plurality of native resources allocated in response to a respective plurality of requests from one or more said applications, wherein each said handle contains an object that references one said application and that includes the name and address of one said native resource.

20. The method as defined in claim 13, further comprising a plurality of handle tables each containing one or more said objects referencing one said application.

21. The method as defined in claim 13, further comprising, for each termination of each said application:

identifying each said handle containing an object that references the application; and

removing each said identified handle to release the native resource for which the name and address thereof is contained in the object.

22. The method as defined in claim 13, wherein the creating a plurality of handles further comprises, prior to creating each said handle:

reviewing each said handle that was previously created to determine if the application referenced by the object of the handle is no longer using the native resource for which the name and address thereof is contained in the object of the handle and which said native resource had been allocated in response to a request from the application;

for each said native resource determined to be no longer used, removing the handle containing the object that includes the name and address of the native resource determined to be no longer used to thereby release the native resource.

23. The method as defined in claim 13, wherein the determining that the native resource requested by the application is unavailable comprises determining that a predetermined number is exceeded by a count of the number of the handles that contain an object that names one of the native resources that:

is of like kind to the native resource requested by the application; and

is still being used by the application referenced by the object.

24. The method as defined in claim 13, wherein the handle is an allocation of memory.

25. A computer readable storage medium having computer instructions thereon that, where executed by a computer, perform the method of claim 13.

26. A computer readable storage medium comprising computer executable instructions for performing steps executed in a native code portion of a computer environment, the steps including:

receiving one of more calls each being for a native resource requested by an application;

creating, for each said call, a handle containing an object that references the application and the name and address of the native resource;

sending each said object for delivery to the respective application to enable the application access to and use of the respective native resource;

automatically checking the application to determine if the native resource can be released;

wherein the step of the creating a handle further comprises, prior to creating each said handle;

determining that the handle cannot be created by determining that the native resource requested by the application is unavailable;

reviewing each said handle that was previously created to determine if the application referenced by the object of the handle is no longer using the native resource named in the object of the handle;

for each said native resource determined to be no longer used, removing the handle containing the object that includes the name of the native resource determined to be no longer used to thereby release the native resource; and

,

when a released said native resource corresponds to the native resource determined to be unavailable, creating a handle containing an object that references the requesting said application and that includes the name and address of the released said native resource.

27. The computer readable storage medium as defined in claim 26, wherein the steps further comprises removing each said handle identified as containing an object that references the application to thereby release the native resource named in the object.

28. The computer readable storage medium as defined in claim 26, wherein a native code portion of the computer environment accesses a plurality of handle tables each containing one or more said objects referencing one said application.

29. The computer readable storage medium as defined in claim 26, wherein the steps further comprise:

identifying each said handle containing an object that references the application; and

removing each said identified handle to release the native resource for which the name and address thereof is contained in the object.

30. The computer readable storage medium as defined in claim 26, wherein the step of the creating a handle further comprise, prior to creating each said handle:

reviewing each said handle that was previously created to determine if the application referenced by the object of the handle is no longer using the native resource contained in the object of the handle; and

for each said native resource determined to be no longer used, removing the handle containing the object that includes the name of the native resource determined to be no longer used to thereby release the native resource.

31. The computer readable storage medium as defined in claim 26, wherein the step of determining that the native resource requested by the application is unavailable comprises determining that a predetermined number is exceeded by a count of the number of the handles that contain an object that names one of the native resources that:

is of like kind to the native resource requested by the application; and

is still being used by the application referenced by the object.

32. A computer readable storage medium having computer executable instructions for performing steps comprising:

requesting a native resource of an operating system from a domain of an application in a managed code portion of a computer environment;

receiving the request and calling for the native resource from a library member in the managed code portion of the computer environment;

receiving the call in a native code portion of the computer environment;

allocating the native resource by;

creating a handle in the native code portion of the computer environment, the handle containing an object that references the domain of the application;

inputting a name and an address of the native resource in the object in the created handle;

returning the object to the calling library member;

returning the object to the domain of the application from the calling library member;

automatically checking the application to determine if the native resource can be release;

creating a plurality of handles corresponding to a plurality of native resources allocated in response to a respective plurality of requests from one or more said domains of the applications, wherein each said handle contains one said object that references one said domain of the application and that includes the name and address of one said native resource, wherein the step of creating a plurality of handles further comprises, prior to creating each said handle;

determining that the handle cannot be created by determining that the native resource requested by the domain of the application is unavailable;

reviewing each said handle that was previously created to determine if the domain of the application referenced by the object of the handle is no longer using the native resource for which the name and address thereof is contained in the object of the handle and which said native resource had been allocated in response to the request from the domain of the application;

for each said native resource determined to be no longer used, removing the handle containing the object that includes the name and address of the native resource determined to be no longer used to thereby release the native resource;

when a released said native resource corresponds to the native resource determined to be unavailable, reallocating the released said native resource by;

creating a handle containing an object that references the requesting said domain of the application; and

,

inputting the name and address of the released said native resource in the object in the created handle.

33. The computer readable storage medium as defined in claim 32, wherein the step of returning the object to the domain of the application from the calling library member provides the application with access to and use of the native resource.

34. The computer readable storage medium as defined in claim 32, wherein the managed code portion includes:

the domain of the application in user code; and

a virtual machine;

in the native code portion;

a virtual machine execution engine;

the handle; and

the operating system.

35. The computer readable storage medium as defined in claim 32, wherein the steps further comprises releasing the native resource by:

identifying the handle containing the object that references the domain of the application; and

when the name and address of the native resource to be released is contained in the object that references the domain of the application, removing the handle to release the native resource.

36. The computer readable storage medium as defined in claim 32, wherein the native code portion of the computer environment has access a plurality of handle tables each containing one or more said objects referencing one said domain of the application.

37. The computer readable storage medium as defined in claim 32, wherein the steps further comprise, for each termination of the domain of the application:

identifying each said handle containing an object that references the domain of the application; and

removing each said identified handle to release the native resource for which the name and address is contained in the object that references the domain of the application.

38. The computer readable storage medium as defined in claim 32, wherein the step of creating a plurality of handles further comprises, prior to creating each said handle:

reviewing each said handle that was previously created to determine if the domain of the application referenced by the object of the handle is no longer using the native resource for which the name and address thereof is contained in the object of the handle and which said native resource had been allocated in response to the request from the domain of the application;

for each said native resource determined to be no longer used, removing the handle containing the object that includes the name and address of the native resource determined to be no longer used to thereby release the native resource.

39. The computer readable storage medium as defined in claim 32, wherein the step of determining that the handle cannot be created further comprises determining that a predetermined number is exceeded by a count of those handles that contain an object naming one said native resource that:

is of like kind to the native resource requested by the domain of the application; and

is still being used by the domain of the application that is referenced by the object.

40. The computer readable storage medium as defined in claim 32, wherein the library member is selected from the group consisting of a managed drawing library member and a managed windowing library member.

41. An apparatus having a processor comprising:

a virtual machine operating in a managed code portion for executing an application;

an execution engine for the virtual machine operating in a native code portion;

an operating system upon which the virtual machine execution engine is stacked;

means for requesting a native resource with the application;

means for creating a handle in the native code portion, the handle containing an object that references the application and the name and address of the native resource;

means for returning the object to the application for use of the native resource;

means for automatically checking the application to determine if the native resource can be released;

means for creating a plurality of handles corresponding to a plurality of native resources allocated in response to a respective plurality of requests from one or more said applications, wherein each said handle contains an object that references one said application and that includes the name and address of one said native resource, wherein the means for creating a plurality of handles further comprises means, prior to creating each said handle;

for determining that the handle cannot be created by determining that the native resource requested by the application is unavailable;

for reviewing each said handle that was previously created to determine if the application referenced by the object of the handle is no longer using the native resource named in the object of the handle;

for removing the handle containing the object that includes the name of the native resource determined to be no longer used to thereby release the native resource, for each said native resource determined to be no longer used;

for reallocating the released said native resource, when a released said native resource corresponds to the native resource determined to be unavailable, by using;

means for creating a handle containing an object that references the requesting said application; and

,

means for inputting the name and address of the released said native resource in the object in the created handle.

42. The apparatus as defined in claim 41, wherein the means for returning the object to the application provides the application with access to and use of the native resource.

43. The apparatus as defined in claim 41, wherein the means for requesting a native resource with an application further comprising means for requesting the native resource with a component of the application.

44. The apparatus as defined in claim 41, further comprising means for releasing the native resource that includes:

means for identifying the handle containing the object that references the application; and

means for removing the handle to release the native resource when the name and address of the native resource to be released is contained in the object that references the application.

45. The apparatus as defined in claim 41, further comprising a plurality of handle tables in the native code portion, wherein each said handle table contains one or more said objects referencing one said application.

46. The apparatus as defined in claim 41, further comprising means, when terminating one said application, for removing each said handle identified as containing an object that references the application to thereby release the native resource named in the object of the handle so identified.

47. The apparatus as defined in claim 41, further comprising, for each termination of each said application:

means for identifying each said handle containing an object that references the application; and

means for removing each said identified handle to release the native resource for which the name and address thereof is contained in the object.

48. The apparatus as defined in claim 41, wherein the means for creating a plurality of handles further comprises means, prior to creating each said handle:

for reviewing each said handle that was previously created to determine if the application referenced by the object of the handle is no longer using the native resource contained in the object of the handle; and

for removing the handle containing the object that includes the name of the native resource determined to be no longer used to thereby release the native resource for each said native resource determined to be no longer used.

49. The apparatus as defined in claim 41, wherein the means for determining that the native resource requested by the application is unavailable comprises means for determining that a predetermined number is exceeded by a count of the number of the handles that contain an object that names one of the native resources that:

is of like kind to the native resource requested by the application; and

is still being used by the application referenced by the object.