IPC (InterProcess Communications API)

The virtual machine architecture of VM/386 ensures that applications (i.e. processes) running in different virtual machines do not interfere with one another. However, there are many instances where it is necessary to communicate between the applications in virtual machines.

IPC, VM/386's shared memory service, lets applications read from and write to common memory areas. Since the shared memory can be mapped into the upper memory blocks of the virtual machines, users continue to have a full 640K of conventional memory (as well as full expanded and DPMI memory) available in each virtual machine.

Serialization semaphores services are also provided so that a virtual machine may lock a memory area for a sensitive update. Services are also provided that allow one virtual machine to signal another by way of a software interrupt.

IPC is available free of charge to licensee's of VM/386. Please contact your IGC Sales Representative for details.