pthread_cond_init(3) - NetBSD Manual Pages

Command:
Section:
Arch:
Collection:
>>>
PTHREAD_COND(3)         NetBSD Library Functions Manual        PTHREAD_COND(3)


NAME

     pthread_cond -- condition variable interface


LIBRARY

     POSIX Threads Library (libpthread, -lpthread)


SYNOPSIS

     #include <pthread.h>

     int
     pthread_cond_init(pthread_cond_t * restrict cond,
         const pthread_condattr_t * restrict attr);

     pthread_cond_t cond = PTHREAD_COND_INITIALIZER;

     int
     pthread_cond_destroy(pthread_cond_t *cond);

     int
     pthread_cond_broadcast(pthread_cond_t *cond);

     int
     pthread_cond_signal(pthread_cond_t *cond);

     int
     pthread_cond_wait(pthread_cond_t * restrict cond,
         pthread_mutex_t * restrict mutex);

     int
     pthread_cond_timedwait(pthread_cond_t * restrict cond,
         pthread_mutex_t * restrict mutex,
         const struct timespec * restrict abstime);


DESCRIPTION

     Condition variables are intended to be used to communicate changes in the
     state of data shared between threads.  Condition variables are always
     associated with a mutex to provide synchronized access to the shared
     data.  A single predicate should always be associated with a condition
     variable.  The predicate should identify a state of the shared data that
     must be true before the thread proceeds.

     The pthread_cond_init() function creates a new condition variable, with
     attributes specified with attr.  If attr is NULL the default attributes
     are used.  The pthread_cond_destroy() function frees the resources allo-
     cated by the condition variable cond.

     The macro PTHREAD_COND_INITIALIZER can be used to initialize a condition
     variable when it can be statically allocated and the default attributes
     are appropriate.  The effect is similar to calling pthread_cond_init()
     with attr specified as NULL, except that no error checking is done.

     The difference between pthread_cond_broadcast() and pthread_cond_signal()
     is that the former unblocks all threads waiting for the condition vari-
     able, whereas the latter blocks only one waiting thread.  If no threads
     are waiting on cond, neither function has any effect.  If more than one
     thread is blocked on a condition variable, the used scheduling policy
     determines the order in which threads are unblocked.  The same mutex used
     for waiting must be held while calling either function.  Although neither
     function strictly enforces this requirement, undefined behavior may fol-
     low if the mutex is not held.

     The pthread_cond_wait() function atomically blocks the current thread
     waiting on the condition variable specified by cond, and unlocks the
     mutex specified by mutex.  The pthread_cond_timedwait() function behaves
     similarly, but unblocks also if the system time reaches the time speci-
     fied in abstime, represented as struct timespec (see timespec(3)).  With
     both functions the waiting thread unblocks after another thread calls
     pthread_cond_signal() or pthread_cond_broadcast() with the same condition
     variable and by holding the same mutex that was associated with cond by
     either one of the blocking functions.  The current thread holds the lock
     on mutex upon return from either function.

     Note that a call to pthread_cond_wait() or pthread_cond_timedwait() may
     wake up spontaneously, without a call to pthread_cond_signal() or
     pthread_cond_broadcast().  The caller should prepare for this by invoking
     either function within a predicate loop that tests whether the thread
     should proceed.

     As noted, when calling either function that waits on a condition vari-
     able, a temporary binding is established between the condition variable
     cond and the mutex mutex.  During this time, the effect of an attempt by
     any thread to wait on that condition variable using a different mutex is
     undefined.  The same mutex must be held while broadcasting or signaling
     on cond.  Additionally, the same mutex must be used for concurrent calls
     to pthread_cond_wait() and pthread_cond_timedwait().  Only when a condi-
     tion variable is known to be quiescent may an application change the
     mutex associated with it.  In this implementation, none of the functions
     enforce this requirement, but if the mutex is not held or independent
     mutexes are used the resulting behaviour is undefined.


RETURN VALUES

     If successful, all functions return zero.  Otherwise, an error number
     will be returned to indicate the error.


ERRORS

     The pthread_cond_init() function may fail if:

     [EINVAL]           The value specified by attr is invalid.

     The pthread_cond_destroy() function may fail if:

     [EBUSY]            The variable cond is locked by another thread.

     [EINVAL]           The value specified by cond is invalid.

     Both pthread_cond_broadcast() and pthread_cond_signal() may fail if:

     [EINVAL]           The value specified by cond is invalid.

     Both pthread_cond_wait() and pthread_cond_timedwait() may fail if:

     [EINVAL]           The value specified by cond or the value specified by
                        mutex is invalid.

     [EPERM]            The value specified by mutex was not locked in the
                        condition wait.

     The pthread_cond_timedwait() function may additionally fail if:

     [ETIMEDOUT]        The system time has reached or exceeded the time spec-
                        ified in abstime.


SEE ALSO

     pthread(3), pthread_barrier(3), pthread_condattr(3), pthread_mutex(3),
     pthread_rwlock(3), pthread_spin(3)


STANDARDS

     These functions conform to IEEE Std 1003.1-2001 (``POSIX.1'').

NetBSD 7.1                       July 8, 2010                       NetBSD 7.1