How Your Application Specifies Scheduling Options

Whenever your application calls WaitNextEvent or EventAvail, the

Process Manager checks the status of your process and takes the

opportunity to schedule other processes. Using the WaitNextEvent function,

you can control when your process is eligible to be switched out.

The sleep parameter to WaitNextEvent specifies a length of time, in ticks,

during which the application relinquishes the CPU if no events are pending.

For example, if you specify 15 ticks in the sleep parameter and no events are

pending in your application's event queue when you call WaitNextEvent, the

Process Manager saves the context of your process and schedules other

processes until an event becomes available or the time expires. Once the

specified time expires or an event becomes available for your application,

your process becomes eligible to run and the Process Manager schedules

your process to run at the next available chance. You can also use the

WakeUpProcess function to make a process eligible to run before the time

in the sleep parameter expires.In general, you should specify a value greater

than 0 in the sleep parameter so that those applications that need processing

time can get it. If your application performs any periodic task, then the

frequency of the task usually determines what value you specify in the sleep

parameter. The less frequent the task, the higher the value of the sleep

parameter.