Unblocking One Thread

Use pthread_cond_signal(3C) to unblock one thread that is blocked on the condition variable pointed to by cv.

pthread_cond_signal Syntax

int pthread_cond_signal(pthread_cond_t *cv);

#include <pthread.h>

pthread_cond_t cv;
int ret;

/* one condition variable is signaled */
ret = pthread_cond_signal(&cv); 

Modify the associated condition under the protection of the same mutex used with the condition variable being signaled. Otherwise, the condition could be modified between its test and blocking in pthread_cond_wait(), which can cause an infinite wait.

The scheduling policy determines the order in which blocked threads are awakened. The default scheduling policy, SCHED_OTHER, does not specify the order in which threads are awakened. Under the SCHED_FIFO and SCHED_RR real-time scheduling policies, threads are awakened in priority order.

When no threads are blocked on the condition variable, calling pthread_cond_signal() has no effect.

Example 4–8 Using pthread_cond_wait() and pthread_cond_signal()

pthread_mutex_t count_lock;
pthread_cond_t count_nonzero;
unsigned count;

decrement_count()
{
    pthread_mutex_lock(&count_lock);
    while (count == 0)
        pthread_cond_wait(&count_nonzero, &count_lock);
    count = count - 1;
    pthread_mutex_unlock(&count_lock);
}

increment_count()
{
    pthread_mutex_lock(&count_lock);
    if (count == 0)
        pthread_cond_signal(&count_nonzero);
    count = count + 1;
    pthread_mutex_unlock(&count_lock);
}

pthread_cond_signal Return Values

pthread_cond_signal() returns zero after completing successfully. Any other return value indicates that an error occurred. When the following condition occurs, the function fails and returns the corresponding value.

EINVAL

Description:

cv points to an illegal address.

Example 4–8 shows how to use pthread_cond_wait() and pthread_cond_signal().