In this document we describe the public interface for Dill. Namely, we describe each task that Dill can be passed, and which gift(s) Dill can give in return.
%belt
[%belt p=belt]
Terminal input.
The runtime sends a %belt task to Dill whenever there is input in the terminal, such as a keystroke.
The $belt in p contains the input such as which key was pressed.
Dill will convert the $belt into a $dill-belt and %poke the session handler (typically drum) with it.
This task would not typically be used from userspace.
Returns
Dill returns no gift in response to a %belt task.
%blew
[%blew p=blew]
Terminal resized.
The runtime passes Dill a %blew task whenever the terminal is resized.
The $blew specifies the new dimensions.
Dill will convert the $blew into a %rez $dill-belt and %pokes the session handler (typically drum) with it.
This task would not typically be used from userspace.
Returns
Dill returns no gift in response to a %blew task.
%boot
[%boot lit=? p=*]
This task is used only once, when Arvo first enters the adult stage. Dill is technically the first vane to be activated, via the %boot task, which then sends Jael (considered the "true" first vane) the %dawn or %fake task wrapped in the %boot task. Jael then goes on to call %init tasks for other vanes (including Dill).
lit specifies whether to boot in lite mode. p is either a %dawn or %fake task:jael. %dawn is for an ordinary boot and %fake is for booting a fake ship.
This task would not be used from userspace.
Returns
Dill returns no gift in response to a %boot task, but it will %pass the wrapped %dawn or %fake task to Jael.
%crop
[%crop p=@ud]
Trim kernel state.
This task is the same as the %trim task. Like %trim, Dill does nothing with it.
Returns
Dill returns no gift in response to a %crop task.
%crud
[%crud p=@tas q=(list tank)]
Print error.
Dill prints the given error to the terminal. The verbosity for the particular @tas error tag specified in p is determined by the level set by a %knob task - either %hush, %soft or %loud. The default is %loud, where it will print the full (list tank) specified in q. See %knob for details of verbosity levels.
Returns
Dill does not return a gift in response to a %crud task.
%flee
[%flee session=~]
Unwatch a session to which you've previously subscribed with %view.
The ability to specify a session is not yet implemented in Dill, so session is always ~, the default session.
Returns
Dill does not return a gift in response to a %flee task.
%flog
[%flog p=flog]
A %flog task is a wrapper over a task sent by another vane. Dill removes the wrapper and sends the bare task to itself over the default duct.
A %flog task takes a $flog as its argument. A $flog is a subset of Dill's tasks.
Returns
Dill does not return a gift in response to a %flog task.
%flow
[%flow p=@tas q=(list gill:gall)]
Terminal config.
This task is not used.
%hail
[%hail ~]
Refresh.
Dill converts a %hail task into a %hey $dill-belt and %pokes the session handler (typically drum) with it to handle the refresh.
This task would not be used from userspace.
Returns
Dill returns no gift in response to a %hail task.
%heft
[%heft ~]
Produce memory report.
When Dill receives a %heft task it passes Arvo a %whey waif to obtain a memory report and prints it to the terminal.
Returns
Dill does not return a gift in response to a %heft task.
%hook
[%hook ~]
This terminal hung up.
This task is not used.
%harm
[%harm ~]
All terminals hung up.
This task is not used.
%init
[%init ~]
This task is called only once, when Arvo first enters the adult stage. It performs initial setup for Dill, such as setting the width of the console.
Note that this is not actually the first task passed to Dill - see %boot.
This task would not be used from userspace.
Returns
Dill does not return a gift in response to a %init task.
%meld
[%meld ~]
Deduplicate persistent state.
Dill asks the runtime to perform the memory deduplication.
Returns
Dill does not return a gift in response to a %meld task.
%noop
[%noop ~]
No operation.
A %noop task does nothing, as the name implies.
Returns
Dill does not return a gift in response to a %noop task.
%pack
[%pack ~]
Defragment persistent state.
Dill asks the runtime to perform the defragmentation.
Returns
Dill does not return a gift in response to a %meld task.
%talk
[%talk p=tank]
This task is not used.
%text
[%text p=tape]
Print tape to terminal.
Upon receiving a %text task, Dill will convert the tape given in p to a (list @c) and give it to the runtime in a %blit gift including a %lin $blit.
Returns
Dill does not return a gift in response to a %text task, but it does give a %blit gift to the runtime which looks like:
[%blit p=(list blit)]
%view
[%view session=~]
Watch session.
A %view task subscribes for a copy of all %blit gifts which Dill %gives for the default session. This task is used by the %herm app so it can convert the $blits to JSON and render them in the web terminal.
The ability to specify a session is not yet implemented in Dill, so session is always ~, the default session.
Returns
Dill will %give a copy of all %blits for the default session. A %blit gift is:
[%blit p=(list blit)]
%trim
[%trim p=@ud]
%trim is a common vane task used to reduce memory usage. It does nothing for Dill because Dill only keeps a minimal necessary state.
Returns
Dill does not return a gift in response to a %trim task.
%vega
[%vega ~]
This is a common vane task used to inform the vane that the kernel has been upgraded. Dill does not do anything in response to this.
This task would not be used from userspace.
Returns
Dill returns no gift in response to a %vega task.
%verb
[%verb ~]
This task toggles verbose mode for all of Arvo, which is located here since Dill is the vane that prints errors. To be precise, %verb toggles the laconic bit lac in the Arvo state by passing a %verb waif to Arvo.
Returns
Dill does not return a gift in response to a %verb task.
%knob
[%knob tag=term level=?(%hush %soft %loud)]
%knob sets the verbosity level for each error tag. The error tag can be any @tas. The given tag and level will be added to Dill's veb which maps tags to levels. Subsequent %crud tasks will then print with the specified verbosity.
The levels behave like so:
%hush- Completely silent, print nothing.%soft- Just printcrud: %error-tag event failed, ignore anytanggiven in the%crud.%loud- Print the%softmessage as well as the fulltanggiven in the%crudtask.
Returns
Dill does not return a gift in response to a %knob task.