Maybe one of the people having written the code want to explain... Thanks, Ulrich ------- Forwarded message follows ------- From: "meng-ju" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: about timer in linux kernel. Date sent: Fri, 18 May 2001 16:58:55 -0700 Hi! Mr. Ulrich Windl, I want to know how timer works in kernel. When we call add_timer(), it will call add_timer_internal to add it to its list. Now I am confused how the system checks if it is expired or not? In run_timer_list(), Why it uses tv1.vec + tv1.index to find out the expiration point while in add_timer_internal(), the expiration timer minus timer_jiffies? I don't understand what roles jiffies, timer_jiffies and tv1.index play. Thanks for your patient and answering. static inline void run_timer_list(void) { spin_lock_irq(&timerlist_lock); while ((long)(jiffies - timer_jiffies) >= 0) { struct list_head *head, *curr; if (!tv1.index) { int n= 1; do { cascade_timers(tvecs[n]); } while (tvecs[n]->index == 1 && ++n < NOOF_TVECS); } repeat: head = tv1.vec + tv1.index; curr = head->next; if (curr != head) { struct timer_list *timer; void (*fn)(unsigned long); unsigned long data; timer = list_entry(curr, struct timer_list, list); fn = timer->function; data= timer->data; detach_timer(timer); timer->list.next = timer->list.prev = NULL; timer_enter(timer); spin_unlock_irq(&timerlist_lock); fn(data); spin_lock_irq(&timerlist_lock); timer_exit(); goto repeat; } ++timer_jiffies; tv1.index = (tv1.index + 1) & TVR_MASK; } ........ Meng-Ju ------- End of forwarded message ------- - To unsubscribe from this list: send the line "unsubscribe linux-kernel" in the body of a message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] More majordomo info at http://vger.kernel.org/majordomo-info.html Please read the FAQ at http://www.tux.org/lkml/