turn 0.2.1

A shared-resource-locking queue system using python and redis.

Turn

Introduction

Turn is a shared-resource-locking queue system using python and Redis. Use it in separate programs that acess the same shared resource to make sure each program waits for its turn to handle the resource.

It is inspired on a the queueing system that is sometimes found in small shops, consisting of a number dispener and a wall indicator.

Turn can be used in python code to request a lock on a shared resource and wait for green light to do safely handle that resource.

Turn comes with a commandline tool for resetting and direct inspection of queues, and listening to message channels for one or more resources.

Installation

Install turn with pip:

$ pip install turn

Of course, you should also have a Redis server at hand.

Implementation

When a lock is requested, a unique serial number is obtained from Redis via INCR on a Redis value, called the dispenser. The lock is acquired only if another value, called the indicator, corresponds to the unique serial number.

There are two mechanisms that can change the indicator:

1. The user with the corresponding serial number is finished acting on the shared resource and increases the number, notifying any other subscribed waiting users. This is the preferred way to handle things.

2. Another user gets impatient and calls the bump procedure. This procedure checks if the user corresponding to the indicator is still active and if necessary sets the indicator to an appropriate value.

Activity is monitored via an expiring key-value pair in Redis. The turn library automatically arranges a thread that keeps updating the expiration time, to make sure the presence does not expire during waiting for, or handling of the resource.

Tools

The state of users and queues can be monitered by inspection of Redis values and subscription to Redis channels.

Usage

Basic usage goes like this:

import turn

# a locker corresponds to a reusable Redis client
locker = turn.Locker(host='localhost', port=6379, db=0)

resource = 'my_valuable_resource'
label = 'This shows up in messages.'

with locker.lock(resource=resource, label=label):
    pass  # do your careful work on the resource here

Inspection can be done using the console script requesting a snap-shot status report:

$ turn status my_valuable_resource
my_valuable_resource                                       5
------------------------------------------------------------
This shows up in status reports and messages.              5

Alternatively, one or more subscriptions to the Redis PubSub channels for a particular resource can be followed:

$ turn follow my_valuable_resource
my_valuable_resource: 5 drawn by "This shows up in messages."
my_valuable_resource: 5 starts
my_valuable_resource: 5 completed by "This shows up in messages."
my_valuable_resource: 6 can start now

Credits

• Arjan Verkerk started this library

Changelog of turn

0.2.1 (2015-04-28)

• Patience adjusted to seconds

• PubSub connections closed automatically

• Make patience an argument of lock()

• Docs updated

0.2 (2015-04-28)

• Documentation adjustments.

• Move console stuff to separate module.

• Use select and not poll, to make increase platform independency.

• Use the name ‘Locker’ for the reusable object that locks things.

0.1.1 (2015-04-23)

• U can use pip now.

0.1 (2015-04-23)

• Initial project structure created with nensskel 1.36.dev0.

• First working version.