## Virtual Device Driver Reference for OS/2

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### Virtual Device Driver and Physical Device Driver Interaction

Many virtual device drivers virtualize hardware that generates interrupts. Generally, these drivers must interact with a physical device driver to fully virtualize a device. Virtual DevHlp services are provided for the Open, Close, Read, Write, and IOCtl functions of the File System, which is then routed to the corresponding physical device driver. This is the simplest IDC mechanism for VDD/PDD communication.

Where interrupt-time or other high-performance PDD/VDD IDC requirements exist, the VDHOpenPDD service is used to establish communication between a virtual device driver and a physical device driver by exchanging entry points, which use a 32-bit calling convention (refer to the multiple DOS session-specific equates found in the MVDM.INC include files). At this point, the virtual device driver and physical device driver are free to communicate through whatever private protocol is chosen, including exchanging register-based entry points. However, both drivers must agree on a shutdown protocol, that is, what is used to stop the communication if the virtual device driver must shut down. See VDHOpenPDD for more information.