**NAME**
BeginIO(ioRequest),deviceNode -- start up an I/O process
A1 A6
**FUNCTION**
This is a direct function call to the device. It is intended for
more advanced programmers. See exec's [DoIO](DoIO.md) and [SendIO](SendIO.md) for
the normal method of calling devices.
This function initiates a I/O request made to the serial
device. Other than read or write, the functions are performed
synchronously, and do not depend on any interrupt handling
logic (or it's associated discontinuities), and hence should
be performed as IO_QUICK.
With some exceptions, reads and writes are merely initiated by
BeginIO, and thusly return to the caller as begun, not completed.
Completion is signalled via the standard [ReplyMsg](ReplyMsg.md) routine.
Multiple requests are handled via FIFO queueing.
One exception to this non-QUICK handling of reads and writes
is for READS when:
- IO_QUICK bit is set
- There are no pending read requests
- There is already enough data in the input buffer to satisfy
this I/O Request immediately.
In this case, the IO_QUICK flag is not cleared, and the request
is completed by the time it returns to the caller. There is no
[ReplyMsg](ReplyMsg.md) or signal bit activity in this case.
**INPUTS**
ioRequest -- pointer to an I/O Request Block of size
io_ExtSerSize (see serial.i for size/definition),
containing a valid command in io_Command to process,
as well as the command's other required parameters.
deviceNode -- pointer to the "serial.device", as found in
the IO_DEVICE of the ioRequest.
**RESULTS**
io_Error -- if the BeginIO succeded, then Error will be null.
If the BeginIO failed, then the Error will be non-zero.
I/O errors won't be reported until the io completes.
**SEE ALSO**
[devices/serial.h](_004B.md)