Interpreting G2-Meters that Measure Memory
Many G2-meters measure memory: how much has been allocated by the operating system, how much of this allocation is currently in use, and how much remains available. All memory measurements are in 8-bit bytes.
The values shown by G2 memory meters reflect only the space that G2 uses for storing data and graphics; they do not include the space that holds G2 itself. G2's intrinsic memory requirement is largely determined when G2 is compiled for a particular platform, and does not vary significantly with KB size or activity, so including it in memory meter measurements would accomplish little.
G2-Meter and Operating System Measurements
Unlike G2 memory meters, operating system commands that measure memory, such as:
show both the memory that G2 itself occupies and the memory that it uses for storing data. Depending on the platform, they may or may not also include the memory G2 uses for storing graphics. See your system documentation for information on these commands, and to identify the analogous command(s) on other platforms.
Note: On some UNIX systems, measurements printed by ps -l omit memory that has been allocated but has never been used.
For information on G2 memory management, see Chapter 45, Memory Management.
Approximations in Memory Meter Readings
Small inaccuracies in memory meter readings, on the order of a few kilobytes, may occur due to the round-off necessary for efficient internal memory measurement. For this reason, the sum of the sizes reported for parts of G2 memory may not exactly equal the size reported for the whole.
Copyright © 1997 Gensym Corporation, Inc.