NAME

     dispatch_time, dispatch_walltime — Calculate temporal milestones

SYNOPSIS

     #include <dispatch/dispatch.h>

     static const dispatch_time_t DISPATCH_TIME_NOW = 0;
     static const dispatch_time_t DISPATCH_TIME_FOREVER = ~0ull;

     dispatch_time_t
     dispatch_time(dispatch_time_t base, int64_t offset);

     dispatch_time_t
     dispatch_walltime(struct timespec *base, int64_t offset);

DESCRIPTION

     The dispatch_time() and dispatch_walltime() functions provide a simple mechanism for
     expressing temporal milestones for use with dispatch functions that need timeouts or operate
     on a schedule.

     The dispatch_time_t type is a semi-opaque integer, with only the special values
     DISPATCH_TIME_NOW and DISPATCH_TIME_FOREVER being externally defined. All other values are
     represented using an internal format that is not safe for integer arithmetic or comparison.
     The internal format is subject to change.

     The dispatch_time() function returns a milestone relative to an existing milestone after
     adding offset nanoseconds.  If the base parameter maps internally to a wall clock, then the
     returned value is relative to the wall clock.  Otherwise, if base is DISPATCH_TIME_NOW, then
     the the current time of the default host clock is used.

     The dispatch_walltime() function is useful for creating a milestone relative to a fixed
     point in time using the wall clock, as specified by the optional base parameter. If base is
     NULL, then the current time of the wall clock is used.

EDGE CONDITIONS

     The dispatch_time() and dispatch_walltime() functions detect overflow and underflow
     conditions when applying the offset parameter.

     Overflow causes DISPATCH_TIME_FOREVER to be returned. When base is DISPATCH_TIME_FOREVER,
     then the offset parameter is ignored.

     Underflow causes the smallest representable value to be returned for a given clock.

EXAMPLES

     Create a milestone two seconds in the future:

           milestone = dispatch_time(DISPATCH_TIME_NOW, 2LL * NSEC_PER_SEC);

     Create a milestone for use as an infinite timeout:

           milestone = DISPATCH_TIME_FOREVER;

     Create a milestone on Tuesday, January 19, 2038:

           struct timespec ts;
           ts.tv_sec = 0x7FFFFFFF;
           ts.tv_nsec = 0;
           milestone = dispatch_walltime(&ts, 0);

RETURN VALUE

     These functions return an abstract value for use with dispatch_after(),
     dispatch_group_wait(), or dispatch_semaphore_wait().

SEE ALSO

     dispatch(3), dispatch_after(3), dispatch_group_create(3), dispatch_semaphore_create(3)