Improve contact persistence with debounced saving

examples/companion_radio/MyMesh.cpp

@@ -80,7 +80,8 @@
 #define FLOOD_SEND_TIMEOUT_FACTOR       16.0f
 #define DIRECT_SEND_PERHOP_FACTOR       6.0f
 #define DIRECT_SEND_PERHOP_EXTRA_MILLIS 250
-#define LAZY_CONTACTS_WRITE_DELAY       5000
+#define CONTACTS_SAVE_QUIET_WINDOW_MS   60000   // save after this period (1 minute) of no structural changes
+#define CONTACTS_SAVE_MAX_WINDOW_MS     300000  // but never delay beyond this total coalesce window (5 minutes)
 
 #define PUBLIC_GROUP_PSK                "izOH6cXN6mrJ5e26oRXNcg=="
 
@@ -127,6 +128,15 @@ void MyMesh::writeDisabledFrame() {
   _serial->writeFrame(buf, 1);
 }
 
+void MyMesh::markContactsChanged() {
+  unsigned long now = _ms->getMillis();
+  contacts_last_change = now;
+  if (!contacts_dirty) {
+    contacts_dirty = true;
+    contacts_first_change = now;
+  }
+}
+
 void MyMesh::writeContactRespFrame(uint8_t code, const ContactInfo &contact) {
   int i = 0;
   out_frame[i++] = code;
@@ -268,8 +278,6 @@ void MyMesh::onDiscoveredContact(ContactInfo &contact, bool is_new, uint8_t path
     p->path_len = path_len;
     memcpy(p->path, path, p->path_len);
   }
-
-  dirty_contacts_expiry = futureMillis(LAZY_CONTACTS_WRITE_DELAY);
 }
 
 static int sort_by_recent(const void *a, const void *b) {
@@ -290,8 +298,10 @@ void MyMesh::onContactPathUpdated(const ContactInfo &contact) {
   out_frame[0] = PUSH_CODE_PATH_UPDATED;
   memcpy(&out_frame[1], contact.id.pub_key, PUB_KEY_SIZE);
   _serial->writeFrame(out_frame, 1 + PUB_KEY_SIZE); // NOTE: app may not be connected
+}
 
-  dirty_contacts_expiry = futureMillis(LAZY_CONTACTS_WRITE_DELAY);
+void MyMesh::onContactDataChanged(const ContactInfo& contact) {
+  markContactsChanged();
 }
 
 bool MyMesh::processAck(const uint8_t *data) {
@@ -374,8 +384,6 @@ void MyMesh::onCommandDataRecv(const ContactInfo &from, mesh::Packet *pkt, uint3
 void MyMesh::onSignedMessageRecv(const ContactInfo &from, mesh::Packet *pkt, uint32_t sender_timestamp,
                                  const uint8_t *sender_prefix, const char *text) {
   markConnectionActive(from);
-  // from.sync_since change needs to be persisted
-  dirty_contacts_expiry = futureMillis(LAZY_CONTACTS_WRITE_DELAY);
   queueMessage(from, TXT_TYPE_SIGNED_PLAIN, pkt, sender_timestamp, sender_prefix, 4, text);
 }
 
@@ -641,7 +649,8 @@ MyMesh::MyMesh(mesh::Radio &radio, mesh::RNG &rng, mesh::RTCClock &rtc, SimpleMe
   clearPendingReqs();
   next_ack_idx = 0;
   sign_data = NULL;
-  dirty_contacts_expiry = 0;
+  contacts_dirty = false;
+  contacts_last_change = contacts_first_change = 0;
   memset(advert_paths, 0, sizeof(advert_paths));
 
   // defaults
@@ -940,8 +949,7 @@ void MyMesh::handleCmdFrame(size_t len) {
     ContactInfo *recipient = lookupContactByPubKey(pub_key, PUB_KEY_SIZE);
     if (recipient) {
       recipient->out_path_len = -1;
-      // recipient->lastmod = ??   shouldn't be needed, app already has this version of contact
-      dirty_contacts_expiry = futureMillis(LAZY_CONTACTS_WRITE_DELAY);
+      markContactsChanged();
       writeOKFrame();
     } else {
       writeErrFrame(ERR_CODE_NOT_FOUND); // unknown contact
@@ -953,15 +961,15 @@ void MyMesh::handleCmdFrame(size_t len) {
     if (recipient) {
       updateContactFromFrame(*recipient, last_mod, cmd_frame, len);
       recipient->lastmod = last_mod;
-      dirty_contacts_expiry = futureMillis(LAZY_CONTACTS_WRITE_DELAY);
+      markContactsChanged();
       writeOKFrame();
     } else {
       ContactInfo contact;
       updateContactFromFrame(contact, last_mod, cmd_frame, len);
       contact.lastmod = last_mod;
       contact.sync_since = 0;
       if (addContact(contact)) {
-        dirty_contacts_expiry = futureMillis(LAZY_CONTACTS_WRITE_DELAY);
+        markContactsChanged();
         writeOKFrame();
       } else {
         writeErrFrame(ERR_CODE_TABLE_FULL);
@@ -971,7 +979,7 @@ void MyMesh::handleCmdFrame(size_t len) {
     uint8_t *pub_key = &cmd_frame[1];
     ContactInfo *recipient = lookupContactByPubKey(pub_key, PUB_KEY_SIZE);
     if (recipient && removeContact(*recipient)) {
-      dirty_contacts_expiry = futureMillis(LAZY_CONTACTS_WRITE_DELAY);
+      markContactsChanged();
       writeOKFrame();
     } else {
       writeErrFrame(ERR_CODE_NOT_FOUND); // not found, or unable to remove
@@ -1116,9 +1124,7 @@ void MyMesh::handleCmdFrame(size_t len) {
     savePrefs();
     writeOKFrame();
   } else if (cmd_frame[0] == CMD_REBOOT && memcmp(&cmd_frame[1], "reboot", 6) == 0) {
-    if (dirty_contacts_expiry) { // is there are pending dirty contacts write needed?
-      saveContacts();
-    }
+    saveContactsIfDirty();
     board.reboot();
   } else if (cmd_frame[0] == CMD_GET_BATT_AND_STORAGE) {
     uint8_t reply[11];
@@ -1587,6 +1593,7 @@ void MyMesh::checkCLIRescueCmd() {
       }
 
     } else if (strcmp(cli_command, "reboot") == 0) {
+      saveContactsIfDirty();
       board.reboot();  // doesn't return
     } else {
       Serial.println("  Error: unknown command");
@@ -1632,10 +1639,16 @@ void MyMesh::loop() {
     checkSerialInterface();
   }
 
-  // is there are pending dirty contacts write needed?
-  if (dirty_contacts_expiry && millisHasNowPassed(dirty_contacts_expiry)) {
-    saveContacts();
-    dirty_contacts_expiry = 0;
+  // Debounced save
+  if (contacts_dirty) {
+    unsigned long now = _ms->getMillis();
+    bool quiet_met = (now - contacts_last_change) >= CONTACTS_SAVE_QUIET_WINDOW_MS;
+    bool max_reached = (now - contacts_first_change) >= CONTACTS_SAVE_MAX_WINDOW_MS;
+    if (quiet_met || max_reached) {
+      saveContacts();
+      contacts_dirty = false;
+      contacts_last_change = contacts_first_change = 0;
+    }
   }
 
 #ifdef DISPLAY_CLASS

examples/companion_radio/MyMesh.h

@@ -101,6 +101,9 @@ class MyMesh : public BaseChatMesh, public DataStoreHost {
 
   int  getRecentlyHeard(AdvertPath dest[], int max_num);
 
+  bool isContactsDirty() const { return contacts_dirty; }
+  void flushContactsIfDirty() { saveContactsIfDirty(); }
+
 protected:
   float getAirtimeBudgetFactor() const override;
   int getInterferenceThreshold() const override;
@@ -112,6 +115,7 @@ class MyMesh : public BaseChatMesh, public DataStoreHost {
   bool onContactPathRecv(ContactInfo& from, uint8_t* in_path, uint8_t in_path_len, uint8_t* out_path, uint8_t out_path_len, uint8_t extra_type, uint8_t* extra, uint8_t extra_len) override;
   void onDiscoveredContact(ContactInfo &contact, bool is_new, uint8_t path_len, const uint8_t* path) override;
   void onContactPathUpdated(const ContactInfo &contact) override;
+  void onContactDataChanged(const ContactInfo& contact) override;
   bool processAck(const uint8_t *data) override;
   void queueMessage(const ContactInfo &from, uint8_t txt_type, mesh::Packet *pkt, uint32_t sender_timestamp,
                     const uint8_t *extra, int extra_len, const char *text);
@@ -136,6 +140,15 @@ class MyMesh : public BaseChatMesh, public DataStoreHost {
   uint32_t calcDirectTimeoutMillisFor(uint32_t pkt_airtime_millis, uint8_t path_len) const override;
   void onSendTimeout() override;
 
+  bool hasDirtyContacts() const { return contacts_dirty; }
+  void saveContactsIfDirty() {
+    if (contacts_dirty) {
+      saveContacts();
+      contacts_dirty = false;
+      contacts_last_change = contacts_first_change = 0;
+    }
+  }
+
   // DataStoreHost methods
   bool onContactLoaded(const ContactInfo& contact) override { return addContact(contact); }
   bool getContactForSave(uint32_t idx, ContactInfo& contact) override { return getContactByIdx(idx, contact); }
@@ -147,6 +160,7 @@ class MyMesh : public BaseChatMesh, public DataStoreHost {
   }
 
 private:
+  void markContactsChanged();
   void writeOKFrame();
   void writeErrFrame(uint8_t err_code);
   void writeDisabledFrame();
@@ -189,7 +203,10 @@ class MyMesh : public BaseChatMesh, public DataStoreHost {
   uint8_t app_target_ver;
   uint8_t *sign_data;
   uint32_t sign_data_len;
-  unsigned long dirty_contacts_expiry;
+
+  bool contacts_dirty;
+  unsigned long contacts_last_change;
+  unsigned long contacts_first_change;
 
   uint8_t cmd_frame[MAX_FRAME_SIZE + 1];
   uint8_t out_frame[MAX_FRAME_SIZE + 1];

examples/companion_radio/ui-new/UITask.cpp

@@ -472,9 +472,11 @@ void UITask::shutdown(bool restart){
   #endif // PIN_BUZZER
 
   if (restart) {
+    the_mesh.flushContactsIfDirty();
     _board->reboot();
   } else {
     _display->turnOff();
+    the_mesh.flushContactsIfDirty();
     _board->powerOff();
   }
 }

examples/companion_radio/ui-orig/UITask.cpp

@@ -292,10 +292,13 @@ void UITask::shutdown(bool restart){
 
   #endif // PIN_BUZZER
 
-  if (restart)
+  if (restart) {
+    the_mesh.flushContactsIfDirty();
     _board->reboot();
-  else
+  } else {
+    the_mesh.flushContactsIfDirty();
     _board->powerOff();
+  }
 }
 
 void UITask::loop() {

src/helpers/BaseChatMesh.cpp

@@ -118,6 +118,7 @@ void BaseChatMesh::onAdvertRecv(mesh::Packet* packet, const mesh::Identity& id,
   from->lastmod = getRTCClock()->getCurrentTime();
 
   onDiscoveredContact(*from, is_new, packet->path_len, packet->path);       // let UI know
+  onContactDataChanged(*from);
 }
 
 int BaseChatMesh::searchPeersByHash(const uint8_t* hash) {
@@ -183,6 +184,7 @@ void BaseChatMesh::onPeerDataRecv(mesh::Packet* packet, uint8_t type, int sender
     } else if (flags == TXT_TYPE_SIGNED_PLAIN) {
       if (timestamp > from.sync_since) {  // make sure 'sync_since' is up-to-date
         from.sync_since = timestamp;
+        onContactDataChanged(from);
       }
       onSignedMessageRecv(from, packet, timestamp, &data[5], (const char *) &data[9]);  // let UI know
 
@@ -245,6 +247,7 @@ bool BaseChatMesh::onContactPathRecv(ContactInfo& from, uint8_t* in_path, uint8_
   from.lastmod = getRTCClock()->getCurrentTime();
 
   onContactPathUpdated(from);
+  onContactDataChanged(from);
 
   if (extra_type == PAYLOAD_TYPE_ACK && extra_len >= 4) {
     // also got an encoded ACK!

src/helpers/BaseChatMesh.h

@@ -105,6 +105,7 @@ class BaseChatMesh : public mesh::Mesh {
   virtual void onChannelMessageRecv(const mesh::GroupChannel& channel, mesh::Packet* pkt, uint32_t timestamp, const char *text) = 0;
   virtual uint8_t onContactRequest(const ContactInfo& contact, uint32_t sender_timestamp, const uint8_t* data, uint8_t len, uint8_t* reply) = 0;
   virtual void onContactResponse(const ContactInfo& contact, const uint8_t* data, uint8_t len) = 0;
+  virtual void onContactDataChanged(const ContactInfo& contact) { }
 
   // storage concepts, for sub-classes to override/implement
   virtual int  getBlobByKey(const uint8_t key[], int key_len, uint8_t dest_buf[]) { return 0; }  // not implemented