Path: utzoo!lsuc!ncrcan!brambo!sid
From: sid@brambo.UUCP (Sid Van den Heede)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.st
Subject: Re: Three questions.
Keywords: MWC system() malloc() free()
Message-ID: <304@brambo.UUCP>
Date: 2 Mar 88 20:22:36 GMT
References: <1988Feb22.221218.13780@jarvis.csri.toronto.edu>
Reply-To: sid@brambo.UUCP (Sid Van den Heede)
Organization: Bramalea Software Inc., Bramalea, Ont.
Lines: 21

In article <1988Feb22.221218.13780@jarvis.csri.toronto.edu> juancho@dgp.toronto.edu (John Buchanan) writes:
>
>	3) How reliable are the malloc() and free() functions
>provided with MWC.

I have had no problems with the MWC routines themselves.  But I have 
run out of memory (according to malloc()) while there was still plenty 
of memory left (prox 1/4Mb according to malloc(-1) or Malloc(-1)...it's
been a while and I don't have my documentation here).  This is due
to the problem with the memory allocation scheme in TOS.

When malloc() is called, it calls Malloc to get a chunk of memory, from
which it doles out the amount you requested.  Subsequent malloc() calls
give you more of the memory left from the previous Malloc or calls Malloc
again as appropriate.  After a small number of Malloc calls (20, 40?)
you don't get any more.
-- 
Sid Van den Heede		Voice: 416-792-1137
sid@brambo.UUCP			FAX:   416-792-1536
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Bramalea Software, Suite 406, 44 Peel Centre Dr, Brampton, Ontario  L6T 4B5