Dynamic reduction of stack-overflow errors in a recursive data-serialization algorithm
A data-serialization system initially uses a recursive serialization algorithm to serialize a hierarchy of nested data objects by translating those objects into a serial stream of data. The system determines that a stack-overflow error is likely to occur whenever the number of objects serialized by the system exceeds a threshold value, or whenever the stack has reached an unacceptable level of utilization. When the system determines that a stack-overflow error is likely or if the system detects that a stack-overflow error will definitely occur if another object is serialized, the system either transfers control to a nonrecursive algorithm that does not require a stack data structure or reduces stack utilization by transferring contents of the stack to a variable-size queue-like data structure.
1. A data-serialization system comprising a processor, a memory coupled to the processor, and a computer-readable hardware storage device coupled to the processor, the storage device containing program code configured to be run by the processor via the memory to implement a method for dynamic reduction of stack-overflow errors in a recursive data-serialization procedure, the method comprising:
launching the recursive data-serialization procedure to serialize each object of a hierarchy of serializable data objects, where the recursive data-serialization procedure temporarily stores a state of a partially serialized object as a frame of a stack data structure,
where each object is capable of comprising at least one field,
where each field of the at least one field is either a primitive field or a reference field,
where a primitive field stores a value,
where a reference field of a parent object of the hierarchy identifies another object of the hierarchy, and
where the another object is organized within the hierarchy as a child of the reference field;
determining that a threshold condition has been satisfied, where the threshold condition is selected, where the satisfaction of the threshold condition indicates an unacceptable likelihood that the recursive data-serialization procedure will generate a stack-overflow error; and
performing a corrective action in response to the determining,
where the corrective action is capable of preventing the stack-overflow error, and
where the corrective action comprises:
pausing the recursive data-serialization procedure;
deleting data from the stack data structure by popping frames of the stack data structure;
storing the popped frames in a variable-size queue-like data structure; and
resuming, by the recursive data-serialization procedure, serialization of the hierarchy of serializable data objects.
2. The system of claim 1 , where the threshold condition is a determination that a number of objects of the hierarchy that have been serialized by the recursive data-serialization procedure exceeds a threshold value.
3. The system of claim 1 , where the threshold condition is a determination that a utilization of the stack exceeds a threshold value.
4. The system of claim 1 , where the threshold condition is a determination that the recursive data-serialization procedure has triggered a stack-overflow error.
5. The system of claim 1 , where the corrective action further comprises:
terminating the recursive data-serialization procedure; and
initiating a nonrecursive data-serialization procedure that resumes serialization of the hierarchy of serializable data objects from the point at which the recursive data-serialization procedure was terminated.
6. The system of claim 1 , where a first object of the hierarchy is an instance of an object class and where each field comprised by the first object is capable of being a subclass of the object class.
7. A method for dynamic reduction of stack-overflow errors in a recursive data-serialization procedure, the method comprising:
launching the recursive data-serialization procedure to serialize each object of a hierarchy of serializable data objects, where the recursive data-serialization procedure temporarily stores a state of a partially serialized object as a frame of a stack data structure,
where each object is capable of comprising at least one field,
where each field of the at least one field is either a primitive field or a reference field,
where a primitive field stores a value,
where a reference field of a parent object of the hierarchy identifies another object of the hierarchy, and
where the another object is organized within the hierarchy as a child of the reference field;
determining that a threshold condition has been satisfied, where the threshold condition is selected, where the satisfaction of the threshold condition indicates an unacceptable likelihood that the recursive data-serialization procedure will generate a stack-overflow error; and
performing a corrective action in response to the determining,
where the corrective action is capable of preventing the stack-overflow error, and
where the corrective action comprises:
pausing the recursive data-serialization procedure;
deleting data from the stack data structure by popping frames of the stack data structure;
storing the popped frames in a variable-size queue-like data structure; and
resuming, by the recursive data-serialization procedure, serialization of the hierarchy of serializable data objects.
8. The method of claim 7 , where the threshold condition is a determination that a number of objects of the hierarchy that have been serialized by the recursive data-serialization procedure exceeds a threshold value.
9. The method of claim 7 , where the threshold condition is a determination that a utilization of the stack exceeds a threshold value.
10. The method of claim 7 , where the threshold condition is a determination that the recursive data-serialization procedure has triggered a stack-overflow error.
11. The method of claim 7 , where the corrective action further comprises:
terminating the recursive data-serialization procedure; and
initiating a nonrecursive data-serialization procedure that resumes serialization of the hierarchy of serializable data objects from the point at which the recursive data-serialization procedure was terminated.
12. The method of claim 7 , further comprising providing at least one support service for at least one of creating, integrating, hosting, maintaining, and deploying computer-readable program code in the computer system, wherein the computer-readable program code in combination with the computer system is configured to implement the launching, the determining, and the performing.
13. A computer program product, comprising a computer-readable hardware storage device having a computer-readable program code stored therein, the program code configured to be executed by a data-serialization system comprising a processor, a memory coupled to the processor, and a computer-readable hardware storage device coupled to the processor, the storage device containing program code configured to be run by the processor via the memory to implement a method for dynamic reduction of stack-overflow errors in a recursive data-serialization procedure, the method comprising:
launching the recursive data-serialization procedure to serialize each object of a hierarchy of serializable data objects, where the recursive data-serialization procedure temporarily stores a state of a partially serialized object as a frame of a stack data structure,
where each object is capable of comprising at least one field,
where each field of the at least one field is either a primitive field or a reference field,
where a primitive field stores a value,
where a reference field of a parent object of the hierarchy identifies another object of the hierarchy, and
where the another object is organized within the hierarchy as a child of the reference field;
determining that a threshold condition has been satisfied, where the threshold condition is selected, where the satisfaction of the threshold condition indicates an unacceptable likelihood that the recursive data-serialization procedure will generate a stack-overflow error; and
performing a corrective action in response to the determining,
where the corrective action is capable of preventing the stack-overflow error, and
where the corrective action comprises:
pausing the recursive data-serialization procedure;
deleting data from the stack data structure by popping frames of the stack data structure;
storing the popped frames in a variable-size queue-like data structure; and
resuming, by the recursive data-serialization procedure, serialization of the hierarchy of serializable data objects.
14. The computer program product of claim 13 , where the threshold condition is a determination that a number of objects of the hierarchy that have been serialized by the recursive data-serialization procedure exceeds a threshold value.
15. The computer program product of claim 13 , where the threshold condition is a determination that a utilization of the stack exceeds a threshold value.
16. The computer program product of claim 13 , where the threshold condition is a determination that the recursive data-serialization procedure has triggered a stack-overflow error.
17. The computer program product of claim 13 , where the corrective action further comprises:
terminating the recursive data-serialization procedure; and
initiating a nonrecursive data-serialization procedure that resumes serialization of the hierarchy of serializable data objects from the point at which the recursive data-serialization procedure was terminated.