[C++] Improve flatbuffers + gRPC integration (#4310)

* Rework flatbuffers + gRPC integration

- Introduce `flatbuffers::grpc::Message<T>`, a `grpc_slice`-backed
message buffer that handles refcounting and allows flatbuffers to
transfer ownership to gRPC efficiently. This replaces
`flatbuffers::BufferRef<T>`, which required a copy call and was also
unsafe w.r.t. buffer lifetime.
- Introduce `flatbuffers::grpc::MessageBuilder`, a gRPC-specific builder
that forces a `grpc_slice`-backed allocator and also adds some helpful
`Message<T>`-related methods.
- Update serializers accordingly (now zero-copy between flatbuffers and
gRPC).

* gRPC: verify messages by default, but allow user to override

* gRPC: fix some formatting issues

* Disable verification by default, but add helper method

* Make FlatBufferBuilder fields protected + remove vec accessor

* Use bool add_ref parameter to toggle refcount incr

* Remove unnecessary inline specifiers

* Fix formatting

* Use auto

* Remove empty lines

* Use grpc_slice helper macros

* Simplify reset code

* Disable Message copy ctor and assignment by default

* Remove unused member

* Enable gRPC verification by default

* Use auto

* Bake in message verification (remove template specialization)

* Add RoundUp func

* Consolidate gRPC message copy flag

* Make vector_downward allocations fully lazy

* Test message verification failure code/message

* Add grpctest verification test comments

* Simplify reallocate implementation

* Make initial_size a size_t

* Use ternary op for growth_policy

* Use truthiness rather than dont explicit nullptr check

* Indent preprocessor directives

* Remove grpc message copy/assignment

* Fix a few bugs

* Add gRPC example

* Add basic gRPC docs

* Use doxygen EXAMPLE_PATH + @include

* Reference example fbs in grpc docs

* Move gRPC examples into grpc/samples

* Fix pointer/reference formatting

* Use std::function rather than templated callback func

* Create fresh message builder for each request

* Use Clear() in Reset() impl

* Use FLATBUFFERS_CONSTEXPR
This commit is contained in:
Lawrence Chan
2017-06-07 15:56:49 -05:00
committed by Wouter van Oortmerssen
parent dadd1a926e
commit da67c0a71f
15 changed files with 583 additions and 141 deletions

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@@ -765,6 +765,7 @@ INPUT = "FlatBuffers.md" \
"../../CONTRIBUTING.md" \
"Tutorial.md" \
"GoApi.md" \
"gRPC/CppUsage.md" \
"groups" \
"../../java/com/google/flatbuffers" \
"../../python/flatbuffers/builder.py" \
@@ -883,21 +884,21 @@ EXCLUDE_SYMBOLS =
# that contain example code fragments that are included (see the \include
# command).
EXAMPLE_PATH = "GoApi_generated.txt"
EXAMPLE_PATH = "GoApi_generated.txt" "../../grpc/samples"
# If the value of the EXAMPLE_PATH tag contains directories, you can use the
# EXAMPLE_PATTERNS tag to specify one or more wildcard pattern (like *.cpp and
# *.h) to filter out the source-files in the directories. If left blank all
# files are included.
EXAMPLE_PATTERNS = *
EXAMPLE_PATTERNS = *.cpp *.h *.txt *.fbs
# If the EXAMPLE_RECURSIVE tag is set to YES then subdirectories will be
# searched for input files to be used with the \include or \dontinclude commands
# irrespective of the value of the RECURSIVE tag.
# The default value is: NO.
EXAMPLE_RECURSIVE = NO
EXAMPLE_RECURSIVE = YES
# The IMAGE_PATH tag can be used to specify one or more files or directories
# that contain images that are to be included in the documentation (see the

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@@ -39,6 +39,10 @@
title="Use in Python"/>
<tab type="user" url="@ref flexbuffers"
title="Schema-less version"/>
<tab type="usergroup" url="" title="gRPC">
<tab type="user" url="@ref flatbuffers_grpc_guide_use_cpp"
title="Use in C++"/>
</tab>
</tab>
<tab type="user" url="@ref flatbuffers_support"
title="Platform / Language / Feature support"/>

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@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
Use in C++ {#flatbuffers_grpc_guide_use_cpp}
==========
## Before you get started
Before diving into the FlatBuffers gRPC usage in C++, you should already be
familiar with the following:
- FlatBuffers as a serialization format
- [gRPC](http://www.grpc.io/docs/) usage
## Using the FlatBuffers gRPC C++ library
NOTE: The examples below are also in the `grpc/samples/greeter` directory.
We will illustrate usage with the following schema:
@include grpc/samples/greeter/greeter.fbs
When we run `flatc`, we pass in the `--grpc` option and generage an additional
`greeter.grpc.fb.h` and `greeter.grpc.fb.cc`.
Example server code looks like this:
@include grpc/samples/greeter/server.cpp
Example client code looks like this:
@include grpc/samples/greeter/client.cpp