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C++ With Pthreads: Ryan M. Swanstrom December 27, 2008

This document describes using Pthreads in C++ through examples of creating and joining threads, using mutex variables for thread synchronization, and using condition variables. It provides code examples and directions for exercises on creating two threads, using mutexes to prevent a shared vector from exceeding a maximum size, and using condition variables to signal between two threads in a loop so they alternately wait and notify each other. The goal is to demonstrate basic thread programming concepts in C++ using Pthreads.

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53 views8 pages

C++ With Pthreads: Ryan M. Swanstrom December 27, 2008

This document describes using Pthreads in C++ through examples of creating and joining threads, using mutex variables for thread synchronization, and using condition variables. It provides code examples and directions for exercises on creating two threads, using mutexes to prevent a shared vector from exceeding a maximum size, and using condition variables to signal between two threads in a loop so they alternately wait and notify each other. The goal is to demonstrate basic thread programming concepts in C++ using Pthreads.

Uploaded by

hamid Talib
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 8

C++ with Pthreads

Ryan M. Swanstrom
December 27, 2008

Abstract
This paper will demonstrate the use of Pthreads in C++. It is set up as lab exercise.

Contents
1 Creating and Joining Threads 2
1.1 Directions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

2 Mutex Variables 3
2.1 Directions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

3 Condition Variables 5
3.1 Simple Example . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
3.1.1 C++ Code . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
3.1.2 Directions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
3.2 Complex Thread Coordination Example . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
3.2.1 C++ Code . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
3.2.2 Directions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

A Setup Netbeans 8
1 Creating and Joining Threads
#include
#include
#include
using namespace std;

void *thread_a(void* param); // thread function

// This is a demo of using pthreads


int main(int argc, char** argv) {
pthread_t t_id_a; //declare the thread

cout << "main():before thread is called." << endl;


pthread_create(&t_id_a, NULL, thread_a, NULL);
// try commenting and uncommenting the next line
// pthread_join(t_id_a, NULL); // the main() function does not go
//beyond this line until t_id_a is done
cout << "main(): after thread is called" << endl;

// Without the join up above, the following loop is necessary to give


// thread_a time to finish. Otherwise, thread_a is just killed when the
// main() method returns
// for (long i = 0; i < 9999999; i++) {
// // simulate some work
// i*i;
// }
cout << "main(): is exiting" << endl;
return (EXIT_SUCCESS);
}

void *thread_a(void* param) {


cout << "thread_a(): before work" << endl;
for (long i = 0; i < 9999989; i++) {
// simulate some work
i*i;
}
cout << "thread_a(): after work" << endl;
pthread_exit(0);
}

1.1 Directions
1. Compile and run the supplied code.

2. Why doesn’t “(): after work” get printed out?


3. Uncomment the for loop in the main() function.

4. Rerun the code.

5. Does “thread a(): after work” get printed out? Why/Why not?

6. Comment out the for loop in the main() function.

7. Uncomment the pthread join method

2 Mutex Variables
#include
#include
#include
#include
using namespace std;

vector shared_vec;
int MAX_SIZE = 1;
//pthread_mutex_t mutex; // declare a mutex
void *thread_a(void* param); // thread function
void *thread_b(void* param); // thread function

// This is a demo of using pthreads


int main(int argc, char** argv) {

// pthread_mutex_init(&mutex, NULL); // initialize the mutex

pthread_t t_id_a; //declare the thread for A


pthread_t t_id_b; //declare the thread for B

pthread_create(&t_id_a, NULL, thread_a, NULL);


pthread_create(&t_id_b, NULL, thread_b, NULL);
pthread_join(t_id_a, NULL);
pthread_join(t_id_b, NULL);

// pthread_mutex_destroy(&mutex);

return (EXIT_SUCCESS);
}

void *thread_a(void* param) {


// pthread_mutex_lock(&mutex);
for (int i = 0; i < 5; i++ ) {
if (shared_vec.size() < MAX_SIZE) {
// do some work
cout << "thread_a(): A doing work, " << i << endl;
for (int j = 0; j < 9999999; j++) {
i*j*i*j*j*-i *j/i+i+j;
}
shared_vec.push_back(rand());
}
if (shared_vec.size() > MAX_SIZE) {
cout << "ERROR: thread_a(): MAX_SIZE exceeded with " <<
shared_vec.size() << endl;
}
}
// pthread_mutex_unlock(&mutex);
pthread_exit(0);
}

void *thread_b(void* param) {


// pthread_mutex_lock(&mutex);
for (int i = 0; i < 5; i++ ) {
if (shared_vec.size() < MAX_SIZE) {
// do some different work
cout << "thread_b(): B doing work, " << i << endl;
for (int j = 0; j < 10000; j++) {
i*j+j;
}
shared_vec.push_back(rand());
}
if (shared_vec.size() > MAX_SIZE) {
cout << "ERROR: thread_b(): MAX_SIZE exceeded with " <<
shared_vec.size() << endl;
}
}
// pthread_mutex_unlock(&mutex);
pthread_exit(0);
}

2.1 Directions
1. Run the above code

2. Why does an error occur?

3. How could this erroneous behavior be avoided?

4. Why doesn’t thread b() print out an Error message?

5. Uncomment the mutex global variable and the mutex code in the main() method and
in thread a(). Leave the mutex commented out in thread b();
6. Run the program again.

7. Why does the error still occur?

8. Uncomment the mutex code in thread b();

9. Run the program again.

10. Does it work correctly?

11. Raise the MAX SIZE to 7.

12. Run again. Note the output.

13. Move the mutex lock and mutex unlock inside the for loop in both thread methods.

14. Run again.

15. Is the output different? Why?

3 Condition Variables
3.1 Simple Example
3.1.1 C++ Code

#include <iostream>
#include <pthread.h>
using namespace std;

pthread_mutex_t mutex; // declare a mutex


pthread_cond_t cond_a; // declare a condition variable
void *thread_a(void* param); // thread function
void *thread_b(void* param); // thread function

// This is a demo of using pthreads with condition variables


int main(int argc, char** argv) {

pthread_mutex_init(&mutex, NULL); // initialize the mutex


pthread_cond_init(&cond_a, NULL); // initialize the condition variable

pthread_t t_id_a; //declare the thread for A


pthread_t t_id_b; //declare the thread for B

pthread_create(&t_id_a, NULL, thread_a, NULL);


pthread_create(&t_id_b, NULL, thread_b, NULL);
pthread_join(t_id_a, NULL);
pthread_join(t_id_b, NULL);
pthread_cond_destroy(&cond_a); // destroy and cleanup
pthread_mutex_destroy(&mutex); // destroy and cleanup

return (EXIT_SUCCESS);
}

void *thread_a(void* param) {


pthread_mutex_lock(&mutex);
cout << "thread_a() is waiting for a signal" << endl;
pthread_cond_wait(&cond_a, &mutex);
cout << "thread_a(): A has received signal"<< endl;
pthread_mutex_unlock(&mutex);
pthread_exit(0);
}

void *thread_b(void* param) {


pthread_mutex_lock(&mutex);
cout << "thread_b(): sending signal to thread_a() " << endl;
pthread_cond_signal(&cond_a);
pthread_mutex_unlock(&mutex);
pthread_exit(0);
}

3.1.2 Directions
1. Run the code numerous times.
2. Is the output always the same?

3.2 Complex Thread Coordination Example


Now a for loop is added so that thread A will wait for thread A to signal and visa versa.
Notice the presence of two condition variables. One condition variable is for thread A; the
other is for thread B.
The signal will be sent. If no thread is waiting for the signal, it will be stored until a
thread actually issues a wait on that signal. At that point the signal will be delivered.

3.2.1 C++ Code

#include <stdlib.h>
#include <iostream>
#include <pthread.h>
using namespace std;

pthread_mutex_t mutex; // declare a mutex


pthread_cond_t cond_a; // declare a condition variable
pthread_cond_t cond_b; // declare another condition variable
void *thread_a(void* param); // thread function
void *thread_b(void* param); // thread function

// This is a demo of using pthreads with condition variables


int main(int argc, char** argv) {

pthread_mutex_init(&mutex, NULL); // initialize the mutex


pthread_cond_init(&cond_a, NULL); // initialize the condition variable
pthread_cond_init(&cond_b, NULL); // initialize the condition variable

pthread_t t_id_a; //declare the thread for A


pthread_t t_id_b; //declare the thread for B

pthread_create(&t_id_a, NULL, thread_a, NULL);


pthread_create(&t_id_b, NULL, thread_b, NULL);
pthread_join(t_id_a, NULL);
pthread_join(t_id_b, NULL);

pthread_cond_destroy(&cond_a); // destroy and cleanup


pthread_cond_destroy(&cond_b); // destroy and cleanup
pthread_mutex_destroy(&mutex); // destroy and cleanup the mutex

return (EXIT_SUCCESS);
}

void *thread_a(void* param) {


for (int i = 0; i < 5; i++) {
pthread_mutex_lock(&mutex);
cout << "A: thread_a() waiting" << endl;
pthread_cond_wait(&cond_a, &mutex);
pthread_cond_signal(&cond_b);
pthread_mutex_unlock(&mutex);
}
pthread_exit(0);
}

void *thread_b(void* param) {


for (int i = 0; i < 5; i++) {
pthread_mutex_lock(&mutex);
pthread_cond_signal(&cond_a);
cout << "B: thread_b() waiting" << endl;
pthread_cond_wait(&cond_b, &mutex);
pthread_mutex_unlock(&mutex);
}
pthread_exit(0);
}

3.2.2 Directions
1. Run the following code numerous times.

2. Is the output the same?

3. Try moving the pthread cond wait statement from thread b to after the mutex unlock.

4. Run the program.

5. Is the output the same? Why/Why not?

A Setup Netbeans
1. Create a new project

2. Add the pthread library

• Right-click on project name and go to Properties


• Linker ⇒ Libraries
• Click on the Libraries input
• Select Add Standard Library
• Select Posix Threads

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