Pending a correct test of request cancellation

examples/hello-world/main.orc

@@ -5,5 +5,11 @@ let main = "foo" + string::slice "hello" 1 3 + "bar"
 
 let io_main = (
   stdio::get_stdout \stdout
-  -- TODO: missing output commands in std
+  std::stream::write_str stdout "Hello, World!"
+    (std::stream::flush
+      (std::stream::close
+        orchid::cmd::exit
+        \e e)
+      \e e)
+    \e e
 )

orchid-async-utils/src/cancel_cleanup.rs

@@ -0,0 +1,87 @@
+use std::pin::Pin;
+use std::task::{Context, Poll};
+
+/// Future returned by [cancel_cleanup]
+pub struct CancelCleanup<Fut: Future + Unpin, Fun: FnOnce(Fut)> {
+	/// Set to None when Ready
+	fut: Option<Fut>,
+	/// Only set to None in Drop
+	on_drop: Option<Fun>,
+}
+impl<Fut: Future + Unpin, Fun: FnOnce(Fut)> Future for CancelCleanup<Fut, Fun> {
+	type Output = Fut::Output;
+	fn poll(self: Pin<&mut Self>, cx: &mut Context<'_>) -> Poll<Self::Output> {
+		let Self { fut, .. } = unsafe { self.get_unchecked_mut() };
+		if let Some(future) = fut {
+			let future = unsafe { Pin::new_unchecked(future) };
+			let poll = future.poll(cx);
+			if poll.is_ready() {
+				*fut = None;
+			}
+			poll
+		} else {
+			Poll::Pending
+		}
+	}
+}
+impl<Fut: Future + Unpin, Fun: FnOnce(Fut)> Drop for CancelCleanup<Fut, Fun> {
+	fn drop(&mut self) {
+		if let Some(fut) = self.fut.take() {
+			(self.on_drop.take().unwrap())(fut)
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+/// Handle a Future's Drop. The callback is only called if the future has not
+/// yet returned and would be cancelled, and it receives the future as an
+/// argument
+pub fn cancel_cleanup<Fut: Future + Unpin, Fun: FnOnce(Fut)>(
+	fut: Fut,
+	on_drop: Fun,
+) -> CancelCleanup<Fut, Fun> {
+	CancelCleanup { fut: Some(fut), on_drop: Some(on_drop) }
+}
+
+#[cfg(test)]
+mod test {
+	use std::pin::pin;
+
+	use futures::channel::mpsc;
+	use futures::future::join;
+	use futures::{SinkExt, StreamExt};
+
+	use super::*;
+	use crate::debug::spin_on;
+
+	#[test]
+	fn called_on_drop() {
+		let mut called = false;
+		cancel_cleanup(pin!(async {}), |_| called = true);
+		assert!(called, "cleanup was called when the future was dropped");
+	}
+
+	#[test]
+	fn not_called_if_finished() {
+		spin_on(false, async {
+			let (mut req_in, mut req_out) = mpsc::channel(0);
+			let (mut rep_in, mut rep_out) = mpsc::channel(0);
+			join(
+				async {
+					req_out.next().await.unwrap();
+					rep_in.send(()).await.unwrap();
+				},
+				async {
+					cancel_cleanup(
+						pin!(async {
+							req_in.send(()).await.unwrap();
+							rep_out.next().await.unwrap();
+						}),
+						|_| panic!("Callback called on drop even though the future was finished"),
+					)
+					.await
+				},
+			)
+			.await
+		});
+	}
+}

orchid-async-utils/src/debug.rs

@@ -143,9 +143,17 @@ pub fn eprint_stream_events<'a, S: Stream + 'a>(
 	)
 }
 
-struct SpinWaker(AtomicBool);
+struct SpinWaker {
+	repeat: AtomicBool,
+	loud: bool,
+}
 impl Wake for SpinWaker {
-	fn wake(self: Arc<Self>) { self.0.store(true, Ordering::Relaxed); }
+	fn wake(self: Arc<Self>) {
+		self.repeat.store(true, Ordering::SeqCst);
+		if self.loud {
+			eprintln!("Triggered repeat for spin_on")
+		}
+	}
 }
 
 /// A dumb executor that keeps synchronously re-running the future as long as it
@@ -155,15 +163,15 @@ impl Wake for SpinWaker {
 /// # Panics
 ///
 /// If the future doesn't wake itself and doesn't settle.
-pub fn spin_on<Fut: Future>(f: Fut) -> Fut::Output {
+pub fn spin_on<Fut: Future>(loud: bool, f: Fut) -> Fut::Output {
-	let repeat = Arc::new(SpinWaker(AtomicBool::new(false)));
+	let spin_waker = Arc::new(SpinWaker { repeat: AtomicBool::new(false), loud });
 	let mut f = pin!(f);
-	let waker = repeat.clone().into();
+	let waker = spin_waker.clone().into();
 	let mut cx = Context::from_waker(&waker);
 	loop {
 		match f.as_mut().poll(&mut cx) {
 			Poll::Ready(t) => break t,
-			Poll::Pending if repeat.0.swap(false, Ordering::Relaxed) => (),
+			Poll::Pending if spin_waker.repeat.swap(false, Ordering::SeqCst) => (),
 			Poll::Pending => panic!("The future did not exit and did not call its waker."),
 		}
 	}

orchid-async-utils/src/lib.rs

@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 pub mod debug;
+mod cancel_cleanup;
+pub use cancel_cleanup::*;
 mod localset;
 pub use localset::*;
 mod task_future;
-pub use task_future::*;
+pub use task_future::*;

orchid-async-utils/src/localset.rs

@@ -1,21 +1,35 @@
-use std::collections::VecDeque;
 use std::pin::Pin;
 use std::task::Poll;
 
-use futures::StreamExt;
+use futures::channel::mpsc::{SendError, UnboundedReceiver, UnboundedSender, unbounded};
-use futures::channel::mpsc::{UnboundedReceiver, UnboundedSender, unbounded};
 use futures::future::LocalBoxFuture;
+use futures::stream::FuturesUnordered;
+use futures::{SinkExt, StreamExt};
 
-pub struct LocalSet<'a, E> {
+pub struct LocalSetController<'a, E> {
-	receiver: UnboundedReceiver<LocalBoxFuture<'a, Result<(), E>>>,
+	sender: UnboundedSender<LocalBoxFuture<'a, Result<(), E>>>,
-	pending: VecDeque<LocalBoxFuture<'a, Result<(), E>>>,
 }
-impl<'a, E> LocalSet<'a, E> {
+impl<'a, E> LocalSetController<'a, E> {
-	pub fn new() -> (UnboundedSender<LocalBoxFuture<'a, Result<(), E>>>, Self) {
+	pub async fn spawn<F: Future<Output = Result<(), E>> + 'a>(
-		let (sender, receiver) = unbounded();
+		&mut self,
-		(sender, Self { receiver, pending: VecDeque::new() })
+		fut: F,
+	) -> Result<(), SendError> {
+		self.sender.send(Box::pin(fut)).await
 	}
 }
+
+pub fn local_set<'a, E: 'a>()
+-> (LocalSetController<'a, E>, impl Future<Output = Result<(), E>> + 'a) {
+	let (sender, receiver) = unbounded();
+	let controller = LocalSetController { sender };
+	let set = LocalSet { receiver, pending: FuturesUnordered::new() };
+	(controller, set)
+}
+
+struct LocalSet<'a, E> {
+	receiver: UnboundedReceiver<LocalBoxFuture<'a, Result<(), E>>>,
+	pending: FuturesUnordered<LocalBoxFuture<'a, Result<(), E>>>,
+}
 impl<E> Future for LocalSet<'_, E> {
 	type Output = Result<(), E>;
 	fn poll(self: Pin<&mut Self>, cx: &mut std::task::Context<'_>) -> Poll<Self::Output> {
@@ -23,7 +37,7 @@ impl<E> Future for LocalSet<'_, E> {
 		let mut any_pending = false;
 		loop {
 			match this.receiver.poll_next_unpin(cx) {
-				Poll::Ready(Some(fut)) => this.pending.push_back(fut),
+				Poll::Ready(Some(fut)) => this.pending.push(fut),
 				Poll::Ready(None) => break,
 				Poll::Pending => {
 					any_pending = true;
@@ -31,15 +45,14 @@ impl<E> Future for LocalSet<'_, E> {
 				},
 			}
 		}
-		let count = this.pending.len();
+		loop {
-		for _ in 0..count {
+			match this.pending.poll_next_unpin(cx) {
-			let mut req = this.pending.pop_front().unwrap();
+				Poll::Ready(Some(Err(e))) => return Poll::Ready(Err(e)),
-			match req.as_mut().poll(cx) {
+				Poll::Ready(Some(Ok(()))) => continue,
-				Poll::Ready(Ok(())) => (),
+				Poll::Ready(None) => break,
-				Poll::Ready(Err(e)) => return Poll::Ready(Err(e)),
 				Poll::Pending => {
 					any_pending = true;
-					this.pending.push_back(req)
+					break;
 				},
 			}
 		}

orchid-async-utils/src/task_future.rs

@@ -1,10 +1,11 @@
 use std::any::Any;
 use std::cell::RefCell;
-use std::marker::PhantomData;
+use std::pin::{Pin, pin};
-use std::pin::Pin;
 use std::rc::Rc;
 use std::task::{Context, Poll, Waker};
 
+use futures::FutureExt;
+use futures::channel::oneshot::{self, Canceled};
 use futures::future::{FusedFuture, LocalBoxFuture};
 
 struct State {
@@ -43,50 +44,56 @@ impl Future for Pollable {
 	}
 }
 
+pub struct JoinError;
+
 /// An object that can be used to inspect the state of the task
-pub struct Handle<T: 'static>(Rc<RefCell<State>>, PhantomData<T>);
+pub struct Handle<T: 'static> {
+	send_abort: RefCell<Option<oneshot::Sender<()>>>,
+	ready: Rc<RefCell<bool>>,
+	recv_output: RefCell<oneshot::Receiver<T>>,
+}
 impl<T: 'static> Handle<T> {
 	/// Immediately stop working on this task, and return the result if it has
 	/// already finished
 	pub fn abort(&self) -> Option<T> {
-		let mut g = self.0.borrow_mut();
+		if let Some(abort) = self.send_abort.take() {
-		g.work.take();
+			let _ = abort.send(());
-		match g.result.take() {
-			Some(val) => Some(*val.downcast().expect("Mismatch between type of future and handle")),
-			None => {
-				g.waker.wake_by_ref();
-				None
-			},
 		}
+		self.recv_output.borrow_mut().try_recv().ok().flatten()
 	}
 	/// Determine if there's any more work to do on this task
-	pub fn is_finished(&self) -> bool {
+	pub fn is_finished(&self) -> bool { *self.ready.borrow() }
-		let g = self.0.borrow();
-		g.result.is_some() || g.work.is_none()
-	}
 	/// "finish" the freestanding task, and return the future instead
-	pub async fn join(self) -> T {
+	pub async fn join(self) -> Result<T, JoinError> {
-		let work = {
+		self.recv_output.into_inner().await.map_err(|Canceled| JoinError)
-			let mut g = self.0.borrow_mut();
-			if let Some(val) = g.result.take() {
-				return *val.downcast().expect("Mistmatch between type of future and handle");
-			}
-			g.waker.wake_by_ref();
-			g.work.take().expect("Attempted to join task that was already aborted")
-		};
-		*work.await.downcast().expect("Mismatch between type of future and handle")
 	}
 }
 
 /// Split a future into an object that can be polled and one that returns
 /// information on its progress and its result. The first one can be passed to
 /// an executor or localset, the second can be used to manage it
-pub fn to_task<F: Future<Output: 'static> + 'static>(f: F) -> (Pollable, Handle<F::Output>) {
+pub fn to_task<'a, F: Future<Output: 'a> + 'a>(
-	let dyn_future = Box::pin(async { Box::new(f.await) as Box<dyn Any> });
+	f: F,
-	let state = Rc::new(RefCell::new(State {
+) -> (impl Future<Output = ()> + 'a, Handle<F::Output>) {
-		result: None,
+	let (send_abort, mut on_abort) = oneshot::channel();
-		work: Some(dyn_future),
+	let (send_output, on_output) = oneshot::channel();
-		waker: Waker::noop().clone(),
+	let ready = Rc::new(RefCell::new(false));
-	}));
+	let ready2 = ready.clone();
-	(Pollable(state.clone()), Handle(state, PhantomData))
+	let fut = async move {
+		let mut fut = pin!(f.fuse());
+		let output = futures::select_biased! {
+			res = on_abort => match res {
+				Ok(()) => return,
+				Err(_) => fut.await,
+			},
+			output = fut => output,
+		};
+		ready2.replace(true);
+		let _: Result<_, _> = send_output.send(output);
+	};
+	(fut, Handle {
+		ready,
+		recv_output: RefCell::new(on_output),
+		send_abort: RefCell::new(Some(send_abort)),
+	})
 }

orchid-base/src/comm.rs

@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-use std::cell::RefCell;
+use std::cell::{BorrowMutError, RefCell};
 use std::marker::PhantomData;
 use std::pin::{Pin, pin};
 use std::rc::Rc;
@@ -16,56 +16,95 @@ use futures::{
 };
 use hashbrown::HashMap;
 use orchid_api_traits::{Decode, Encode, Request, UnderRoot};
-use orchid_async_utils::LocalSet;
 use orchid_async_utils::debug::{PanicOnDrop, assert_no_drop};
+use orchid_async_utils::{cancel_cleanup, local_set, to_task};
 
+use crate::{clone, finish_or_stash, stash, with_stash};
+
+// TODO: revise error handling; error recovery is never partial, it always
+// requires dropping the server, client, and all requests
+
+/// A token indicating that a reply to a request has been sent. Returned from
+/// [RepWriter::finish] which is the raw reply channel, or [ReqHandleExt::reply]
+/// or [ReqReaderExt::reply] which are type checked
 #[must_use = "Receipts indicate that a required action has been performed within a function. \
 	Most likely this should be returned somewhere."]
-pub struct Receipt<'a>(PhantomData<&'a mut ()>);
+pub struct Receipt;
-impl Receipt<'_> {
+impl Receipt {
-	/// Only call this function from a custom implementation of [RepWriter]
+	/// Only ever call this function from a custom implementation of
-	pub fn _new() -> Self { Self(PhantomData) }
+	/// [RepWriter::finish]
+	pub fn _new() -> Self { Self }
+}
+
+/// Return data while waiting for the response to a request. [Self::future] must
+/// be awaited in order to ensure that progress is being made
+pub struct ReqWait {
+	/// Future representing waiting for a request. This must be steadily polled.
+	pub future: LocalBoxFuture<'static, io::Result<Box<dyn RepReader>>>,
+	/// Since the [Self::future] must be awaited which exclusively borrows it,
+	/// this separate handle can be used for cancellation.
+	pub canceller: Box<dyn CancelNotifier>,
 }
 
 /// Write guard to outbound for the purpose of serializing a request. Only one
 /// can exist at a time. Dropping this object should panic.
-pub trait ReqWriter<'a> {
+pub trait ReqWriter {
 	/// Access to the underlying channel. This may be buffered.
 	fn writer(&mut self) -> Pin<&mut dyn AsyncWrite>;
 	/// Finalize the request, release the outbound channel, then queue for the
 	/// reply on the inbound channel.
-	fn send(self: Box<Self>) -> LocalBoxFuture<'a, io::Result<Box<dyn RepReader<'a> + 'a>>>;
+	fn send(self: Box<Self>) -> ReqWait;
 }
 
 /// Write guard to inbound for the purpose of deserializing a reply. While held,
 /// no inbound requests or other replies can be processed.
 ///
-/// Dropping this object should panic even if [RepReader::finish] returns
+/// # Cancellation
-/// synchronously, because the API isn't cancellation safe in general so it is a
+///
-/// programmer error in all cases to drop an object related to it without proper
+/// If the request has been cancelled and the server has accepted the
-/// cleanup.
+/// cancellation instead of writing a reply (which is never guaranteed), then
-pub trait RepReader<'a> {
+/// this object is inert and should be dropped.
+///
+/// Dropping this object if [Self::reader] returns [Some] should panic even if
+/// [RepReader::finish] returns synchronously, because the API isn't
+/// cancellation safe in general so it is a programmer error to drop an object
+/// related to it without proper cleanup.
+pub trait RepReader {
 	/// Access to the underlying channel. The length of the message is inferred
-	/// from the number of bytes read so this must not be buffered.
+	/// from the number of bytes read so this must not be buffered and a full
-	fn reader(&mut self) -> Pin<&mut dyn AsyncRead>;
+	/// reply must always be read from it if available
+	///
+	/// This returns None if the request has successfully been cancelled, in which
+	/// case this object can be dropped without calling [Self::finish]
+	fn reader(&mut self) -> Option<Pin<&mut dyn AsyncRead>>;
 	/// Finish reading the request
-	fn finish(self: Box<Self>) -> LocalBoxFuture<'a, ()>;
+	fn finish(self: Box<Self>) -> LocalBoxFuture<'static, ()>;
+}
+
+/// A handle for cancelling in-flight requests without a reference to
+/// the wait future (which would be mutably borrowed by an await at this point)
+pub trait CancelNotifier {
+	/// Upon cancellation the future may resolve to a stub version of [RepReader]
+	/// with no reader access, but since the cancellation is not synchronized
+	/// with the server, a full reply may still be received, and if it is, the
+	/// original reply must still be read from it.
+	fn cancel(self: Box<Self>) -> LocalBoxFuture<'static, ()>;
 }
 
 /// Write guard to outbound for the purpose of serializing a notification.
 ///
 /// Dropping this object should panic for the same reason [RepReader] panics
-pub trait MsgWriter<'a> {
+pub trait MsgWriter {
 	/// Access to the underlying channel. This may be buffered.
 	fn writer(&mut self) -> Pin<&mut dyn AsyncWrite>;
 	/// Send the notification
-	fn finish(self: Box<Self>) -> LocalBoxFuture<'a, io::Result<()>>;
+	fn finish(self: Box<Self>) -> LocalBoxFuture<'static, io::Result<()>>;
 }
 
 /// For initiating outbound requests and notifications
 pub trait Client {
-	fn start_request(&self) -> LocalBoxFuture<'_, io::Result<Box<dyn ReqWriter<'_> + '_>>>;
+	fn start_request(&self) -> LocalBoxFuture<'static, io::Result<Box<dyn ReqWriter>>>;
-	fn start_notif(&self) -> LocalBoxFuture<'_, io::Result<Box<dyn MsgWriter<'_> + '_>>>;
+	fn start_notif(&self) -> LocalBoxFuture<'static, io::Result<Box<dyn MsgWriter>>>;
 }
 
 impl<T: Client + ?Sized> ClientExt for T {}
@@ -73,62 +112,146 @@ impl<T: Client + ?Sized> ClientExt for T {}
 /// notif lifecycle and typing
 #[allow(async_fn_in_trait)]
 pub trait ClientExt: Client {
+	#[allow(
+		clippy::await_holding_refcell_ref,
+		reason = "Must bypass a future return point by sharing the common path"
+	)]
 	async fn request<T: Request + UnderRoot<Root: Encode>>(&self, t: T) -> io::Result<T::Response> {
-		let mut req = self.start_request().await?;
+		let start_req = self.start_request();
-		t.into_root().encode(req.writer().as_mut()).await?;
+		// This section must finish if it has started, and the returned writer's `send`
-		let mut rep = req.send().await?;
+		// must be called as well.
-		let response = T::Response::decode(rep.reader()).await;
+		let common = Rc::new(RefCell::new(Some(Box::pin(async move {
-		rep.finish().await;
+			let mut writer = start_req.await?;
-		response
+			t.into_root().encode(writer.writer().as_mut()).await?;
+			io::Result::Ok(writer)
+		}))));
+		// Initialized in the cancelable section if common returns here. If set, the
+		// future inside must be finished on stash after the notification is sent
+		// to ensure that the server acknowledges the cancellation, or to decode the
+		// result if the cancellation was in fact too late.
+		let req_wait_rc = Rc::new(RefCell::new(None));
+		// If both this and common are None, that means the cancelable section is
+		// already past its last interruptible point, and must be finished on stash
+		cancel_cleanup(
+			clone!(req_wait_rc, common; Box::pin(async move {
+				let req_wait;
+				{
+					let mut common_g = common.try_borrow_mut().expect("cancel will drop us before locking");
+					let common = (common_g.as_mut())
+						.expect("Only unset by us below or by cancel after dropping us");
+					// cancel handler may take over here
+					req_wait = common.await?.send();
+					common_g.take();
+				}
+				let mut rep;
+				{
+					let mut req_wait_g = (req_wait_rc.try_borrow_mut())
+						.expect("We are the first ones to access this");
+					*req_wait_g = Some(req_wait);
+					let req_wait = req_wait_g.as_mut().expect("Initialized right above");
+					// cancel handler may take over here
+					rep = req_wait.future.as_mut().await?;
+					req_wait_g.take();
+				};
+				// cancel handler will not interrupt if we've gotten this far
+				let reader = rep.reader().expect("Not been cancelled thus far");
+				let result = T::Response::decode(reader).await;
+				rep.finish().await;
+				result
+			})),
+			|fut| {
+				stash(async move {
+					// TODO: strategy for IO errors on stash
+					let req_wait = if common.try_borrow_mut().is_ok_and(|r| r.is_none()) {
+						// fut was already past common
+						match req_wait_rc.try_borrow_mut() {
+							Ok(mut opt) => {
+								let Some(req_wait) = opt.take() else {
+									// fut was already reading, finish that read and exit
+									fut.await.expect("IO error on stash");
+									return;
+								};
+								req_wait
+							},
+							Err(BorrowMutError { .. }) => {
+								// fut was in waiting, take over and do our own thing
+								std::mem::drop(fut);
+								req_wait_rc.take().expect("If it was borrowed then it was still set")
+							},
+						}
+					} else {
+						// fut was still in common, take over and finish common
+						std::mem::drop(fut);
+						let common =
+							(common.take()).expect("If it was still borrowed in fut, it was not yet unset");
+						common.await.expect("IO error on stash").send()
+					};
+					req_wait.canceller.cancel().await;
+					let mut rep = req_wait.future.await.expect("IO error on stash");
+					let Some(reader) = rep.reader() else { return };
+					T::Response::decode(reader).await.expect("IO error on stash");
+					rep.finish().await;
+				})
+			},
+		)
+		.await
 	}
-	async fn notify<T: UnderRoot<Root: Encode>>(&self, t: T) -> io::Result<()> {
+	async fn notify<T: UnderRoot<Root: Encode> + 'static>(&self, t: T) -> io::Result<()> {
-		let mut notif = self.start_notif().await?;
+		let start_notif = self.start_notif();
-		t.into_root().encode(notif.writer().as_mut()).await?;
+		finish_or_stash(Box::pin(async {
-		notif.finish().await?;
+			let mut notif = start_notif.await?;
-		Ok(())
+			t.into_root().encode(notif.writer().as_mut()).await?;
+			notif.finish().await?;
+			Ok(())
+		}))
+		.await
 	}
 }
 
-pub trait ReqReader<'a> {
+pub trait ReqReader {
 	fn reader(&mut self) -> Pin<&mut dyn AsyncRead>;
-	fn finish(self: Box<Self>) -> LocalBoxFuture<'a, Box<dyn ReqHandle<'a> + 'a>>;
+	fn finish(self: Box<Self>) -> LocalBoxFuture<'static, Box<dyn ReqHandle>>;
 }
-impl<'a, T: ReqReader<'a> + ?Sized> ReqReaderExt<'a> for T {}
+impl<T: ReqReader + ?Sized> ReqReaderExt for T {}
 #[allow(async_fn_in_trait)]
-pub trait ReqReaderExt<'a>: ReqReader<'a> {
+pub trait ReqReaderExt: ReqReader {
 	async fn read_req<R: Decode>(&mut self) -> io::Result<R> { R::decode(self.reader()).await }
 	async fn reply<R: Request>(
 		self: Box<Self>,
 		req: impl Evidence<R>,
-		rep: &R::Response,
+		rep: R::Response,
-	) -> io::Result<Receipt<'a>> {
+	) -> io::Result<Receipt> {
 		self.finish().await.reply(req, rep).await
 	}
-	async fn start_reply(self: Box<Self>) -> io::Result<Box<dyn RepWriter<'a> + 'a>> {
+	async fn start_reply(self: Box<Self>) -> io::Result<Box<dyn RepWriter>> {
 		self.finish().await.start_reply().await
 	}
 }
 
-pub trait ReqHandle<'a> {
+pub trait ReqHandle {
-	fn start_reply(self: Box<Self>) -> LocalBoxFuture<'a, io::Result<Box<dyn RepWriter<'a> + 'a>>>;
+	fn start_reply(self: Box<Self>) -> LocalBoxFuture<'static, io::Result<Box<dyn RepWriter>>>;
 }
-impl<'a, T: ReqHandle<'a> + ?Sized> ReqHandleExt<'a> for T {}
+impl<T: ReqHandle + ?Sized> ReqHandleExt for T {}
 #[allow(async_fn_in_trait)]
-pub trait ReqHandleExt<'a>: ReqHandle<'a> {
+pub trait ReqHandleExt: ReqHandle {
 	async fn reply<Req: Request>(
 		self: Box<Self>,
 		_: impl Evidence<Req>,
-		rep: &Req::Response,
+		rep: Req::Response,
-	) -> io::Result<Receipt<'a>> {
+	) -> io::Result<Receipt> {
-		let mut reply = self.start_reply().await?;
+		let start_reply = self.start_reply();
-		rep.encode(reply.writer()).await?;
+		finish_or_stash(Box::pin(async move {
-		reply.finish().await
+			let mut reply = start_reply.await?;
+			rep.encode(reply.writer()).await?;
+			reply.finish().await
+		}))
+		.await
 	}
 }
 
-pub trait RepWriter<'a> {
+pub trait RepWriter {
 	fn writer(&mut self) -> Pin<&mut dyn AsyncWrite>;
-	fn finish(self: Box<Self>) -> LocalBoxFuture<'a, io::Result<Receipt<'a>>>;
+	fn finish(self: Box<Self>) -> LocalBoxFuture<'static, io::Result<Receipt>>;
 }
 
 pub trait MsgReader<'a> {
@@ -166,41 +289,43 @@ type IoLock<T> = Rc<Mutex<Pin<Box<T>>>>;
 type IoGuard<T> = Bound<MutexGuard<'static, Pin<Box<T>>>, IoLock<T>>;
 
 /// An incoming request. This holds a lock on the ingress channel.
-pub struct IoReqReader<'a> {
+pub struct IoReqReader {
-	prefix: &'a [u8],
+	prefix: u64,
 	read: IoGuard<dyn AsyncRead>,
-	write: &'a Mutex<IoRef<dyn AsyncWrite>>,
+	o: Rc<Mutex<IoRef<dyn AsyncWrite>>>,
 }
-impl<'a> ReqReader<'a> for IoReqReader<'a> {
+impl ReqReader for IoReqReader {
 	fn reader(&mut self) -> Pin<&mut dyn AsyncRead> { self.read.as_mut() }
-	fn finish(self: Box<Self>) -> LocalBoxFuture<'a, Box<dyn ReqHandle<'a> + 'a>> {
+	fn finish(self: Box<Self>) -> LocalBoxFuture<'static, Box<dyn ReqHandle>> {
 		Box::pin(async {
-			Box::new(IoReqHandle { prefix: self.prefix, write: self.write }) as Box<dyn ReqHandle<'a>>
+			Box::new(IoReqHandle { prefix: self.prefix, write: self.o }) as Box<dyn ReqHandle>
 		})
 	}
 }
-pub struct IoReqHandle<'a> {
+
-	prefix: &'a [u8],
+pub struct IoReqHandle {
-	write: &'a Mutex<IoRef<dyn AsyncWrite>>,
+	prefix: u64,
+	write: IoLock<dyn AsyncWrite>,
 }
-impl<'a> ReqHandle<'a> for IoReqHandle<'a> {
+impl ReqHandle for IoReqHandle {
-	fn start_reply(self: Box<Self>) -> LocalBoxFuture<'a, io::Result<Box<dyn RepWriter<'a> + 'a>>> {
+	fn start_reply(self: Box<Self>) -> LocalBoxFuture<'static, io::Result<Box<dyn RepWriter>>> {
+		let write = self.write.clone();
 		Box::pin(async move {
-			let mut write = self.write.lock().await;
+			let mut write = Bound::async_new(write, |l| l.lock()).await;
-			write.as_mut().write_all(self.prefix).await?;
+			self.prefix.encode(write.as_mut()).await?;
-			Ok(Box::new(IoRepWriter { write }) as Box<dyn RepWriter<'a>>)
+			Ok(Box::new(IoRepWriter { write }) as Box<dyn RepWriter>)
 		})
 	}
 }
-pub struct IoRepWriter<'a> {
+pub struct IoRepWriter {
-	write: MutexGuard<'a, IoRef<dyn AsyncWrite>>,
+	write: IoGuard<dyn AsyncWrite>,
 }
-impl<'a> RepWriter<'a> for IoRepWriter<'a> {
+impl RepWriter for IoRepWriter {
 	fn writer(&mut self) -> Pin<&mut dyn AsyncWrite> { self.write.as_mut() }
-	fn finish(mut self: Box<Self>) -> LocalBoxFuture<'a, io::Result<Receipt<'a>>> {
+	fn finish(mut self: Box<Self>) -> LocalBoxFuture<'static, io::Result<Receipt>> {
 		Box::pin(async move {
 			self.writer().flush().await?;
-			Ok(Receipt(PhantomData))
+			Ok(Receipt)
 		})
 	}
 }
@@ -214,11 +339,16 @@ impl<'a> MsgReader<'a> for IoMsgReader<'a> {
 	fn finish(self: Box<Self>) -> LocalBoxFuture<'static, ()> { Box::pin(async {}) }
 }
 
+pub enum ReplyRecord {
+	Cancelled,
+	Ready(IoGuard<dyn AsyncRead>),
+}
+
 #[derive(Debug)]
 struct ReplySub {
 	id: u64,
 	ack: oneshot::Sender<()>,
-	cb: oneshot::Sender<IoGuard<dyn AsyncRead>>,
+	cb: oneshot::Sender<ReplyRecord>,
 }
 
 struct IoClient {
@@ -231,37 +361,42 @@ impl IoClient {
 		let (req, rep) = mpsc::channel(0);
 		(rep, Self { output, id: Rc::new(RefCell::new(0)), subscribe: Rc::new(req) })
 	}
-	async fn lock_out(&self) -> IoGuard<dyn AsyncWrite> {
-		Bound::async_new(self.output.clone(), async |o| o.lock().await).await
-	}
 }
 impl Client for IoClient {
-	fn start_notif(&self) -> LocalBoxFuture<'_, io::Result<Box<dyn MsgWriter<'_> + '_>>> {
+	fn start_notif(&self) -> LocalBoxFuture<'static, io::Result<Box<dyn MsgWriter>>> {
+		let output = self.output.clone();
 		Box::pin(async {
 			let drop_g = assert_no_drop("Notif future dropped");
-			let mut o = self.lock_out().await;
+			let mut o = Bound::async_new(output, |o| o.lock()).await;
 			0u64.encode(o.as_mut()).await?;
 			drop_g.defuse();
 			Ok(Box::new(IoNotifWriter { o, drop_g: assert_no_drop("Notif writer dropped") })
 				as Box<dyn MsgWriter>)
 		})
 	}
-	fn start_request(&self) -> LocalBoxFuture<'_, io::Result<Box<dyn ReqWriter<'_> + '_>>> {
+	fn start_request(&self) -> LocalBoxFuture<'static, io::Result<Box<dyn ReqWriter>>> {
-		Box::pin(async {
+		let output = self.output.clone();
-			let id = {
+		let id = {
-				let mut id_g = self.id.borrow_mut();
+			let mut id_g = self.id.borrow_mut();
-				*id_g += 1;
+			*id_g += 1;
-				*id_g
+			*id_g
-			};
+		};
-			let (cb, reply) = oneshot::channel();
+		let (cb, reply) = oneshot::channel();
-			let (ack, got_ack) = oneshot::channel();
+		let (ack, got_ack) = oneshot::channel();
-			let drop_g = assert_no_drop("Request future dropped");
+		let mut subscribe = self.subscribe.as_ref().clone();
-			self.subscribe.as_ref().clone().send(ReplySub { id, ack, cb }).await.unwrap();
+		let start_req_drop_g = assert_no_drop("Request future dropped");
+		Box::pin(async move {
+			subscribe.send(ReplySub { id, ack, cb }).await.unwrap();
 			got_ack.await.unwrap();
-			let mut w = self.lock_out().await;
+			let mut xfer_bytes = id.to_be_bytes();
-			id.encode(w.as_mut()).await?;
+			xfer_bytes[0] = 0x00;
-			drop_g.defuse();
+			let req_prefix = u64::from_be_bytes(xfer_bytes);
+			let mut w = Bound::async_new(output.clone(), |o| o.lock()).await;
+			req_prefix.encode(w.as_mut()).await?;
+			start_req_drop_g.defuse();
 			Ok(Box::new(IoReqWriter {
+				id,
+				output,
 				reply,
 				w,
 				drop_g: assert_no_drop("Request reader dropped without reply"),
@@ -270,34 +405,62 @@ impl Client for IoClient {
 	}
 }
 
-struct IoReqWriter {
+struct IoReqCanceller {
-	reply: oneshot::Receiver<IoGuard<dyn AsyncRead>>,
+	id: u64,
-	w: IoGuard<dyn AsyncWrite>,
+	output: IoLock<dyn AsyncWrite>,
-	drop_g: PanicOnDrop,
 }
-impl<'a> ReqWriter<'a> for IoReqWriter {
+impl CancelNotifier for IoReqCanceller {
-	fn writer(&mut self) -> Pin<&mut dyn AsyncWrite> { self.w.as_mut() }
+	fn cancel(self: Box<Self>) -> LocalBoxFuture<'static, ()> {
-	fn send(self: Box<Self>) -> LocalBoxFuture<'a, io::Result<Box<dyn RepReader<'a> + 'a>>> {
+		let mut xfer_bytes = self.id.to_be_bytes();
-		Box::pin(async {
+		xfer_bytes[0] = 0x02;
-			let Self { reply, mut w, drop_g } = *self;
+		let cancel_id = u64::from_be_bytes(xfer_bytes);
-			w.flush().await?;
+		let cancel_signal_drop_g = assert_no_drop("Cannot cancel the sending of a cancellation");
-			mem::drop(w);
+		let o = self.output.clone();
-			let i = reply.await.expect("Client dropped before reply received");
+		Box::pin(async move {
-			drop_g.defuse();
+			let mut o = o.lock().await;
-			Ok(Box::new(IoRepReader {
+			let _ = cancel_id.encode(o.as_mut()).await;
-				i,
+			cancel_signal_drop_g.defuse();
-				drop_g: assert_no_drop("Reply reader dropped without finishing"),
-			}) as Box<dyn RepReader>)
 		})
 	}
 }
 
-struct IoRepReader {
+struct IoReqWriter {
-	i: IoGuard<dyn AsyncRead>,
+	id: u64,
+	reply: oneshot::Receiver<ReplyRecord>,
+	output: IoLock<dyn AsyncWrite>,
+	w: IoGuard<dyn AsyncWrite>,
 	drop_g: PanicOnDrop,
 }
-impl<'a> RepReader<'a> for IoRepReader {
+impl ReqWriter for IoReqWriter {
-	fn reader(&mut self) -> Pin<&mut dyn AsyncRead> { self.i.as_mut() }
+	fn writer(&mut self) -> Pin<&mut dyn AsyncWrite> { self.w.as_mut() }
+	fn send(self: Box<Self>) -> ReqWait {
+		let Self { id, output, reply, mut w, drop_g } = *self;
+		let canceller = IoReqCanceller { id, output };
+		let future = async {
+			w.flush().await?;
+			mem::drop(w);
+			let reply_record = reply.await.expect("Client dropped before reply received");
+			drop_g.defuse();
+			Ok(Box::new(IoRepReader {
+				reply_record,
+				drop_g: assert_no_drop("Reply reader dropped without finishing"),
+			}) as Box<dyn RepReader>)
+		};
+		ReqWait { future: Box::pin(future), canceller: Box::new(canceller) }
+	}
+}
+
+struct IoRepReader {
+	reply_record: ReplyRecord,
+	drop_g: PanicOnDrop,
+}
+impl RepReader for IoRepReader {
+	fn reader(&mut self) -> Option<Pin<&mut dyn AsyncRead>> {
+		match &mut self.reply_record {
+			ReplyRecord::Cancelled => None,
+			ReplyRecord::Ready(guard) => Some(guard.as_mut()),
+		}
+	}
 	fn finish(self: Box<Self>) -> LocalBoxFuture<'static, ()> {
 		Box::pin(async { self.drop_g.defuse() })
 	}
@@ -308,7 +471,7 @@ struct IoNotifWriter {
 	o: IoGuard<dyn AsyncWrite>,
 	drop_g: PanicOnDrop,
 }
-impl<'a> MsgWriter<'a> for IoNotifWriter {
+impl MsgWriter for IoNotifWriter {
 	fn writer(&mut self) -> Pin<&mut dyn AsyncWrite> { self.o.as_mut() }
 	fn finish(mut self: Box<Self>) -> LocalBoxFuture<'static, io::Result<()>> {
 		Box::pin(async move {
@@ -333,10 +496,7 @@ impl CommCtx {
 /// Establish bidirectional request-notification communication over a duplex
 /// channel. The returned [IoClient] can be used for notifications immediately,
 /// but requests can only be received while the future is running. The future
-/// will only resolve when [CommCtx::quit] is called. The generic type
+/// will only resolve when [CommCtx::exit] is called.
-/// parameters are associated with the client and serve to ensure with a runtime
-/// check that the correct message families are sent in the correct directions
-/// across the channel.
 pub fn io_comm(
 	o: Pin<Box<dyn AsyncWrite>>,
 	i: Pin<Box<dyn AsyncRead>>,
@@ -356,8 +516,8 @@ pub struct IoCommServer {
 impl IoCommServer {
 	pub async fn listen(
 		self,
-		notif: impl for<'a> AsyncFn(Box<dyn MsgReader<'a> + 'a>) -> io::Result<()>,
+		notif: impl AsyncFn(Box<dyn MsgReader>) -> io::Result<()>,
-		req: impl for<'a> AsyncFn(Box<dyn ReqReader<'a> + 'a>) -> io::Result<Receipt<'a>>,
+		req: impl AsyncFn(Box<dyn ReqReader>) -> io::Result<Receipt>,
 	) -> io::Result<()> {
 		let Self { o, i, onexit, onsub } = self;
 		enum Event {
@@ -379,7 +539,9 @@ impl IoCommServer {
 				}
 			}
 		});
-		let (mut add_pending_req, fork_future) = LocalSet::new();
+
+		let running_requests = RefCell::new(HashMap::new());
+		let (mut task_pool, fork_future) = local_set();
 		let mut fork_stream = pin!(fork_future.into_stream());
 		let mut pending_replies = HashMap::new();
 		'body: {
@@ -400,32 +562,73 @@ impl IoCommServer {
 						// this is detected and logged on client
 						let _ = ack.send(());
 					},
+					// ID 0 is reserved for single-fire notifications
 					Ok(Event::Input(0, read)) => {
 						let notif = &notif;
-						let notif_job =
+						task_pool.spawn(notif(Box::new(IoMsgReader { _pd: PhantomData, read }))).await.unwrap();
-							async move { notif(Box::new(IoMsgReader { _pd: PhantomData, read })).await };
-						add_pending_req.send(Box::pin(notif_job)).await.unwrap();
-					},
-					// MSB == 0 is a request, !id where MSB == 1 is the corresponding response
-					Ok(Event::Input(id, read)) if (id & (1 << (u64::BITS - 1))) == 0 => {
-						let (o, req) = (o.clone(), &req);
-						let req_job = async move {
-							let mut prefix = Vec::new();
-							(!id).encode_vec(&mut prefix);
-							let _ = req(Box::new(IoReqReader { prefix: &pin!(prefix), read, write: &o })).await;
-							Ok(())
-						};
-						add_pending_req.send(Box::pin(req_job)).await.unwrap();
 					},
+					// non-zero IDs are associated with requests
 					Ok(Event::Input(id, read)) => {
-						let cb = pending_replies.remove(&!id).expect("Reply to unrecognized request");
+						// the MSb decides what kind of message this is
-						cb.send(read).unwrap_or_else(|_| panic!("Failed to send reply"));
+						let mut id_bytes = id.to_be_bytes();
+						let discr = std::mem::replace(&mut id_bytes[0], 0x00);
+						let id = u64::from_be_bytes(id_bytes);
+						match discr {
+							// request
+							0x00 => {
+								let (o, req, reqs) = (o.clone(), &req, &running_requests);
+								task_pool
+									.spawn(async move {
+										id_bytes[0] = 0x01;
+										let prefix = u64::from_be_bytes(id_bytes);
+										let reader = Box::new(IoReqReader { prefix, read, o });
+										let (fut, handle) = to_task(async { req(reader).await.map(|Receipt| ()) });
+										reqs.borrow_mut().insert(id, handle);
+										with_stash(fut).await;
+										// during this await the read guard is released and thus we may receive a
+										// cancel notification from below
+										Ok(())
+									})
+									.await
+									.unwrap();
+							},
+							// response
+							0x01 => {
+								let cb = pending_replies.remove(&id).expect("Reply to unrecognized request");
+								cb.send(ReplyRecord::Ready(read))
+									.unwrap_or_else(|_| panic!("Failed to send reply"));
+							},
+							// cancellation
+							0x02 => {
+								match running_requests.borrow().get(&id) {
+									Some(handle) => handle.abort(),
+									// assuming that the client is correct, if there is no record
+									// then the reply was already sent
+									None => continue,
+								};
+								// if the request starts writing back before our abort arrives, we only
+								// get this mutex once it's done
+								let mut write = o.lock().await;
+								// if the request is still in the store, the write didn't begin
+								let Some(_) = running_requests.borrow_mut().remove(&id) else { continue };
+								id_bytes[0] = 0x03;
+								let cancel_code = u64::from_be_bytes(id_bytes);
+								cancel_code.encode(write.as_mut()).await?;
+							},
+							// stub reply for cancelled request
+							0x03 => {
+								let cb = pending_replies.remove(&id).expect("Cancelling unrecognized request");
+								cb.send(ReplyRecord::Cancelled)
+									.unwrap_or_else(|_| panic!("Failed to send reply cancellation"))
+							},
+							n => panic!("Unrecognized message type code {n}"),
+						}
 					},
 				}
 			}
 			Ok(())
 		}?;
-		mem::drop(add_pending_req);
+		mem::drop(task_pool);
 		while let Some(next) = fork_stream.next().await {
 			next?
 		}
@@ -441,13 +644,15 @@ mod test {
 	use std::cell::RefCell;
 
 	use futures::channel::mpsc;
-	use futures::{SinkExt, StreamExt, join};
+	use futures::{FutureExt, SinkExt, StreamExt, join, select};
+	use never::Never;
 	use orchid_api_derive::{Coding, Hierarchy};
 	use orchid_api_traits::Request;
 	use orchid_async_utils::debug::spin_on;
 	use unsync_pipe::pipe;
 
 	use crate::comm::{ClientExt, MsgReaderExt, ReqReaderExt, io_comm};
+	use crate::with_stash;
 
 	#[derive(Clone, Debug, PartialEq, Coding, Hierarchy)]
 	#[extendable]
@@ -455,7 +660,7 @@ mod test {
 
 	#[test]
 	fn notification() {
-		spin_on(async {
+		spin_on(false, async {
 			let (in1, out2) = pipe(1024);
 			let (in2, out1) = pipe(1024);
 			let (received, mut on_receive) = mpsc::channel(2);
@@ -494,7 +699,7 @@ mod test {
 
 	#[test]
 	fn request() {
-		spin_on(async {
+		spin_on(false, async {
 			let (in1, out2) = pipe(1024);
 			let (in2, out1) = pipe(1024);
 			let (_, srv_ctx, srv) = io_comm(Box::pin(in2), Box::pin(out2));
@@ -506,7 +711,7 @@ mod test {
 							async |_| panic!("No notifs expected"),
 							async |mut req| {
 								let val = req.read_req::<DummyRequest>().await?;
-								req.reply(&val, &(val.0 + 1)).await
+								req.reply(&val, val.0 + 1).await
 							},
 						)
 						.await
@@ -533,7 +738,7 @@ mod test {
 
 	#[test]
 	fn exit() {
-		spin_on(async {
+		spin_on(false, async {
 			let (input1, output1) = pipe(1024);
 			let (input2, output2) = pipe(1024);
 			let (reply_client, reply_context, reply_server) =
@@ -553,7 +758,7 @@ mod test {
 							},
 							async |mut hand| {
 								let req = hand.read_req::<DummyRequest>().await?;
-								hand.reply(&req, &(req.0 + 1)).await
+								hand.reply(&req, req.0 + 1).await
 							},
 						)
 						.await
@@ -579,4 +784,49 @@ mod test {
 			)
 		});
 	}
+
+	#[test]
+	fn timely_cancel() {
+		spin_on(false, async {
+			let (in1, out2) = pipe(1024);
+			let (in2, out1) = pipe(1024);
+			let (wait_in, mut wait_out) = mpsc::channel(0);
+			let (_, srv_ctx, srv) = io_comm(Box::pin(in2), Box::pin(out2));
+			let (client, client_ctx, client_srv) = io_comm(Box::pin(in1), Box::pin(out1));
+			join!(
+				async {
+					srv
+						.listen(
+							async |_| panic!("No notifs expected"),
+							async |mut req| {
+								let _ = req.read_req::<DummyRequest>().await?;
+								wait_in.clone().send(()).await.unwrap();
+								// TODO: verify cancellation
+								futures::future::pending::<Never>().await;
+								unreachable!("request should be cancelled before resume is triggered")
+							},
+						)
+						.await
+						.unwrap()
+				},
+				async {
+					client_srv
+						.listen(
+							async |_| panic!("Not expecting ingress notif"),
+							async |_| panic!("Not expecting ingress req"),
+						)
+						.await
+						.unwrap()
+				},
+				with_stash(async {
+					select! {
+						_ = client.request(DummyRequest(5)).fuse() => panic!("This one should not run"),
+						rep = wait_out.next() => rep.expect("something?"),
+					};
+					srv_ctx.exit().await.unwrap();
+					client_ctx.exit().await.unwrap();
+				})
+			);
+		})
+	}
 }

orchid-base/src/stash.rs

@@ -1,44 +1,188 @@
 //! A pattern for running async code from sync destructors and other
-//! unfortunately sync callbacks
+//! unfortunately sync callbacks, and for ensuring that these futures finish in
+//! a timely fashion
 //!
 //! We create a task_local vecdeque which is moved into a thread_local whenever
 //! the task is being polled. A call to [stash] pushes the future onto this
-//! deque. Before [with_stash] returns, it pops everything from the deque
+//! deque. Before [with_stash] returns, it awaits everything stashed up to that
-//! individually and awaits each of them, pushing any additionally stashed
+//! point or inside the stashed futures.
-//! futures onto the back of the same deque.
 
 use std::cell::RefCell;
-use std::collections::VecDeque;
 use std::pin::Pin;
+use std::task::{Context, Poll};
 
-use task_local::task_local;
+use futures::StreamExt;
+use futures::future::LocalBoxFuture;
+use futures::stream::FuturesUnordered;
+use orchid_async_utils::cancel_cleanup;
 
-#[derive(Default)]
+thread_local! {
-struct StashedFutures {
+	/// # Invariant
-	queue: RefCell<VecDeque<Pin<Box<dyn Future<Output = ()>>>>>,
+	///
-}
+	/// Any function that changes the value of this thread_local must restore it before returning
-
+	static CURRENT_STASH: RefCell<Option<Vec<LocalBoxFuture<'static, ()>>>> = RefCell::default();
-task_local! {
-	static STASHED_FUTURES: StashedFutures;
 }
 
 /// Complete the argument future, and any futures spawned from it via [stash].
 /// This is useful mostly to guarantee that messaging destructors have run.
-pub async fn with_stash<F: Future>(fut: F) -> F::Output {
+///
-	STASHED_FUTURES
+/// # Cancellation
-		.scope(StashedFutures::default(), async {
+///
-			let val = fut.await;
+/// To ensure that stashed futures run, the returned future re-stashes them a
-			while let Some(fut) = STASHED_FUTURES.with(|sf| sf.queue.borrow_mut().pop_front()) {
+/// layer above when dropped. Therefore cancelling `with_stash` is only safe
-				fut.await;
+/// within an enclosing `with_stash` outside of a panic.
-			}
+pub fn with_stash<F: Future>(fut: F) -> impl Future<Output = F::Output> {
-			val
+	WithStash { stash: FuturesUnordered::new(), state: WithStashState::Main(fut) }
-		})
-		.await
 }
 
 /// Schedule a future to be run before the next [with_stash] guard ends. This is
 /// most useful for sending messages from destructors.
+///
+/// # Panics
+///
+/// If no enclosing stash is found, this function panics, unless we are already
+/// panicking. The assumption is that a panic is a vis-major where proper
+/// cleanup is secondary to avoiding an abort.
 pub fn stash<F: Future<Output = ()> + 'static>(fut: F) {
-	(STASHED_FUTURES.try_with(|sf| sf.queue.borrow_mut().push_back(Box::pin(fut))))
+	CURRENT_STASH.with(|stash| {
-		.expect("No stash! Timely completion cannot be guaranteed")
+		let mut g = stash.borrow_mut();
+		let Some(stash) = g.as_mut() else {
+			if !std::thread::panicking() {
+				panic!("No stash! Timely completion cannot be guaranteed");
+			}
+			return;
+		};
+		stash.push(Box::pin(fut))
+	})
+}
+
+pub fn finish_or_stash<F: Future + Unpin + 'static>(
+	fut: F,
+) -> impl Future<Output = F::Output> + Unpin + 'static {
+	cancel_cleanup(fut, |fut| {
+		stash(async {
+			fut.await;
+		})
+	})
+}
+
+enum WithStashState<F: Future> {
+	Main(F),
+	Stash {
+		/// Optional to simplify state management, but only ever null on a very
+		/// short stretch
+		output: Option<F::Output>,
+	},
+}
+
+struct WithStash<F: Future> {
+	stash: FuturesUnordered<LocalBoxFuture<'static, ()>>,
+	state: WithStashState<F>,
+}
+impl<F: Future> Future for WithStash<F> {
+	type Output = F::Output;
+	fn poll(self: Pin<&mut Self>, cx: &mut Context<'_>) -> Poll<Self::Output> {
+		// SAFETY: the only non-Unpin item is Main#main, and it's pinned right back
+		let Self { state, stash } = unsafe { Pin::get_unchecked_mut(self) };
+		if let WithStashState::Main(main) = state {
+			// SAFETY: this comes from the pin we break on the line above
+			let main = unsafe { Pin::new_unchecked(main) };
+			let prev = CURRENT_STASH.with_borrow_mut(|key| key.replace(Vec::new()));
+			let poll = main.poll(cx);
+			let stash_init = CURRENT_STASH
+				.with_borrow_mut(|key| std::mem::replace(key, prev))
+				.expect("We put a Some() in here and CURRENT_STASH demands restoration");
+			stash.extend(stash_init);
+			if let Poll::Ready(o) = poll {
+				// skip this branch from this point onwards
+				*state = WithStashState::Stash { output: Some(o) };
+			}
+		}
+		match state {
+			WithStashState::Main(_) | WithStashState::Stash { output: None, .. } => Poll::Pending,
+			WithStashState::Stash { output: output @ Some(_) } => loop {
+				// if the queue has new elements, poll_next_unpin has to be called in the next
+				// loop to ensure that wake-ups are triggered for them too, and if
+				// poll_next_unpin is called, the queue may get yet more elements synchronously,
+				// hence the loop
+				let prev = CURRENT_STASH.with_borrow_mut(|key| key.replace(Vec::new()));
+				let poll = stash.poll_next_unpin(cx);
+				let stash_new = CURRENT_STASH
+					.with_borrow_mut(|key| std::mem::replace(key, prev))
+					.expect("We put a Some() in here and CURRENT_STASH demands restoration");
+				stash.extend(stash_new);
+				match poll {
+					Poll::Ready(None) if stash.is_empty() => {
+						let output = output.take().expect("Checked in branching");
+						break Poll::Ready(output);
+					},
+					Poll::Pending => {
+						break Poll::Pending;
+					},
+					Poll::Ready(_) => continue,
+				}
+			},
+		}
+	}
+}
+impl<F: Future> Drop for WithStash<F> {
+	fn drop(&mut self) {
+		if std::thread::panicking() {
+			eprintln!("Panicking through with_stash may silently drop stashed cleanup work")
+		}
+		for future in std::mem::take(&mut self.stash) {
+			stash(future);
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+#[cfg(test)]
+mod test {
+	use futures::SinkExt;
+	use futures::channel::mpsc;
+	use futures::future::join;
+	use orchid_async_utils::debug::spin_on;
+
+	use super::*;
+
+	#[test]
+	fn run_stashed_future() {
+		let (mut send, recv) = mpsc::channel(0);
+		spin_on(
+			false,
+			join(
+				with_stash(async {
+					let mut send1 = send.clone();
+					stash(async move {
+						send1.send(1).await.unwrap();
+					});
+					let mut send1 = send.clone();
+					stash(async move {
+						let mut send2 = send1.clone();
+						stash(async move {
+							send2.send(2).await.unwrap();
+						});
+						send1.send(3).await.unwrap();
+						stash(async move {
+							send1.send(4).await.unwrap();
+						})
+					});
+					let mut send1 = send.clone();
+					stash(async move {
+						send1.send(5).await.unwrap();
+					});
+					send.send(6).await.unwrap();
+				}),
+				async {
+					let mut results = recv.take(6).collect::<Vec<_>>().await;
+					results.sort();
+					assert_eq!(
+						&results,
+						&[1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6],
+						"all variations completed in unspecified order"
+					);
+				},
+			),
+		);
+	}
 }

orchid-extension/src/atom.rs

@@ -184,27 +184,15 @@ pub trait AtomMethod: Coding + InHierarchy {
 /// A handler for an [AtomMethod] on an [Atomic]. The [AtomMethod] must also be
 /// registered in [Atomic::reg_methods]
 pub trait Supports<M: AtomMethod>: Atomic {
-	fn handle<'a>(
+	fn handle(&self, hand: Box<dyn ReqHandle>, req: M) -> impl Future<Output = io::Result<Receipt>>;
-		&self,
-		hand: Box<dyn ReqHandle<'a> + '_>,
-		req: M,
-	) -> impl Future<Output = io::Result<Receipt<'a>>>;
 }
 
 trait HandleAtomMethod<A> {
-	fn handle<'a, 'b: 'a>(
+	fn handle<'a>(&'a self, atom: &'a A, reader: Box<dyn ReqReader>) -> LocalBoxFuture<'a, ()>;
-		&'a self,
-		atom: &'a A,
-		reader: Box<dyn ReqReader<'b> + 'a>,
-	) -> LocalBoxFuture<'a, ()>;
 }
 struct AtomMethodHandler<M, A>(PhantomData<M>, PhantomData<A>);
 impl<M: AtomMethod, A: Supports<M>> HandleAtomMethod<A> for AtomMethodHandler<M, A> {
-	fn handle<'a, 'b: 'a>(
+	fn handle<'a>(&'a self, atom: &'a A, mut reader: Box<dyn ReqReader>) -> LocalBoxFuture<'a, ()> {
-		&'a self,
-		atom: &'a A,
-		mut reader: Box<dyn ReqReader<'b> + 'a>,
-	) -> LocalBoxFuture<'a, ()> {
 		Box::pin(async {
 			let req = reader.read_req::<M>().await.unwrap();
 			let _ = Supports::<M>::handle(atom, reader.finish().await, req).await.unwrap();
@@ -244,12 +232,7 @@ pub(crate) struct MethodSet<A: Atomic> {
 	handlers: HashMap<Sym, Rc<dyn HandleAtomMethod<A>>>,
 }
 impl<A: Atomic> MethodSet<A> {
-	pub(crate) async fn dispatch<'a>(
+	pub(crate) async fn dispatch(&self, atom: &A, key: Sym, req: Box<dyn ReqReader>) -> bool {
-		&self,
-		atom: &'_ A,
-		key: Sym,
-		req: Box<dyn ReqReader<'a> + 'a>,
-	) -> bool {
 		match self.handlers.get(&key) {
 			None => false,
 			Some(handler) => {
@@ -341,7 +324,7 @@ pub trait AtomOps: 'static {
 		&'a self,
 		ctx: AtomCtx<'a>,
 		key: Sym,
-		req: Box<dyn ReqReader<'a> + 'a>,
+		req: Box<dyn ReqReader>,
 	) -> LocalBoxFuture<'a, bool>;
 	fn serialize<'a, 'b: 'a>(
 		&'a self,

orchid-extension/src/atom_owned.rs

@@ -119,7 +119,7 @@ impl<A: OwnedAtom> AtomOps for OwnedAtomOps<A> {
 		&'a self,
 		AtomCtx(_, id): AtomCtx<'a>,
 		key: Sym,
-		req: Box<dyn orchid_base::ReqReader<'a> + 'a>,
+		req: Box<dyn orchid_base::ReqReader>,
 	) -> LocalBoxFuture<'a, bool> {
 		Box::pin(async move {
 			let a = AtomReadGuard::new(id.unwrap()).await;

orchid-extension/src/atom_thin.rs

@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ impl<T: ThinAtom> AtomOps for ThinAtomOps<T> {
 		&'a self,
 		AtomCtx(buf, ..): AtomCtx<'a>,
 		key: Sym,
-		req: Box<dyn orchid_base::ReqReader<'a> + 'a>,
+		req: Box<dyn orchid_base::ReqReader>,
 	) -> LocalBoxFuture<'a, bool> {
 		Box::pin(async move {
 			let ms = self.ms.get_or_init(self.msbuild.pack()).await;

orchid-extension/src/cmd_atom.rs

@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ use never::Never;
 use orchid_base::{Receipt, ReqHandle, ReqHandleExt};
 
 use crate::gen_expr::{GExpr, new_atom, serialize};
-use crate::std_reqs::RunCommand;
+use crate::std_reqs::StartCommand;
 use crate::{Atomic, MethodSetBuilder, OwnedAtom, OwnedVariant, Supports, ToExpr};
 
 pub trait AsyncFnDyn {
@@ -21,18 +21,14 @@ pub struct CmdAtom(Rc<dyn AsyncFnDyn>);
 impl Atomic for CmdAtom {
 	type Data = ();
 	type Variant = OwnedVariant;
-	fn reg_methods() -> MethodSetBuilder<Self> { MethodSetBuilder::new().handle::<RunCommand>() }
+	fn reg_methods() -> MethodSetBuilder<Self> { MethodSetBuilder::new().handle::<StartCommand>() }
 }
-impl Supports<RunCommand> for CmdAtom {
+impl Supports<StartCommand> for CmdAtom {
-	async fn handle<'a>(
+	async fn handle(&self, hand: Box<dyn ReqHandle>, req: StartCommand) -> std::io::Result<Receipt> {
-		&self,
-		hand: Box<dyn ReqHandle<'a> + '_>,
-		req: RunCommand,
-	) -> std::io::Result<Receipt<'a>> {
 		let reply = self.0.call().await;
 		match reply {
-			None => hand.reply(&req, &None).await,
+			None => hand.reply(&req, None).await,
-			Some(next) => hand.reply(&req, &Some(serialize(next).await)).await,
+			Some(next) => hand.reply(&req, Some(serialize(next).await)).await,
 		}
 	}
 }

orchid-extension/src/entrypoint.rs

@@ -8,12 +8,12 @@ use std::pin::Pin;
 use std::rc::Rc;
 use std::time::Duration;
 
-use futures::future::{LocalBoxFuture, join_all};
+use futures::future::{LocalBoxFuture, join_all, join3};
-use futures::{AsyncWriteExt, StreamExt, stream};
+use futures::{AsyncReadExt, AsyncWriteExt, StreamExt, stream};
 use hashbrown::HashMap;
 use itertools::Itertools;
 use orchid_api_traits::{Decode, Encode, Request, UnderRoot, enc_vec};
-use orchid_async_utils::{Handle, to_task};
+use orchid_async_utils::{Handle, JoinError, to_task};
 use orchid_base::{
 	Client, ClientExt, CommCtx, Comment, MsgReader, MsgReaderExt, ReqHandleExt, ReqReaderExt,
 	Snippet, Sym, TokenVariant, Witness, char_filter_match, char_filter_union, es, io_comm, is, log,
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ use orchid_base::{
 };
 use substack::Substack;
 use task_local::task_local;
+use unsync_pipe::pipe;
 
 use crate::gen_expr::serialize;
 use crate::interner::new_interner;
@@ -74,7 +75,7 @@ pub async fn request<T: Request + UnderRoot<Root = api::ExtHostReq>>(t: T) -> T:
 }
 
 /// Send a notification through the global client's [ClientExt::notify]
-pub async fn notify<T: UnderRoot<Root = api::ExtHostNotif>>(t: T) {
+pub async fn notify<T: UnderRoot<Root = api::ExtHostNotif> + 'static>(t: T) {
 	get_client().notify(t).await.unwrap()
 }
 
@@ -106,7 +107,7 @@ impl<F: AsyncFnOnce(LocalBoxFuture<'_, ()>) + 'static> ContextModifier for F {
 
 pub(crate) trait DynTaskHandle: 'static {
 	fn abort(self: Box<Self>);
-	fn join(self: Box<Self>) -> LocalBoxFuture<'static, Box<dyn Any>>;
+	fn join(self: Box<Self>) -> LocalBoxFuture<'static, Result<Box<dyn Any>, JoinError>>;
 }
 
 task_local! {
@@ -124,7 +125,7 @@ impl<T: 'static> TaskHandle<T> {
 	/// Stop working on the task and return the nested future. The distinction
 	/// between this and waiting until the task is complete without reparenting it
 	/// is significant for the purpose of [task_local] context
-	pub async fn join(self) -> T { *self.0.join().await.downcast().unwrap() }
+	pub async fn join(self) -> Result<T, JoinError> { Ok(*self.0.join().await?.downcast().unwrap()) }
 }
 
 /// Spawn a future that is not associated with a pending request or a past
@@ -138,7 +139,9 @@ pub fn spawn<F: Future<Output: 'static> + 'static>(delay: Duration, f: F) -> Tas
 
 impl DynTaskHandle for Handle<Box<dyn Any>> {
 	fn abort(self: Box<Self>) { Self::abort(&self); }
-	fn join(self: Box<Self>) -> LocalBoxFuture<'static, Box<dyn Any>> { Box::pin(Self::join(*self)) }
+	fn join(self: Box<Self>) -> LocalBoxFuture<'static, Result<Box<dyn Any>, JoinError>> {
+		Box::pin(Self::join(*self))
+	}
 }
 
 /// A new Orchid extension as specified in loaders. An extension is a unit of
@@ -213,15 +216,15 @@ impl ExtensionBuilder {
 					match req {
 						api::HostExtReq::SystemDrop(sys_drop) => {
 							SYSTEM_TABLE.with(|l| l.borrow_mut().remove(&sys_drop.0));
-							handle.reply(&sys_drop, &()).await
+							handle.reply(&sys_drop, ()).await
 						},
 						api::HostExtReq::AtomDrop(atom_drop @ api::AtomDrop(sys_id, atom)) =>
 							with_sys_record(sys_id, async {
 								take_atom(atom).await.dyn_free().await;
-								handle.reply(&atom_drop, &()).await
+								handle.reply(&atom_drop, ()).await
 							})
 							.await,
-						api::HostExtReq::Ping(ping @ api::Ping) => handle.reply(&ping, &()).await,
+						api::HostExtReq::Ping(ping @ api::Ping) => handle.reply(&ping, ()).await,
 						api::HostExtReq::Sweep(api::Sweep) => todo!(),
 						api::HostExtReq::SysReq(api::SysReq::NewSystem(new_sys)) => {
 							let (ctor_idx, _) = (decls.iter().enumerate().find(|(_, s)| s.id == new_sys.system))
@@ -257,7 +260,7 @@ impl ExtensionBuilder {
 								.await;
 								let response =
 									api::NewSystemResponse { lex_filter, const_root, line_types, prelude };
-								handle.reply(&new_sys, &response).await
+								handle.reply(&new_sys, response).await
 							})
 							.await
 						},
@@ -266,17 +269,23 @@ impl ExtensionBuilder {
 								let (path, tree) = get_lazy(tree_id).await;
 								let mut tia_ctx =
 									TreeIntoApiCtxImpl { path: Substack::Bottom, basepath: &path[..] };
-								handle.reply(&get_tree, &tree.into_api(&mut tia_ctx).await).await
+								handle.reply(&get_tree, tree.into_api(&mut tia_ctx).await).await
 							})
 							.await,
 						api::HostExtReq::SysReq(api::SysReq::SysFwded(fwd)) => {
 							let fwd_tok = Witness::of(&fwd);
 							let api::SysFwded(sys_id, payload) = fwd;
 							with_sys_record(sys_id, async {
+								let (mut req_in, req) = pipe(1024);
+								let (rep, mut rep_out) = pipe(1024);
 								let mut reply = Vec::new();
-								let req = TrivialReqCycle { req: &payload, rep: &mut reply };
+								let (..) = join3(
-								let _ = dyn_cted().inst().dyn_request(Box::new(req)).await;
+									async { req_in.write_all(&payload).await.expect("Ingress failed") },
-								handle.reply(fwd_tok, &reply).await
+									async { rep_out.read_to_end(&mut reply).await.expect("Egress failed") },
+									dyn_cted().inst().dyn_request(Box::new(TrivialReqCycle { req, rep })),
+								)
+								.await;
+								handle.reply(fwd_tok, reply).await
 							})
 							.await
 						},
@@ -298,7 +307,7 @@ impl ExtensionBuilder {
 										Err(e) => {
 											let eopt = e.keep_only(|e| *e != ekey_cascade).map(|e| Err(e.to_api()));
 											expr_store.dispose().await;
-											return handle.reply(&lex, &eopt).await;
+											return handle.reply(&lex, eopt).await;
 										},
 										Ok((s, expr)) => {
 											let expr = join_all(
@@ -308,13 +317,13 @@ impl ExtensionBuilder {
 											.await;
 											let pos = (text.len() - s.len()) as u32;
 											expr_store.dispose().await;
-											return handle.reply(&lex, &Some(Ok(api::LexedExpr { pos, expr }))).await;
+											return handle.reply(&lex, Some(Ok(api::LexedExpr { pos, expr }))).await;
 										},
 									}
 								}
 								writeln!(log("warn"), "Got notified about n/a character '{trigger_char}'").await;
 								expr_store.dispose().await;
-								handle.reply(&lex, &None).await
+								handle.reply(&lex, None).await
 							})
 							.await,
 						api::HostExtReq::ParseLine(pline) => {
@@ -338,14 +347,14 @@ impl ExtensionBuilder {
 									};
 								mem::drop(line);
 								expr_store.dispose().await;
-								handle.reply(req, &o_line).await
+								handle.reply(req, o_line).await
 							})
 							.await
 						},
 						api::HostExtReq::FetchParsedConst(ref fpc @ api::FetchParsedConst(sys, id)) =>
 							with_sys_record(sys, async {
 								let cnst = get_const(id).await;
-								handle.reply(fpc, &serialize(cnst).await).await
+								handle.reply(fpc, serialize(cnst).await).await
 							})
 							.await,
 						api::HostExtReq::AtomReq(atom_req) => {
@@ -357,24 +366,30 @@ impl ExtensionBuilder {
 									api::AtomReq::SerializeAtom(ser) => {
 										let mut buf = enc_vec(&id);
 										match nfo.serialize(actx, Pin::<&mut Vec<_>>::new(&mut buf)).await {
-											None => handle.reply(ser, &None).await,
+											None => handle.reply(ser, None).await,
 											Some(refs) => {
 												let refs =
 													join_all(refs.into_iter().map(async |ex| ex.into_api(&mut ()).await))
 														.await;
-												handle.reply(ser, &Some((buf, refs))).await
+												handle.reply(ser, Some((buf, refs))).await
 											},
 										}
 									},
 									api::AtomReq::AtomPrint(print @ api::AtomPrint(_)) =>
-										handle.reply(print, &nfo.print(actx).await.to_api()).await,
+										handle.reply(print, nfo.print(actx).await.to_api()).await,
 									api::AtomReq::Fwded(fwded) => {
 										let api::Fwded(_, key, payload) = &fwded;
+										let (mut req_in, req) = pipe(1024);
+										let (rep, mut rep_out) = pipe(1024);
 										let mut reply = Vec::new();
 										let key = Sym::from_api(*key).await;
-										let req = TrivialReqCycle { req: payload, rep: &mut reply };
+										let (.., some) = join3(
-										let some = nfo.handle_req_ref(actx, key, Box::new(req)).await;
+											async { req_in.write_all(payload).await.expect("Ingress failed") },
-										handle.reply(fwded, &some.then_some(reply)).await
+											async { rep_out.read_to_end(&mut reply).await.expect("Egress failed") },
+											nfo.handle_req_ref(actx, key, Box::new(TrivialReqCycle { req, rep })),
+										)
+										.await;
+										handle.reply(fwded, some.then_some(reply)).await
 									},
 									api::AtomReq::CallRef(call @ api::CallRef(_, arg)) => {
 										let expr_store = BorrowedExprStore::new();
@@ -383,7 +398,7 @@ impl ExtensionBuilder {
 										let api_expr = serialize(ret).await;
 										mem::drop(expr_handle);
 										expr_store.dispose().await;
-										handle.reply(call, &api_expr).await
+										handle.reply(call, api_expr).await
 									},
 									api::AtomReq::FinalCall(call @ api::FinalCall(_, arg)) => {
 										let expr_store = BorrowedExprStore::new();
@@ -392,7 +407,7 @@ impl ExtensionBuilder {
 										let api_expr = serialize(ret).await;
 										mem::drop(expr_handle);
 										expr_store.dispose().await;
-										handle.reply(call, &api_expr).await
+										handle.reply(call, api_expr).await
 									},
 								}
 							})
@@ -409,7 +424,7 @@ impl ExtensionBuilder {
 								let id = AtomTypeId::decode_slice(read);
 								let nfo = (dyn_cted().inst().card().ops_by_atid(id))
 									.expect("Deserializing atom with invalid ID");
-								handle.reply(&deser, &nfo.deserialize(read, &refs).await).await
+								handle.reply(&deser, nfo.deserialize(read, &refs).await).await
 							})
 							.await
 						},

orchid-extension/src/std_reqs.rs

@@ -16,11 +16,11 @@ impl Request for Spawn {
 
 /// Execute the atom as a command.
 #[derive(Clone, Copy, Debug, Hash, PartialEq, Eq, Coding, Hierarchy)]
-pub struct RunCommand;
+pub struct StartCommand;
-impl Request for RunCommand {
+impl Request for StartCommand {
 	type Response = Option<api::Expression>;
 }
-impl AtomMethod for RunCommand {
+impl AtomMethod for StartCommand {
 	const NAME: &str = "orchid::cmd::run";
 }
 

orchid-extension/src/streams.rs

@@ -40,23 +40,19 @@ impl OwnedAtom for WriterAtom {
 	async fn val(&self) -> Cow<'_, Self::Data> { Cow::Owned(()) }
 }
 impl Supports<OutputReq> for WriterAtom {
-	async fn handle<'a>(
+	async fn handle(&self, hand: Box<dyn ReqHandle>, req: OutputReq) -> Result<Receipt> {
-		&self,
-		hand: Box<dyn ReqHandle<'a> + '_>,
-		req: OutputReq,
-	) -> Result<Receipt<'a>> {
 		match req {
 			OutputReq::WriteReq(ref wr @ WriteReq { ref data }) => {
 				self.0.lock().await.buf.extend(data);
-				hand.reply(wr, &Ok(())).await
+				hand.reply(wr, Ok(())).await
 			},
 			OutputReq::FlushReq(ref fr @ FlushReq) => {
 				let mut g = self.0.lock().await;
 				let WriterState { buf, writer } = &mut *g;
-				hand.reply(fr, &writer.write_all(&buf[..]).await.map_err(|e| e.into())).await
+				hand.reply(fr, writer.write_all(&buf[..]).await.map_err(|e| e.into())).await
 			},
 			OutputReq::CloseReq(ref cr @ CloseReq) =>
-				hand.reply(cr, &self.0.lock().await.writer.close().await.map_err(|e| e.into())).await,
+				hand.reply(cr, self.0.lock().await.writer.close().await.map_err(|e| e.into())).await,
 		}
 	}
 }
@@ -80,11 +76,7 @@ impl OwnedAtom for ReaderAtom {
 	async fn val(&self) -> Cow<'_, Self::Data> { Cow::Owned(()) }
 }
 impl Supports<ReadReq> for ReaderAtom {
-	async fn handle<'a>(
+	async fn handle(&self, hand: Box<dyn ReqHandle>, req: ReadReq) -> Result<Receipt> {
-		&self,
-		hand: Box<dyn ReqHandle<'a> + '_>,
-		req: ReadReq,
-	) -> Result<Receipt<'a>> {
 		let mut buf = Vec::new();
 		let mut reader = self.0.lock().await;
 		let rep = match match req.limit {
@@ -98,6 +90,6 @@ impl Supports<ReadReq> for ReaderAtom {
 			Err(e) => Err(e.into()),
 			Ok(()) => Ok(buf),
 		};
-		hand.reply(&req, &rep).await
+		hand.reply(&req, rep).await
 	}
 }

orchid-extension/src/system.rs

@@ -20,11 +20,11 @@ pub trait System: Debug + 'static {
 	fn env(&self) -> impl Future<Output = Vec<GenMember>> { futures::future::ready(Vec::new()) }
 	fn lexers(&self) -> Vec<LexerObj> { Vec::new() }
 	fn parsers(&self) -> Vec<ParserObj> { Vec::new() }
-	fn request<'a>(
+	fn request(
 		&self,
-		hand: Box<dyn ReqHandle<'a> + 'a>,
+		hand: Box<dyn ReqHandle>,
 		req: ReqForSystem<Self>,
-	) -> impl Future<Output = Receipt<'a>>;
+	) -> impl Future<Output = Receipt>;
 }
 
 pub trait DynSystem: Debug + 'static {
@@ -32,10 +32,7 @@ pub trait DynSystem: Debug + 'static {
 	fn dyn_env(&self) -> LocalBoxFuture<'_, Vec<GenMember>>;
 	fn dyn_lexers(&self) -> Vec<LexerObj>;
 	fn dyn_parsers(&self) -> Vec<ParserObj>;
-	fn dyn_request<'a, 'b: 'a>(
+	fn dyn_request<'a, 'b: 'a>(&'a self, hand: Box<dyn ReqReader>) -> LocalBoxFuture<'a, Receipt>;
-		&'a self,
-		hand: Box<dyn ReqReader<'b> + 'b>,
-	) -> LocalBoxFuture<'a, Receipt<'b>>;
 	fn card(&self) -> Box<dyn DynSystemCard>;
 }
 
@@ -46,8 +43,8 @@ impl<T: System> DynSystem for T {
 	fn dyn_parsers(&self) -> Vec<ParserObj> { self.parsers() }
 	fn dyn_request<'a, 'b: 'a>(
 		&'a self,
-		mut hand: Box<dyn ReqReader<'b> + 'b>,
+		mut hand: Box<dyn ReqReader>,
-	) -> LocalBoxFuture<'a, Receipt<'b>> {
+	) -> LocalBoxFuture<'a, Receipt> {
 		Box::pin(async move {
 			let value = hand.read_req().await.unwrap();
 			self.request(hand.finish().await, value).await

orchid-extension/src/trivial_req.rs

@@ -4,25 +4,26 @@ use std::pin::Pin;
 use futures::future::LocalBoxFuture;
 use futures::{AsyncRead, AsyncWrite};
 use orchid_base::{Receipt, RepWriter, ReqHandle, ReqReader};
+use unsync_pipe::{Reader, Writer};
 
-pub struct TrivialReqCycle<'a> {
+pub struct TrivialReqCycle {
-	pub req: &'a [u8],
+	pub req: Reader,
-	pub rep: &'a mut Vec<u8>,
+	pub rep: Writer,
 }
-impl<'a> ReqReader<'a> for TrivialReqCycle<'a> {
+impl ReqReader for TrivialReqCycle {
 	fn reader(&mut self) -> Pin<&mut dyn AsyncRead> { Pin::new(&mut self.req) as Pin<&mut _> }
-	fn finish(self: Box<Self>) -> LocalBoxFuture<'a, Box<dyn ReqHandle<'a> + 'a>> {
+	fn finish(self: Box<Self>) -> LocalBoxFuture<'static, Box<dyn ReqHandle>> {
 		Box::pin(async { self as Box<_> })
 	}
 }
-impl<'a> ReqHandle<'a> for TrivialReqCycle<'a> {
+impl ReqHandle for TrivialReqCycle {
-	fn start_reply(self: Box<Self>) -> LocalBoxFuture<'a, io::Result<Box<dyn RepWriter<'a> + 'a>>> {
+	fn start_reply(self: Box<Self>) -> LocalBoxFuture<'static, io::Result<Box<dyn RepWriter>>> {
 		Box::pin(async { Ok(self as Box<_>) })
 	}
 }
-impl<'a> RepWriter<'a> for TrivialReqCycle<'a> {
+impl RepWriter for TrivialReqCycle {
 	fn writer(&mut self) -> Pin<&mut dyn AsyncWrite> { Pin::new(&mut self.rep) as Pin<&mut _> }
-	fn finish(self: Box<Self>) -> LocalBoxFuture<'a, io::Result<Receipt<'a>>> {
+	fn finish(self: Box<Self>) -> LocalBoxFuture<'static, io::Result<Receipt>> {
 		Box::pin(async { Ok(Receipt::_new()) })
 	}
 }

orchid-host/src/cmd_system.rs

@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ use futures::future::LocalBoxFuture;
 use futures::stream::FuturesUnordered;
 use futures::{SinkExt, StreamExt, select};
 use never::Never;
-use orchid_base::{OrcErrv, Receipt, ReqHandle, Sym, fmt, is, log, mk_errv};
+use orchid_base::{OrcErrv, Receipt, ReqHandle, Sym, fmt, is, log, mk_errv, sym};
 use orchid_extension::{self as ox, AtomicFeatures as _, get_arg};
 
 use crate::ctx::Ctx;
@@ -100,7 +100,6 @@ pub enum CmdEvent {
 }
 
 pub struct CmdRunner {
-	root: Root,
 	queue: CommandQueue,
 	gas: Option<u64>,
 	interrupted: Option<ExecCtx>,
@@ -108,7 +107,7 @@ pub struct CmdRunner {
 	futures: FuturesUnordered<LocalBoxFuture<'static, Option<CmdEvent>>>,
 }
 impl CmdRunner {
-	pub async fn new(root: Root, ctx: Ctx, init: impl IntoIterator<Item = Expr>) -> Self {
+	pub async fn new(root: &mut Root, ctx: Ctx, init: impl IntoIterator<Item = Expr>) -> Self {
 		let queue = CommandQueue::new(ctx.clone(), init);
 		let ext_builder = ox::ExtensionBuilder::new("orchid::cmd").system(CmdSystemCtor(queue.clone()));
 		let extension = (Extension::new(ext_inline(ext_builder, ctx.clone()).await, ctx).await)
@@ -116,16 +115,17 @@ impl CmdRunner {
 		let system_ctor = (extension.system_ctors().find(|ctor| ctor.decl.name == "orchid::cmd"))
 			.expect("Missing command system ctor");
 		let (cmd_root, system) = system_ctor.run(vec![]).await;
-		let root = root.merge(&cmd_root).await.expect("Could not merge command system into tree");
+		*root = root.merge(&cmd_root).await.expect("Could not merge command system into tree");
-		Self { futures: FuturesUnordered::new(), gas: None, root, interrupted: None, queue, system }
+		Self { futures: FuturesUnordered::new(), gas: None, interrupted: None, queue, system }
 	}
+	pub fn push(&self, expr: Expr) { self.queue.push(Task::RunCommand(expr)); }
 	#[must_use]
 	pub fn sys(&self) -> &System { &self.system }
 	#[must_use]
 	pub fn get_gas(&self) -> u64 { self.gas.expect("queried gas but no gas was set") }
 	pub fn set_gas(&mut self, gas: u64) { self.gas = Some(gas) }
 	pub fn disable_gas(&mut self) { self.gas = None }
-	pub async fn execute(&mut self) -> CmdEvent {
+	pub async fn execute(&mut self, root: &Root) -> CmdEvent {
 		let waiting_on_queue = RefCell::new(false);
 		let (mut spawn, mut on_spawn) = mpsc::channel::<LocalBoxFuture<Option<CmdEvent>>>(1);
 		let mut normalize_stream = pin!(
@@ -134,7 +134,7 @@ impl CmdRunner {
 					waiting_on_queue.replace(false);
 					let mut xctx = match self.interrupted.take() {
 						None => match self.queue.get_new().await {
-							Task::RunCommand(expr) => ExecCtx::new(self.root.clone(), expr).await,
+							Task::RunCommand(expr) => ExecCtx::new(root.clone(), expr).await,
 							Task::Sleep(until, expr) => {
 								let queue = self.queue.clone();
 								let ctx = queue.0.borrow_mut().ctx.clone();
@@ -186,7 +186,7 @@ impl CmdRunner {
 							let ctx = queue.0.borrow_mut().ctx.clone();
 							spawn
 								.send(Box::pin(async move {
-									match atom.ipc(ox::std_reqs::RunCommand).await {
+									match atom.ipc(ox::std_reqs::StartCommand).await {
 										None => Some(CmdEvent::NonCommand(val)),
 										Some(None) => None,
 										Some(Some(expr)) => {
@@ -209,8 +209,14 @@ impl CmdRunner {
 		loop {
 			let task = select!(
 				r_opt = self.futures.by_ref().next() => match r_opt {
-					Some(Some(r)) => break r,
+					Some(Some(r)) => {
-					None if *waiting_on_queue.borrow() => break CmdEvent::Settled,
+						eprintln!("Exiting because ");
+						break r
+					},
+					None if *waiting_on_queue.borrow() => {
+						eprintln!("Exiting because settled");
+						break CmdEvent::Settled
+					},
 					None | Some(None) => continue,
 				},
 				r = normalize_stream.by_ref().next() => match r {
@@ -218,7 +224,7 @@ impl CmdRunner {
 					Some(r) => break r,
 				},
 				task = on_spawn.by_ref().next() => match task {
-					None => break CmdEvent::Exit,
+					None => continue,
 					Some(r) => r,
 				},
 			);
@@ -301,14 +307,10 @@ impl ox::System for CmdSystemInst {
 			}),
 		])
 	}
-	async fn prelude(&self) -> Vec<Sym> { vec![] }
+	async fn prelude(&self) -> Vec<Sym> { vec![sym!("orchid")] }
 	fn lexers(&self) -> Vec<ox::LexerObj> { vec![] }
 	fn parsers(&self) -> Vec<ox::ParserObj> { vec![] }
-	async fn request<'a>(
+	async fn request(&self, _hand: Box<dyn ReqHandle>, req: ox::ReqForSystem<Self>) -> Receipt {
-		&self,
-		_hand: Box<dyn ReqHandle<'a> + 'a>,
-		req: ox::ReqForSystem<Self>,
-	) -> Receipt<'a> {
 		match req {}
 	}
 }

orchid-host/src/extension.rs

@@ -133,31 +133,31 @@ impl Extension {
 								}
 								let this = Self(weak.upgrade().unwrap());
 								match req {
-									api::ExtHostReq::Ping(ping) => handle.reply(&ping, &()).await,
+									api::ExtHostReq::Ping(ping) => handle.reply(&ping, ()).await,
 									api::ExtHostReq::IntReq(intreq) => match intreq {
 										api::IntReq::InternStr(s) => {
 											let i = is(&s.0).await;
 											this.0.strings.borrow_mut().insert(i.clone());
-											handle.reply(&s, &i.to_api()).await
+											handle.reply(&s, i.to_api()).await
 										},
 										api::IntReq::InternStrv(v) => {
 											let tokens = join_all(v.0.iter().map(|m| es(*m))).await;
 											this.0.strings.borrow_mut().extend(tokens.iter().cloned());
 											let i = iv(&tokens).await;
 											this.0.string_vecs.borrow_mut().insert(i.clone());
-											handle.reply(&v, &i.to_api()).await
+											handle.reply(&v, i.to_api()).await
 										},
 										api::IntReq::ExternStr(si) => {
 											let i = es(si.0).await;
 											this.0.strings.borrow_mut().insert(i.clone());
-											handle.reply(&si, &i.to_string()).await
+											handle.reply(&si, i.to_string()).await
 										},
 										api::IntReq::ExternStrv(vi) => {
 											let i = ev(vi.0).await;
 											this.0.strings.borrow_mut().extend(i.iter().cloned());
 											this.0.string_vecs.borrow_mut().insert(i.clone());
 											let markerv = i.iter().map(|t| t.to_api()).collect_vec();
-											handle.reply(&vi, &markerv).await
+											handle.reply(&vi, markerv).await
 										},
 									},
 									api::ExtHostReq::Fwd(ref fw @ api::Fwd { ref target, ref method, ref body }) => {
@@ -168,11 +168,11 @@ impl Extension {
 											.request(api::Fwded(target.clone(), *method, body.clone()))
 											.await
 											.unwrap();
-										handle.reply(fw, &reply).await
+										handle.reply(fw, reply).await
 									},
 									api::ExtHostReq::SysFwd(ref fw @ api::SysFwd(id, ref body)) => {
 										let sys = ctx.system_inst(id).await.unwrap();
-										handle.reply(fw, &sys.request(body.clone()).await).await
+										handle.reply(fw, sys.request(body.clone()).await).await
 									},
 									api::ExtHostReq::SubLex(sl) => {
 										let (rep_in, mut rep_out) = channel(0);
@@ -182,13 +182,13 @@ impl Extension {
 												lex_g.get(&sl.id).cloned().expect("Sublex for nonexistent lexid");
 											req_in.send(ReqPair(sl.clone(), rep_in)).await.unwrap();
 										}
-										handle.reply(&sl, &rep_out.next().await.unwrap()).await
+										handle.reply(&sl, rep_out.next().await.unwrap()).await
 									},
 									api::ExtHostReq::ExprReq(expr_req) => match expr_req {
 										api::ExprReq::Inspect(ins @ api::Inspect { target }) => {
 											let expr = ctx.exprs.get_expr(target).expect("Invalid ticket");
 											handle
-												.reply(&ins, &api::Inspected {
+												.reply(&ins, api::Inspected {
 													refcount: expr.strong_count() as u32,
 													location: expr.pos().to_api(),
 													kind: expr.to_api().await,
@@ -201,7 +201,7 @@ impl Extension {
 												Some(expr) => expr.print(&FmtCtxImpl::default()).await,
 											}
 											.to_api();
-											handle.reply(&prt, &msg).await
+											handle.reply(&prt, msg).await
 										},
 										api::ExprReq::Create(cre) => {
 											let req = Witness::of(&cre);
@@ -213,7 +213,7 @@ impl Extension {
 											.await;
 											let expr_id = expr.id();
 											ctx.exprs.give_expr(expr);
-											handle.reply(req, &expr_id).await
+											handle.reply(req, expr_id).await
 										},
 									},
 									api::ExtHostReq::LsModule(ref ls @ api::LsModule(_sys, path)) => {
@@ -246,7 +246,7 @@ impl Extension {
 											}
 											Ok(api::ModuleInfo { members })
 										};
-										handle.reply(ls, &reply).await
+										handle.reply(ls, reply).await
 									},
 									api::ExtHostReq::ResolveNames(ref rn) => {
 										let api::ResolveNames { constid, names, sys } = rn;
@@ -275,12 +275,12 @@ impl Extension {
 										})
 										.collect()
 										.await;
-										handle.reply(rn, &responses).await
+										handle.reply(rn, responses).await
 									},
 									api::ExtHostReq::ExtAtomPrint(ref eap @ api::ExtAtomPrint(ref atom)) => {
 										let atom = AtomHand::from_api(atom, Pos::None, &mut ctx.clone()).await;
 										let unit = atom.print(&FmtCtxImpl::default()).await;
-										handle.reply(eap, &unit.to_api()).await
+										handle.reply(eap, unit.to_api()).await
 									},
 								}
 							})

orchid-std/src/macros/macro_system.rs

@@ -48,9 +48,7 @@ pub struct MacroSystemInst {
 }
 impl System for MacroSystemInst {
 	type Ctor = MacroSystem;
-	async fn request<'a>(&self, _: Box<dyn ReqHandle<'a> + 'a>, req: Never) -> Receipt<'a> {
+	async fn request(&self, _: Box<dyn ReqHandle>, req: Never) -> Receipt { match req {} }
-		match req {}
-	}
 	async fn prelude(&self) -> Vec<Sym> {
 		vec![
 			sym!(macros::common::+),

orchid-std/src/std/number/num_atom.rs

@@ -45,13 +45,9 @@ impl ToExpr for Int {
 	}
 }
 impl Supports<ProtocolMethod> for Int {
-	async fn handle<'a>(
+	async fn handle(&self, hand: Box<dyn ReqHandle>, req: ProtocolMethod) -> io::Result<Receipt> {
-		&self,
-		hand: Box<dyn ReqHandle<'a> + '_>,
-		req: ProtocolMethod,
-	) -> io::Result<Receipt<'a>> {
 		match req {
-			ProtocolMethod::GetTagId(req) => hand.reply(&req, &sym!(std::number::Int).to_api()).await,
+			ProtocolMethod::GetTagId(req) => hand.reply(&req, sym!(std::number::Int).to_api()).await,
 			ProtocolMethod::GetImpl(ref req @ GetImpl(key)) => {
 				let name = Sym::from_api(key).await;
 				let val = if name == sym!(std::ops::add) {
@@ -65,20 +61,16 @@ impl Supports<ProtocolMethod> for Int {
 				} else if name == sym!(std::ops::mod) {
 					sym!(std::number::imod)
 				} else {
-					return hand.reply(req, &None).await;
+					return hand.reply(req, None).await;
 				};
-				hand.reply(req, &Some(val.to_expr().await.serialize().await)).await
+				hand.reply(req, Some(val.to_expr().await.serialize().await)).await
 			},
 		}
 	}
 }
 impl Supports<ToStringMethod> for Int {
-	async fn handle<'a>(
+	async fn handle(&self, hand: Box<dyn ReqHandle>, req: ToStringMethod) -> io::Result<Receipt> {
-		&self,
+		hand.reply(&req, self.0.to_string()).await
-		hand: Box<dyn ReqHandle<'a> + '_>,
-		req: ToStringMethod,
-	) -> io::Result<Receipt<'a>> {
-		hand.reply(&req, &self.0.to_string()).await
 	}
 }
 
@@ -112,13 +104,9 @@ impl ToExpr for Float {
 	}
 }
 impl Supports<ProtocolMethod> for Float {
-	async fn handle<'a>(
+	async fn handle(&self, hand: Box<dyn ReqHandle>, req: ProtocolMethod) -> io::Result<Receipt> {
-		&self,
-		hand: Box<dyn ReqHandle<'a> + '_>,
-		req: ProtocolMethod,
-	) -> io::Result<Receipt<'a>> {
 		match req {
-			ProtocolMethod::GetTagId(req) => hand.reply(&req, &sym!(std::number::Float).to_api()).await,
+			ProtocolMethod::GetTagId(req) => hand.reply(&req, sym!(std::number::Float).to_api()).await,
 			ProtocolMethod::GetImpl(ref req @ GetImpl(key)) => {
 				let name = Sym::from_api(key).await;
 				let val = if name == sym!(std::ops::add) {
@@ -132,20 +120,16 @@ impl Supports<ProtocolMethod> for Float {
 				} else if name == sym!(std::ops::mod) {
 					sym!(std::number::fmod)
 				} else {
-					return hand.reply(req, &None).await;
+					return hand.reply(req, None).await;
 				};
-				hand.reply(req, &Some(val.to_expr().await.serialize().await)).await
+				hand.reply(req, Some(val.to_expr().await.serialize().await)).await
 			},
 		}
 	}
 }
 impl Supports<ToStringMethod> for Float {
-	async fn handle<'a>(
+	async fn handle(&self, hand: Box<dyn ReqHandle>, req: ToStringMethod) -> io::Result<Receipt> {
-		&self,
+		hand.reply(&req, self.0.to_string()).await
-		hand: Box<dyn ReqHandle<'a> + '_>,
-		req: ToStringMethod,
-	) -> io::Result<Receipt<'a>> {
-		hand.reply(&req, &self.0.to_string()).await
 	}
 }
 

orchid-std/src/std/protocol/types.rs

@@ -36,16 +36,16 @@ impl OwnedAtom for Tag {
 	async fn val(&self) -> Cow<'_, Self::Data> { Cow::Owned(self.id.to_api()) }
 }
 impl Supports<ProtocolMethod> for Tag {
-	async fn handle<'a>(
+	async fn handle(
 		&self,
-		hand: Box<dyn orchid_base::ReqHandle<'a> + '_>,
+		hand: Box<dyn orchid_base::ReqHandle>,
 		req: ProtocolMethod,
-	) -> std::io::Result<orchid_base::Receipt<'a>> {
+	) -> std::io::Result<orchid_base::Receipt> {
 		match req {
-			ProtocolMethod::GetTagId(req) => hand.reply(&req, &self.id.to_api()).await,
+			ProtocolMethod::GetTagId(req) => hand.reply(&req, self.id.to_api()).await,
 			ProtocolMethod::GetImpl(ref req @ GetImpl(key)) =>
 				hand
-					.reply(req, &self.impls.get(&Sym::from_api(key).await).map(|expr| expr.handle().ticket()))
+					.reply(req, self.impls.get(&Sym::from_api(key).await).map(|expr| expr.handle().ticket()))
 					.await,
 		}
 	}
@@ -87,11 +87,11 @@ impl OwnedAtom for Tagged {
 	async fn val(&self) -> Cow<'_, Self::Data> { Cow::Owned(self.tag.id.to_api()) }
 }
 impl Supports<ProtocolMethod> for Tagged {
-	async fn handle<'a>(
+	async fn handle(
 		&self,
-		hand: Box<dyn orchid_base::ReqHandle<'a> + '_>,
+		hand: Box<dyn orchid_base::ReqHandle>,
 		req: ProtocolMethod,
-	) -> io::Result<orchid_base::Receipt<'a>> {
+	) -> io::Result<orchid_base::Receipt> {
 		self.tag.handle(hand, req).await
 	}
 }

orchid-std/src/std/record/record_atom.rs

@@ -40,13 +40,9 @@ impl OwnedAtom for RecordAtom {
 	async fn val(&self) -> Cow<'_, Self::Data> { Cow::Owned(()) }
 }
 impl Supports<ProtocolMethod> for RecordAtom {
-	async fn handle<'a>(
+	async fn handle(&self, hand: Box<dyn ReqHandle>, req: ProtocolMethod) -> io::Result<Receipt> {
-		&self,
-		hand: Box<dyn ReqHandle<'a> + '_>,
-		req: ProtocolMethod,
-	) -> io::Result<Receipt<'a>> {
 		match req {
-			ProtocolMethod::GetTagId(req) => hand.reply(&req, &sym!(std::record::Record).to_api()).await,
+			ProtocolMethod::GetTagId(req) => hand.reply(&req, sym!(std::record::Record).to_api()).await,
 			ProtocolMethod::GetImpl(ref req @ GetImpl(key)) => {
 				let name = Sym::from_api(key).await;
 				let val = if name == sym!(std::ops::get) {
@@ -54,9 +50,9 @@ impl Supports<ProtocolMethod> for RecordAtom {
 				} else if name == sym!(std::ops::set) {
 					sym!(std::record::set)
 				} else {
-					return hand.reply(req, &None).await;
+					return hand.reply(req, None).await;
 				};
-				return hand.reply(req, &Some(val.to_expr().await.serialize().await)).await;
+				return hand.reply(req, Some(val.to_expr().await.serialize().await)).await;
 			},
 		}
 	}

orchid-std/src/std/reflection/sym_atom.rs

@@ -27,12 +27,12 @@ impl OwnedAtom for SymAtom {
 	async fn val(&self) -> Cow<'_, Self::Data> { Cow::Owned(SymAtomData(self.0.tok().to_api())) }
 }
 impl Supports<ToStringMethod> for SymAtom {
-	async fn handle<'a>(
+	async fn handle(
 		&self,
-		hand: Box<dyn orchid_base::ReqHandle<'a> + '_>,
+		hand: Box<dyn orchid_base::ReqHandle>,
 		req: ToStringMethod,
-	) -> std::io::Result<orchid_base::Receipt<'a>> {
+	) -> std::io::Result<orchid_base::Receipt> {
-		hand.reply(&req, &self.0.to_string()).await
+		hand.reply(&req, self.0.to_string()).await
 	}
 }
 

orchid-std/src/std/std_system.rs

@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ use crate::std::protocol::types::{CreateTag, Tag, Tagged, gen_protocol_lib};
 use crate::std::record::record_atom::{CreateRecord, RecordAtom};
 use crate::std::record::record_lib::gen_record_lib;
 use crate::std::reflection::sym_atom::{CreateSymAtom, SymAtom, gen_sym_lib};
+use crate::std::stream::stream_cmds::{ReadStreamCmd, WriteStreamCmd};
 use crate::std::stream::stream_lib::gen_stream_lib;
 use crate::std::string::str_lexer::StringLexer;
 use crate::std::time::{CreateDT, gen_time_lib};
@@ -72,27 +73,25 @@ impl SystemCard for StdSystem {
 			Some(TupleBuilder::ops()),
 			Some(Tag::ops()),
 			Some(Tagged::ops()),
+			Some(ReadStreamCmd::ops()),
+			Some(WriteStreamCmd::ops()),
 		]
 	}
 }
 impl System for StdSystem {
 	type Ctor = Self;
-	async fn request<'a>(
+	async fn request(&self, xreq: Box<dyn ReqHandle>, req: ReqForSystem<Self>) -> Receipt {
-		&self,
-		xreq: Box<dyn ReqHandle<'a> + 'a>,
-		req: ReqForSystem<Self>,
-	) -> Receipt<'a> {
 		match req {
 			StdReq::CreateInt(ref req @ CreateInt(int)) =>
-				xreq.reply(req, &new_atom(int).to_expr().await.serialize().await).await.unwrap(),
+				xreq.reply(req, new_atom(int).to_expr().await.serialize().await).await.unwrap(),
 			StdReq::CreateFloat(ref req @ CreateFloat(float)) =>
-				xreq.reply(req, &new_atom(float).to_expr().await.serialize().await).await.unwrap(),
+				xreq.reply(req, new_atom(float).to_expr().await.serialize().await).await.unwrap(),
 			StdReq::CreateDT(ref req @ CreateDT(dt)) =>
-				xreq.reply(req, &new_atom(dt).to_expr().await.serialize().await).await.unwrap(),
+				xreq.reply(req, new_atom(dt).to_expr().await.serialize().await).await.unwrap(),
 			StdReq::CreateTuple(ref req @ CreateTuple(ref items)) => {
 				let tpl = Tuple(Rc::new(join_all(items.iter().copied().map(Expr::deserialize)).await));
 				let tk = new_atom(tpl).to_expr().await.serialize().await;
-				xreq.reply(req, &tk).await.unwrap()
+				xreq.reply(req, tk).await.unwrap()
 			},
 			StdReq::CreateRecord(ref req @ CreateRecord(ref items)) => {
 				let values =
@@ -100,11 +99,11 @@ impl System for StdSystem {
 						.await;
 				let rec = RecordAtom(Rc::new(values.into_iter().collect()));
 				let tk = new_atom(rec).to_expr().await.serialize().await;
-				xreq.reply(req, &tk).await.unwrap()
+				xreq.reply(req, tk).await.unwrap()
 			},
 			StdReq::CreateSymAtom(ref req @ CreateSymAtom(sym_tok)) => {
 				let sym_atom = SymAtom(Sym::from_api(sym_tok).await);
-				xreq.reply(req, &new_atom(sym_atom).to_expr().await.serialize().await).await.unwrap()
+				xreq.reply(req, new_atom(sym_atom).to_expr().await.serialize().await).await.unwrap()
 			},
 			StdReq::CreateTag(ref req @ CreateTag { name, ref impls }) => {
 				let tag_atom = Tag {
@@ -119,7 +118,7 @@ impl System for StdSystem {
 						.collect(),
 					),
 				};
-				xreq.reply(req, &new_atom(tag_atom).to_expr().await.serialize().await).await.unwrap()
+				xreq.reply(req, new_atom(tag_atom).to_expr().await.serialize().await).await.unwrap()
 			},
 		}
 	}

orchid-std/src/std/stream/stream_cmds.rs

@@ -3,12 +3,15 @@ use std::io;
 use std::rc::Rc;
 
 use never::Never;
-use orchid_base::{ReqHandleExt, fmt, is, mk_errv};
+use orchid_base::{Receipt, ReqHandle, ReqHandleExt, fmt, is, mk_errv};
 use orchid_extension::gen_expr::{bot, call, new_atom, serialize};
-use orchid_extension::std_reqs::{ReadLimit, ReadReq, RunCommand};
+use orchid_extension::std_reqs::{CloseReq, FlushReq, ReadLimit, ReadReq, StartCommand, WriteReq};
-use orchid_extension::{Atomic, Expr, ForeignAtom, OwnedAtom, OwnedVariant, Supports, ToExpr};
+use orchid_extension::{
+	Atomic, Expr, ForeignAtom, MethodSetBuilder, OwnedAtom, OwnedVariant, Supports, ToExpr,
+};
 
 use crate::std::binary::binary_atom::BlobAtom;
+use crate::std::string::str_atom::StrAtom;
 
 #[derive(Clone, Debug)]
 pub struct ReadStreamCmd {
@@ -16,40 +19,99 @@ pub struct ReadStreamCmd {
 	pub limit: ReadLimit,
 	pub succ: Expr,
 	pub fail: Expr,
+	pub as_str: bool,
 }
 impl Atomic for ReadStreamCmd {
 	type Variant = OwnedVariant;
 	type Data = ();
+	fn reg_methods() -> MethodSetBuilder<Self> { MethodSetBuilder::new().handle::<StartCommand>() }
 }
 impl OwnedAtom for ReadStreamCmd {
 	type Refs = Never;
 	async fn val(&self) -> Cow<'_, Self::Data> { Cow::Owned(()) }
 }
-impl Supports<RunCommand> for ReadStreamCmd {
+impl Supports<StartCommand> for ReadStreamCmd {
-	async fn handle<'a>(
+	async fn handle(&self, hand: Box<dyn ReqHandle>, req: StartCommand) -> io::Result<Receipt> {
-		&self,
+		let ret = 'ret: {
-		hand: Box<dyn orchid_base::ReqHandle<'a> + '_>,
+			let Some(read_res) = self.hand.call(ReadReq { limit: self.limit.clone() }).await else {
-		req: RunCommand,
+				break 'ret Err(mk_errv(
-	) -> io::Result<orchid_base::Receipt<'a>> {
+					is("Atom is not readable").await,
-		let ret = match self.hand.call(ReadReq { limit: self.limit.clone() }).await {
+					format!("Expected a readable stream handle, found {}", fmt(&self.hand).await),
-			None => Err(mk_errv(
+					[self.hand.pos()],
-				is("Atom is not readable").await,
+				));
-				format!("Expected a readable stream handle, found {}", fmt(&self.hand).await),
+			};
-				[self.hand.pos()],
+			let res = match read_res {
+				Err(e) => Err(mk_errv(
+					is(e.kind.message()).await,
+					format!("An error occurred while reading: {}", e.message),
+					[self.hand.pos(), self.succ.pos().await],
+				)),
+				Ok(v) if !self.as_str => Ok(new_atom(BlobAtom(Rc::new(v)))),
+				Ok(v) => match String::from_utf8(v) {
+					Ok(s) => Ok(new_atom(StrAtom(Rc::new(s)))),
+					Err(e) => Err(mk_errv(is("Invalid utf8 in input string").await, e.to_string(), [
+						self.hand.pos(),
+						self.succ.pos().await,
+					])),
+				},
+			};
+			Ok(match res {
+				Err(e) => call(self.fail.clone(), bot(e)),
+				Ok(gex) => call(self.succ.clone(), gex),
+			})
+		};
+		hand.reply(&req, Some(serialize(ret.to_gen().await).await)).await
+	}
+}
+
+#[derive(Clone, Debug)]
+pub enum WriteAction {
+	Write(Rc<Vec<u8>>),
+	Flush,
+	Close,
+}
+
+#[derive(Clone, Debug)]
+pub struct WriteStreamCmd {
+	pub hand: ForeignAtom,
+	pub action: WriteAction,
+	pub succ: Expr,
+	pub fail: Expr,
+}
+impl Atomic for WriteStreamCmd {
+	type Variant = OwnedVariant;
+	type Data = ();
+	fn reg_methods() -> MethodSetBuilder<Self> { MethodSetBuilder::new().handle::<StartCommand>() }
+}
+impl OwnedAtom for WriteStreamCmd {
+	type Refs = Never;
+	async fn val(&self) -> Cow<'_, Self::Data> { Cow::Owned(()) }
+}
+impl Supports<StartCommand> for WriteStreamCmd {
+	async fn handle(&self, hand: Box<dyn ReqHandle>, req: StartCommand) -> io::Result<Receipt> {
+		let result = match &self.action {
+			WriteAction::Write(bin) => self.hand.call(WriteReq { data: bin.to_vec() }).await,
+			WriteAction::Flush => self.hand.call(FlushReq).await,
+			WriteAction::Close => self.hand.call(CloseReq).await,
+		};
+		let cont = match result {
+			None => bot(mk_errv(
+				is("Not a writer").await,
+				format!("{} cannot be written to", fmt(&self.hand).await),
+				[self.hand.pos(), self.succ.pos().await],
 			)),
-			Some(Err(e)) => Ok(
+			Some(Err(e)) =>
 				call(
 					self.fail.clone(),
 					bot(mk_errv(
 						is(e.kind.message()).await,
-						format!("An error occurred while reading: {}", e.message),
+						format!("An error occurred while writing: {}", e.message),
 						[self.hand.pos(), self.succ.pos().await],
 					)),
 				)
 				.await,
-			),
+			Some(Ok(())) => self.succ.clone().to_gen().await,
-			Some(Ok(v)) => Ok(call(self.succ.clone(), new_atom(BlobAtom(Rc::new(v)))).await),
 		};
-		hand.reply(&req, &Some(serialize(ret.to_gen().await).await)).await
+		hand.reply(&req, Some(serialize(cont.to_gen().await).await)).await
 	}
 }

orchid-std/src/std/stream/stream_lib.rs

@@ -1,22 +1,26 @@
 use std::num::NonZero;
 use std::rc::Rc;
 
+use itertools::Itertools;
 use orchid_base::{is, mk_errv};
 use orchid_extension::gen_expr::{call, new_atom};
 use orchid_extension::std_reqs::ReadLimit;
 use orchid_extension::tree::{GenMember, comments, fun, prefix};
-use orchid_extension::{Expr, ForeignAtom, get_arg};
+use orchid_extension::{Expr, ForeignAtom, TAtom, get_arg};
 
-use crate::Int;
 use crate::std::binary::binary_atom::BlobAtom;
-use crate::std::stream::stream_cmds::ReadStreamCmd;
+use crate::std::stream::stream_cmds::{ReadStreamCmd, WriteAction, WriteStreamCmd};
+use crate::{Int, OrcString};
 
 pub fn gen_stream_lib() -> Vec<GenMember> {
 	prefix("std", [comments(
 		["Read from and write to byte streams"],
 		prefix("stream", [
 			fun(true, "read_bin", async |hand: ForeignAtom, succ: Expr, fail: Expr| {
-				new_atom(ReadStreamCmd { hand, succ, fail, limit: ReadLimit::End })
+				new_atom(ReadStreamCmd { hand, succ, fail, as_str: false, limit: ReadLimit::End })
+			}),
+			fun(true, "read_str", async |hand: ForeignAtom, succ: Expr, fail: Expr| {
+				new_atom(ReadStreamCmd { hand, succ, fail, as_str: true, limit: ReadLimit::End })
 			}),
 			fun(true, "read_until", async |hand: ForeignAtom, delim: Int, succ: Expr, fail: Expr| {
 				let Ok(end) = delim.0.try_into() else {
@@ -29,12 +33,15 @@ pub fn gen_stream_lib() -> Vec<GenMember> {
 						[get_arg(1).pos().await],
 					));
 				};
-				Ok(new_atom(ReadStreamCmd { hand, succ, fail, limit: ReadLimit::Delimiter(end) }))
+				let limit = ReadLimit::Delimiter(end);
+				Ok(new_atom(ReadStreamCmd { hand, succ, fail, as_str: false, limit }))
 			}),
 			fun(true, "read_bytes", async |hand: ForeignAtom, count: Int, succ: Expr, fail: Expr| {
 				match count.0.try_into().map(NonZero::new) {
-					Ok(Some(nzlen)) =>
+					Ok(Some(nzlen)) => {
-						Ok(new_atom(ReadStreamCmd { hand, succ, fail, limit: ReadLimit::Length(nzlen) })),
+						let limit = ReadLimit::Length(nzlen);
+						Ok(new_atom(ReadStreamCmd { hand, succ, fail, as_str: false, limit }))
+					},
 					Ok(None) => Ok(call(succ, new_atom(BlobAtom(Rc::default()))).await),
 					Err(_) => Err(mk_errv(
 						is("Length cannot be negative").await,
@@ -43,6 +50,28 @@ pub fn gen_stream_lib() -> Vec<GenMember> {
 					)),
 				}
 			}),
+			fun(true, "read_line", async |hand: ForeignAtom, succ: Expr, fail: Expr| {
+				const LIMIT_BR: ReadLimit = ReadLimit::Delimiter(b'\n');
+				new_atom(ReadStreamCmd { hand, succ, fail, as_str: true, limit: LIMIT_BR })
+			}),
+			fun(true, "write_str", async |hand: ForeignAtom, str: OrcString, succ: Expr, fail: Expr| {
+				let action = WriteAction::Write(Rc::new(str.get_string().await.bytes().collect_vec()));
+				new_atom(WriteStreamCmd { hand, action, succ, fail })
+			}),
+			fun(
+				true,
+				"write_bin",
+				async |hand: ForeignAtom, bin: TAtom<BlobAtom>, succ: Expr, fail: Expr| {
+					let action = WriteAction::Write(bin.own().await.0.clone());
+					new_atom(WriteStreamCmd { hand, action, succ, fail })
+				},
+			),
+			fun(true, "flush", async |hand: ForeignAtom, succ: Expr, fail: Expr| {
+				new_atom(WriteStreamCmd { hand, action: WriteAction::Flush, succ, fail })
+			}),
+			fun(true, "close", async |hand: ForeignAtom, succ: Expr, fail: Expr| {
+				new_atom(WriteStreamCmd { hand, action: WriteAction::Close, succ, fail })
+			}),
 		]),
 	)])
 }

orchid-std/src/std/string/str_atom.rs

@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ impl AtomMethod for StringGetValMethod {
 }
 
 #[derive(Clone)]
-pub struct StrAtom(Rc<String>);
+pub struct StrAtom(pub(crate) Rc<String>);
 impl Atomic for StrAtom {
 	type Variant = OwnedVariant;
 	type Data = ();
@@ -60,39 +60,39 @@ impl OwnedAtom for StrAtom {
 	}
 }
 impl Supports<StringGetValMethod> for StrAtom {
-	async fn handle<'a>(
+	async fn handle(
 		&self,
-		hand: Box<dyn ReqHandle<'a> + '_>,
+		hand: Box<dyn ReqHandle>,
 		req: StringGetValMethod,
-	) -> io::Result<Receipt<'a>> {
+	) -> io::Result<Receipt> {
-		hand.reply(&req, &self.0).await
+		hand.reply(&req, self.0.clone()).await
 	}
 }
 impl Supports<ToStringMethod> for StrAtom {
-	async fn handle<'a>(
+	async fn handle(
 		&self,
-		hand: Box<dyn ReqHandle<'a> + '_>,
+		hand: Box<dyn ReqHandle>,
 		req: ToStringMethod,
-	) -> io::Result<Receipt<'a>> {
+	) -> io::Result<Receipt> {
-		hand.reply(&req, &self.0).await
+		hand.reply(&req, self.0.to_string()).await
 	}
 }
 impl Supports<ProtocolMethod> for StrAtom {
-	async fn handle<'a>(
+	async fn handle(
 		&self,
-		hand: Box<dyn ReqHandle<'a> + '_>,
+		hand: Box<dyn ReqHandle>,
 		req: ProtocolMethod,
-	) -> io::Result<Receipt<'a>> {
+	) -> io::Result<Receipt> {
 		match req {
-			ProtocolMethod::GetTagId(req) => hand.reply(&req, &sym!(std::string::StrAtom).to_api()).await,
+			ProtocolMethod::GetTagId(req) => hand.reply(&req, sym!(std::string::StrAtom).to_api()).await,
 			ProtocolMethod::GetImpl(ref req @ GetImpl(key)) => {
 				let name = Sym::from_api(key).await;
 				let val = if name == sym!(std::ops::add) {
 					sym!(std::string::concat)
 				} else {
-					return hand.reply(req, &None).await;
+					return hand.reply(req, None).await;
 				};
-				hand.reply(req, &Some(val.to_expr().await.serialize().await)).await
+				hand.reply(req, Some(val.to_expr().await.serialize().await)).await
 			},
 		}
 	}
@@ -130,31 +130,31 @@ impl TryFromExpr for IntStrAtom {
 	}
 }
 impl Supports<ToStringMethod> for IntStrAtom {
-	async fn handle<'a>(
+	async fn handle(
 		&self,
-		hand: Box<dyn ReqHandle<'a> + '_>,
+		hand: Box<dyn ReqHandle>,
 		req: ToStringMethod,
-	) -> io::Result<Receipt<'a>> {
+	) -> io::Result<Receipt> {
-		hand.reply(&req, &self.0.rc()).await
+		hand.reply(&req, self.0.to_string()).await
 	}
 }
 impl Supports<ProtocolMethod> for IntStrAtom {
-	async fn handle<'a>(
+	async fn handle(
 		&self,
-		hand: Box<dyn ReqHandle<'a> + '_>,
+		hand: Box<dyn ReqHandle>,
 		req: ProtocolMethod,
-	) -> io::Result<Receipt<'a>> {
+	) -> io::Result<Receipt> {
 		match req {
 			ProtocolMethod::GetTagId(req) =>
-				hand.reply(&req, &sym!(std::string::IntStrAtom).to_api()).await,
+				hand.reply(&req, sym!(std::string::IntStrAtom).to_api()).await,
 			ProtocolMethod::GetImpl(ref req @ GetImpl(key)) => {
 				let name = Sym::from_api(key).await;
 				let val = if name == sym!(std::ops::add) {
 					sym!(std::string::concat)
 				} else {
-					return hand.reply(req, &None).await;
+					return hand.reply(req, None).await;
 				};
-				hand.reply(req, &Some(val.to_expr().await.serialize().await)).await
+				hand.reply(req, Some(val.to_expr().await.serialize().await)).await
 			},
 		}
 	}

orchid-std/src/std/time.rs

@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ use orchid_api_derive::{Coding, Hierarchy};
 use orchid_api_traits::Request;
 use orchid_base::{Numeric, OrcRes, Receipt, ReqHandle, ReqHandleExt};
 use orchid_extension::gen_expr::{GExpr, call, new_atom, serialize};
-use orchid_extension::std_reqs::{AsInstant, RunCommand};
+use orchid_extension::std_reqs::{AsInstant, StartCommand};
 use orchid_extension::tree::{GenMember, fun, prefix};
 use orchid_extension::{
 	Atomic, Expr, MethodSetBuilder, OwnedAtom, OwnedVariant, Supports, TAtom, ThinAtom, ThinVariant,
@@ -55,12 +55,8 @@ impl OwnedAtom for InstantAtom {
 	async fn val(&self) -> Cow<'_, Self::Data> { Cow::Owned(()) }
 }
 impl Supports<AsInstant> for InstantAtom {
-	async fn handle<'a>(
+	async fn handle(&self, hand: Box<dyn ReqHandle>, req: AsInstant) -> std::io::Result<Receipt> {
-		&self,
+		hand.reply(&req, self.0).await
-		hand: Box<dyn ReqHandle<'a> + '_>,
-		req: AsInstant,
-	) -> std::io::Result<Receipt<'a>> {
-		hand.reply(&req, &self.0).await
 	}
 }
 
@@ -69,20 +65,16 @@ struct Now(Expr);
 impl Atomic for Now {
 	type Variant = OwnedVariant;
 	type Data = ();
-	fn reg_methods() -> MethodSetBuilder<Self> { MethodSetBuilder::new().handle::<RunCommand>() }
+	fn reg_methods() -> MethodSetBuilder<Self> { MethodSetBuilder::new().handle::<StartCommand>() }
 }
 impl OwnedAtom for Now {
 	type Refs = Never;
 	async fn val(&self) -> Cow<'_, Self::Data> { Cow::Owned(()) }
 }
-impl Supports<RunCommand> for Now {
+impl Supports<StartCommand> for Now {
-	async fn handle<'a>(
+	async fn handle(&self, hand: Box<dyn ReqHandle>, req: StartCommand) -> io::Result<Receipt> {
-		&self,
-		hand: Box<dyn ReqHandle<'a> + '_>,
-		req: RunCommand,
-	) -> io::Result<Receipt<'a>> {
 		let cont = serialize(call(self.0.clone(), new_atom(InstantAtom(Utc::now()))).await).await;
-		hand.reply(&req, &Some(cont)).await
+		hand.reply(&req, Some(cont)).await
 	}
 }
 

orchid-std/src/std/tuple.rs

@@ -48,13 +48,13 @@ impl OwnedAtom for Tuple {
 	}
 }
 impl Supports<ProtocolMethod> for Tuple {
-	async fn handle<'a>(
+	async fn handle(
 		&self,
-		hand: Box<dyn orchid_base::ReqHandle<'a> + '_>,
+		hand: Box<dyn orchid_base::ReqHandle>,
 		req: ProtocolMethod,
-	) -> std::io::Result<orchid_base::Receipt<'a>> {
+	) -> std::io::Result<orchid_base::Receipt> {
 		match req {
-			ProtocolMethod::GetTagId(req) => hand.reply(&req, &sym!(std::tuple).to_api()).await,
+			ProtocolMethod::GetTagId(req) => hand.reply(&req, sym!(std::tuple).to_api()).await,
 			ProtocolMethod::GetImpl(ref req @ GetImpl(key)) => {
 				let name = Sym::from_api(key).await;
 				let val = if name == sym!(std::ops::get) {
@@ -62,9 +62,9 @@ impl Supports<ProtocolMethod> for Tuple {
 				} else if name == sym!(std::ops::set) {
 					sym!(std::tuple::set)
 				} else {
-					return hand.reply(req, &None).await;
+					return hand.reply(req, None).await;
 				};
-				hand.reply(req, &Some(val.to_expr().await.serialize().await)).await
+				hand.reply(req, Some(val.to_expr().await.serialize().await)).await
 			},
 		}
 	}

orcx/src/main.rs

@@ -163,7 +163,7 @@ pub enum Commands {
 	/// Execute effectful Orchid code
 	Exec {
 		/// Entrypoint or startup command
-		#[arg()]
+		#[arg(long)]
 		main: String,
 	},
 }
@@ -288,11 +288,7 @@ impl ox::SystemCtor for StdIoSystem {
 }
 impl ox::System for StdIoSystem {
 	type Ctor = Self;
-	async fn request<'a>(
+	async fn request(&self, _: Box<dyn ReqHandle>, req: ox::ReqForSystem<Self>) -> Receipt {
-		&self,
-		_: Box<dyn ReqHandle<'a> + 'a>,
-		req: ox::ReqForSystem<Self>,
-	) -> Receipt<'a> {
 		match req {}
 	}
 	async fn env(&self) -> Vec<ox::tree::GenMember> {
@@ -450,20 +446,21 @@ fn main() -> io::Result<ExitCode> {
 							let io_ext_init = ext_inline(io_ext_builder, ctx.clone()).await;
 							let io_ext =
 								Extension::new(io_ext_init, ctx.clone()).await.map_err(|e| e.to_string())?;
-							let io_ctor = (io_ext.system_ctors().find(|ctor| ctor.name() == "orchid::cmd"))
+							let io_ctor = (io_ext.system_ctors().find(|ctor| ctor.name() == "orcx::stdio"))
-								.expect("Missing command system ctor");
+								.expect("Missing io system ctor");
 							let (io_root, io_system) = io_ctor.run(vec![]).await;
 							root = root.merge(&io_root).await.expect("Failed to merge stdio root into tree");
 							systems.push(io_system);
 							extensions.push(io_ext);
+							let mut crun = CmdRunner::new(&mut root, ctx.clone(), []).await;
+							systems.push(crun.sys().clone());
 							load_proj_if_set(&mut root, &args, ctx).await?;
 							add_const_at(&mut root, ctx, &systems[..], path.clone(), is(main).await).await?;
-							let expr = ExprKind::Const(path.clone()).at(SrcRange::zw(path.clone(), 0).pos());
+							crun.push(ExprKind::Const(path.clone()).at(SrcRange::zw(path.clone(), 0).pos()));
-							let mut crun = CmdRunner::new(root, ctx.clone(), [expr]).await;
 							if !args.no_gas {
 								crun.set_gas(args.gas);
 							}
-							match crun.execute().await {
+							match crun.execute(&root).await {
 								CmdEvent::Exit | CmdEvent::Settled => (),
 								CmdEvent::Err(e) => println!("error: {e}"),
 								CmdEvent::Gas => println!("Exceeded gas limit of {}", args.gas),