Setting Cancellation Type

Use pthread_setcanceltype(3C) to set the cancellation type to either deferred or asynchronous mode.

pthread_setcanceltype Syntax

int pthread_setcanceltype(int type, int *oldtype);

#include <pthread.h>

int oldtype;
int ret;

/* deferred mode */
ret = pthread_setcanceltype(PTHREAD_CANCEL_DEFERRED, &oldtype);

/* async mode*/
ret = pthread_setcanceltype(PTHREAD_CANCEL_ASYNCHRONOUS, &oldtype);

When a thread is created, the cancellation type is set to deferred mode by default. In deferred mode, the thread can be cancelled only at cancellation points. In asynchronous mode, a thread can be cancelled at any point during its execution. The use of asynchronous mode is discouraged.

pthread_setcanceltype Return Values

pthread_setcanceltype() 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.

Description: The type is not PTHREAD_CANCEL_DEFERRED or PTHREAD_CANCEL_ASYNCHRONOUS.