Skip to content

Invoke debugger function evaluations through managed UCO - #133659

Open
jkoritzinsky wants to merge 24 commits into
mainfrom
dev/jkoritzinsky/func-eval-uco
Open

jkoritzinsky wants to merge 24 commits into
mainfrom
dev/jkoritzinsky/func-eval-uco

Conversation

@jkoritzinsky

@jkoritzinsky jkoritzinsky commented Sep 11, 2026 •

Copy link
Copy Markdown
Member

Summary

Layer 3 of the stack for #123864, following #133658. The prior func-eval-specific proposal is #126809.

This layer started as replacing the final native managed-call dispatch with a managed UnmanagedCallersOnly entrypoint. It now moves most debugger function-evaluation preparation, invocation, storage, and copy-back into managed CoreLib while retaining the debugger-specific control flow and GC-safe bootstrap in native code.

Managed invocation and storage

  • Add Debugger.FunctionEvaluation, a runtime-owned UCO entrypoint that resolves the exact target method from its declaring RuntimeType and rooted IRuntimeMethodInfo.
  • Extend the shared reflection invocation emitter with debugger-specific thunks that prepare arguments, invoke methods and constructors, copy back writable arguments, and publish results.
  • Emit newobj for debugger object construction instead of preallocating an object and calling its constructor as an ordinary method. Existing-object constructor calls remain supported, and abstract/interface allocation is rejected.
  • Keep the entire managed call-address vector registered through GCFrameRegistration, using exact typed locals for memory-backed by-value ref structs so their managed byrefs are reported by normal JIT GC info.
  • Handle object, primitive, enum, pointer, value-type, nullable, literal, memory, register, and byref argument representations in managed code while preserving native-endian storage and debugger copy-back semantics.
  • Align nullable behavior with the existing debugger contract: direct value-type memory homes are mutated in place, while debugger handles are not treated as writable nullable homes. Exact register-backed nullable temporaries are boxed only after their MethodTable is instance-active.
  • Move ordinary value-type result storage into temporary GC-described external memory and defer boxing until after invocation and argument copy-back. Keep byref-like results in persistent external storage and raw byref results rooted directly in the debugger result slot.
  • Create result handles in managed code only after the result is fully prepared, and preserve object identity and updated field contents across collections and later debugger inspection.

Native debugger and GC integration

  • Retain native method/signature validation, generic resolution, class initialization, receiver validation inputs, register/home capture, abort state, exception publication, completion, and result ownership.
  • Capture contiguous register value-type snapshots before the first GC-triggering managed transition and describe them with their exact type layout.
  • Root non-leaf register references and register value-type snapshots with ExternalMemoryHandle registrations so collections during managed preparation relocate their contents correctly.
  • Represent external memory with a full tagged TypeHandle, allowing the runtime and cDAC to distinguish inline value types, object-reference slots, managed-byref slots, and unmanaged pointer/function-pointer locals.
  • Report each external-memory type's loader allocator during GC scanning, keeping collectible layouts alive while external storage is registered.
  • Add dedicated GC-safe object-register copy-back and native-endian scalar register copy-back paths.
  • Remove stale native argument copies and architecture-specific packing layers that are no longer needed, while preserving the architecture-specific register-home logic required by debugger IPC.
  • Treat the debugger UCO entrypoint as a runtime-internal reverse transition for exception handling, and exclude its debugger-only MethodDesc state on WebAssembly targets that do not build debug/ee.
  • Update the cDAC ExternalMemoryHandles reader, descriptors, tests, and authoritative contract documentation for the exact managed-local representation.

Correctness fixes included

Validation

Validation used the existing internal MDbg/xUnit debugger-test harness with a private CoreRun and ProjectK/CoreCLR-only configuration:

  • Targeted nested-byref invariant under target-only GCStress=0x3: 1/1 passed.
  • Revised normal matrix: 35/35 passed.
  • Targeted stress matrix: 4/4 passed.
  • Windows x64 and x86 Checked native, CoreLib, and ReadyToRun builds completed with zero warnings and errors.
  • cDAC unit tests and generated usage/documentation checks passed for the ExternalMemoryHandle descriptor changes.

Coverage includes moving GC, overlapping and nested byrefs, memory and register homes, non-leaf registers, receiver mutation, constructors, primitive/native-endian copy-back, nullable memory homes, byref/byref-like/value-type results, collectible generics and layouts, nested and exception-time eval, safe/rude/exception-unwind aborts, and post-eval inspection. Runtime hashes and loaded modules were audited; each abort scenario completed the callback, successfully evaluated Echo(42), detached, and exited MDbg with code 100. Test configurations were restored and no debugger/test processes survived the runs.

These results were recorded on the validated pre-refresh candidate. The final stack rebase preserved the layer's net diff; builds and tests were not repeated after the history rewrite at the user's request.

The final native invocation cleanup layer is #133660.


Stack created with GitHub Stacks CLI • Give Feedback 💬

Resolves #135245
Resolves #135247
Resolves #135249
Resolves #135251
Resolves #135252

Note

This PR description and implementation were prepared with GitHub Copilot. Commits that reuse am11's code retain the requested co-author attribution.

@azure-pipelines

Copy link
Copy Markdown
Azure Pipelines:
Successfully started running 3 pipeline(s).
13 pipeline(s) were filtered out due to trigger conditions.
There may be pipelines that require an authorized user to comment /azp run to run.

@dotnet-policy-service

Copy link
Copy Markdown
Contributor

Tagging subscribers to this area: @agocke
See info in area-owners.md if you want to be subscribed.

@am11

am11 commented Sep 11, 2026

Copy link
Copy Markdown
Member

discussed on #126542.

nit: funceval was already split: #126809 so #126542 discussion is irrelevant.

@jkoritzinsky

Copy link
Copy Markdown
Member Author

Thanks, @am11. Corrected the summary to reference #126809 for the prior func-eval-specific proposal rather than #126542.

Note

This reply was prepared with GitHub Copilot.

@jkoritzinsky
jkoritzinsky force-pushed the dev/jkoritzinsky/func-eval-uco branch from 84969d7 to ce9480a Compare September 15, 2026 21:55
@jkoritzinsky
jkoritzinsky force-pushed the dev/jkoritzinsky/func-eval-uco branch from ce9480a to 10d25d9 Compare September 15, 2026 22:57
jkoritzinsky and others added 19 commits October 14, 2026 13:55
The writable copy is performed by PackArgumentStorage. The residual copy in GetFuncEvalArgStorage references parameters removed by the managed func-eval refactor.

Co-authored-by: Copilot App <223556219+Copilot@users.noreply.github.com>
Use debugger-specific emitted thunks for managed argument preparation, invocation, and copy-back. Retain native GC-safe input capture and debugger state handling, protect result and snapshot storage with external memory handles, and preserve reference identity and fresh external-value inspection across collections.

Co-authored-by: Copilot App <223556219+Copilot@users.noreply.github.com>
Register known references in serialized non-leaf register slots with external memory handles before managed entry. Read register-only value types from those GC-updated slots, while preserving native snapshots for leaf and mixed homes and leaving numeric register contents unchanged.

Co-authored-by: Copilot App <223556219+Copilot@users.noreply.github.com>
Run preparation, invocation, and copy-back within a single managed UCO entry. Use GCFrameRegistration for call storage, and move primitive capture, result handle creation, and memory/literal copy-back into CoreLib while retaining native bootstrap, register, and completion responsibilities.

Avoid the invalid cooperative-mode safe-point query uncovered by GCStress validation.

Co-authored-by: Copilot App <223556219+Copilot@users.noreply.github.com>
Replace the debugger-specific allocator QCall with RuntimeTypeHandle.InternalAllocNoChecks after activating each type at its actual allocation site. Preserve COM, GCStress, logging, large/finalizable object, and profiler/ETW behavior by falling back to the existing slow allocator when required.

Co-authored-by: Copilot App <223556219+Copilot@users.noreply.github.com>
Treat RAK_MEMREG and RAK_REGMEM as scalar 64-bit integer or enum homes rather than hypothetical GC-containing structs. Remove their GC-layout rooting and address registrations, retain scalar snapshots and copy-back, reduce the external-handle bound, and assert the verified invariant.

Co-authored-by: Copilot App <223556219+Copilot@users.noreply.github.com>
Register DebuggerEval::m_result[0] directly as the persistent interior root for raw byref returns. Tie root ownership to DebuggerEval cleanup, remove the refresh/controller ownership path, and unregister before exception publication repurposes the slot.

Co-authored-by: Copilot App <223556219+Copilot@users.noreply.github.com>
Report the MethodTable loader allocator during external-memory root promotion and remove the redundant debugger typed-owner allocator handle. Preserve the separate raw-byref result lifetime root.

Co-authored-by: Copilot App <223556219+Copilot@users.noreply.github.com>
Represent external memory with the exact managed local type, including byrefs and unmanaged pointers. Update runtime callers, cDAC descriptors, root walking, tests, and contract documentation.

Co-authored-by: Copilot App <223556219+Copilot@users.noreply.github.com>
Co-authored-by: Copilot App <223556219+Copilot@users.noreply.github.com>
Co-authored-by: am11 <3840695+am11@users.noreply.github.com>

Co-authored-by: Copilot App <223556219+Copilot@users.noreply.github.com>
This reverts commit cc83a28cb5e01c0c58ff4b73bef5423681110560.

Co-authored-by: Copilot App <223556219+Copilot@users.noreply.github.com>
Co-authored-by: Copilot App <223556219+Copilot@users.noreply.github.com>
Use InternalAlloc and GC-aware raw nullable copying while preserving heap-backed argument storage. Remove the dedicated EnsureInstanceActive QCall.

Co-authored-by: Copilot App <223556219+Copilot@users.noreply.github.com>
Fix temporary result ownership and external-field lifetimes, including helper-thread cleanup. Preserve receiver semantics, correct floating-register handling and restrict raw reference inputs to pointer-sized integers. Make cDAC root parity validation duplicate-safe, add targeted coverage, clarify argument storage, and restore the original unchecked allocation fast path.

Co-authored-by: Copilot App <223556219+Copilot@users.noreply.github.com>
Hide debugger invocation thunks consistently in native and cDAC stack walks. Validate argument counts before managed entry and preserve abstract-class initialization requests by returning null without instance construction.

Co-authored-by: Copilot App <223556219+Copilot@users.noreply.github.com>
Move the debugger invocation MethodDesc global into the always-linked VM exception-handling implementation. Preserve debugger publication and allow the WASM comparison to remain a null no-op without linking the debugger EE.

Co-authored-by: Copilot App <223556219+Copilot@users.noreply.github.com>
Add matching native DAC and cDAC classifications requiring both LCG and explicit diagnostics-hidden flags. Suppress only that class in synchronous stack walks, preserving interop stitching and older shim/async hiding behavior. Update contract documentation and regression coverage.

Co-authored-by: Copilot App <223556219+Copilot@users.noreply.github.com>
@jkoritzinsky
jkoritzinsky force-pushed the dev/jkoritzinsky/func-eval-uco branch from 124d5e9 to e9b674c Compare October 14, 2026 21:01
Drop the stale debug-only assignment to removed argument-location bookkeeping while preserving the interpreter raw-slot object-reference handling.

Co-authored-by: Copilot App <223556219+Copilot@users.noreply.github.com>
{
WRAPPER_NO_CONTRACT;

// Explicit layout can declare the same physical byref more than once.

Copy link
Copy Markdown
Member

Choose a reason for hiding this comment

The reason will be displayed to describe this comment to others. Learn more.

This fix should be submitted as a separate PR with a targeted regression test. It is not a debugger specific issue. For example, the following is expected to print 1 2 3 4, but it prints bogus numbers on win x86 with DOTNET_GCStress=1 .

using System;
using System.Runtime.InteropServices;

X x = default;
x.a.a = new int[10]; x.a.a.Fill(1);
x.a.b = new int[10]; x.a.b.Fill(2);
x.a.c = new int[10]; x.a.c.Fill(3);
x.a.d = new int[10]; x.a.d.Fill(4);
Test(x);

static void Test(X x)
{
    Console.WriteLine(x.a.a[0]);
    Console.WriteLine(x.a.b[0]);
    Console.WriteLine(x.a.c[0]);
    Console.WriteLine(x.a.d[0]);
}

ref struct A
{
    public Span<int> a,b,c,d;
}

ref struct B
{
    public Span<int> a,b,c,d;
}

[StructLayout(LayoutKind.Explicit)]
ref struct X
{
    [FieldOffset(0)]
    public A a;

    [FieldOffset(0)]
    public A b;
}

for (OverlappingFields* overlap = _overlappingFields; overlap != nullptr; overlap = overlap->previous)
{
ApproxFieldDescIterator fields(overlap->methodTable, ApproxFieldDescIterator::INSTANCE_FIELDS);
for (FieldDesc* field = fields.Next(); field != overlap->currentField; field = fields.Next())

@jkotas jkotas Oct 15, 2026 •

Copy link
Copy Markdown
Member

Choose a reason for hiding this comment

The reason will be displayed to describe this comment to others. Learn more.

This is quadratic algorithm that can take a while if somebody created large ExplicitLayout struct. It is probably ok given that this should be a very rare situation and large structs have sharp edges in general, just pointing it out. It may be worth a comment

Comment thread src/coreclr/vm/qcallentrypoints.cpp Outdated
DllImportEntry(DebugDebugger_CustomNotification)
DllImportEntry(DebugDebugger_IsLoggingHelper)
DllImportEntry(DebugDebugger_IsManagedDebuggerAttached)
#if defined(DEBUGGING_SUPPORTED) && !defined(TARGET_WASM)

Copy link
Copy Markdown
Member

Choose a reason for hiding this comment

The reason will be displayed to describe this comment to others. Learn more.

Suggested change
#if defined(DEBUGGING_SUPPORTED) && !defined(TARGET_WASM)
#if defined(DEBUGGING_SUPPORTED)

Use DEBUGGING_SUPPORTED consistently for debugger layouts, native declarations and QCall registrations. Provide explicit PORTABILITY_ASSERT-only WASM stubs until its debugger EE implementation is built.

Co-authored-by: Copilot App <223556219+Copilot@users.noreply.github.com>

This branch has not been deployed

No deployments
Sign up for free to join this conversation on GitHub. Already have an account? Sign in to comment