    -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
    -- |
    -- Module      :  Control.Concurrent.SampleVar
    -- Copyright   :  (c) The University of Glasgow 2001
    -- License     :  BSD-style (see the file libraries/base/LICENSE)
    --
    -- Maintainer  :  libraries@haskell.org
    -- Stability   :  experimental
    -- Portability :  non-portable (concurrency)
    --
    -- Sample variables
    --
    -----------------------------------------------------------------------------

    module Control.Concurrent.SampleVar
           (
             -- * Sample Variables
             SampleVar,         -- :: type _ =

             newEmptySampleVar, -- :: IO (SampleVar a)
             newSampleVar,      -- :: a -> IO (SampleVar a)
             emptySampleVar,    -- :: SampleVar a -> IO ()
             readSampleVar,     -- :: SampleVar a -> IO a
             writeSampleVar,    -- :: SampleVar a -> a -> IO ()
             isEmptySampleVar,  -- :: SampleVar a -> IO Bool

           ) where

    import Prelude

    import Control.Concurrent.MVar

    -- |
    -- Sample variables are slightly different from a normal 'MVar':
    --
    --  * Reading an empty 'SampleVar' causes the reader to block.
    --    (same as 'takeMVar' on empty 'MVar')
    --
    --  * Reading a filled 'SampleVar' empties it and returns value.
    --    (same as 'takeMVar')
    --
    --  * Writing to an empty 'SampleVar' fills it with a value, and
    --    potentially, wakes up a blocked reader (same as for 'putMVar' on
    --    empty 'MVar').
    --
    --  * Writing to a filled 'SampleVar' overwrites the current value.
    --    (different from 'putMVar' on full 'MVar'.)

    type SampleVar a
     = MVar (Int,           -- 1  == full
                            -- 0  == empty
                            -- <0 no of readers blocked
              MVar a)

    -- |Build a new, empty, 'SampleVar'
    newEmptySampleVar :: IO (SampleVar a)
    newEmptySampleVar = do
       v <- newEmptyMVar
       newMVar (0,v)

    -- |Build a 'SampleVar' with an initial value.
    newSampleVar :: a -> IO (SampleVar a)
    newSampleVar a = do
       v <- newEmptyMVar
       putMVar v a
       newMVar (1,v)

    -- |If the SampleVar is full, leave it empty.  Otherwise, do nothing.
    emptySampleVar :: SampleVar a -> IO ()
    emptySampleVar v = do
       (readers, var) <- takeMVar v
       if readers > 0 then do
         takeMVar var
         putMVar v (0,var)
        else
         putMVar v (readers,var)

    -- |Wait for a value to become available, then take it and return.
    readSampleVar :: SampleVar a -> IO a
    readSampleVar svar = do
    --
    -- filled => make empty and grab sample
    -- not filled => try to grab value, empty when read val.
    --
       (readers,val) <- takeMVar svar
       putMVar svar (readers-1,val)
       takeMVar val

    -- |Write a value into the 'SampleVar', overwriting any previous value that
    -- was there.
    writeSampleVar :: SampleVar a -> a -> IO ()
    writeSampleVar svar v = do
    --
    -- filled => overwrite
    -- not filled => fill, write val
    --
       (readers,val) <- takeMVar svar
       case readers of
         1 ->
           swapMVar val v >>
           putMVar svar (1,val)
         _ ->
           putMVar val v >>
           putMVar svar (min 1 (readers+1), val)

    -- | Returns 'True' if the 'SampleVar' is currently empty.
    --
    -- Note that this function is only useful if you know that no other
    -- threads can be modifying the state of the 'SampleVar', because
    -- otherwise the state of the 'SampleVar' may have changed by the time
    -- you see the result of 'isEmptySampleVar'.
    --
    isEmptySampleVar :: SampleVar a -> IO Bool
    isEmptySampleVar svar = do
       (readers,val) <- readMVar svar
       return (readers == 0)