INFO: Win32 Priority Class Mechanism and the START Command |
Q90910
The information in this article applies to:
- Microsoft Win32 Application Programming Interface (API), used with:
- the operating system: Microsoft Windows NT, versions 3.5, 3.51, 4.0
- the operating system: Microsoft Windows 2000
SUMMARY
The Win32 priority class mechanism is exposed through CMD.EXE's START command.
START accepts the following switches:
/LOW - Start the command in the idle priority class.
/NORMAL - Start the command in the normal priority class
(this is the default).
/HIGH - Start the command in the high priority class.
/REALTIME - Start the command in the real-time priority class.
/ABOVENORMAL - Start the command in the above normal priority class.
/BELOWNORMAL - Start the command in the below normal priority class.
For a complete list of START switches, type the following command at the Windows NT command prompt:
start /?
Win32 has also been modified to inherit priority class if the parent's priority class is idle; thus, a command such as
start /LOW nmake
causes build and all descendants (compiles, links, and so on) to run in the idle priority class. Use this method to do a real background build that will not interfere with anything else on your system.
A command such as
start /HIGH nmake
runs BUILD.EXE in the high priority class, but all descendants run in the normal priority class.
MORE INFORMATION
Be very careful with START /HIGH and START /REALTIME. If you use either of these switches to start applications that require a lot of cycles, the applications will get all the cycles they ask for, that may cause the system to appear hung.
Additional query words: 3.50
Keywords : kbKernBase kbOSWinNT350 kbOSWinNT351 kbOSWinNT400 kbOSWin2000 kbThread kbDSupport kbGrpDSKernBase
Issue type : kbinfo
Technology : kbAudDeveloper kbWin32sSearch kbWin32API
Last Reviewed: October 22, 2000 |
