Hi Christian,
Your explanation is helpful. The test scenarios that I have do need to read and
write data.
Currently it is possible to have a function annotated with %unit:before that
performs updates to prepare databases for a %unit:test function. For example:
module namespace t = "test";
declare %unit:before("t:test02") %updating function t:test01 () {
db:create("test")
};
declare %unit:before("t:test03") %updating function t:test02 () {
db:put-value("test", 1 to 10, "numbers")
};
declare %unit:test function t:test03 () {
unit:assert(db:get-value("test", "numbers") = (1 to 10))
};
In a similar way, would it be possible to have a %unit:before function run code
that uses job:execute, which may perform updates, and then have a %unit:test
function verify the results, and avoid a deadlock? I'm not sure if this would
be any easier than analyzing XQUnit functions to set a more fine granular lock
as you described. I tried this and it resulted in a deadlock:
module namespace t = "test";
declare %unit:before("t:test02") function t:test01 () {
job:execute('db:create("test")')
};
declare %unit:before("t:test03") function t:test02 () {
job:execute('db:put-value("test", 1 to 10, "numbers")')
};
declare %unit:test function t:test03 () {
unit:assert(db:get-value("test", "numbers")) = (1 to 10)
};
Perhaps a different approach could be to create tests using BaseX's
client/server architecture: have XQUnit tests run in a BaseX client, and have
code under test run in BaseX server facilitated by a set of RESTXQ functions.
Many thanks,
Vincent
_____________________________________________
Vincent M. Lizzi
Head of Information Standards | Taylor & Francis Group
[email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>
Time zone: US Eastern
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________________________________
From: Christian Grün <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 2, 2026 10:37 AM
To: Christian Grün via BaseX-Talk <[email protected]>; Lizzi,
Vincent <[email protected]>
Subject: AW: job:execute with unit:test stalls
Hi Vincent,
I’m glad to see that job:execute finds its use in the wild.
As you have already discovered, care needs to be taken when updates are
performed: Code that is executed with this function is started as a separate
query job, which will be registered and run once there is no other updating
process. When the parent expression is updating, this causes a deadlock.
If tests are executed (via the TEST command, via -t on command line, etc), a
global write lock is set – which means that an invocation of job:execute inside
the test is doomed to stall. One way out could be to analyze all XQUnit
functions and set a more fine granular lock; but I assume your tests will not
only perform main-memory operations, but read and possibly write data, too?
Best,
Christian
________________________________
Von: Lizzi, Vincent via BaseX-Talk <[email protected]>
Gesendet: Donnerstag, 29. Januar 2026 20:55
An: Christian Grün via BaseX-Talk <[email protected]>
Betreff: [basex-talk] job:execute with unit:test stalls
Hi BaseX team,
The new job:execute function in BaseX 12 is incredibly useful. Using
job:execute, it's now possible to have a query that fetches data, dynamically
computes the names of databases, creates the databases, populates the
databases, and then reads from the same databases, all contained in one query
or module!!! This can greatly simplify processes that previously required
multiple steps.
I'm running into trouble when trying to use %unit:test to test code that uses
job:execute. Running the test causes a deadlock, even though the code works
correctly when run on its own.
Here is a small example based on the example in the documentation
https://docs.basex.org/main/Job_Functions#job:execute<https://docs.basex.org/main/Job_Functions#job:execute>
This query produces "true" when run in BaseX GUI.
job:execute('db:create("test")'),
job:execute('db:put-value("test", 1 to 10, "numbers")'),
job:execute('db:get-value("test", "numbers")') = (1 to 10)
After adding %unit:test and unit:assert, when this test is run in BaseX GUI it
stalls (until I click Stop to interrupt the process).
module namespace t = "test";
declare %unit:test function t:test01 () {
job:execute('db:create("test")'),
job:execute('db:put-value("test", 1 to 10, "numbers")'),
unit:assert(job:execute('db:get-value("test", "numbers")') = (1 to 10))
};
Should this work, or am I missing something?
The documentation mentions to be careful to avoid deadlocks with updating
queries. I've also found that a deadlock can occur when the main query uses
fn:doc even if unrelated to job:execute, but this can be solved by wrapping
fn:doc in job:execute. I haven't found a way to work around deadlocks that
occur with %unit:test. I'm using BaseX version 12.2.
Many thanks,
Vincent
______________________________________________
Vincent M. Lizzi
Head of Information Standards | Taylor & Francis Group
E-Mail:
[email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>
Web: www.tandfonline.com<http://www.tandfonline.com/>
Time zone: US Eastern
Taylor & Francis is a trading name of Informa UK Limited,
registered in England under no. 1072954
"Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler."
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