CAMSchedule Class

Microsoft DirectShow 9.0

CAMSchedule Class

The CAMSchedule class implements a scheduler for reference clocks.

Requirements

**  Header:** Declared in Dsschedule.h; include Streams.h.

**  Library:** Use Strmbase.lib (retail builds) or Strmbasd.lib (debug builds).

Public Methods
CAMSchedule	Constructor method.
~CAMSchedule	Destructor method. Virtual.
GetAdviseCount	Retrieves the number of pending advise requests.
GetNextAdviseTime	Retrieves the time of the next advise request.
AddAdvisePacket	Adds an advise request to the list of pending requests.
Unadvise	Removes an advise request.
Advise	Dispatches all requests that are scheduled for a specified time or earlier.
GetEvent	Retrieves an event handle, which is used to signal a change in the next advise time.

Remarks

This helper object maintains a list of advise requests for a reference clock. The CBaseReferenceClock class uses it to help schedule advise requests. Clocks use this object in the following manner:

1. The clock creates a worker thread to handle scheduling.
2. The worker thread calls the CAMSchedule::GetEvent method to retrieve an event handle from the scheduler. It waits on this event, initially with an infinite time-out.
3. To shedule a new advise request, the clock calls the CAMSchedule::AddAdvisePacket method. An advise request can be one-shot or periodic. The scheduler keeps the list of requests in time order.
4. If a request is added to the front of the list, the scheduler signals the event. (The list is empty at first, so the first request is guaranteed to signal the event.)
5. When the event is signaled, the worker thread calls the CAMSchedule::Advise method, specifying the current reference time. If any pending requests have expired, the scheduler dispatches them.
6. The Advise method returns the time of the next request. The worker thread uses this value to calculate a new time-out value.
7. Steps 2–6 repeat indefinitely.
8. To terminate the worker thread, the clock sets an internal flag and signals the event.

In step 2, either the event is signaled, or the wait times out. If the event is signaled, it means that a new request was added to the front of the list. The worker thread must calculate a new time-out value. On the other hand, if the wait times out, it means that an advise request has come due and must be dispatched. The call to Advise in step 5 handles both cases.