Python - Multiprocessing Error 'cannot start a process twice'

Question

I try to develop an algorithm using multiprocessing package in Python, i learn some tutorial from internet and try to develop an algorithm with this package. After looking around and try my 'hello world' using Process, Queue and Pool, i try to implement the Queue on this code

def main(queue):
   d = ...
   k = ...
   filename, patname, txt, pat = ...
   R = queue
   processes = []

   for j in range(k-1):
        processes.append(Process(target=sim, args=(int(j * d), int((j+1) * d), txt, pat, filename, patname, R, )))

   # processes.append(Process(target=sim, args=(int(j * d), len(txt), txt, pat, filename, patname, R, )))       

   for pr in processes:
        pr.start()

   for pr in processes:
        pr.join()

   while not R.empty():
        print (R.get())

if __name__ == '__main__':
    R = Queue()
    main(R)

But, got error like:

AssertionError: Cannot start a process twice

Can somebody please help with this issue

full output:

sim(e_original.txt, e_modify0%.txt) = 0.000000
sim(e_original.txt, e_modify0%.txt) = 0.000000
1
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "measure.py", line 108, in <module>
    main()
  File "measure.py", line 98, in main
    pr.start()
  File "C:\Python27\lib\multiprocessing\process.py", line 120, in start
    assert self._popen is None, 'cannot start a process twice'
AssertionError: cannot start a process twice
sim(e_original.txt, e_modify0%.txt) = 0.000000

Answer 1

You get the assertion because you call start on a single Process object multiple times. Your example has an indentation error with that second process.append and I'm assuming that the line shouldn't be there at all. Notice that the for loop where you start the processes is inside the upper for loop so it is executed for every process you create. On the second time through the loop, for example, you create the second process and then try to start the first process again. Just move the start code out of the upper for loop.

processes = []

for j in range(k-1):
    processes.append(Process(target=sim, args=(int(j * d), int((j+1) * d), txt, pat, filename, patname, R, )))

for pr in processes:
    pr.start()

for pr in processes:
    pr.join()

while not R.empty():
    print (R.get())