Semaphores and the standard out buffer - c

Question

I implemented the Reader/Writer problem in C using semaphores (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Readers%E2%80%93writers_problem).
If I put the respective processes to sleep() for one second, the program acts as expected, however if I let it run without interrupting I get something like this:
writer wrote 5
writer wrote 10
reader reads the data:5
writer wrote 15
reader reads the data:15
reader reads the data:15
Semaphore with value of sid = 11599873 is killed
Semaphore with value of sid = 11632642 is killed
Semaphore with value of sid = 11665411 is killed
or
writer wrote 5
writer wrote 10
writer wrote 15
reader reads the data:5
reader reads the data:15
reader reads the data:15
Semaphore with value of sid = 11599873 is killed
Semaphore with value of sid = 11632642 is killed
Semaphore with value of sid = 11665411 is killed
Is this just because the standard out buffer prints these lines out of order, or is there a race condition in my implementation?
Here's the code:
#include<stdio.h>
#include<sys/types.h>
#include<sys/ipc.h>
#include<sys/shm.h>
#include<stdlib.h>
#include "sem.h"
#define N 3
#define BUFSIZE 1
#define PERMS 0666 //0666 - To grant read and write permissions
int *buffer;
int mutex,write_allowed,rd_count; /* semaphore variables
* mutex, write_allowed - binary semaphore -- critical section
* rd_count - counting semaphore */
void reading()
{
//perform read
int g;
g=*buffer;
printf("reader reads the data:%d\n",g);
}
int main()
{
int shmid,no=1,i;
int pid,n;
if((shmid=shmget(1000,BUFSIZE,IPC_CREAT| PERMS )) < 0)
{
printf("\n unable to create shared memory");
return;
}
if((buffer=(int*)shmat(shmid,(char*)0,0)) == (int*)-1)
{
printf("\n Shared memory allocation error\n");
exit(1);
}
// semaphore creation
if((mutex=semget(IPC_PRIVATE,1,PERMS | IPC_CREAT)) == -1)
{
printf("\n can't create mutex semaphore");
exit(1);
}
if((write_allowed=semget(IPC_PRIVATE,1,PERMS | IPC_CREAT)) == -1)
{
printf("\n can't create empty semaphore");
exit(1);
}
if((rd_count=semget(IPC_PRIVATE,1,PERMS | IPC_CREAT)) == -1)
{
printf("\ncan't create full semaphore");
exit(1);
}
// initialze the semaphore
sem_create(mutex,1);
sem_create(write_allowed,1);
sem_create(rd_count,0);
//forking a child
if((pid=fork()) < 0)
{
printf("\n Error in process creation");
exit(1);
}
// write process
if(pid > 0)
{
for(i=0;i<N;i++)
{
P(write_allowed);
//perform write
*buffer=*buffer+5;
printf("write wrote %d\n", *buffer);
//sleep(1);
V(write_allowed);
}
}
//read process
if(pid == 0)
{
for(i=0;i<N;i++)
{
P(mutex);
rd_count++;
if(1 == rd_count)
P(write_allowed);
V(mutex);
reading();
//sleep(1);
P(mutex);
rd_count--;
if(0==rd_count)
V(write_allowed);
V(mutex);
}
shmdt(0);
shmctl(shmid, IPC_RMID, NULL);
semkill(mutex);
semkill(write_allowed);
semkill(rd_count);
}
}
The sem.h file:
/************************************************************************/
/* Operating Systems - Fall 2006
/* */
/* Semaphore library : sem.h */
/* */
/* Originally developed at KSU by a teaching assistant */
/* */
/* Description : The following library is a collection of */
/* routines for using binary semaphores in C: */
/* 1. seminit - to initialize a semaphore. */
/* 2. P - to perform a P(S) (wait) operation. */
/* 3. V - to perform a V(S) (signal) operation. */
/* 4. semkill - to remove a semaphore */
/* */
/* These routines call system routines: */
/* 1. semget - to get a semaphore */
/* 2. semctl - semaphore control operations */
/* 3. semop - semaphore operations */
/* */
/* Complete manual entries can be obtained by: */
/* man semctl | col -b | lpr */
/************************************************************************/
#include <stdio.h>
#include <sys/types.h>
#include <sys/ipc.h>
#include <sys/sem.h>
union arg{ /* This structure is used to call semctl */
int val;
struct semid_ds *buf;
char *array;
};
/*
* Create semaphore based on "key" parameter to "initval"
*/
void sem_create(int semid, int initval)
{
int semval;
union semun
{
int val;
struct semid_ds *buf;
unsigned short *array;
}s;
s.val=initval;
if((semval=semctl(semid,0,SETVAL,s))<0)
printf("\n Erroe in executing semctl");
}
/*
* Remove semaphore with semaphore id (sid) from the kernel
*/
static void semkill (sid)
int sid;
{
if (semctl(sid,0,IPC_RMID,0) == -1)
perror("semctl (kill)");
printf("Semaphore with value of sid = %d is killed \n",sid);
}
/*
* Perform the designated "op" operation on the semaphore. If "op" is -1,
* then this implements the "P" operation; it decrements the value of the
* semaphore (semval) if it was >0,
* and blocks the caller if it was zero (semval==0)
* If "op" is 1, then this is simply added to current value of
* the semaphore ("V" operation).
*/
static void semcall(sid, op)
int sid;
int op;
{
struct sembuf sb;
sb.sem_num = 0; /* semaphore number within sid */
sb.sem_op = op;
sb.sem_flg = 0; /* blocking call */
if (semop(sid, &sb, 1) == -1)
perror("semop");
}
/*
* P operation on semaphore "sid". Should be called upon entry to critical
* region.
*/
static void P(sid)
int sid;
{
semcall(sid, -1);
}
/*
* V operation on semaphore "sid". Should be called upon exit from critical
* region.
*/
static void V(sid)
int sid;
{
semcall(sid, 1);
}

Answer 1

You don't increment a semaphore by rd_count++;. rd_count is supposedly just a semaphore ID. You need to use some kind of function that operates using the semaphore ID to change the state of the semaphore, which is kept somewhere outside your two processes.
Also I am not familiar with sem_create(), but unless it is a C++ function taking a reference argument, I have my doubts it has any side-effect on the variables you pass it.