summaryrefslogtreecommitdiffstats
path: root/dom/file/ipc/IPCBlobUtils.h
diff options
context:
space:
mode:
Diffstat (limited to 'dom/file/ipc/IPCBlobUtils.h')
-rw-r--r--dom/file/ipc/IPCBlobUtils.h296
1 files changed, 296 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/dom/file/ipc/IPCBlobUtils.h b/dom/file/ipc/IPCBlobUtils.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..9028542d3d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/dom/file/ipc/IPCBlobUtils.h
@@ -0,0 +1,296 @@
+/* -*- Mode: C++; tab-width: 8; indent-tabs-mode: nil; c-basic-offset: 2 -*- */
+/* vim: set ts=8 sts=2 et sw=2 tw=80: */
+/* This Source Code Form is subject to the terms of the Mozilla Public
+ * License, v. 2.0. If a copy of the MPL was not distributed with this
+ * file, You can obtain one at http://mozilla.org/MPL/2.0/. */
+
+#ifndef mozilla_dom_IPCBlobUtils_h
+#define mozilla_dom_IPCBlobUtils_h
+
+#include "mozilla/RefPtr.h"
+#include "mozilla/dom/File.h"
+#include "mozilla/ipc/IPDLParamTraits.h"
+
+/*
+ * Blobs and IPC
+ * ~~~~~~~~~~~~~
+ *
+ * Simplifying, DOM Blob objects are chunks of data with a content type and a
+ * size. DOM Files are Blobs with a name. They are are used in many APIs and
+ * they can be cloned and sent cross threads and cross processes.
+ *
+ * If we see Blobs from a platform point of view, the main (and often, the only)
+ * interesting part is how to retrieve data from it. This is done via
+ * nsIInputStream and, except for a couple of important details, this stream is
+ * used in the parent process.
+ *
+ * For this reason, when we consider the serialization of a blob via IPC
+ * messages, the biggest effort is put in how to manage the nsInputStream
+ * correctly. To serialize, we use the IPCBlob data struct: basically, the blob
+ * properties (size, type, name if it's a file) and the nsIInputStream.
+ *
+ * Before talking about the nsIInputStream it's important to say that we have
+ * different kinds of Blobs, based on the different kinds of sources. A non
+ * exaustive list is:
+ * - a memory buffer: MemoryBlobImpl
+ * - a string: StringBlobImpl
+ * - a real OS file: FileBlobImpl
+ * - a generic nsIInputStream: StreamBlobImpl
+ * - an empty blob: EmptyBlobImpl
+ * - more blobs combined together: MultipartBlobImpl
+ * Each one of these implementations has a custom ::CreateInputStream method.
+ * So, basically, each one has a different kind of nsIInputStream (nsFileStream,
+ * nsIStringInputStream, SlicedInputStream, and so on).
+ *
+ * Another important point to keep in mind is that a Blob can be created on the
+ * content process (for example: |new Blob([123])|) or it can be created on the
+ * parent process and sent to content (a FilePicker creates Blobs and it runs on
+ * the parent process).
+ *
+ * DocumentLoadListener uses blobs to serialize the POST data back to the
+ * content process (for insertion into session history). This lets it correctly
+ * handle OS files by reference, and avoid copying the underlying buffer data
+ * unless it is read. This can hopefully be removed once SessionHistory is
+ * handled in the parent process.
+ *
+ * Child to Parent Blob Serialization
+ * ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
+ *
+ * When a document creates a blob, this can be sent, for different reasons to
+ * the parent process. For instance it can be sent as part of a FormData, or it
+ * can be converted to a BlobURL and broadcasted to any other existing
+ * processes.
+ *
+ * When this happens, we use the IPCStream data struct for the serialization
+ * of the nsIInputStream. This means that, if the stream is fully serializable
+ * and its size is lower than 1Mb, we are able to recreate the stream completely
+ * on the parent side. This happens, basically with any kind of child-to-parent
+ * stream except for huge memory streams. In this case we end up using
+ * PChildToParentStream. See more information in IPCStreamUtils.h.
+ *
+ * In order to populate IPCStream correctly, we use AutoIPCStream as documented
+ * in IPCStreamUtils.h. Note that we use the 'delayed start' feature because,
+ * often, the stream doesn't need to be read on the parent side.
+ *
+ * Parent to Child Blob Serialization
+ * ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
+ *
+ * This scenario is common when we talk about Blobs pointing to real files:
+ * HTMLInputElement (type=file), or Entries API, DataTransfer and so on. But we
+ * also have this scenario when a content process creates a Blob and it
+ * broadcasts it because of a BlobURL or because BroadcastChannel API is used.
+ *
+ * The approach here is this: normally, the content process doesn't really read
+ * data from the blob nsIInputStream. The content process needs to have the
+ * nsIInputStream and be able to send it back to the parent process when the
+ * "real" work needs to be done. This is true except for 2 usecases: FileReader
+ * API and BlobURL usage. So, if we ignore these 2, normally, the parent sends a
+ * blob nsIInputStream to a content process, and then, it will receive it back
+ * in order to do some networking, or whatever.
+ *
+ * For this reason, IPCBlobUtils uses a particular protocol for serializing
+ * nsIInputStream parent to child: PRemoteLazyInputStream. This protocol keeps
+ * the original nsIInputStream alive on the parent side, and gives its size and
+ * a UUID to the child side. The child side creates a RemoteLazyInputStream and
+ * that is incapsulated into a StreamBlobImpl.
+ *
+ * The UUID is useful when the content process sends the same nsIInputStream
+ * back to the parent process because, the only information it has to share is
+ * the UUID. Each nsIInputStream sent via PRemoteLazyInputStream, is registered
+ * into the RemoteLazyInputStreamStorage.
+ *
+ * On the content process side, RemoteLazyInputStream is a special inputStream:
+ * the only reliable methods are:
+ * - nsIInputStream.available() - the size is shared by PRemoteLazyInputStream
+ * actor.
+ * - nsIIPCSerializableInputStream.serialize() - we can give back this stream to
+ * the parent because we know its UUID.
+ * - nsICloneableInputStream.cloneable() and nsICloneableInputStream.clone() -
+ * this stream can be cloned. We just need to have a reference of the
+ * PRemoteLazyInputStream actor and its UUID.
+ * - nsIAsyncInputStream.asyncWait() - see next section.
+ *
+ * Any other method (read, readSegment and so on) will fail if asyncWait() is
+ * not previously called (see the next section). Basically, this inputStream
+ * cannot be used synchronously for any 'real' reading operation.
+ *
+ * When the parent receives the serialization of a RemoteLazyInputStream, it is
+ * able to retrieve the correct nsIInputStream using the UUID and
+ * RemoteLazyInputStreamStorage.
+ *
+ * Parent to Child Streams, FileReader and BlobURL
+ * ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
+ *
+ * The FileReader and BlobURL scenarios are described here.
+ *
+ * When content process needs to read data from a Blob sent from the parent
+ * process, it must do it asynchronously using RemoteLazyInputStream as a
+ * nsIAsyncInputStream stream. This happens calling
+ * RemoteLazyInputStream.asyncWait(). At that point, the child actor will send a
+ * StreamNeeded() IPC message to the parent side. When this is received, the
+ * parent retrieves the 'real' stream from RemoteLazyInputStreamStorage using
+ * the UUID, it will serialize the 'real' stream, and it will send it to the
+ * child side.
+ *
+ * When the 'real' stream is received (RecvStreamReady()), the asyncWait
+ * callback will be executed and, from that moment, any RemoteLazyInputStream
+ * method will be forwarded to the 'real' stream ones. This means that the
+ * reading will be available.
+ *
+ * RemoteLazyInputStream Thread
+ * ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
+ *
+ * RemoteLazyInputStreamChild actor can be created in any thread (sort of) and
+ * their top-level IPDL protocol is PBackground. These actors are wrapped by 1
+ * or more RemoteLazyInputStream objects in order to expose nsIInputStream
+ * interface and be thread-safe.
+ *
+ * But IPDL actors are not thread-safe and any SendFoo() method must be executed
+ * on the owning thread. This means that this thread must be kept alive for the
+ * life-time of the RemoteLazyInputStream.
+ *
+ * In doing this, there are 2 main issues:
+ * a. if a remote Blob is created on a worker (because of a
+ * BroadcastChannel/MessagePort for instance) and it sent to the main-thread
+ * via PostMessage(), we have to keep that worker alive.
+ * b. if the remote Blob is created on the main-thread, any SendFoo() has to be
+ * executed on the main-thread. This is true also when the inputStream is
+ * used on another thread (note that nsIInputStream could do I/O and usually
+ * they are used on special I/O threads).
+ *
+ * In order to avoid this, RemoteLazyInputStreamChild are 'migrated' to a
+ * DOM-File thread. This is done in this way:
+ *
+ * 1. If RemoteLazyInputStreamChild actor is not already owned by DOM-File
+ * thread, it calls Send__delete__ in order to inform the parent side that we
+ * don't need this IPC channel on the current thread.
+ * 2. A new RemoteLazyInputStreamChild is created. RemoteLazyInputStreamThread
+ * is used to assign this actor to the DOM-File thread.
+ * RemoteLazyInputStreamThread::GetOrCreate() creates the DOM-File thread if
+ * it doesn't exist yet. Pending operations and RemoteLazyInputStreams are
+ * moved onto the new actor.
+ * 3. RemoteLazyInputStreamParent::Recv__delete__ is called on the parent side
+ * and the parent actor is deleted. Doing this we don't remove the UUID from
+ * RemoteLazyInputStreamStorage.
+ * 4. The RemoteLazyInputStream constructor is sent with the new
+ * RemoteLazyInputStreamChild actor, with the DOM-File thread's PBackground
+ * as its manager.
+ * 5. When the new RemoteLazyInputStreamParent actor is created, it will receive
+ * the same UUID of the previous parent actor. The nsIInputStream will be
+ * retrieved from RemoteLazyInputStreamStorage.
+ * 6. In order to avoid leaks, RemoteLazyInputStreamStorage will monitor child
+ * processes and in case one of them dies, it will release the
+ * nsIInputStream objects belonging to that process.
+ *
+ * If any API wants to retrieve a 'real inputStream when the migration is in
+ * progress, that operation is stored in a pending queue and processed at the
+ * end of the migration.
+ *
+ * IPCBlob and nsIAsyncInputStream
+ * ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
+ *
+ * RemoteLazyInputStream is always async. If the remote inputStream is not
+ * async, RemoteLazyInputStream will create a pipe stream around it in order to
+ * be consistently async.
+ *
+ * Slicing IPCBlob
+ * ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
+ *
+ * Normally, slicing a blob consists of the creation of a new Blob, with a
+ * SlicedInputStream() wrapping a clone of the original inputStream. But this
+ * approach is extremely inefficient with IPCBlob, because it could be that we
+ * wrap the pipe stream and not the remote inputStream (See the previous section
+ * of this documentation). If we end up doing so, also if the remote
+ * inputStream is seekable, the pipe will not be, and in order to reach the
+ * starting point, SlicedInputStream will do consecutive read()s.
+ *
+ * This problem is fixed implmenting nsICloneableWithRange in
+ * RemoteLazyInputStream and using cloneWithRange() when a StreamBlobImpl is
+ * sliced. When the remote stream is received, it will be sliced directly.
+ *
+ * If we want to represent the hierarchy of the InputStream classes, instead
+ * of having: |SlicedInputStream(RemoteLazyInputStream(Async
+ * Pipe(RemoteStream)))|, we have: |RemoteLazyInputStream(Async
+ * Pipe(SlicedInputStream(RemoteStream)))|.
+ *
+ * When RemoteLazyInputStream is serialized and sent to the parent process,
+ * start and range are sent too and SlicedInputStream is used in the parent side
+ * as well.
+ *
+ * Socket Process
+ * ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
+ *
+ * The socket process is a separate process used to do networking operations.
+ * When a website sends a blob as the body of a POST/PUT request, we need to
+ * send the corresponding RemoteLazyInputStream to the socket process.
+ *
+ * This is the only serialization of RemoteLazyInputStream from parent to child
+ * process and it works _only_ for the socket process. Do not expose this
+ * serialization to PContent or PBackground or any other top-level IPDL protocol
+ * without a DOM File peer review!
+ *
+ * The main difference between Socket Process is that DOM-File thread is not
+ * used. Here is a list of reasons:
+ * - DOM-File moves the ownership of the RemoteLazyInputStream actors to
+ * PBackground, but in the Socket Process we don't have PBackground (yet?)
+ * - Socket Process is a stable process with a simple life-time configuration:
+ * we can keep the actors on the main-thread because no Workers are involved.
+ */
+
+namespace mozilla {
+
+namespace ipc {
+class IProtocol;
+class PBackgroundChild;
+class PBackgroundParent;
+} // namespace ipc
+
+namespace dom {
+
+class IPCBlob;
+class ContentChild;
+class ContentParent;
+
+namespace IPCBlobUtils {
+
+already_AddRefed<BlobImpl> Deserialize(const IPCBlob& aIPCBlob);
+
+// These 4 methods serialize aBlobImpl into aIPCBlob using the right manager.
+
+nsresult Serialize(BlobImpl* aBlobImpl, ContentChild* aManager,
+ IPCBlob& aIPCBlob);
+
+nsresult Serialize(BlobImpl* aBlobImpl,
+ mozilla::ipc::PBackgroundChild* aManager, IPCBlob& aIPCBlob);
+
+nsresult Serialize(BlobImpl* aBlobImpl, ContentParent* aManager,
+ IPCBlob& aIPCBlob);
+
+nsresult Serialize(BlobImpl* aBlobImpl,
+ mozilla::ipc::PBackgroundParent* aManager,
+ IPCBlob& aIPCBlob);
+
+// WARNING: If you pass any actor which does not have P{Content,Background} as
+// its toplevel protocol, this method will MOZ_CRASH.
+nsresult SerializeUntyped(BlobImpl* aBlobImpl, mozilla::ipc::IProtocol* aActor,
+ IPCBlob& aIPCBlob);
+
+} // namespace IPCBlobUtils
+} // namespace dom
+
+namespace ipc {
+// ParamTraits implementation for BlobImpl. N.B: If the original BlobImpl cannot
+// be successfully serialized, a warning will be produced and a nullptr will be
+// sent over the wire. When Read()-ing a BlobImpl,
+// __always make sure to handle null!__
+template <>
+struct IPDLParamTraits<mozilla::dom::BlobImpl*> {
+ static void Write(IPC::Message* aMsg, IProtocol* aActor,
+ mozilla::dom::BlobImpl* aParam);
+ static bool Read(const IPC::Message* aMsg, PickleIterator* aIter,
+ IProtocol* aActor, RefPtr<mozilla::dom::BlobImpl>* aResult);
+};
+} // namespace ipc
+} // namespace mozilla
+
+#endif // mozilla_dom_IPCBlobUtils_h