IOCommandGate


Abstract: Single-threaded work-loop client request mechanism.

An IOCommandGate instance is an extremely light way mechanism that executes an action on the driver's work-loop. 'On the work-loop' is actually a lie but the work-loop single threaded semantic is maintained for this event source. Using the work-loop gate rather than execution by the workloop. The command gate tests for a potential self dead lock by checking if the runCommand request is made from the work-loop's thread, it doens't check for a mutual dead lock though where a pair of work loop's dead lock each other.

The IOCommandGate is a lighter weight version of the IOCommandQueue and should be used in preference. Generally use a command queue whenever you need a client to submit a request to a work loop. A typical command gate action would check if the hardware is active, if so it will add the request to a pending queue internal to the device or the device's family. Otherwise if the hardware is inactive then this request can be acted upon immediately.

CAUTION: The runAction and runCommand functions can not be called from an interrupt context.



© 2000 Apple Computer, Inc. — (Last Updated 2/23/2000)