Re: Installing a C function into the IDT

The Prisoner wrote:
> Jens Thoms Toerring wrote:
>> The Prisoner <nospam@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote:
>>
>>> I was reading about interrupts, and I got to thinking it would be a
>>> real neat thing to use interrupts for program-wide exception
>>> handling. What I haven't been able to find is a clear guide or
>>> example program for how to install a C function into the IDT.
>>
>>
>> This is completely system dependent (assuming a system has an
>> "IDT" at all and the operating system lets you get at something
>> that low level which many probably won't, even if you have root
>> or admistrator privileges). And what about a multi-tasking
>> system? Just think about the situation that you would get in
>> if each programs would mess around with the IDT. I guess the
>> only system this could somehow be made to work would be DOS.
>> If that's you're system you probably better ask in a group
>> that specializes on system specific programming under DOS.
> 
> Are you 100% sure about that? I understood that in Real Mode, the IVT is
> used, while in Protected Mode the IDT is used. So it should be possible
> to make use of the IDT under Windows or Linux.
> 
You are talking very specific x86 details here, Linux runs on many
processors.

> What I don't know is how to write a function's address into the IDT...
> 
Which is probably a good thing.  Such detail is for the operating
environment to manage, unless you are working on a standalone system.

>>
>> You can't pass arguments to interrupt handler functions since
>> they don't get called in the traditional sense, there's no-
>> thing that could pass it arguments.
> 
> Understood. I think a void function(void) will be OK.

No, it would not.  See earlier posts (I think form Jacob) concerning the
 nature of an interrupt handler, it is not a regular function (on most
common CPS, there will be exceptions).

-- 
Ian Collins.