sm_alloc_lpsz

Definition: include builtins\ipc.e
atom pSharedMem = sm_alloc_lpsz(string name, string1 s)
Description: This routine attempts to allocate a contiguous block of shared memory long enough to store the string s, that will be identified by the string name.

Returns: the address of the block of memory identified by name, filled with the specified string.
If a block of memory that is identified by name already exists, or the memory cannot be allocated, then sm_alloc_lpsz() returns one of the predefined error values.
Comments: If another block of memory exists, that is already identified by name, the memory will not be allocated.

Before attempting to create a new block of memory, sm_open() can be called to find out if the name already exists.

Each application must call sm_close() to close it’s handle to the shared memory.
A block of shared memory will continue to exist until all handles to it have been closed.
Example:
include builtins\ipc.e
include builtins\serialize.e
sequence s = {"Pete",{-1,0,1},PI,-PI}
atom pMem = sm_alloc_lpsz("test",serialize(s))

--atom pMem = sm_open("test") -- (if a separate process)
?deserialize(pMem,-1)
-- shows {"Pete",{-1,0,1},3.141592654,-3.141592654}
sm_close("test")

Obviously, in a client/server scenario, the sm_close() corresponding to the sm_alloc_lpsz() in the server should not occur before the sm_open() in the client, but otherwise, if there are two, it does not matter which sm_close() happens first.
See Also: sm_create, sm_open, sm_close, serialize, deserialize