/**
* glk_exit:
*
- * Shuts down the Glk program. This function does not return.
+ * If you want to shut down your program in the middle of your <function>
+ * glk_main()</function> function, you can call glk_exit().
+ *
+ * This function does not return.
*
* If you print some text to a window and then shut down your program, you can
- * assume that the player will be able to read it.
+ * assume that the player will be able to read it. Most likely the Glk library
+ * will give a <quote><computeroutput>Hit any key to
+ * exit</computeroutput></quote> prompt. (There are other possiblities, however.
+ * A terminal-window version of Glk might simply exit and leave the last screen
+ * state visible in the terminal window.)
*
* <note><para>
- * You should only shut down your program with glk_exit() or by returning from
- * your glk_main() function. If you call the ANSI <function>exit()</function>
- * function, bad things may happen. This Glk library is designed for multiple
- * sessions, for example, and you would be cutting off all the sessions instead
- * of just yours. You would also prevent final text from being visible to the
- * player.
+ * You should only shut down your program with glk_exit() or by returning from
+ * your <function>glk_main()</function> function. If you call the ANSI
+ * <function>exit()</function> function, bad things may happen. Some versions of
+ * the Glk library may be designed for multiple sessions, for example, and you
+ * would be cutting off all the sessions instead of just yours. You would
+ * probably also prevent final text from being visible to the player.
+ * </para></note>
+ * <note><title>Chimara</title>
+ * <para>
+ * If there are any windows open at the time glk_exit() is called, then Chimara
+ * will leave them open. This way, the final text remains visible. Note that bad
+ * things most definitely <emphasis>will</emphasis> happen if you use the ANSI
+ * <function>exit()</function>.
* </para></note>
*/
void
/**
* glk_tick:
*
- * Many platforms have some annoying thing that has to be done every so often,
- * or the gnurrs come from the voodvork out and eat your computer.
- *
- * Well, not really. But you should call glk_tick() every so often, just in
- * case. It may be necessary to yield time to other applications in a
- * cooperative-multitasking OS, or to check for player interrupts in an infinite
- * loop.
- *
- * This call is fast; in fact, on average, it does nothing at all. So you can
- * call it often. (In a virtual machine interpreter, once per opcode is
- * appropriate. In a program with lots of computation, pick a comparable rate.)
+ * Carries out platform-dependent actions such as yielding time to the operating
+ * system and checking for interrupts. glk_tick() should be called every so
+ * often when there is a long interval between calls of glk_select() or
+ * glk_select_poll(). This call is fast; in fact, on average, it does nothing at
+ * all. So you can call it often.
+ *
+ * <note><para>
+ * In a virtual machine interpreter, once per opcode is appropriate. In a
+ * program with lots of computation, pick a comparable rate.
+ * </para></note>
*
* glk_tick() does not try to update the screen, or check for player input, or
* any other interface task. For that, you should call glk_select() or
- * glk_select_poll().
+ * glk_select_poll(). See <link linkend="chimara-Events">Events</link>.
*
- * Basically, you must ensure there's some fixed upper bound on the amount of
- * computation that can occur before a glk_tick() (or glk_select()) occurs. In a
- * VM interpreter, where the VM code might contain an infinite loop, this is
- * critical. In a C program, you can often eyeball it.
+ * <note>
+ * <para>Captious critics have pointed out that in the sample program
+ * <filename>model.c</filename>, I do not call glk_tick() at all. This is
+ * because <filename>model.c</filename> has no heavy loops. It does a bit of
+ * work for each command, and then cycles back to the top of the event loop.
+ * The glk_select() call, of course, blocks waiting for input, so it does all
+ * the yielding and interrupt-checking one could imagine.
+ * </para>
+ * <para>Basically, you must ensure there's some fixed upper bound on the
+ * amount of computation that can occur before a glk_tick() (or glk_select())
+ * occurs. In a VM interpreter, where the VM code might contain an infinite
+ * loop, this is critical. In a C program, you can often eyeball it.
+ * </para>
+ * <para>But the next version of <filename>model.c</filename> will have a
+ * glk_tick() in the ornate printing loop of <function>verb_yada()</function>.
+ * Just to make the point.
+ * </para>
+ * </note>
*/
void
glk_tick()
gtk_main_iteration();
gdk_threads_leave();
}
+
projects / rodin / chimara.git / blobdiff