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TOPIC:
Checking Memory usage and Processes while testing a title under emulation.
OVERVIEW:
You can start an OS-9 command line shell, begin a CD-i application (emulation or from a CD) from there, and still retain the ability to type commands like MFREE, MDIR, PROCS. This allows the developer to troubleshoot memory problems and the like while emulating a title. (See TT-1 for details on starting the shell).
PROCEDURE:
1. Establish a shell as described in TT-1, but do NOT start the .MM0 application yet!
2. Type mfree -e , and note the Total RAM at startup and the Current total free RAM.
3. Start the .MM0 file as described in TT-1.
Using mfree:
mfree is a utility for displaying how memory is being used. Theses items are of interest to us:
Total RAM at startup - the grand total RAM installed on the mother board, expansion card and DV card present at startup.
Current total free RAM - The amount of RAM available when mfree was "looking".
To calculate the amount of RAM being used by your title at any given time, subtract the Current total free RAM reported by the recent mfree, from the Current total free RAM reported just BEFORE you started the .MM0 file.
According to the green book a consumer base-case CD-i player must have FREE, two segments of at minimum 480k bytes, for a Current total free RAM of 960k (minimum) out of 1024k bytes. Some base-case players will have more than 960k free as their OS-9 kernels use less RAM from the 1024k (1 Meg base case).
With a DV cartridge adding another 1024k of RAM, the Current total free RAM should be in the range of 1980k.
The script2disc modules, Plugins and their required buffers MUST fit in the Current total free RAM, whether than be 960K for a base case player, or 1980k for a DV cartridge equipped one.
If when testing the title on the 605, calculated memory usage exceeds the amount that WOULD be available on the consumer machine of choice, you must go back to the title and do some trimming, either in the total number of Plugins running or in the amount of buffers they use. Memory hogs include any Plugin that must allocate memory for sound maps (like talking menus) or video (like QHY zoom). Reducing the number of or size of the sound maps or image byte counts can help.
Using procs:
procs shows all the processes running on the machine, whether in the foreground or background.
We use procs to show the modules in memory, and to find duplicate or runaway modules. Duplicates can cause sluggish or erratic operation and are usually the result of "Call_bg" to a MediaMogul Plugin module multiple times. Runaway processes use up the majority of the CPU time and cause sluggish or erratic operation.
Other commands:
Almost any command in the CMDS directory can be used while the user shell is running. Feel free to experiment.
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