[gmpi] Re: Topic 4: Host Interface

On Mon, Mar 24, 2003 at 03:25:11 +0100, Marc Poirier wrote:
> > 1.  Are plugins run in-process or out-of-process?
> 
> I've been hearing this issue mentioned a number of times, and I guess it's 
> about time I asked:  what does this mean?  Are you using the word 
> "process" in the general computer sense, i.e. the processes that run on my 
> computer, like the ones that get listed when I run the command ps?  In 
> which case, is the question about whether the plugin should have its own 
> process independent of the host app or if it should run within the host 
> app's process(es)?  Or does the word "process" in this context have 
> something to do with audio/music processing?

Yes, it is meant in the sense of a ps process.

The basicly the question comes down to wether the plugin should share the
same address space as the host.

I think that for practicality reasons on Windows they can't be forced to
be out-of-process, and even under UNIX based systems there is a noticable
overhead to makeing them seperate processes.

I'd say there is no significant reason for GMPI to expliticy support
out-of-process plugins.

> > 3.  Is the host a plugin too?
> 
> Is this question posing that as a requirement or as an optional 
> possibility?

Explicitly supporting this sounds dificult to me (for marshalling and
synchronisation reasons). Theres no absolute need to ban or require it
however, at least at this stage.
 
> > 5.  Does the host interface provide transport control, UI updates, track
> > information?
> 
> I propose:  yes

Agreed.

- Steve

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