Is it safe to access global variables that are used by both ISRs and tasks by simply enclosing the access to the variable(s) with enter/exit critical calls? (see method 1)

Or is the proper way to use the method found in tasks.c to get the TickCount? (like method 2)

(Using a PIC - ask me if i'm lovin it - NOT)

Thanks!
Ron.



------------ Method 1 -------------

interrrupts.c

volatile unsigned char ucPeriodDivider = 1;

#pragma interruptlow vIRQfunction save=PRODH, PRODL, section(".tmpdata")
void vIRQfunction (void)
{
....
OpenTimer0(TIMER_INT_ON & T0_16BIT & T0_SOURCE_INT & T0_EDGE_RISE & ucPeriodDivider);
....
}

monitor.c

extern volatile unsigned char ucPeriodDivider;

void vChangeThePeriod(void)
{
taskENTER_CRITICAL();
ucPeriodDivider = 3;
taskEXIT_CRITICAL();
}

-------------- Method 2 -------------


interrrupts.c

static volatile unsigned char ucPeriodDivider = 1;

#pragma interruptlow vIRQfunction save=PRODH, PRODL, section(".tmpdata")
void vIRQfunction (void)
{
....
OpenTimer0(TIMER_INT_ON & T0_16BIT & T0_SOURCE_INT & T0_EDGE_RISE & ucPeriodDivider);
....
}

void vChangeThePeriod(volatile unsigned char ucPeriod)
{
taskENTER_CRITICAL();
ucPeriodDivider = ucPeriod;
taskEXIT_CRITICAL();
}

monitor.c

extern volatile unsigned char ucPeriodDivider;

void vMonitor(void)
{
....
vChangeThePeriod (3);
....
}

Method 1 is not dangerous from a mutual exclusion point of view. As long as you are in the critical region the interrupt function cannot touch the variable.