Description
The ACPI library collects information about the ACPI tables in the physical memory. It does not search the O/S components for information. It employs an AML source decoder in addition with the ACPI browser and supports ACPI specs v1.0 and 2.0. The AML decoder performs 2 separate passes on the DSDT and XSDT tables to collect ACPI objects and generate the source code. Much of this information is then used for the active controls to add watches because this information is valid on a per system basis. This is one of the new External Libraries added with v1.10. More information of all updates with v1.10 is available from the Updates section. Following completion of decoding of the ACPI tables the library builds the object list from the DSDT. The current ACPI library is limited in terms of object decoding. The objects in the ACPI list are of I/O 8-bit type. Therefore these objects can also be accessed in terms of watches and updates through the I/O Library.
Topology in the Parameters Pane
The ACPI library scans the physical memory as described in the ACPI specification for the BIOS ACPI tables. If located the ACPI browser builds a hierarchical lists of tables. For instance the APIC and processor object will end up under the MADT. If a DSDT is found the AML decoder will be activated and attempt to decode all methods and objects in the table. The information generated close to ASL information. Each entry in the decoded view may include the physical memory and size of the object.
Functionality of the Active Controls
The ACPI library has several controls to control watches related with ACPI objects. In addition a list of I/O objects found is used. You may add a watch for each decoded object. The sampling period shows in mS the period the library will interrogate an active watch. Valid values are in the range of 1-9999 mS. The integrated controls are used to add/remove/disable a watch, apply a different sampling watch period or rescan the ACPI tables The following table describes the functionality and usage of each active control for the ACPI library.
| Remove Watch |
Select the ACPI object in the ACPI list and hit the Remove Watch button. If a watch is present and associated with the selected ACPI object it will be removed. |
| Add Watch |
Select the ACPI object from the list and hit the Add Watch button. A watch will be inserted and shown in the main watch window in HWAccess. The data type of the watch will be the same as the one shown in the ACPI list. The sampling period defines how often this object is polled by the library. If its value changes it will be displayed in the watch window of HWAccess. |
| Delete ACPI watches |
Removes all ACPI watches. |
| Disable ACPI watches |
Disables all ACPI watches. |
| Enable ACPI watches |
Enables all ACPI watches. You can disable the ACPI watches, modify the sampling period and re-enable them. The monitor process however checks the period set on every sample so sampling period changes take effect once the Apply Watch Period button is pressed. |
| Apply Watch Period |
Applies the watch period selected within the sampling period display. Changes take effect immediately for active watches. |
| Rescan ACPI table |
Scans the physical memory for the ACPI tables. This is a refresh switch |
View Data
The ACPI library passes all decoded entries to the main view of HWAccess. The information includes the RSDP, RSDT, FADT, FACS, DSDT, MADT, XSDT and the AML source code for the DSDT. Each table is followed by the hex information that represent the table contents.
Static Configuration
Most of the ACPI configuration is integrated with the active controls. The single static option controls whether or not the library will include hex data with the decoded tables in the main view of HWAccess.
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