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Section 9: Tasks and Synchronization

The execution of an Ada program consists of the execution of one or more tasks. Each task represents a separate thread of control that proceeds independently and concurrently between the points where it interacts with other tasks. The various forms of task interaction are described in this section, and include:

• the activation and termination of a task;

• a call on a protected subprogram of a protected object, providing exclusive read-write access, or concurrent read-only access to shared data;

• a call on an entry, either of another task, allowing for synchronous communication with that task, or of a protected object, allowing for asynchronous communication with one or more other tasks using that same protected object;

• a timed operation, including a simple delay statement, a timed entry call or accept, or a timed asynchronous select statement (see next item);

• an asynchronous transfer of control as part of an asynchronous select statement, where a task stops what it is doing and begins execution at a different point in response to the completion of an entry call or the expiration of a delay;

• an abort statement, allowing one task to cause the termination of another task.

In addition, tasks can communicate indirectly by reading and updating (unprotected) shared variables, presuming the access is properly synchronized through some other kind of task interaction.

Static Semantics

The properties of a task are defined by a corresponding task declaration and task_body, which together define a program unit called a task unit.

Dynamic Semantics

Over time, tasks proceed through various states. A task is initially inactive; upon activation, and prior to its termination it is either blocked (as part of some task interaction) or ready to run. While ready, a task competes for the available execution resources that it requires to run.

NOTES

(1) Concurrent task execution may be implemented on multicomputers, multiprocessors, or with interleaved execution on a single physical processor. On the other hand, whenever an implementation can determine that the required semantic effects can be achieved when parts of the execution of a given task are performed by different physical processors acting in parallel, it may choose to perform them in this way.

Clauses and Subclauses

1. Task Units and Task Objects
2. Task Execution - Task Activation
3. Task Dependence - Termination of Tasks
4. Protected Units and Protected Objects
5. Intertask Communication
   1. Protected Subprograms and Protected Actions
   2. Entries and Accept Statements
   3. Entry Calls
   4. Requeue Statements
6. Delay Statements, Duration, and Time
7. Select Statements
   1. Selective Accept
   2. Timed Entry Calls
   3. Conditional Entry Calls
   4. Asynchronous Transfer of Control
8. Abort of a Task - Abort of a Sequence of Statements
9. Task and Entry Attributes
10. Shared Variables
11. Example of Tasking and Synchronization

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