README.md

   1 # mTask
   2
   3 ### Introduction
   4 *mTasks* are small imperative tasks that can be run on an embedded device like
   5 arduino/ESPxxx/Nucleo arm boards. They are communicated to the device in
   6 bytecode which is interpreted by the engine that has to be programmed on the
   7 device.
   8
   9 The devices suitable for *mTasks* are not limited to embedded devices. In the
  10 `int` folder is a `C` reference implementation available for intel machines.
  11
  12 *mTasks* are written in [clean][clean] and specifically using the
  13 [iTasks][itasks] library.
  14
  15 ### Workings of an *mTask* system
  16 *mTasks* are routines that are executed in a round robin fashion
  17
  18 ### Communication back to the server via shared data sources
  19 When a shared data source is updated the *mTask* can publish this data back to
  20 the server. This is usefull when for example a temperature reaches a certain
  21 threshhold. How this communication will be done is yet to be researched.
  22 **TODO**
  23
  24 ### Usage
  25 All programs can be built by running `make`. Note that you need the latest
  26 `clm` version if you want to use the `Makefile` since hierarchical modules are
  27 used. This version can be found [here][clm].
  28
  29 The following programs are available as of now:
  30 - `mTaskExamples`
  31
  32         This compiles a list of mTask examples to `C` code.
  33
  34 - `mTaskMakeSymbols`
  35
  36         This creates the `mTaskSymbols.h` header file
  37
  38 - `mTaskInterpret`
  39
  40         This compiles a subset of *mTasks* to bytecode.
  41
  42 ### Protocol
  43 The engine starts with no tasks. To send a new task the following protocol must
  44 be adhered.
  45 **TODO**
  46
  47 ### Bytecode operations
  48 The header file for the interpreter with the corresponding bytevalues can be
  49 generated by running `mTaskMakeSymbols`.
  50
  51 ### Author(s)
  52 Initial work has been done by Pieter Koopman. Extensions have been made by Mart
  53 Lubbers.
  54
  55 [clm]: https://svn.cs.ru.nl/repos/clean-tools/trunk/clm
  56 [clean]: clean.cs.ru.nl
  57 [itasks]: clean.cs.ru.nl/ITasks