CreateProcess and Memory mapped files

hi everyone

I'm taking a course in operating systems, and I have an assignment that uses multiple processes, and memmory mapped files.

I have been able to create a memory mapped file (only took about 60 hours looking at the documentation), but I am unable to use create process. Currently I am trying to get the original process to run a hello world program as its child. whenever I run the program it just skips that section. I would really appreciate someone explaining in english:) how to use the createProcess comand(ie what all the fields mean). or better yet if someone has a SIMPLE program that uses Create Process that would be great thanks

kevcri

What OS?

Kuphryn

Got to be Windows, which other OS takes 10 arguments for a function to start a program?

The good news is that most of them are usually set to NULL.

Code:

STARTUPINFO si = { 0 }; PROCESS_INFORMATION pi = { 0 }; BOOL bRet; si.cb = sizeof(si); bRet = CreateProcess("C:\\windows\\system32\\notepad.exe", " arguments or NULL if none", NULL, NULL, FALSE, 0, NULL, NULL, &si, &pi); if (!bRet) printf("Failed to start process with error %d.\n", GetLastError()); // If you want to wait for the process to end... // WaitForSingleObject(pi.hProcess, INFINITE); // Cleanup - This will not terminate the process if it is still running. if (pi.hThread) CloseHandle(pi.hThread); if (pi.hProcess) CloseHandle(pi.hProcess);

If you need clarification on some of the arguments or memory mapping in general please outline your specific queries. It is a bit hard to give a complete description of all ten arguments!

Also consider specifying your operating system when posting OS related issues. If it relates to DOS, Linux, or Windows you may wish to post it in one of those boards.

Have Fun!

thanks

that is helpful. sorry for not mentioning the OS, and I will post to the windows board next time. I just have 2 specific questions left.
First, can I replace notepad.exe with some other program for example child.exe. (I assume so).

second do I need to change any of the arguments in order for the child process to access the memory mapped files?.

Read this.
Then look at the lpName parameter of CreateFileMapping().

gg

almost got it

I'm almost there, I have been able to start the second process and I've ben able to create the memorymapped file and use it in the parent process. The only thing I can't do now is read the mapped file from the child process. here is the code for creating the files from the parent process

Code:

A1=CreateFileMapping( INVALID_HANDLE_VALUE, NULL, PAGE_READWRITE, 0, 0x01400000, "MAPPEDA1"); TEST=MapViewOfFile(A1, // handle to mapping object FILE_MAP_ALL_ACCESS, // read/write permission 0, // max. object size 0, // size of hFile 0);

and this is the code to map the file view in the child process

Code:

TEST=MapViewOfFile(A1, // handle to mapping object FILE_MAP_ALL_ACCESS, // read/write permission 0, // max. object size 0, // size of hFile 0);

I know that it's just a matter of understanding which handles name which pieces, Thank you all for all the help you've given so far

What is "A1" in the child process?

gg

I declared A1 as a handle. It was my understanding that since memory mapped files share the same name space I the child process would know the mapped file by name.

What I'm getting at is, do you call both CreateFileMapping() and MapViewOfFile() in both processes?

gg

no

No, am I supposed to?

I called only the functions I showed. am I supposed to call both in both?
thanks
kc

>>I called only the functions I showed. am I supposed to call both in both?<<

Yes.

Quote:

Under lpFileName in documentation for CreateFileMapping as referred by Codeplug
If this parameter matches the name of an existing named mapping object, the function requests access to the mapping object

This means that if a file mapping with the same name does not exist it is created, if it already exists it is opened.

It is also possible to pass the file mapping handle to the child process to use. However, this is more complicated than simply opening it by name in the child process.

i really think I'm close now

I did what you said, and I'm not getting the error I was getting. the only problem is that the memory mapped file in the child process does not contain the same data as in the parent process.
please check the declarations and make sure I'm using the right parameters

parent process

Code:

A1=CreateFileMapping( INVALID_HANDLE_VALUE, NULL, PAGE_READWRITE, 0, 0x01400000, "MAPPEDA1"); TEST=MapViewOfFile(A1, // handle to mapping object FILE_MAP_ALL_ACCESS, // read/write permission 0, // max. object size 0, // size of hFile 0); *((LPWORD)TEST)=50; printf ("%d",*((LPWORD)TEST));

child process

Code:

A1=CreateFileMapping( INVALID_HANDLE_VALUE, NULL, PAGE_READWRITE, 0, 0x01400000, "MAPPEDA1"); TEST=MapViewOfFile(A1, // handle to mapping object FILE_MAP_ALL_ACCESS, // read/write permission 0, // max. object size 0, // size of hFile 0); printf ("%d",*((LPWORD)TEST));

these both should print out 50 but I get 50 and 0

thanks for all your help so far

I mislead everyone.
The child process should call OpenFileMapping() instead of CreateFileMapping().

gg

so close

ok I tried using openfilemapping. now I'm back to getting the access violation error. I'm not really sure what the problem is now. here is what I have right now.
parent process

Code:

A1=CreateFileMapping( INVALID_HANDLE_VALUE, NULL, PAGE_READWRITE, 0, 0x01400000, "Global\\MAPPEDA1"); TEST=MapViewOfFile(A1, // handle to mapping object FILE_MAP_ALL_ACCESS, // read/write permission 0, // max. object size 0, // size of hFile 0);

Child

Code:

A1=OpenFileMapping(FILE_MAP_ALL_ACCESS, FALSE, "Global\\MAPPEDA1"); TEST=MapViewOfFile(A1, // handle to mapping object FILE_MAP_ALL_ACCESS, // read/write permission 0, // max. object size 0, // size of hFile 0);

I'm sure I'm close. thanks for all your help

>>I mislead everyone.<<

No you didn't. The child process can use OpenFileMapping but calling CreateFileMapping in both also works fine.

kevcri, I'm not sure what is wrong with your revised code. It seems alright. Are you sure that you are not letting the parent close before the child has finished?

Anyway, here is a working example. Simply compile and run twice or more. The first instance will create the mapping, subsequent instances will access it.

Code:

int main(void) { HANDLE hMapping = NULL; void * lpView = NULL; hMapping = CreateFileMapping(INVALID_HANDLE_VALUE, NULL, PAGE_READWRITE, 0, 0x01400000, "MAPPEDA1"); if (!hMapping) { printf("CreateFileMapping failed with error %d\n", GetLastError()); } else { lpView=MapViewOfFile(hMapping, FILE_MAP_ALL_ACCESS, 0, 0, 0); if (!lpView) { printf("MapViewOfFile failed with error %d\n", GetLastError()); } else { printf("Current value of dword at lpView is %d\n", *((DWORD *) lpView)); *((DWORD *) lpView) += 50; printf("Value of dword at lpView after addition is %d\n", *((DWORD *) lpView)); } } printf("\nPress ENTER to exit...\n"); getchar(); if (lpView) UnmapViewOfFile(lpView); if (hMapping) CloseHandle(hMapping); return 0; }

kevcri, notice the error checking, which will stop the access violation and tell you what is failing and why.

Although you can use either CreateFileMapping or OpenFileMapping, you may wish to use OpenFileMapping in a child process so you can signal failure if the mapping does not already exist.

OpenFileMapping also allows you to only specify the size, security attributes, etc in the parent process.