flux_future_and_then(3)

SYNOPSIS

#include <flux/core.h>

flux_future_t *flux_future_and_then (flux_future_t *f,
                                     flux_continuation_f cb,
                                     void *arg);

flux_future_t *flux_future_or_then (flux_future_t *f,
                                    flux_continuation_f cb,
                                    void *arg);

int flux_future_continue (flux_future_t *prev,
                          flux_future_t *f);

void flux_future_continue_error (flux_future_t *prev,
                                 int errnum,
                                 const char *errstr);

int flux_future_fulfill_next (flux_future_t *f,
                              void *result,
                              flux_free_f free_fn);

Link with -lflux-core.

DESCRIPTION

See flux_future_get(3) for general functions that operate on futures, and flux_future_create(3) for a description of the flux_future_t base type. This page covers functions for the sequential composition of futures, i.e. chains of dependent futures.

flux_future_and_then() is similar to flux_future_then(3), but returns a future that may later be "continued" from the continuation callback cb. The provided continuation callback cb is only executed when the future argument f is fulfilled successfully. On error, the error from f is automatically propagated to the "next" future in the chain (returned by the function).

flux_future_and_then() is useful when a series of asynchronous operations, each returning a flux_future_t, depend on the result of a previous operation. That is, flux_future_and_then() returns a placeholder future for an eventual future that can't be created until the continuation cb is run. The returned future can then be used as a synchronization handle or even passed to another flux_future_and_then() in the chain. By default, the next future in the chain will be fulfilled immediately using the result of the previous future after return from the callback cb. Most callbacks, however, should use either flux_future_continue() or flux_future_continue_error() to pass an intermediate future to use in fulfillment of the next future in the chain.

flux_future_or_then() is like flux_future_and_then(), except the continuation callback cb is run when the future f is fulfilled with an error. This function is useful for recovery or other error handling (other than the default behavior of propagating an error down the chain to the final result). The flux_future_or_then() callback offers a chance to successfully fulfill the "next" future in the chain, even when the "previous" future was fulfilled with an error.

As with flux_future_and_then() the continuation cb function for flux_future_or_then() should call flux_future_continue() or flux_future_continue_error(), or the result of the previous future will be propagated immediately to the next future in the chain.

flux_future_continue() continues the next future embedded in prev (created by flux_future_and_then() or flux_future_or_then()) with the eventual result of the provided future f. This allows a future that was not created until the context of the callback to continue a sequential chain of futures created earlier. After the call to flux_future_continue() completes, the future prev may safely be destroyed. flux_future_continue() may be called with f equal to NULL if the caller desires the next future in the chain to not be fulfilled, in order to disable the automatic fulfillment that normally occurs for non-continued futures after the callback completes.

flux_future_continue_error() is like flux_future_continue() but immediately fulfills the next future in the chain with an error and an optional error string. Once flux_future_continue_error() completes, the future prev may safely be destroyed.

flux_future_fulfill_next() is like flux_future_fulfill(3), but fulfills the next future in the chain instead of the current future (which is presumably already fulfilled). This call is useful when a chained future is being used for post-processing a result from intermediate future-based calls, as it allows the next future to be fulfilled with a custom result, instead of with the value of another future as in flux_future_continue().

RETURN VALUE

flux_future_and_then() and flux_future_or_then() return a flux_future_t on success, or NULL on error. If both functions are called on the same future, the returned flux_future_t from each will be the same object.

flux_future_continue() returns 0 on success, or -1 on error with errno set.

flux_future_fulfill_next() returns 0 on success, or -1 with errno set to EINVAL if the target future does not have a next future to fulfill.

ERRORS

ENOMEM

Out of memory.

EINVAL

Invalid argument.

ENOENT

The requested object is not found.

RESOURCES

Flux: http://flux-framework.org

Flux RFC: https://flux-framework.readthedocs.io/projects/flux-rfc

SEE ALSO

flux_future_get(3), flux_future_create(3)