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pthread(3)

NAME

pthread, pthread_intro - Introduction to POSIX Threads

DESCRIPTION

DECthreads, a multithreading run-time library, provides a set of interfaces for building multithreaded programs. The POSIX threads interface provides routines that implement the IEEE Std 1003.1c-1995, POSIX System Application Program Interface, also known as POSIX Standard 1003.1c or POSIX.1c. This version of DECthreads also includes additional routines specified in the document X/Open CAE Specification, System Interfaces and Headers, Issue 5 published by the Open Group. The additional routines support creating and operating on read-write locks and defining mutexes, condition variables, and read-write locks as shareable across processes, via those objects' "pshared" attribute. Note that POSIX Standard 1003.1c now supersedes the POSIX draft standard 1003.4a. Users of previous versions of DECthreads should be aware that applications based on the POSIX draft standard 1003.4a/D4 interface (also known as the "d4" interface or "DCE threads") require significant modifications to be upgraded to the POSIX threads interface. See the discussion in the Guide to DECthreads. The Guide to DECthreads describes important considerations for threaded application development, particularly for the Tru64 UNIX operating system. A thread is a single, sequential flow of control within a program. Within a single thread, there is a single point of execution. Most traditional programs consist of a single thread. Using the DECthreads POSIX threads interface, a programmer can create more than one thread within a program. Threads execute concurrently, and, within a multithreaded program, there are at any time multiple points of execution. The threads in a given process execute within and share a single address space; therefore, threads read and write the same memory locations. Synchronization objects such as mutexes, condition variables, and read-write locks ensure that data objects shared among threads are accessed correctly. DECthreads provides routines that allow you to create and use these synchronization objects. Mutexes, condition variables, and read-write locks are discussed in the Guide to DECthreads. DECthreads POSIX threads interface routines whose names have the _np suffix are not portable. That is, such a routine might operate differently, or might not be available, in other vendor implementations of POSIX Standard 1003.1c. For users of the Compaq C and C++ compilers, compile a multithreaded application as follows: cc -c myprog.c -pthread For users of C and C++ compilers without support for the -pthread switch, you must ensure that the C preprocessor symbol _REENTRANT is defined before including any system header file. One way to accomplish this is to compile the application as follows: cc -c myprog.c -D_REENTRANT For users of the Compaq C and C++ compilers, when linking your multithreaded application that use DECthreads, include only the -pthread switch in the linker command line. Note that this switch also directs the linker to search for thread-reentrant variants (named with the "_r" suffix) of any libraries it searches. For users of other language environments or C and C++ compilers that do not support the -pthread linker switch, include these switches at the end of the linker command line: ld -o myprog myprog.o -lpthread -lexc -lc crt0.o or gcc -o myprog myprog.o -lpthread -lexc In this case, the -lpthread and -lexc switches direct the linker explicitly to use the DECthreads run-time and exception-handling libraries. These switches must immediately precede the -lc switch (if specified), which directs the linker to use the libc run-time library. If your application also requires specific thread-reentrant variants of libraries (such as the C run-time libraries), your linker command line must explicitly identify them or a search path for them. Each C module that utilizes DECthreads exceptions must include the pthread_exception.h header file. The Guide to DECthreads describes the use of DECthreads exceptions. Note that previous versions of DECthreads provided a DECthreads-specific debugging interface. However, for this version and future versions of DECthreads, you must use the Ladebug debugger (or other thread-aware debugger, such as TotalView) for debugging DECthreads-based multithreaded applications. You can also use the Visual Threads tool for troubleshooting and debugging a multithreaded application. Visual Threads is part of the Developer's Toolkit product. DECthreads POSIX threads interface routines are grouped in the following functional categories: · General threads routines · Thread attributes object routines · Thread cancellation routines · Thread priority, concurrency, and scheduling routines · Thread-specific data routines · Mutex routines · Mutex attributes object routines · Condition variable routines · Condition variable attributes object routines · Read-write lock routines · Read-write lock attributes object routines Other DECthreads Pthread routines implement nonportable extensions to POSIX Standard 1003.1c. These routines are grouped into these functional categories: · Thread execution routines · Thread attributes object routines · Thread-specific data routines · DECthreads global mutex routines · Mutex routines · Mutex attributes object routines · Condition variable routines · Read-write lock routines · Processor subset object routines · DECthreads exception object routines General Threads Routines pthread_atfork Declares fork handler routines to be called. pthread_create Creates a thread object and thread. pthread_detach Marks a thread object for deletion when its thread terminates. pthread_equal Compares one thread identifier to another. pthread_exit Terminates the calling thread. pthread_join Causes the calling thread to wait for the termination of another thread and to detach it. pthread_kill Delivers a signal to a specified thread. pthread_once Calls an initialization routine to be executed only once. pthread_self Obtains the identifier of the calling thread. pthread_sigmask Examines or changes the calling thread's signal mask. Thread Attributes Object Routines pthread_attr_destroy Destroys a thread attributes object. pthread_attr_getdetachstate Obtains the detachstate attribute of the specified thread attributes object. pthread_attr_getguardsize Obtains the guardsize attribute of the specified thread attributes object. (Supersedes pthread_attr_getguardsize_np.) pthread_attr_getinheritsched Obtains the inherit scheduling attribute of the specified thread attributes object. pthread_attr_getschedparam Obtains the scheduling parameters for an attribute of the specified thread attributes object. pthread_attr_getschedpolicy Obtains the scheduling policy attribute of the specified thread attributes object. pthread_attr_getscope Obtains the contention scope attribute of the specified thread attributes object. pthread_attr_getstackaddr Obtains the stackaddr attribute of the specified thread attributes object. (See also pthread_attr_getstackaddr_np.) pthread_attr_getstacksize Obtains the stacksize attribute of the specified thread attributes object. pthread_attr_init Initializes a thread attributes object. pthread_attr_setdetachstate Changes the detachstate attribute of the specified thread attributes object. pthread_attr_setguardsize Changes the guardsize attribute of the specified thread attributes object. (Supersedes pthread_attr_setguardsize_np.) pthread_attr_setinheritsched Changes the inherit scheduling attribute of the specified thread attributes object. pthread_attr_setschedparam Changes the values of the parameters associated with the scheduling policy attribute of the specified thread attributes object. pthread_attr_setschedpolicy Changes the scheduling policy attribute of the specified thread attributes object. pthread_attr_setscope Changes the contention scope attribute of the specified thread attributes object. pthread_attr_setstackaddr Changes the stackaddr attribute of the specified thread attributes object. (See also pthread_attr_setstackaddr_np.) pthread_attr_setstacksize Changes the stacksize attribute of the specified thread attributes object. Thread Cancelation Routines pthread_cancel Requests that a thread terminate its execution. pthread_cleanup_pop Removes a cleanup handler routine from the calling thread's cleanup stack and optionally executes it. pthread_cleanup_push Establishes a cleanup handler routine to be executed when the calling thread exits or is canceled. pthread_setcancelstate Sets the calling thread's cancelability state. pthread_setcanceltype Sets the calling thread's cancelability type. pthread_testcancel Requests delivery of any pending cancellation requests to the calling thread. Thread Priority, Concurrency, and Scheduling Routines pthread_getconcurrency Obtains the current concurrency level hint parameter for the calling thread's process. pthread_getschedparam Obtains the current scheduling policy and scheduling parameters of a thread. pthread_setconcurrency Changes the current concurrency level hint for the calling thread's process. pthread_setschedparam Changes the current scheduling policy and scheduling parameters of a thread. Thread-Specific Data Routines pthread_getspecific Obtains the thread-specific data associated with the specified key. pthread_key_create Generates a unique thread-specific data key. pthread_key_delete Deletes a thread-specific data key. pthread_setspecific Sets the thread-specific data value associated with the specified key for the calling thread. Mutex Routines pthread_mutex_destroy Destroys a mutex object. pthread_mutex_init Initializes a mutex object with attributes in the specified mutex attributes object. pthread_mutex_lock Locks an unlocked mutex; if already locked, the caller waits for the mutex to become available. pthread_mutex_trylock Attempts to lock a mutex; returns immediately if mutex is already locked. pthread_mutex_unlock Unlocks a locked mutex. Mutex Attributes Object Routines pthread_mutexattr_init Initializes a mutex attributes object. pthread_mutexattr_destroy Destroys a mutex attributes object. pthread_mutexattr_getpshared Obtains the process-shared attribute of the specified mutex attributes object. pthread_mutexattr_gettype Obtains the mutex type attribute of the specified mutex attributes object. (Supersedes pthread_mutexattr_gettype_np.) pthread_mutexattr_setpshared Changes the process-shared attribute of the specified mutex attributes object. pthread_mutexattr_settype Changes the mutex type attribute of the specified mutex attributes object. (Supersedes pthread_mutexattr_settype_np.) Condition Variable Routines pthread_cond_broadcast Wakes all threads waiting on a condition variable. pthread_cond_destroy Destroys a condition variable object. pthread_cond_init Initializes a condition variable object. pthread_cond_signal Wakes at least one thread that is waiting on a condition variable. pthread_cond_timedwait Causes a thread to wait for a specified period of time for a condition variable to be signaled or broadcast. pthread_cond_wait Causes a thread to wait for a condition variable to be signaled or broadcast. Condition Variable Attributes Object Routines pthread_condattr_destroy Destroys a condition variable attributes object. pthread_condattr_getpshared Obtains the process-shared attribute of the specified condition variable attributes object. pthread_condattr_init Initializes a condition variable attributes object. pthread_condattr_setpshared Changes the process-shared attribute of the specified condition variable attributes object. Read-Write Lock Routines pthread_rwlock_destroy Destroys a read-write lock object. pthread_rwlock_init Initializes a read-write lock object. pthread_rwlock_rdlock Acquires a read-write lock for read access, after waiting if necessary. pthread_rwlock_tryrdlock Attempts to acquire, without waiting, a read-write lock for read access. pthread_rwlock_trywrlock Attempts to acquire, without waiting, a read-write lock for write access. pthread_rwlock_unlock Releases one acquisition by the calling thread of a read-write lock for read access or write access. pthread_rwlock_wrlock Acquires a read-write lock for write access, after waiting if necessary. Read-Write Lock Attributes Object Routines pthread_rwlockattr_destroy Destroys a read-write lock attributes object. pthread_rwlockattr_getpshared Obtains the process-shared attribute of the specified read-write lock attributes object. pthread_rwlockattr_init Initializes a read-write lock attributes object. pthread_rwlockattr_setpshared Changes the process-shared attribute of the specified read-write lock attributes object. Non-Portable Extensions: Thread Execution Routines pthread_delay_np Causes a thread to delay execution. pthread_get_expiration_np Obtains a value representing a desired expiration time. pthread_getname_np Obtains the object name of the specified thread object. pthread_getsequence_np Obtains a thread's sequence number. pthread_setname_np Changes the object name of the specified thread object. Non-Portable Extensions: Thread Attributes Object Routines pthread_attr_getname_np Obtains the object name attribute of the specified thread attributes object. pthread_attr_getpaddock_np Obtains the processor subset attribute of the specified thread attributes object. pthread_attr_getstackaddr_np Obtains the stackaddr attribute of the specified thread attributes object as low address and size. (See also pthread_attr_getstackaddr.) pthread_attr_setname_np Changes the object name attribute of the specified thread attributes object. pthread_attr_setpaddock_np Changes the processor subset attribute of the specified thread attributes object. pthread_attr_setstackaddr_np Changes the stackaddr attribute of the specified thread attributes object by specifying low address and size. (See also pthread_attr_setstackaddr.) Non-Portable Extensions: Thread-Specific Data Routines pthread_key_getname_np Obtains the object name of a thread-specific data key object. pthread_key_setname_np Changes the object name of a thread-specific data key object. Non-Portable Extensions: DECthreads Global Mutex Routines pthread_lock_global_np Locks the DECthreads global mutex if it is unlocked. pthread_unlock_global_np Unlocks the DECthreads global mutex if it is locked. Non-Portable Extensions: Mutex Routines pthread_mutex_getname_np Obtains the object name of a mutex object. pthread_mutex_setname_np Changes the object name of a mutex object. Non-Portable Extensions: Condition Variable Routines pthread_cond_getname_np Obtains the object name of a condition variable object. pthread_cond_setname_np Changes the object name of a condition variable object. pthread_cond_signal_int_np Wakes one thread that is waiting on a condition variable (called from interrupt level only). pthread_cond_sig_preempt_int_np Wakes one thread that is waiting on the specified condition variable (called from interrupt level only). Non-Portable Extensions: Read-Write Lock Routines pthread_rwlock_getname_np Obtains the object name of a read-write lock object. pthread_rwlock_setname_np Changes the object name of a read-write lock object. Non-Portable Extensions: Processor Subset Object Routines pthread_paddock_combine_np Stores the combined CPU resource descriptions from two processor subset objects into a third. pthread_paddock_destroy_np Destroys a processor subset object. pthread_paddock_equal_np Determines whether the CPU resource descriptions of two processor subset objects are equivalent. pthread_paddock_get_np Obtains CPU resource information in a thread object and stores it in the specified processor subset object. pthread_paddock_init_np Initializes a processor subset object based on a processor subset attributes object. pthread_paddock_population_np Returns the number of processors described in the specified processor subset object. pthread_paddock_set_np Stores the CPU resource descriptions from a processor subset object into a thread object. pthread_paddock_split_np Sets the contents of two processor subset objects by splitting the contents of a third. Non-Portable Extensions: DECthreads Exception Object Routines pthread_exc_get_status_np Obtains a system-defined error status from a DECthreads status exception object. pthread_exc_matches_np Determines whether two DECthreads exception objects are identical. pthread_exc_report_np Produces a message that reports what a specified DECthreads status exception object represents. pthread_exc_set_status_np Imports a system-defined error status into a DECthreads address exception object. Non-Portable Extensions: Thread Priority, Concurrency, and Scheduling Routines pthread_yield_np Notifies the scheduler that the current thread is willing to release its processor to other threads of the same or higher priority.

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