Contexts is a radically faster and simpler window switcher. It gives you 4 ways to switch windows: Switch with one click to any window: An auto-hiding sidebar shows your windows organized in groups. To switch to a window just click its title in the list. It is as simple as that. System Context Switches/sec counter reports system wide context switches. Thread(Total) Context Switches/sec counter reports the total number of context switches generated per second by all threads Context switch overhead is low but if you see a much higher number at the same time as% processor time spikes then you can start troubleshooting.
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The scheduler maintains a queue of executable threads for each priority level. These are known as ready threads. When a processor becomes available, the system performs a context switch. The steps in a context switch are:
Save the context of the thread that just finished executing.
Place the thread that just finished executing at the end of the queue for its priority.
Find the highest priority queue that contains ready threads.
Remove the thread at the head of the queue, load its context, and execute it.
Contexts 3 3 1 – Fast Window Switcher Systems Installation
Threads created with the CREATE_SUSPENDED flag
Threads halted during execution with the SuspendThread or SwitchToThread function
Threads waiting for a synchronization object or input.
Contexts 3 3 1 – Fast Window Switcher Systems Inc
Until threads that are suspended or blocked become ready to run, the scheduler does not allocate any processor time to them, regardless of their priority.
The most common reasons for a context switch are:
The time slice has elapsed.
A thread with a higher priority has become ready to run.
A running thread needs to wait.
When a running thread needs to wait, it relinquishes the remainder of its time slice.