Tweaks to the writer, including documentation.

server/websocket/writer.go

@@ -10,22 +10,34 @@ import (
 )
 
 type writer struct {
+	// conn is the websocket connection that this writer is responsible for writing on.
 	conn *websocket.Conn
+	// channel is the channel used to receive server messages to be sent to the client.
+	// When it receives a SocketClosed, the process on the sending end promises not to send any further messages, as the writer will close it right after.
 	channel chan ServerMessage
+	// readNotifications is the channel used to receive pings when the reader receives a message, so that a ping will be sent out before the reader is ready to time out.
+	// When it is closed, the reader has shut down.
 	readNotifications <-chan time.Duration
-	timer             *time.Ticker
+	// timer is the timer used to send pings when the reader is close to timing out, to make sure the other end of the connection is still listening.
+	timer *time.Timer
+	// logger is the logger used to record the state of the writer, primarily in Debug level.
 	logger *zap.Logger
 }
 
+// act is the function responsible for actually doing the writing.
 func (w *writer) act() {
 	defer w.gracefulShutdown()
 	w.logger.Debug("Starting up")
-	w.timer = time.NewTicker(PingDelay)
+	w.timer = time.NewTimer(PingDelay)
 	for {
 		select {
 		case _, open := <-w.readNotifications:
 			if open {
 				w.logger.Debug("Received reader read, extending ping")
+				if !w.timer.Stop() {
+					// The timer went off while we were doing this, so drain the channel before resetting
+					<-w.timer.C
+				}
 				w.timer.Reset(PingDelay)
 			} else {
 				w.logger.Debug("Received reader close, shutting down")
@@ -46,6 +58,7 @@ func (w *writer) act() {
 			}
 		case <-w.timer.C:
 			w.sendPing()
+			w.timer.Reset(PingDelay)
 		}
 		w.logger.Debug("Awakening handled, resuming listening")
 	}
@@ -83,6 +96,8 @@ func (w *writer) send(msg ServerMessage) {
 	}
 }
 
+// sendClose sends a close message on the websocket connection, but does not actually close the connection.
+// It does, however, close the incoming message channel.
 func (w *writer) sendClose(msg SocketClosed) {
 	w.logger.Debug("Shutting down the writer channel")
 	close(w.channel)
@@ -94,6 +109,7 @@ func (w *writer) sendClose(msg SocketClosed) {
 	}
 }
 
+// sendPing sends a ping message on the websocket connection. The content is arbitrary.
 func (w *writer) sendPing() {
 	w.logger.Debug("Sending ping")
 	err := w.conn.WriteControl(websocket.PingMessage, []byte("are you still there?"), time.Now().Add(ControlTimeLimit))
@@ -104,12 +120,12 @@ func (w *writer) sendPing() {
 
 // gracefulShutdown causes the writer to wait for the close handshake to finish and then shut down.
 // It waits for the reader's readNotifications to close, indicating that it has also shut down, and for the channel to
-// receive a SocketClosed message indicating that the client has shut down.
+// receive a SocketClosed message indicating that the main process has shut down.
 // During this time, the writer ignores all other messages from the channel and sends no pings.
 func (w *writer) gracefulShutdown() {
 	defer w.finalShutdown()
+	w.timer = nil
 	w.logger.Debug("Waiting for all channels to shut down")
-	w.timer.Stop()
 	for {
 		if w.channel == nil && w.readNotifications == nil {
 			w.logger.Debug("All channels closed, beginning final shutdown")
@@ -134,6 +150,7 @@ func (w *writer) gracefulShutdown() {
 	}
 }
 
+// finalShutdown closes the socket and finishes cleanup.
 func (w *writer) finalShutdown() {
 	w.logger.Debug("Closing WebSocket connection")
 	err := w.conn.Close()