Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!swrinde!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!maverick.ksu.ksu.edu!rutgers!cbmvax!peter
From: peter@cbmvax.commodore.com (Peter Cherna)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.programmer
Subject: Re: The case of the vanishing memory
Message-ID: <19775@cbmvax.commodore.com>
Date: 12 Mar 91 16:36:25 GMT
References: <1991Mar12.070655.1515@zorch.SF-Bay.ORG>
Reply-To: peter@cbmvax.commodore.com (Peter Cherna)
Organization: Commodore, West Chester, PA
Lines: 33

In article <1991Mar12.070655.1515@zorch.SF-Bay.ORG> mike@zorch.SF-Bay.ORG (Mike Smithwick) writes:
>I have noticed that when I open a window, then procede to create an event in
> said window (MOUSEMOVE, clicking on a gadget, etc), sometimes I'll 
>loose 56 bytes, sometimes.
>
>Ok, so I assume that this is my IntuiMessage (52 bytes + 4 bytes overhead?).
>But it is not consistant. It only happens early in the window's life. I can
>generate events like crazy, but after a while, the memory loss will stop.

Intuition allocates messages as needed, though it will always re-use
any messages you've already replied to it.  Those messages get freed
at CloseWindow() time.  Thus, you will appear to lose 56 byte chunks
until a bunch (perhaps a half-dozen or a dozen) are allocated.  After
that, you start to have enough for most circumstances, and only under
heavy load will another be allocated.

Remember, you get it all back when you close the window.

>This only happens on my slow (read 68000) machines. On my 020 A1000 and
>A3000 it doesn't happen.

Intuition's messages are paced to things like the vblank timer.  A faster
CPU allows your application to reply messages faster, keeping the queue
down.

>Mike Smithwick - ames!zorch!mike

     Peter
--
     Peter Cherna, Software Engineer, Commodore-Amiga, Inc.
     {uunet|rutgers}!cbmvax!peter    peter@cbmvax.commodore.com
My opinions do not necessarily represent the opinions of my employer.
"If all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail."