evc_wait.html   [plain text]


<h2>evc_wait</h2>
<hr>
<p>
<strong>System Trap</strong> - Wait for a kernel (device) signalled event.
<h3>SYNOPSIS</h3>
<pre>
<strong>kern_return_t	evc_wait</strong>
		<strong>(unsigned int</strong>	<var>event</var><strong>);</strong>
</pre>
<h3>PARAMETERS</h3>
<dl>
<dt> <var>event</var>
<dd>
[in scalar] The task local event ID of the kernel event object.
</dl>
<h3>DESCRIPTION</h3>
<p>
The <strong>evc_wait</strong> function causes the invoking thread to wait until the
specified kernel (device) generated <var>event</var> occurs. Device drivers
(typically mapped devices intended to be supported by user space
drivers) may supply an <var>event</var> service.  The <var>event</var> service defines one
or more <var>event</var> objects, named by task local <var>event</var> IDs. Each of these
<var>event</var> objects has an associated <var>event</var> count, initially zero. Whenever
the associated <var>event</var> occurs (typically a device interrupt), the <var>event</var>
count is incremented. If this count is zero when <strong>evc_wait</strong> is called,
the calling thread waits for the next <var>event</var> to occur. Only one thread
may be waiting for the <var>event</var> to occur. If the count is non-zero when
<strong>evc_wait</strong> is called, the count is simply decremented without causing
the thread to wait. The <var>event</var> count guarantees that no <var>event</var>s are
lost.
<h3>NOTES</h3>
<p>
The typical use of this service is within user space device
drivers. When a device interrupt occurs, the (in this case, simple)
kernel device driver would place device status in a shared (with the
user device driver) memory window (established by <strong>device_map</strong>) and
signal the associated <var>event</var>. The user space device driver would
normally be waiting with <strong>evc_wait</strong>. The user thread then wakes,
processes the device status, typically interacting with the device via
its shared memory window, then waits for the next interrupt.
<h3>RETURN VALUES</h3>
<dl>
<dt> <strong>KERN_NO_SPACE</strong>
<dd>
There is already a thread waiting for this event.
</dl>
<h3>RELATED INFORMATION</h3>
<p>
Functions:
<a href="device_map.html"><strong>device_map</strong></a>.