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Critical code is a section of code that must be executed atomically; see ``Critical code section''. On uniprocessing configurations, only an interrupt generated by the hardware can interfere with the atomic execution, so issuing the spl(D3oddi) functions to prevent interrupts while the code is executing is adequate to protect the critical code.
On multiprocessing systems, interrupts can come from any processor, or two task-level processes executing on different processors could access the same resource. Consequently, the locking functions listed in ``Mutual exclusion locking functions'' must be used to provide mutual exclusion access to critical code.
Mutual exclusion locking functions
Function | Description |
atomic(D3oddi) family | quick locks for basic arithmetic and bit operations |
clockb(D3oddi), cunlockb(D3oddi) | conditionally lock critical code sections |
lockb(D3oddi), lockb5(D3oddi), unlockb(D3oddi) | general locking functions |
ilockb(D3oddi), iunlockb(D3oddi) | block interrupts for short critical code sections |
mdi_trylock(D3mdi),
mdi_tryunlock(D3mdi), mdi_tryunlock_init(D3mdi) | MDI trylock functions |
MPSTR_QLOCK(D3str), MPSTR_QRELE(D3str) | lock STREAMS queue |
MPSTR_STPLOCK(D3str), MPSTR_STPRELE(D3str) | lock Stream head |
tc_tlock(D3oddi),
tc_tunlock(D3oddi),
tc_ctlock(D3oddi), tc_ctunlock(D3oddi) | mutual exclusion to a tty structure |
Note the following about using the locking functions: