FreeRTOS list

List NOUN

• List List_t

typedef struct xLIST
{
	listFIRST_LIST_INTEGRITY_CHECK_VALUE				/*< Set to a known value if configUSE_LIST_DATA_INTEGRITY_CHECK_BYTES is set to 1. */
	configLIST_VOLATILE UBaseType_t uxNumberOfItems;
	ListItem_t * configLIST_VOLATILE pxIndex;			/*< Used to walk through the list.  Points to the last item returned by a call to listGET_OWNER_OF_NEXT_ENTRY (). */
	MiniListItem_t xListEnd;							/*< List item that contains the maximum possible item value meaning it is always at the end of the list and is therefore used as a marker. */
	listSECOND_LIST_INTEGRITY_CHECK_VALUE				/*< Set to a known value if configUSE_LIST_DATA_INTEGRITY_CHECK_BYTES is set to 1. */
} List_t;

1. uxNumberOfltems records the number of list items in the list
2. pxIndex index number, traversing the list (list item pointer)
3. xListEnd last list item (type: mini list item)
4. Two macro definitions are used to check the integrity of the list

• List item ListItem_t

struct xLIST_ITEM
{
	listFIRST_LIST_ITEM_INTEGRITY_CHECK_VALUE			/*< Set to a known value if configUSE_LIST_DATA_INTEGRITY_CHECK_BYTES is set to 1. */
	configLIST_VOLATILE TickType_t xItemValue;			/*< The value being listed.  In most cases this is used to sort the list in descending order. */
	struct xLIST_ITEM * configLIST_VOLATILE pxNext;		/*< Pointer to the next ListItem_t in the list. */
	struct xLIST_ITEM * configLIST_VOLATILE pxPrevious;	/*< Pointer to the previous ListItem_t in the list. */
	void * pvOwner;										/*< Pointer to the object (normally a TCB) that contains the list item.  There is therefore a two way link between the object containing the list item and the list item itself. */
	void * configLIST_VOLATILE pvContainer;				/*< Pointer to the list in which this list item is placed (if any). */
	listSECOND_LIST_ITEM_INTEGRITY_CHECK_VALUE			/*< Set to a known value if configUSE_LIST_DATA_INTEGRITY_CHECK_BYTES is set to 1. */
};
typedef struct xLIST_ITEM ListItem_t;					/* For some reason lint wants this as two separate definitions. */

1. The value of the xItemValue list
2. pxNext points to the next list item
3. pxPrevious points to the previous list item
4. pvOwner records who owns the list item, usually the task control block
5. Which list does the pvContainer record list item belong to
6. Two macro definitions are used to check the integrity of the list

For example, there are two list items in the task control block: xStateListItem and xEventListItem. The pvOwner of xStateListItem points to the task control block, indicating that it belongs to the task. When the task is ready, the pvContainer points to the ready list

• Mini listitem_ t

struct xMINI_LIST_ITEM
{
	listFIRST_LIST_ITEM_INTEGRITY_CHECK_VALUE			/*< Set to a known value if configUSE_LIST_DATA_INTEGRITY_CHECK_BYTES is set to 1. */
	configLIST_VOLATILE TickType_t xItemValue;
	struct xLIST_ITEM * configLIST_VOLATILE pxNext;
	struct xLIST_ITEM * configLIST_VOLATILE pxPrevious;
};
typedef struct xMINI_LIST_ITEM MiniListItem_t;

1. The value of the xItemValue list
2. pxNext points to the next list item
3. pxPrevious points to the previous list item
4. Macro definitions are used to check list integrity

List API

API functions related to list items are as follows

• Vlistinitialize(): List initialization
• Vlistinitializeitem(): list item initialization
• vListInsert(): list item insertion
• vListInsertEnd: insert at the end of a list item
• uxListRemove(): list item removal
• listGET_OWNER_OF_NEXT_ENTRY(): traversal of the list

List initialization vlistinitialize()

source code

void vListInitialise( List_t * const pxList )
{
	/* The list structure contains a list item which is used to mark the
	end of the list.  To initialise the list the list end is inserted
	as the only list entry. */
	pxList->pxIndex = ( ListItem_t * ) &( pxList->xListEnd );			/*lint !e826 !e740 The mini list structure is used as the list end to save RAM.  This is checked and valid. */

	/* The list end value is the highest possible value in the list to
	ensure it remains at the end of the list. */
	pxList->xListEnd.xItemValue = portMAX_DELAY;

	/* The list end next and previous pointers point to itself so we know
	when the list is empty. */
	pxList->xListEnd.pxNext = ( ListItem_t * ) &( pxList->xListEnd );	/*lint !e826 !e740 The mini list structure is used as the list end to save RAM.  This is checked and valid. */
	pxList->xListEnd.pxPrevious = ( ListItem_t * ) &( pxList->xListEnd );/*lint !e826 !e740 The mini list structure is used as the list end to save RAM.  This is checked and valid. */

	pxList->uxNumberOfItems = ( UBaseType_t ) 0U;

	/* Write known values into the list if
	configUSE_LIST_DATA_INTEGRITY_CHECK_BYTES is set to 1. */
	listSET_LIST_INTEGRITY_CHECK_1_VALUE( pxList );
	listSET_LIST_INTEGRITY_CHECK_2_VALUE( pxList );
}
/*-----------------------------------------------------------*/

• pxList->pxIndex = ( ListItem_t * ) &( pxList->xListEnd ); The index points to the tail
• pxList->xListEnd. xItemValue = portMAX_ DELAY; The sorting number of tail items is the maximum, so make sure it is the last
• The last two sentences have only the last item in the list, so they can only point to themselves
• pxList->uxNumberOfItems = ( UBaseType_t ) 0U; The number of list items in the list is 0
• End of frame detection: initializes the fields used for integrity check in the list item

List item initialization vlistinitializeitem()

source code

void vListInitialiseItem( ListItem_t * const pxItem )
{
	/* Make sure the list item is not recorded as being on a list. */
	pxItem->pvContainer = NULL;

	/* Write known values into the list item if
	configUSE_LIST_DATA_INTEGRITY_CHECK_BYTES is set to 1. */
	listSET_FIRST_LIST_ITEM_INTEGRITY_CHECK_VALUE( pxItem );
	listSET_SECOND_LIST_ITEM_INTEGRITY_CHECK_VALUE( pxItem );
}
/*-----------------------------------------------------------*/

• pxItem->pvContainer = NULL; The current list item points to an empty list and does not belong to any list
• Integrity check field

List item insert (vlistinsert)

Sort by the value of xItemValue from small to large

source code

void vListInsert( List_t * const pxList,
                  ListItem_t * const pxNewListItem )
{
    ListItem_t * pxIterator;
    const TickType_t xValueOfInsertion = pxNewListItem->xItemValue;

    /* Only effective when configASSERT() is also defined, these tests may catch
     * the list data structures being overwritten in memory.  They will not catch
     * data errors caused by incorrect configuration or use of FreeRTOS. */
    listTEST_LIST_INTEGRITY( pxList );
    listTEST_LIST_ITEM_INTEGRITY( pxNewListItem ); //Integrity check

    /* Insert the new list item into the list, sorted in xItemValue order.
     *
     * If the list already contains a list item with the same item value then the
     * new list item should be placed after it.  This ensures that TCBs which are
     * stored in ready lists (all of which have the same xItemValue value) get a
     * share of the CPU.  However, if the xItemValue is the same as the back marker
     * the iteration loop below will not end.  Therefore the value is checked
     * first, and the algorithm slightly modified if necessary. */
    if( xValueOfInsertion == portMAX_DELAY )      //Check for overflow
    {
        pxIterator = pxList->xListEnd.pxPrevious;
    }
    else
    {
        for( pxIterator = ( ListItem_t * ) &( pxList->xListEnd ); pxIterator->pxNext->xItemValue <= xValueOfInsertion; pxIterator = pxIterator->pxNext ) /*lint !e826 !e740 !e9087 The mini list structure is used as the list end to save RAM.  This is checked and valid. *//*lint !e440 The iterator moves to a different value, not xValueOfInsertion. */
        {
            /* There is nothing to do here, just iterating to the wanted
             * insertion position. */
        }
    }

    pxNewListItem->pxNext = pxIterator->pxNext;
    pxNewListItem->pxNext->pxPrevious = pxNewListItem;
    pxNewListItem->pxPrevious = pxIterator;
    pxIterator->pxNext = pxNewListItem;               //Double linked list insertion

    /* Remember which list the item is in.  This allows fast removal of the
     * item later. */
    pxNewListItem->pxContainer = pxList; 

    ( pxList->uxNumberOfItems )++;
}

See page 107 of freeRTOS manual for details of the insertion process

Insert vListInsertEnd() at the end of a list item

Insert from the tail

source code

void vListInsertEnd( List_t * const pxList,
                     ListItem_t * const pxNewListItem )
{
    ListItem_t * const pxIndex = pxList->pxIndex;

    /* Only effective when configASSERT() is also defined, these tests may catch
     * the list data structures being overwritten in memory.  They will not catch
     * data errors caused by incorrect configuration or use of FreeRTOS. */
    listTEST_LIST_INTEGRITY( pxList );
    listTEST_LIST_ITEM_INTEGRITY( pxNewListItem ); //List and list item integrity check

    /* Insert a new list item into pxList, but rather than sort the list,
     * makes the new list item the last item to be removed by a call to
     * listGET_OWNER_OF_NEXT_ENTRY(). */
    pxNewListItem->pxNext = pxIndex;
    pxNewListItem->pxPrevious = pxIndex->pxPrevious;

    /* Only used during decision coverage testing. */
    mtCOVERAGE_TEST_DELAY();

    pxIndex->pxPrevious->pxNext = pxNewListItem;
    pxIndex->pxPrevious = pxNewListItem;

    /* Remember which list the item is in. */
    pxNewListItem->pxContainer = pxList;

    ( pxList->uxNumberOfItems )++;
}

List remove uxListRemove()

source code

UBaseType_t uxListRemove( ListItem_t * const pxItemToRemove )
{
/* The list item knows which list it is in.  Obtain the list from the list
item. */
List_t * const pxList = ( List_t * ) pxItemToRemove->pvContainer;

	pxItemToRemove->pxNext->pxPrevious = pxItemToRemove->pxPrevious;
	pxItemToRemove->pxPrevious->pxNext = pxItemToRemove->pxNext;

	/* Only used during decision coverage testing. */
	mtCOVERAGE_TEST_DELAY();

	/* Make sure the index is left pointing to a valid item. */
	if( pxList->pxIndex == pxItemToRemove )
	{
		pxList->pxIndex = pxItemToRemove->pxPrevious;
	}
	else
	{
		mtCOVERAGE_TEST_MARKER();
	}

	pxItemToRemove->pvContainer = NULL;
	( pxList->uxNumberOfItems )--;

	return pxList->uxNumberOfItems;
}
/*-----------------------------------------------------------*/

List traversal listGET_OWNER_OF_NEXT_ENTRY()