Wireshark-dev: Re: [Wireshark-dev] What is the best way to locate [GLib CRITICAL] -- g_string_f

From: Roland Knall <rknall@xxxxxxxxx>
Date: Sat, 24 Dec 2022 09:42:17 +0100
Also, more on the point, we have our own memory management system called wmem in which you allocate stuff within a scope and Wireshark handles freeing up the memory. 

Look for a README.wmem underneath /doc as well as the Wireshark developer guide for usage and the examples

Cheers
Roland

> Am 24.12.2022 um 07:40 schrieb Guy Harris <gharris@xxxxxxxxx>:
> 
> On Dec 23, 2022, at 4:17 PM, <jayrturner99@xxxxxxxxx> <jayrturner99@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> 
>> I run Wireshark 4.1.0 with my plugin dissector. It runs well, dissects packets, reports issues, and behaves as expected. I can load a capture file, that has packets of my protocol, exit Wireshark, and get no output to the command line. I can load another capture file, that has packets of my protocol, and get many many errors like:
>> ** (wireshark:nnnnn) hh:mm:ss.fffffff [GLib CRITICAL] -- g_string_free: assertion 'string != NULL' failed
>> where:
>>    • nnnnn is always the same number within a single run of Wireshark, and changes from run to run.
> 
> It's the process ID of the process running Wireshark.
> 
>>    • The timestamps can be 0.01 to 0.03 seconds apart and give me more than 60 in a second.
> 
> The code that's trying to free something "pointed to" by a null pointer is being executed many times within a second.
> 
>>    • The list is output whenever I run a display filter or clear the display filter.
> 
> The packets are redirected when that happens, so it's probably happening within a dissector.
> 
>>    • The list seems to be the same size whether the filter returns all packets, or some, or even two.
> 
> When a display filter is applied, it's applied to *all* packets.
> 
>> Maybe it is getting this error in my dissector or in another one.
> 
> Almost certainly.  My guess is that it's your dissector; what happens if you remove your dissector?
> 
>> Is the error saying that it is trying to free a non-null string that has already been freed?
> 
> The beginning of g_string_free() is
> 
>    gchar *
>    g_string_free (GString  *string,
>                   gboolean  free_segment)
>    {
>      gchar *segment; 
> 
>      g_return_val_if_fail (string != NULL, NULL);
> 
> and the g_return_val_if_fail() call is what's failing.
> 
>> In any event, are there any recommendations for trying to locate this error?
> 
> Look for all places in your code where you're calling g_string_free() and make sure they can't be called with a null pointer.
> ___________________________________________________________________________
> Sent via:    Wireshark-dev mailing list <wireshark-dev@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> Archives:    https://www.wireshark.org/lists/wireshark-dev
> Unsubscribe: https://www.wireshark.org/mailman/options/wireshark-dev
>             mailto:wireshark-dev-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx?subject=unsubscribe