When an entity tries to get a buffer, if it cannot be allocted, for example
because the number of buffers which may be allocated per process is limited,
this entity is added in a list (called <buffer_wq>) and wait for an available
buffer.
Historically, the <buffer_wq> list was logically attached to streams because it
were the only entities likely to be added in it. Now, applets can also be
waiting for a free buffer. And with filters, we could imagine to have more other
entities waiting for a buffer. So it make sense to have a generic list.
Anyway, with the current design there is a bug. When an applet failed to get a
buffer, it will wait. But we add the stream attached to the applet in
<buffer_wq>, instead of the applet itself. So when a buffer is available, we
wake up the stream and not the waiting applet. So, it is possible to have
waiting applets and never awakened.
So, now, <buffer_wq> is independant from streams. And we really add the waiting
entity in <buffer_wq>. To be generic, the entity is responsible to define the
callback used to awaken it.
In addition, applets will still request an input buffer when they become
active. But they will not be sleeped anymore if no buffer are available. So this
is the responsibility to the applet I/O handler to check if this buffer is
allocated or not. This way, an applet can decide if this buffer is required or
not and can do additional processing if not.
[wt: backport to 1.7 and 1.6]
a73e59b690