[Coco] Basic09/disabling processes/saving CPU time

[L. Curtis Boyle]

On Wed, 08 Oct 2008 19:38:08 -0600, Robert Gault  
<robert.gault at worldnet.att.net> wrote:

> George Ramsower wrote:
>> I could use a little more CPU time in my CNC effort with a CC3.
>>  I was wondering if it's possible to issue a BO9 statement that could  
>> disable any non-critical interruptions in OS9 to give maximum CPU time  
>> to the routine inside a B09 program, such as when I'm stepping the  
>> motors in my Coco CNC machine. After the stepping is done, then I wish  
>> to issue a statement to put things back like they were.
>>   Please. This needs to be done in Basic 09. A SYSCALL is okay. I like  
>> those, but don't undstand them.
>>  Current progress in this project is that I can now engrave an aluminum  
>> plate with the name of the company I work for  and the equipment number  
>> below the name. I need to get a photo of that onto my Coco site.
>> http://coco.thetinbox.com
>>  Engraving can be done FAST with a dremmel. Speed would help.
>>  George
>>
>
> As stated by Dave Kelly, about the only thing you can do is use syscall  
> first to find the process ID of either runB or your specific Basic09  
> program and then use syscall to change the priority to 255 (highest).
>
> Saying this is simple but actually doing it may be confusing. That it  
> can be done is demonstrated by the OS-9 program procs. That displays  
> process IDs for running programs.
>
> You will need to use the two system calls Get ID and Set Priority, OS9  
> F$ID and OS9 D$SPrior. The first call from your Basic09 program with  
> syscall OS9 F$ID will get the process ID. The second call with syscall  
> OS9 F$SPrior should set your priority to 255 (highest).
>
> Whether this will achieve anything you'll have to test. Whether the  
> method will be sufficient without changing the priority of runB or  
> Basic09 is not known by me.

Runb/BASIC09 are the only process that will show up in procs, so the F$ID  
call will give you the process # for the entire Runb program (no matter  
how many modules in Basic09 you are running in the current program). If  
you have a copy of my PROC command, I actually go into the BASIC09/RUNB  
data area to get what the currently running module is, and list it on the  
screen in parenthesis.


-- 
L. Curtis Boyle