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-rw-r--r--docs/src/articles.dox1
-rw-r--r--docs/src/design.dox112
-rw-r--r--readme.txt4
-rw-r--r--src/chschd.c14
-rw-r--r--src/chsys.c1
-rw-r--r--src/chthreads.c35
-rw-r--r--src/include/threads.h35
7 files changed, 170 insertions, 32 deletions
diff --git a/docs/src/articles.dox b/docs/src/articles.dox
index a0426f41c..66268f9d7 100644
--- a/docs/src/articles.dox
+++ b/docs/src/articles.dox
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@
* - @subpage article_jitter
* - @subpage article_timing
* - @subpage article_portguide
+ * - @subpage article_design
* .
*/
/** @} */
diff --git a/docs/src/design.dox b/docs/src/design.dox
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..4b6780a7a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/src/design.dox
@@ -0,0 +1,112 @@
+/*
+ ChibiOS/RT - Copyright (C) 2006-2007 Giovanni Di Sirio.
+
+ This file is part of ChibiOS/RT.
+
+ ChibiOS/RT is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
+ it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+ the Free Software Foundation; either version 3 of the License, or
+ (at your option) any later version.
+
+ ChibiOS/RT is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+ but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+ MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the
+ GNU General Public License for more details.
+
+ You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+ along with this program. If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+*/
+
+/**
+ * @page article_design Designing an embedded application
+ * @{
+ * ChibiOS/RT offers a variety of mechanisms and primitives, often it is
+ * better to focus on a single approach for the system design and use only
+ * part of the available subsystems.<br>
+ * When designing your application you may choose among several design
+ * alternatives:
+ * - @ref nothreads
+ * - @ref messpass
+ * - @ref thdshared
+ * - @ref thdmixed
+ * .
+ * @section nothreads Single threaded superloop
+ * Correct, single thread, it is not mandatory to use the multithreading
+ * features of the OS. You may choose to implements everything as a complex
+ * state machine handled in the main thread alone. In this scenario the OS
+ * still offers a variety of useful mechanisms:
+ * - Interrupt handling.
+ * - Virtual Timers, very useful in state machines in order to handle time
+ * triggered state transitions.
+ * - Power management.
+ * - Event Flags and/or Semaphores as communication mechanism between
+ * interrupt handlers and the main.
+ * - I/O queues.
+ * - Memory allocation.
+ * - System time.
+ * .
+ * In this configuration the kernel size is really minimal, everything else
+ * is disabled and takes no space. You always have the option to use more
+ * threads at a later time in order to perform separate tasks.
+ *
+ * @section messpass Message Passing
+ * In this scenario there are multiple threads in the system that never
+ * share data, everything is done by exchanging messages. Each thread
+ * represents a service, the other threads can request the service by sending
+ * a message.<br>
+ * In this scenario the following subsystems can be used:
+ * - Synchronous Messages.
+ * - Mailboxes (asynchronous message queues).
+ * .
+ * The advantage of this approach is to not have to deal with mutual exclusion,
+ * each functionality is encapsulated into a server thread that sequentially
+ * serves all the requests. As example, you can have the following scenario:
+ * - A buffers allocator server.
+ * - A disk driver server.
+ * - A file system server.
+ * - One or more client threads.
+ * .
+ * Example:
+ * <br><br>
+ * @dot
+ digraph example {
+ rankdir="RL";
+ node [shape=rectangle, fontname=Helvetica, fontsize=8, fixedsize="true",
+ width="1.2", height="0.75"];
+ edge [fontname=Helvetica, fontsize=8];
+ disk [label="Server Thread\nDisk Driver"];
+ buf [label="Server Thread\nBuffers Allocator"];
+ fs [label="Client&Server Thread\nFile System"];
+ cl1 [label="Client Thread"];
+ cl2 [label="Client Thread"];
+ cl3 [label="Client Thread"];
+ fs -> disk [label="I/O request", constraint=false];
+ disk -> fs [label="status", style="dotted", constraint=false];
+ fs -> buf [label="buffer request"];
+ buf -> fs [label="buffer", style="dotted"];
+ cl1 -> fs [label="FS transaction"];
+ fs -> cl1 [label="result", style="dotted"];
+ cl2 -> fs [label="FS transaction"];
+ fs -> cl2 [label="result", style="dotted"];
+ cl3 -> fs [label="FS transaction"];
+ fs -> cl3 [label="result", style="dotted"];
+ }
+ * @enddot
+ * <br><br>
+ * Note that the threads should not exchange complex messages but just
+ * pointers to data structures in order to optimize the performance.
+ * Also note that a thread can be both client and server at the same
+ * time, the FS service in the previous scenario as example.
+ *
+ * @section thdshared Threads sharing data
+ * This is the most common scenario, several threads have access to both their
+ * private data and shared data. Synchronization happens with one of the
+ * mechanisms described in the @ref article_mutual_exclusion article.<br>
+ *
+ * @section thdmixed Mixed
+ * All the above approaches can be freely mixed in a single application but
+ * usually I prefer to choose a way and consistently design the system around
+ * it. The OS is a toolbox that offers a lot of tools but you don't have
+ * to use them all necessarily.
+ */
+/** @} */
diff --git a/readme.txt b/readme.txt
index c938f3dff..9902c263f 100644
--- a/readme.txt
+++ b/readme.txt
@@ -77,7 +77,8 @@ Win32-MinGW - ChibiOS/RT simulator and demo into a WIN32 process,
added a specific test case to the test suite (backported in stable branch).
- FIX: Fixed a problem in time ranges (bug 2680425)(backported in stable
branch).
-- FIX: Fixed a wrong parameter check in chVTSetI() (bug 2679155).
+- FIX: Fixed a wrong parameter check in chVTSetI() and chThdSleep()
+ (bug 2679155).
- FIX: Build error with options CH_USE_NESTED_LOCKS && !CH_OPTIMIZE_SPEED
(bug 2678928).
- FIX: Removed unused chSysPuts() macro (bug 2672678).
@@ -88,6 +89,7 @@ Win32-MinGW - ChibiOS/RT simulator and demo into a WIN32 process,
- Removed testcond.c|h and moved the test cases into testmtx.c. Mutexes and
condvars have to be tested together.
- Added architecture diagram to the documentation.
+- Removed from the documentation some references to long gone functions...
*** 1.1.1unstable ***
- FIX: Fixed a problem into the STACK_ALIGN() macro (backported in stable
diff --git a/src/chschd.c b/src/chschd.c
index b246d8f57..23b9871f9 100644
--- a/src/chschd.c
+++ b/src/chschd.c
@@ -122,11 +122,15 @@ static void wakeup(void *p) {
* to sleep is awakened after the specified time has elapsed.
*
* @param[in] newstate the new thread state
- * @param[in] time the number of ticks before the operation timeouts,
- * the special value @p TIME_INFINITE is allowed.
- * It is not possible to specify @p TIME_IMMEDIATE as timeout
- * specification, it is interpreted as a normal time
- * specification.
+ * @param[in] time the number of ticks before the operation timeouts, the
+ * special values are handled as follow:
+ * - @a TIME_INFINITE the thread enters an infinite sleep
+ * state, this is equivalent to invoking @p chSchGoSleepS()
+ * but, of course, less efficient.
+ * - @a TIME_IMMEDIATE this value is accepted but interpreted
+ * as a normal time specification not as an immediate timeout
+ * specification.
+ * .
* @return The wakeup message.
* @retval RDY_TIMEOUT if a timeout occurs.
* @note The function must be called in the system mutex zone.
diff --git a/src/chsys.c b/src/chsys.c
index cedd3d28b..217e2f2da 100644
--- a/src/chsys.c
+++ b/src/chsys.c
@@ -75,7 +75,6 @@ void chSysInit(void) {
chSysEnable();
/*
- * The idle thread is created using the port-provided implementation.
* This thread has the lowest priority in the system, its role is just to
* serve interrupts in its context while keeping the lowest energy saving
* mode compatible with the system status.
diff --git a/src/chthreads.c b/src/chthreads.c
index 70db14130..5a7a98943 100644
--- a/src/chthreads.c
+++ b/src/chthreads.c
@@ -73,10 +73,8 @@ static void memfill(uint8_t *startp, uint8_t *endp, uint8_t v) {
*
* @param[out] workspace pointer to a working area dedicated to the thread
* stack
- * @param[in] wsize size of the working area.
- * @param[in] prio the priority level for the new thread. Usually the threads
- * are created with priority @p NORMALPRIO, priorities
- * can range from @p LOWPRIO to @p HIGHPRIO.
+ * @param[in] wsize size of the working area
+ * @param[in] prio the priority level for the new thread
* @param[in] pf the thread function
* @param[in] arg an argument passed to the thread function. It can be @p NULL.
* @return The pointer to the @p Thread structure allocated for the
@@ -112,10 +110,8 @@ Thread *chThdInit(void *workspace, size_t wsize,
*
* @param[out] workspace pointer to a working area dedicated to the thread
* stack
- * @param[in] wsize size of the working area.
- * @param[in] prio the priority level for the new thread. Usually the threads
- * are created with priority @p NORMALPRIO, priorities
- * can range from @p LOWPRIO to @p HIGHPRIO.
+ * @param[in] wsize size of the working area
+ * @param[in] prio the priority level for the new thread
* @param[in] pf the thread function
* @param[in] arg an argument passed to the thread function. It can be @p NULL.
* @return The pointer to the @p Thread structure allocated for the
@@ -134,9 +130,7 @@ Thread *chThdCreateStatic(void *workspace, size_t wsize,
* @brief Creates a new thread allocating the memory from the heap.
*
* @param[in] wsize size of the working area to be allocated
- * @param[in] prio the priority level for the new thread. Usually the threads
- * are created with priority @p NORMALPRIO, priorities
- * can range from @p LOWPRIO to @p HIGHPRIO.
+ * @param[in] prio the priority level for the new thread
* @param[in] pf the thread function
* @param[in] arg an argument passed to the thread function. It can be @p NULL.
* @return The pointer to the @p Thread structure allocated for the
@@ -168,9 +162,7 @@ Thread *chThdCreateFromHeap(size_t wsize, tprio_t prio,
* Pool.
*
* @param[in] mp the memory pool
- * @param[in] prio the priority level for the new thread. Usually the threads
- * are created with priority @p NORMALPRIO, priorities
- * can range from @p LOWPRIO to @p HIGHPRIO.
+ * @param[in] prio the priority level for the new thread
* @param[in] pf the thread function
* @param[in] arg an argument passed to the thread function. It can be @p NULL.
* @return The pointer to the @p Thread structure allocated for the
@@ -207,7 +199,7 @@ Thread *chThdCreateFromMemoryPool(MemoryPool *mp, tprio_t prio,
* @param[in] newprio the new priority level of the running thread
* @return The old priority level.
* @note The function returns the real thread priority regardless of the
- * actual priority that could be higher than the real priority because
+ * current priority that could be higher than the real priority because
* the priority inheritance mechanism.
*/
tprio_t chThdSetPriority(tprio_t newprio) {
@@ -268,13 +260,18 @@ void chThdTerminate(Thread *tp) {
/**
* @brief Suspends the invoking thread for the specified time.
*
- * @param[in] time the delay in system ticks, the values @p TIME_IMMEDIATE and
- * @p TIME_INFINITE are not allowed
+ * @param[in] time the delay in system ticks, the special values are handled as
+ * follow:
+ * - @a TIME_INFINITE the thread enters an infinite sleep
+ * state.
+ * - @a TIME_IMMEDIATE this value is accepted but interpreted
+ * as a normal time specification not as an immediate timeout
+ * specification.
+ * .
*/
void chThdSleep(systime_t time) {
- chDbgCheck((time != TIME_IMMEDIATE) && (time != TIME_INFINITE),
- "chThdSleep");
+ chDbgCheck(time != TIME_INFINITE, "chThdSleep");
chSysLock();
chThdSleepS(time);
diff --git a/src/include/threads.h b/src/include/threads.h
index 961ef5b0b..e7c56d3c7 100644
--- a/src/include/threads.h
+++ b/src/include/threads.h
@@ -190,35 +190,54 @@ extern "C" {
/** Returns the pointer to the @p Thread currently in execution.*/
#define chThdSelf() currp
-/** Returns the thread priority.*/
+/** Returns the current thread priority.*/
#define chThdGetPriority() (currp->p_prio)
/** Returns the pointer to the @p Thread local storage area, if any.*/
#define chThdLS() (void *)(currp + 1)
-/** Verifies if the specified thread is in the @p PREXIT state.*/
+/**
+ * Verifies if the specified thread is in the @p PREXIT state.
+ *
+ * @param[in] tp the pointer to the thread
+ * @retval TRUE thread terminated.
+ * @retval FALSE thread not terminated.
+ */
#define chThdTerminated(tp) ((tp)->p_state == PREXIT)
/**
* Verifies if the current thread has a termination request pending.
+ *
+ * @retval TRUE termination request pended.
+ * @retval FALSE termination request not pended.
*/
#define chThdShouldTerminate() (currp->p_flags & P_TERMINATE)
/**
- * Resumes a thread created with the @p P_SUSPENDED option or suspended with
- * @p chThdSuspend().
- * @param tp the pointer to the thread
+ * Resumes a thread created with @p chThdInit().
+ *
+ * @param[in] tp the pointer to the thread
*/
#define chThdResumeI(tp) chSchReadyI(tp)
/**
* Suspends the invoking thread for the specified time.
- * @param time the delay in system ticks
+ *
+ * @param[in] time the delay in system ticks, the special values are handled as
+ * follow:
+ * - @a TIME_INFINITE the thread enters an infinite sleep
+ * state.
+ * - @a TIME_IMMEDIATE this value is accepted but interpreted
+ * as a normal time specification not as an immediate timeout
+ * specification.
+ * .
*/
#define chThdSleepS(time) chSchGoSleepTimeoutS(PRSLEEP, time)
/**
* Delays the invoking thread for the specified number of seconds.
+ *
+ * @param[in] sec the time in seconds
* @note The specified time is rounded up to a value allowed by the real
* system clock.
* @note The maximum specified value is implementation dependent.
@@ -227,6 +246,8 @@ extern "C" {
/**
* Delays the invoking thread for the specified number of milliseconds.
+ *
+ * @param[in] msec the time in milliseconds
* @note The specified time is rounded up to a value allowed by the real
* system clock.
* @note The maximum specified value is implementation dependent.
@@ -235,6 +256,8 @@ extern "C" {
/**
* Delays the invoking thread for the specified number of microseconds.
+ *
+ * @param[in] usec the time in microseconds
* @note The specified time is rounded up to a value allowed by the real
* system clock.
* @note The maximum specified value is implementation dependent.