Accessing Masks

DMM is a processor although it can only be called as such within the Programmable Event Loop (PEL) context. DMM also provides an n-tuple DQF and user code interfaces. Throughout the interface the term mask_number maps as follows:-

  maskno = 0       => DAMN mask 0
  maskno = i > 0   => DARN mask i
  maskno = j < 0   => DAMN mask -j (if we ever need
                                    multiple DAMN banks)

Accessing a mask generates a request to have it managed if not already done. The banks are requested at the compulsory level, although this can be switched to optional - see section 10.4.4. Missing entries in any bank behave as if both the Applied and Result Masks were zero i.e. all tests undefined. Perm banks do not have associated masks, tests always return false and set requests are ignored but generate a ZTELL warning.