The symbiont uses the SMB$SEND_TO_JOBCTL routine to send messages
to the job controller.
Most messages the symbiont sends to the job controller are
responses to requests made by the job controller. These responses
inform the job controller that the request has been completed,
either successfully or with an error. When the symbiont sends
the message, it usually indicates that the request has been
completed.
In such messages, the request argument corresponds to the
function code of the request that has been completed. Thus, if
the job controller sends a request using the SMBMSG$K_START_
TASK code, the symbiont responds by sending a SMB$SEND_TO_JOBCTL
message using SMBMSG$K_START_TASK as the request argument.
The responses to some requests use additional arguments to send
more information in addition to the request code. The following
table shows which additional arguments are allowed in response to
each different request:
Request Arguments
SMBMSG$K_START_STREAM request
device_status
error
SMBMSG$K_STOP_STREAM request
SMBMSG$K_RESET_STREAM request
SMBMSG$K_START_TASK request
SMBMSG$K_PAUSE_TASK request
SMBMSG$K_RESUME_TASK request
SMBMSG$K_STOP_TASK request
error (See footnote.)
Footnote: This is usually the value specified in the SMBMSG$K_
STOP_CONDITION item that was sent by the job controller with the
SMBMSG$K_STOP_TASK request.)
In addition to responding to requests from the job controller,
the symbiont can send other messages to the job controller. If
the symbiont sends a message that is not a response to a request,
it uses either the SMBMSG$K_TASK_COMPLETE or SMBMSG$K_TASK_STATUS
code. Following are the additional arguments that you can use
with the messages identified by these codes:
Code Arguments
SMBMSG$K_TASK_ request
COMPLETE
accounting
error
SMBMSG$K_TASK_STATUS request
checkpoint
device_status
The symbiont uses the SMBMSG$K_TASK_STATUS message to update the
job controller on the status of a task during the processing
of that task. The checkpoint information passed to the job
controller with this message permits the job controller to
restart an interrupted task from an appropriate point. The
device-status information permits the symbiont to report changes
in device's status (device stalled, for example).
The symbiont can use the SMBMSG$K_TASK_STATUS message to request
that the job controller send a stop-stream request. It does this
by setting the stop-stream bit in the device-status argument.
The symbiont can also use the SMBMSG$K_TASK_STATUS message
to notify the job controller that the symbiont has paused in
processing a task. It does so by setting the pause-task bit in
the device-status argument.
The symbiont uses the SMBMSG$K_TASK_COMPLETE message to signal
the completion of a task. Note that, when the symbiont receives a
START_TASK request, it responds by sending a SMB$SEND_TO_JOBCTL
message with SMBSMG$K_START_TASK as the request argument. This
response means that the symbiont has started the task; it does
not mean the task has been completed. When the symbiont has
completed a task, it sends a SMB$SEND_TO_JOBCTL message with
SMBMSG$K_TASK_COMPLETE as the request argument.
Optionally, the symbiont can specify accounting information when
sending a task-completion message. The accounting statistics
accumulate to give a total for the job when the job is completed.
Also, if the symbiont is aborting the task because of a symbiont-
detected error, you can specify up to three condition values in
the error argument. Aborting a task causes the remainder of the
job to be aborted.