Can I signal multiple threads simultaneously with pthread_cond_wait(,)? - c

Question

I am writing various code snippets and see what happens. The code below was intended to delay all threads until all reached a certain point in the code and then make each print a distinctive number. Since the threads all do that, the numbers should occur in a random order.
My current problem is that I keep they threads busy waiting. If the number of threads gets big, the program slows down significantly.
I would like to change that by using signals, I found pthread_cond_wait() for that, however I don't see how one would use that to signal all threads that they would please wake up.
#include <pthread.h>
#include <stdio.h>
#include <unistd.h>
#define threads 10
int counter=0;
pthread_mutex_t lock;
void handler(void *v) {
pthread_mutex_lock(&lock);
counter++;
printf("%d\n", counter);
pthread_mutex_unlock(&lock);
while(counter != threads); // busy waiting
printf("I am first! %d\n", v);
}
int main() {
pthread_t t[threads];
for(int i =0; i < threads; i++) {
pthread_create(&t[i], NULL, handler, (void*) i);
}
for(int i =0; i < threads; i++) {
pthread_join(t[i], NULL);
}
return 0;
}
EDIT: I changed the code to the following, however, it still does not work :/
pthread_mutex_t lock;
pthread_cond_t cv;
void handler(void *v) {
pthread_mutex_lock(&lock);
pthread_cond_wait(&cv, &lock);
printf("I am first! %d\n", v);
pthread_mutex_unlock(&lock);
}
int main() {
pthread_t t[threads];
for(int i =0; i < threads; i++)
pthread_create(&t[i], NULL, handler, (void*) i);
sleep(2);
pthread_cond_signal(&cv);
for(int i =0; i < threads; i++)
pthread_join(t[i], NULL);
return 0;
}

Answer 1

use broadcast()?
http://pubs.opengroup.org/onlinepubs/009696699/functions/pthread_cond_broadcast.html
The pthread_cond_broadcast() function shall unblock all threads currently blocked on the specified condition variable cond.
The pthread_cond_signal() function shall unblock at least one of the threads that are blocked on the specified condition variable cond (if any threads are blocked on cond).

Answer 2

An alternative solution to pthread_cond_broadcast() might be the following.
You define a read-write mutex and lock it in write in the main thread before creating the other threads. The other threads will try to acquire a read-lock but since the main thread have a write-lock they will be blocked.
After the creation of all thread the main-thread releases the lock. All the other threads will be waken up and since many read-locks can coexist the will execute simultaneously (i.e. no one will be locked).
Code might be something like:
pthread_rwlock_t lock;
void handler(void *v) {
if ((res = pthread_rwlock_rdlock(&lock)!=0)
{
exit(1);
}
printf("I am first! %d\n", v);
pthread_rwlock_unlock(&lock);
}
int main() {
pthread_t t[threads];
//First acquire the write lock:
if ((res = pthread_rwlock_wrlock(&lock)!=0)
{
exit(1);
}
for(int i =0; i < threads; i++)
{
pthread_create(&t[i], NULL, handler, (void*) i);
//it is not clear if you want sleep inside the loop or not
// You indented it as if to be inside but not put brackets
sleep(2);
}
pthread_rwlock_unlock(&lock);
for(int i =0; i < threads; i++)
pthread_join(t[i], NULL);
pthread_rwlock_destroy(&lock);
return 0;
}

Answer 3

Try posting the matching remove_from_buffer code.
Better yet, Short, Self Contained, Correct Example
Make a short main() with two threads.
One thread adds to the buffer at random intervals.
The other thread removes from the buffer at random intervals.
Example
CELEBP22
/* CELEBP22 */
#define _OPEN_THREADS
#include <pthread.h>
#include <stdio.h>
#include <time.h>
#include <unistd.h>
pthread_cond_t cond;
pthread_mutex_t mutex;
int footprint = 0;
void *thread(void *arg) {
time_t T;
if (pthread_mutex_lock(&mutex) != 0) {
perror("pthread_mutex_lock() error");
exit(6);
}
time(&T);
printf("starting wait at %s", ctime(&T));
footprint++;
if (pthread_cond_wait(&cond, &mutex) != 0) {
perror("pthread_cond_timedwait() error");
exit(7);
}
time(&T);
printf("wait over at %s", ctime(&T));
}
main() {
pthread_t thid;
time_t T;
struct timespec t;
if (pthread_mutex_init(&mutex, NULL) != 0) {
perror("pthread_mutex_init() error");
exit(1);
}
if (pthread_cond_init(&cond, NULL) != 0) {
perror("pthread_cond_init() error");
exit(2);
}
if (pthread_create(&thid, NULL, thread, NULL) != 0) {
perror("pthread_create() error");
exit(3);
}
while (footprint == 0)
sleep(1);
puts("IPT is about ready to release the thread");
sleep(2);
if (pthread_cond_signal(&cond) != 0) {
perror("pthread_cond_signal() error");
exit(4);
}
if (pthread_join(thid, NULL) != 0) {
perror("pthread_join() error");
exit(5);
}
}
OUTPUT
starting wait at Fri Jun 16 10:54:06 2006 IPT is about ready to
release the thread wait over at Fri Jun 16 10:54:09 2006