gkn@SDS.SDSC.EDU (Gerard K. Newman) (01/21/88)
From: GRANT%LAUCOSC.BITNET@CUNYVM.CUNY.EDU Subj: Waiting on files ... Date: 19-JAN-1988 09:07:14.71 Some recent experiences have led me to consider implementing a new "feature" in my experimental/instructional operating system. The idea, in brief, is to be able to "wait on a file". For example, a process could wait on a given directory: whenever that directory is written upon the process would be resumed and could deal with new files found there. Some recent dialogue concerning the VMS SET WATCH command (which, though related, is not quite what I have in mind) encouraged me to ask the corporate experience of this list to comment. 1. Has anyone heard of any operating system including this idea ? Yes, DEC's TOPS-10 operating system has such a feature. I believe that TOPS-20 does also, but all of my TOPS-20 documentation is at home, and I am at work... I have often wished for such a feature on VMS. I suspect, though I do not know for sure, that there is some way to simulate this functionality if you know enough about the way RMS uses the lock manager to coordinate its efforts. However, this would require in-depth knowlege of RMS internals. I suspect that they change just often enough to make such efforts impractical. gkn ---------------------------------------- Internet: GKN@SDS.SDSC.EDU Bitnet: GKN@SDSC Span: SDSC::GKN (27.1) USPS: Gerard K. Newman San Diego Supercomputer Center P.O. Box 85608 San Diego, CA 92138-5608 AT&T: 619.534.5076