NAME
ObtainSemaphore -- gain exclusive access to a semaphore
SYNOPSIS
ObtainSemaphore(signalSemaphore)
A0
void ObtainSemaphore(struct SignalSemaphore *);
FUNCTION
Signal semaphores are used to gain exclusive access to an object.
ObtainSemaphore is the call used to gain this access. If another
user currently has the semaphore locked the call will block until
the object is available.
If the current task already has locked the semaphore and attempts to
lock it again the call will still succeed. A "nesting count" is
incremented each time the current owning task of the semaphore calls
ObtainSemaphore(). This counter is decremented each time
ReleaseSemaphore() is called. When the counter returns to zero the
semaphore is actually released, and the next waiting task is called.
A queue of waiting tasks is maintained on the stacks of the waiting
tasks. Each will be called in turn as soon as the current task
releases the semaphore.
Signal Semaphores are different than Procure()/Vacate() semaphores.
The former requires less CPU time, especially if the semaphore is
not currently locked. They require very little set up and user
thought. The latter flavor of semaphore make no assumptions about
how they are used -- they are completely general. Unfortunately
they are not as efficient as signal semaphores, and require the
locker to have done some setup before doing the call.
INPUT
signalSemaphore -- an initialized signal semaphore structure
NOTE
This function preserves all registers (see BUGS).
BUGS
Until V37, this function could destroy A0.
SEE ALSO
ObtainSemaphoreShared(), InitSemaphore(), ReleaseSemaphore(),
AttemptSemaphore(), ObtainSemaphoreList()