src/obikmer/src/cli.rs

@@ -42,6 +42,10 @@ pub struct CommonArgs {
             .unwrap_or(1)
     )]
     pub threads: usize,
+
+    /// Maximum number of input files open simultaneously during scatter
+    #[arg(long, default_value_t = 20)]
+    pub max_open_files: usize,
 }
 
 /// Smallest `b` such that `2^b >= n` (i.e. `n.next_power_of_two().ilog2()`).

src/obikmer/src/cmd/index.rs

@@ -105,7 +105,8 @@ pub fn run(args: IndexArgs) {
         let theta     = args.common.theta;
         let n_workers = args.common.threads.max(1);
 
-        scatter(idx.partition_mut(), args.common.seqfile_paths(), k, level_max, theta, n_workers, &mut rep);
+        let max_open = args.common.max_open_files.max(1);
+        scatter(idx.partition_mut(), args.common.seqfile_paths(), k, level_max, theta, n_workers, max_open, &mut rep);
 
         idx.mark_scattered().unwrap_or_else(|e| {
             eprintln!("error marking scatter done: {e}");

src/obikmer/src/steps/scatter.rs

@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 use std::path::PathBuf;
+use std::sync::{Arc, Condvar, Mutex};
 use std::time::{Duration, Instant};
 
 use indicatif::{ProgressBar, ProgressStyle};
@@ -8,23 +9,68 @@ use tracing::info;
 
 use crate::cli::{PipelineData, open_chunks};
 
+// ── Counting semaphore ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+struct Semaphore {
+    state: Mutex<usize>,
+    cvar:  Condvar,
+}
+
+impl Semaphore {
+    fn new(n: usize) -> Arc<Self> {
+        Arc::new(Self { state: Mutex::new(n), cvar: Condvar::new() })
+    }
+    fn acquire(self: &Arc<Self>) {
+        let mut n = self.state.lock().unwrap();
+        while *n == 0 { n = self.cvar.wait(n).unwrap(); }
+        *n -= 1;
+    }
+    fn release(self: &Arc<Self>) {
+        *self.state.lock().unwrap() += 1;
+        self.cvar.notify_one();
+    }
+}
+
+struct SemGuard(Arc<Semaphore>);
+impl Drop for SemGuard {
+    fn drop(&mut self) { self.0.release(); }
+}
+
+/// Iterator wrapper that holds a semaphore permit for its lifetime.
+/// The permit is released when the iterator is exhausted or dropped.
+struct GuardedIter<I> {
+    inner:  I,
+    _guard: SemGuard,
+}
+impl<I: Iterator> Iterator for GuardedIter<I> {
+    type Item = I::Item;
+    fn next(&mut self) -> Option<Self::Item> { self.inner.next() }
+}
+
 /// Run scatter: normalise → build superkmers → route to partition → close.
 /// Reports the "scatter" stage to `rep`.
 pub fn scatter(
     kp: &mut KmerPartition,
-    path_source: impl Iterator<Item = std::path::PathBuf> + Send + 'static,
+    path_source: impl Iterator<Item = PathBuf> + Send + 'static,
     k: usize,
     level_max: usize,
     theta: f64,
     n_workers: usize,
+    max_open: usize,
     rep: &mut Reporter,
 ) {
     use obikseq::RoutableSuperKmer;
 
+    let sem = Semaphore::new(max_open);
+
     let t = Stage::start("scatter");
     let pipe = obipipeline::make_pipe! {
         PipelineData : PathBuf => Vec<RoutableSuperKmer>,
-        ||? { |path: PathBuf| { info!("indexing: {}", path.display()); open_chunks(path) } } : Path => RawChunk,
+        ||? { move |path: PathBuf| {
+            sem.acquire();
+            info!("indexing: {}", path.display());
+            open_chunks(path).map(|iter| GuardedIter { inner: iter, _guard: SemGuard(Arc::clone(&sem)) })
+        }} : Path => RawChunk,
         |?  { move |rope| obiread::normalize_sequence_chunk(rope, k) }                : RawChunk => NormChunk,
         |   { move |rope| obiskbuilder::build_superkmers(rope, k, level_max, theta) }: NormChunk => Batch,
     };