CMSIS-RTOS: Mail Queue

| CMSIS-RTOS Version 1.02 CMSIS-RTOS API: Generic RTOS interface for Cortex-M processor-based devices.

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Macros | Functions
Mail Queue
Inter-Thread Communication and Resource Sharing

Exchange data between threads using a queue of memory blocks. More...

## Macros

#define | osFeature_MailQ 1
| Mail Queues: 1=available, 0=not available.
#define | osMailQDef(name, queue_sz, type)
| Create a Mail Queue Definition.
#define | osMailQ(name) &os_mailQ_def_##name
| Access a Mail Queue Definition.

## Functions

osMailQId | osMailCreate (const osMailQDef_t *queue_def, osThreadId thread_id)
| Create and Initialize mail queue.
void * | osMailAlloc (osMailQId queue_id, uint32_t millisec)
| Allocate a memory block from a mail.
void * | osMailCAlloc (osMailQId queue_id, uint32_t millisec)
| Allocate a memory block from a mail and set memory block to zero.
osStatus | osMailPut (osMailQId queue_id, void *mail)
| Put a mail to a queue.
osEvent | osMailGet (osMailQId queue_id, uint32_t millisec)
| Get a mail from a queue.
osStatus | osMailFree (osMailQId queue_id, void *mail)
| Free a memory block from a mail.

## Description

A mail queue resembles a Message Queue, but the data that is being transferred consists of memory blocks that need to be allocated (before putting data in) and freed (after taking data out). The mail queue uses a Memory Pool to create formatted memory blocks and passes pointers to these blocks in a message queue. This allows the data to stay in an allocated memory block while only a pointer is moved between the separate threads. This is an advantage over messages that can transfer only a 32-bit value or a pointer. Using the mail queue functions, you can control, send, receive, or wait for mail.

CMSIS-RTOS Mail Queue

## Working with Mail Queues

Follow these steps to create and use a mail queue:

1. Declare a data structure that combines a number of elements:
   typedef struct {
   uint32_t length;
   uint32_t width;
   uint32_t height;
   uint32_t weight;
   } properties_t;
2. Declare a mail queue made up of these objects:
   osMailQDef (object_pool_q, 10, properties_t); // Declare mail queue
   osMailQId (object_pool_q_id); // Mail queue ID
3. Then, create the mail pool in a thread:
   object_pool_q_id = osMailCreate(osMailQ(object_pool_q), NULL);
4. Allocate the mail queue within a thread and fill it with data:
   properties_t *object_data;
   *object_data = (properties_t *) osMailAlloc(object_pool_q_id, osWaitForever);
   object_data->length = 100;
   object_data->width = 10;
   object_data->height = 23;
   object_data->weight = 1000;
5. Pass the pointer to the mail queue to another thread:
   osMailPut(object_pool_q_id, object_data);
6. Access the data in another thread:
   osEvent event = osMailGet(properties_q_id, osWaitForever);
   properties_t *received = (properties_t *)event.value.p; // ".p" indicates that the message is a pointer
   my_length(received->length);
7. Once the data has been used, the memory block must be freed so that the memory pool can be reused
   osMailFree(object_pool_q_id, received);

## Macro Definition Documentation

#define osFeature_MailQ 1

A CMSIS-RTOS implementation may support mail queues.

- When osFeature_MailQ is 1 mail queues are supported.
- When osFeature_MailQ is 0 no mail queues are supported.

#define osMailQ | ( |  | name | ) | &os_mailQ_def_##name

Access to the mail queue definition for the function osMailCreate.

Parameters

  name | name of the queue

Note
  CAN BE CHANGED: The parameter to osMailQ shall be consistent but the macro body is implementation specific in every CMSIS-RTOS.

#define osMailQDef | ( |  | name,
|  |  | queue_sz,
|  |  | type
| ) |  |

Define the attributes of a mail queue that can by the function osMailCreate using osMailQ.

Note
  The parameter thread registers the receiving thread for a mail and is needed for the general osWait function to deliver the mail.

Parameters

  name | name of the queue
  queue_sz | maximum number of messages in queue
  type | data type of a single message element

Note
  CAN BE CHANGED: The parameter to osMailQDef shall be consistent but the macro body is implementation specific in every CMSIS-RTOS.

## Function Documentation

void * osMailAlloc | ( | osMailQId | queue_id,
|  | uint32_t | millisec
| ) |  |

Parameters

  [in] | queue_id | mail queue ID obtained with osMailCreate.
  [in] | millisec | Timout Value or 0 in case of no time-out

Returns
  pointer to memory block that can be filled with mail or NULL in case of error.

Note
  MUST REMAIN UNCHANGED: osMailAlloc shall be consistent in every CMSIS-RTOS.

Allocate a memory block from the mail queue that is filled with the mail information.

The argument queue_id specifies a mail queue identifier that is obtain with osMailCreate.

The argument millisec specifies how long the system waits for a mail slot to become available. While the system waits the tread calling this function is put into the state WAITING. The millisec timeout can have the following values:

- when millisec is 0, the function returns instantly.
- when millisec is set to osWaitForever the function will wait for an infinite time until a mail slot can be allocated.
- all other values specify a time in millisecond for a timeout.

Note
  The parameter millisec must be 0 for using this function in an ISR.
  Interrupt Service Routines can call this function.

A NULL pointer is returned when no memory slot can be obtained or queue specifies an illegal parameter.

void * osMailCAlloc | ( | osMailQId | queue_id,
|  | uint32_t | millisec
| ) |  |

Parameters

  [in] | queue_id | mail queue ID obtained with osMailCreate.
  [in] | millisec | Timout Value or 0 in case of no time-out

Returns
  pointer to memory block that can be filled with mail or NULL in case of error.

Note
  MUST REMAIN UNCHANGED: osMailCAlloc shall be consistent in every CMSIS-RTOS.

Allocate a memory block from the mail queue that is filled with the mail information. The memory block returned is cleared.

The argument queue_id specifies a mail queue identifier that is obtain with osMailCreate.

The argument millisec specifies how long the system waits for a mail slot to become available. While the system waits the thread that is calling this function is put into the state WAITING. The millisec timeout can have the following values:

- when millisec is 0, the function returns instantly.
- when millisec is set to osWaitForever the function will wait for an infinite time until a mail slot can be allocated.
- all other values specify a time in millisecond for a timeout.

Note
  The parameter millisec must be 0 for using this function in an ISR.
  Interrupt Service Routines can call this function.

A NULL pointer is returned when no memory block can be obtained or queue specifies an illegal parameter.

osMailQId osMailCreate | ( | const osMailQDef_t * | queue_def,
|  | osThreadId | thread_id
| ) |  |

Parameters

  [in] | queue_def | reference to the mail queue definition obtain with osMailQ
  [in] | thread_id | thread ID (obtained by osThreadCreate or osThreadGetId) or NULL.

Returns
  mail queue ID for reference by other functions or NULL in case of error.

Note
  MUST REMAIN UNCHANGED: osMailCreate shall be consistent in every CMSIS-RTOS.

Initialize and create a mail queue.

Note
  Cannot be called from Interrupt Service Routines.

Code Example

#include "cmsis_os.h"
osThreadId tid_thread1; // ID for thread 1
osThreadId tid_thread2; // ID for thread 2
typedef struct { // Mail object structure
float voltage; // AD result of measured voltage
float current; // AD result of measured current
int counter; // A counter value
} T_MEAS;
osMailQDef(mail, 16, T_MEAS); // Define mail queue
osMailQId mail;
void send_thread (void const *argument); // forward reference
void recv_thread (void const *argument);
osThreadDef(send_thread, osPriorityNormal, 1, 0); // thread definitions
osThreadDef(recv_thread, osPriorityNormal, 1, 2000);
//
// Thread 1: Send thread
//
void send_thread (void const *argument) {
T_MEAS *mptr;
mptr = osMailAlloc(mail, osWaitForever); // Allocate memory
mptr->voltage = 223.72; // Set the mail content
mptr->current = 17.54;
mptr->counter = 120786;
osMailPut(mail, mptr); // Send Mail
osDelay(100);
mptr = osMailAlloc(mail, osWaitForever); // Allocate memory
mptr->voltage = 227.23; // Prepare 2nd mail
mptr->current = 12.41;
mptr->counter = 170823;
osMailPut(mail, mptr); // Send Mail
osThreadYield(); // Cooperative multitasking
// We are done here, exit this thread
}
//
// Thread 2: Receive thread
//
void recv_thread (void const *argument) {
T_MEAS *rptr;
osEvent evt;
for (;;) {
evt = osMailGet(mail, osWaitForever); // wait for mail
if (evt.status == osEventMail) {
rptr = evt.value.p;
printf ("\nVoltage: %.2f V\n", rptr->voltage);
printf ("Current: %.2f A\n", rptr->current);
printf ("Number of cycles: %d\n", rptr->counter);
osMailFree(mail, rptr); // free memory allocated for mail
}
}
}
void StartApplication (void) {
mail = osMailCreate(osMailQ(mail), NULL); // create mail queue
tid_thread1 = osThreadCreate(osThread(send_thread), NULL);
tid_thread2 = osThreadCreate(osThread(recv_thread), NULL);
:
}

osStatus osMailFree | ( | osMailQId | queue_id,
|  | void * | mail
| ) |  |

Parameters

  [in] | queue_id | mail queue ID obtained with osMailCreate.
  [in] | mail | pointer to the memory block that was obtained with osMailGet.

Returns
  status code that indicates the execution status of the function.

Note
  MUST REMAIN UNCHANGED: osMailFree shall be consistent in every CMSIS-RTOS.

Free the memory block specified by mail and return it to the mail queue.

Note
  Interrupt Service Routines can call this function.

Status and Error Codes

- osOK: the mail block is released.
- osErrorValue: mail block does not belong to the mail queue pool.
- osErrorParameter: the value to the parameter queue_id is incorrect.

osEvent osMailGet | ( | osMailQId | queue_id,
|  | uint32_t | millisec
| ) |  |

Parameters

  [in] | queue_id | mail queue ID obtained with osMailCreate.
  [in] | millisec | Timout Value or 0 in case of no time-out

Returns
  event that contains mail information or error code.

Note
  MUST REMAIN UNCHANGED: osMailGet shall be consistent in every CMSIS-RTOS.

Suspend the execution of the current RUNNING thread until a mail arrives. When a mail is already in the queue, the function returns instantly with the mail information.

The argument millisec specifies how long the system waits for a mail to arrive. While the system waits the thread that is calling this function is put into the state WAITING. The millisec timeout can have the following values:

- when millisec is 0, the function returns instantly.
- when millisec is set to osWaitForever the function will wait for an infinite time until a mail arrives.
- all other values specify a time in millisecond for a timeout.

Note
  The parameter millisec must be 0 for using this function in an ISR.
  Interrupt Service Routines can call this function.

Status and Error Codes

- osOK: no mail is available in the queue and no timeout was specified
- osEventTimeout: no mail has arrived during the given timeout period.
- osEventMail: mail received, value.p contains the pointer to mail content.
- osErrorParameter: a parameter is invalid or outside of a permitted range.

osStatus osMailPut | ( | osMailQId | queue_id,
|  | void * | mail
| ) |  |

Parameters

  [in] | queue_id | mail queue ID obtained with osMailCreate.
  [in] | mail | memory block previously allocated with osMailAlloc or osMailCAlloc.

Returns
  status code that indicates the execution status of the function.

Note
  MUST REMAIN UNCHANGED: osMailPut shall be consistent in every CMSIS-RTOS.

Put the memory block specified with mail into the mail queue specified by queue.

Status and Error Codes

- osOK: the message is put into the queue.
- osErrorValue: mail was previously not allocated as memory slot.
- osErrorParameter: a parameter is invalid or outside of a permitted range.