# PetscDeviceArrayCopy
Copy memory in a device-aware manner 
## Synopsis
```
#include <petscdevice.h>
PetscErrorCode PetscDeviceArrayCopy(PetscDeviceContext dctx, void *dest, const void *src, size_t n)
```
Not Collective, Asynchronous, Auto-dependency aware


## Input Parameters

- ***dctx -*** The `PetscDeviceContext` used to copy the memory
- ***dest -*** The pointer to copy to
- ***src  -*** The pointer to copy from
- ***n    -*** The amount (in elements) to copy



## Notes
Both `dest` and `src` must have been allocated using any of `PetscDeviceMalloc()`,
`PetscDeviceCalloc()`.

This uses the `sizeof()` of the `src` memory type requested to determine the total memory to
be copied, therefore you should not multiply the number of elements by the `sizeof()` the
type:

```none
  PetscInt *to,*from;

  // correct
  PetscDeviceArrayCopy(dctx,to,from,n);

  // incorrect
  PetscDeviceArrayCopy(dctx,to,from,n*sizeof(*from));
```


See `PetscDeviceMemcpy()` for further discussion.




## Asynchronous API Notes
This routine is explicitly marked as exhibiting asynchronous behavior. Asynchronous
behavior implies that routines launching operations on (or associated with) a
`PetscDeviceContext` may return to the caller before the operation has completed.

Sequential Consistency:

Operations using the _same_ `PetscDeviceContext` which access objects or memory regions
are ordered per the language specification.

Operations using _separate_ `PetscDeviceContext`s which access the _same_ object or
memory region are strongly write-ordered. That is, the following operations:

- `write-write`
- `write-read`
- `read-write`

are strongly ordered. Formally:

_Given an operation `A-B` (e.g. `A` = `write`, `B` = `read`) on an object or memory
region `M` such that `A` "happens-before" `B`, where `A` uses `PetscDeviceContext` `X`
and `B` uses `PetscDeviceContext` `Y`, then `B` shall not begin before `A`
completes. This implies that any side-effects resulting from `A` are also observed by
`B`._

Note the omission of `read-read`; there is no implied ordering between separate
`PetscDeviceContext`s for consecutive reads.

Operations using _separate_ `PetscDeviceContext`s which access _separate_ objects or
memory regions may execute in an arbitrary order and offer no guarantee of sequential
consistency.

Memory Consistency:

If this routine modifies the participating object(s) then -- unless otherwise stated --
the contents of any externally held references to internal data structures should be
considered to be in an undefined state. A well-defined state can only be restored by
re-acquiring these references through the appropriate API or by calling
`PetscDeviceContextSynchronize()`.

Unless otherwise stated, exceptions to this rule are:

- References returned by the routine itself. If a routine returns a pointer, the value
of the top-most pointer is guaranteed to always be valid. For example, given a routine
which asynchronously allocates memory and returns a pointer to the memory, the value
of said pointer is immediately valid but dereferencing the pointer may not be.
- References to structures. If a routine returns a `PetscFoo`, or array thereof then the
objects themselves are always valid (though their member variables `PetscFoo->data`
may not be).


## See Also
 `PetscDeviceMalloc()`, `PetscDeviceCalloc()`, `PetscDeviceFree()`,
`PetscDeviceArrayZero()`, `PetscDeviceMemcpy()`

## Level
beginner

## Location
<A HREF="PETSC_DOC_OUT_ROOT_PLACEHOLDER/include/petscdevice.h.html#PetscDeviceArrayCopy">include/petscdevice.h</A>


---
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