xref: /nrf52832-nimble/rt-thread/components/net/lwip-1.4.1/doc/sys_arch.txt (revision 104654410c56c573564690304ae786df310c91fc)
1sys_arch interface for lwIP 0.6++
2
3Author: Adam Dunkels
4
5The operating system emulation layer provides a common interface
6between the lwIP code and the underlying operating system kernel. The
7general idea is that porting lwIP to new architectures requires only
8small changes to a few header files and a new sys_arch
9implementation. It is also possible to do a sys_arch implementation
10that does not rely on any underlying operating system.
11
12The sys_arch provides semaphores and mailboxes to lwIP. For the full
13lwIP functionality, multiple threads support can be implemented in the
14sys_arch, but this is not required for the basic lwIP
15functionality. Previous versions of lwIP required the sys_arch to
16implement timer scheduling as well but as of lwIP 0.5 this is
17implemented in a higher layer.
18
19In addition to the source file providing the functionality of sys_arch,
20the OS emulation layer must provide several header files defining
21macros used throughout lwip.  The files required and the macros they
22must define are listed below the sys_arch description.
23
24Semaphores can be either counting or binary - lwIP works with both
25kinds. Mailboxes are used for message passing and can be implemented
26either as a queue which allows multiple messages to be posted to a
27mailbox, or as a rendez-vous point where only one message can be
28posted at a time. lwIP works with both kinds, but the former type will
29be more efficient. A message in a mailbox is just a pointer, nothing
30more.
31
32Semaphores are represented by the type "sys_sem_t" which is typedef'd
33in the sys_arch.h file. Mailboxes are equivalently represented by the
34type "sys_mbox_t". lwIP does not place any restrictions on how
35sys_sem_t or sys_mbox_t are represented internally.
36
37Since lwIP 1.4.0, semaphore and mailbox functions are prototyped in a way that
38allows both using pointers or actual OS structures to be used. This way, memory
39required for such types can be either allocated in place (globally or on the
40stack) or on the heap (allocated internally in the "*_new()" functions).
41
42The following functions must be implemented by the sys_arch:
43
44- void sys_init(void)
45
46  Is called to initialize the sys_arch layer.
47
48- err_t sys_sem_new(sys_sem_t *sem, u8_t count)
49
50  Creates a new semaphore. The semaphore is allocated to the memory that 'sem'
51  points to (which can be both a pointer or the actual OS structure).
52  The "count" argument specifies the initial state of the semaphore (which is
53  either 0 or 1).
54  If the semaphore has been created, ERR_OK should be returned. Returning any
55  other error will provide a hint what went wrong, but except for assertions,
56  no real error handling is implemented.
57
58- void sys_sem_free(sys_sem_t *sem)
59
60  Deallocates a semaphore.
61
62- void sys_sem_signal(sys_sem_t *sem)
63
64  Signals a semaphore.
65
66- u32_t sys_arch_sem_wait(sys_sem_t *sem, u32_t timeout)
67
68  Blocks the thread while waiting for the semaphore to be
69  signaled. If the "timeout" argument is non-zero, the thread should
70  only be blocked for the specified time (measured in
71  milliseconds). If the "timeout" argument is zero, the thread should be
72  blocked until the semaphore is signalled.
73
74  If the timeout argument is non-zero, the return value is the number of
75  milliseconds spent waiting for the semaphore to be signaled. If the
76  semaphore wasn't signaled within the specified time, the return value is
77  SYS_ARCH_TIMEOUT. If the thread didn't have to wait for the semaphore
78  (i.e., it was already signaled), the function may return zero.
79
80  Notice that lwIP implements a function with a similar name,
81  sys_sem_wait(), that uses the sys_arch_sem_wait() function.
82
83- int sys_sem_valid(sys_sem_t *sem)
84
85  Returns 1 if the semaphore is valid, 0 if it is not valid.
86  When using pointers, a simple way is to check the pointer for != NULL.
87  When directly using OS structures, implementing this may be more complex.
88  This may also be a define, in which case the function is not prototyped.
89
90- void sys_sem_set_invalid(sys_sem_t *sem)
91
92  Invalidate a semaphore so that sys_sem_valid() returns 0.
93  ATTENTION: This does NOT mean that the semaphore shall be deallocated:
94  sys_sem_free() is always called before calling this function!
95  This may also be a define, in which case the function is not prototyped.
96
97- err_t sys_mbox_new(sys_mbox_t *mbox, int size)
98
99  Creates an empty mailbox for maximum "size" elements. Elements stored
100  in mailboxes are pointers. You have to define macros "_MBOX_SIZE"
101  in your lwipopts.h, or ignore this parameter in your implementation
102  and use a default size.
103  If the mailbox has been created, ERR_OK should be returned. Returning any
104  other error will provide a hint what went wrong, but except for assertions,
105  no real error handling is implemented.
106
107- void sys_mbox_free(sys_mbox_t *mbox)
108
109  Deallocates a mailbox. If there are messages still present in the
110  mailbox when the mailbox is deallocated, it is an indication of a
111  programming error in lwIP and the developer should be notified.
112
113- void sys_mbox_post(sys_mbox_t *mbox, void *msg)
114
115  Posts the "msg" to the mailbox. This function have to block until
116  the "msg" is really posted.
117
118- err_t sys_mbox_trypost(sys_mbox_t *mbox, void *msg)
119
120  Try to post the "msg" to the mailbox. Returns ERR_MEM if this one
121  is full, else, ERR_OK if the "msg" is posted.
122
123- u32_t sys_arch_mbox_fetch(sys_mbox_t *mbox, void **msg, u32_t timeout)
124
125  Blocks the thread until a message arrives in the mailbox, but does
126  not block the thread longer than "timeout" milliseconds (similar to
127  the sys_arch_sem_wait() function). If "timeout" is 0, the thread should
128  be blocked until a message arrives. The "msg" argument is a result
129  parameter that is set by the function (i.e., by doing "*msg =
130  ptr"). The "msg" parameter maybe NULL to indicate that the message
131  should be dropped.
132
133  The return values are the same as for the sys_arch_sem_wait() function:
134  Number of milliseconds spent waiting or SYS_ARCH_TIMEOUT if there was a
135  timeout.
136
137  Note that a function with a similar name, sys_mbox_fetch(), is
138  implemented by lwIP.
139
140- u32_t sys_arch_mbox_tryfetch(sys_mbox_t *mbox, void **msg)
141
142  This is similar to sys_arch_mbox_fetch, however if a message is not
143  present in the mailbox, it immediately returns with the code
144  SYS_MBOX_EMPTY. On success 0 is returned.
145
146  To allow for efficient implementations, this can be defined as a
147  function-like macro in sys_arch.h instead of a normal function. For
148  example, a naive implementation could be:
149    #define sys_arch_mbox_tryfetch(mbox,msg) \
150      sys_arch_mbox_fetch(mbox,msg,1)
151  although this would introduce unnecessary delays.
152
153- int sys_mbox_valid(sys_mbox_t *mbox)
154
155  Returns 1 if the mailbox is valid, 0 if it is not valid.
156  When using pointers, a simple way is to check the pointer for != NULL.
157  When directly using OS structures, implementing this may be more complex.
158  This may also be a define, in which case the function is not prototyped.
159
160- void sys_mbox_set_invalid(sys_mbox_t *mbox)
161
162  Invalidate a mailbox so that sys_mbox_valid() returns 0.
163  ATTENTION: This does NOT mean that the mailbox shall be deallocated:
164  sys_mbox_free() is always called before calling this function!
165  This may also be a define, in which case the function is not prototyped.
166
167If threads are supported by the underlying operating system and if
168such functionality is needed in lwIP, the following function will have
169to be implemented as well:
170
171- sys_thread_t sys_thread_new(char *name, void (* thread)(void *arg), void *arg, int stacksize, int prio)
172
173  Starts a new thread named "name" with priority "prio" that will begin its
174  execution in the function "thread()". The "arg" argument will be passed as an
175  argument to the thread() function. The stack size to used for this thread is
176  the "stacksize" parameter. The id of the new thread is returned. Both the id
177  and the priority are system dependent.
178
179- sys_prot_t sys_arch_protect(void)
180
181  This optional function does a "fast" critical region protection and returns
182  the previous protection level. This function is only called during very short
183  critical regions. An embedded system which supports ISR-based drivers might
184  want to implement this function by disabling interrupts. Task-based systems
185  might want to implement this by using a mutex or disabling tasking. This
186  function should support recursive calls from the same task or interrupt. In
187  other words, sys_arch_protect() could be called while already protected. In
188  that case the return value indicates that it is already protected.
189
190  sys_arch_protect() is only required if your port is supporting an operating
191  system.
192
193- void sys_arch_unprotect(sys_prot_t pval)
194
195  This optional function does a "fast" set of critical region protection to the
196  value specified by pval. See the documentation for sys_arch_protect() for
197  more information. This function is only required if your port is supporting
198  an operating system.
199
200For some configurations, you also need:
201
202- u32_t sys_now(void)
203
204  This optional function returns the current time in milliseconds (don't care
205  for wraparound, this is only used for time diffs).
206  Not implementing this function means you cannot use some modules (e.g. TCP
207  timestamps, internal timeouts for NO_SYS==1).
208
209
210Note:
211
212Be carefull with using mem_malloc() in sys_arch. When malloc() refers to
213mem_malloc() you can run into a circular function call problem. In mem.c
214mem_init() tries to allcate a semaphore using mem_malloc, which of course
215can't be performed when sys_arch uses mem_malloc.
216
217-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
218Additional files required for the "OS support" emulation layer:
219-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
220
221cc.h       - Architecture environment, some compiler specific, some
222             environment specific (probably should move env stuff
223             to sys_arch.h.)
224
225  Typedefs for the types used by lwip -
226    u8_t, s8_t, u16_t, s16_t, u32_t, s32_t, mem_ptr_t
227
228  Compiler hints for packing lwip's structures -
229    PACK_STRUCT_FIELD(x)
230    PACK_STRUCT_STRUCT
231    PACK_STRUCT_BEGIN
232    PACK_STRUCT_END
233
234  Platform specific diagnostic output -
235    LWIP_PLATFORM_DIAG(x)    - non-fatal, print a message.
236    LWIP_PLATFORM_ASSERT(x)  - fatal, print message and abandon execution.
237    Portability defines for printf formatters:
238    U16_F, S16_F, X16_F, U32_F, S32_F, X32_F, SZT_F
239
240  "lightweight" synchronization mechanisms -
241    SYS_ARCH_DECL_PROTECT(x) - declare a protection state variable.
242    SYS_ARCH_PROTECT(x)      - enter protection mode.
243    SYS_ARCH_UNPROTECT(x)    - leave protection mode.
244
245  If the compiler does not provide memset() this file must include a
246  definition of it, or include a file which defines it.
247
248  This file must either include a system-local <errno.h> which defines
249  the standard *nix error codes, or it should #define LWIP_PROVIDE_ERRNO
250  to make lwip/arch.h define the codes which are used throughout.
251
252
253perf.h     - Architecture specific performance measurement.
254  Measurement calls made throughout lwip, these can be defined to nothing.
255    PERF_START               - start measuring something.
256    PERF_STOP(x)             - stop measuring something, and record the result.
257
258sys_arch.h - Tied to sys_arch.c
259
260  Arch dependent types for the following objects:
261    sys_sem_t, sys_mbox_t, sys_thread_t,
262  And, optionally:
263    sys_prot_t
264
265  Defines to set vars of sys_mbox_t and sys_sem_t to NULL.
266    SYS_MBOX_NULL NULL
267    SYS_SEM_NULL NULL
268