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boost::thread —
The thread class represents threads of execution, and provides the functionality to create and manage threads within the Boost.Threads library. See Glossary for a precise description of thread of execution, and for definitions of threading-related terms and of thread states such as blocked.
class thread : private boost::noncopyable // Exposition only { public: // construct/copy/destruct thread(); explicit thread(const boost::function0<void>&); ~thread(); // comparison bool operator==() const; bool operator!=() const; // modifier void join(); // static static void sleep(const xtime&); static void yield(); };
A thread of execution has an initial function. For the program's initial thread, the initial function is main(). For other threads, the initial function is operator() of the function object passed to the thread object's constructor.
A thread of execution is said to be "finished" or to have "finished execution" when its initial function returns or is terminated. This includes completion of all thread cleanup handlers, and completion of the normal C++ function return behaviors, such as destruction of automatic storage (stack) objects and releasing any associated implementation resources.
A thread object has an associated state which is either "joinable" or "non-joinable".
Except as described below, the policy used by an implementation of Boost.Threads to schedule transitions between thread states is unspecified.
thread();
Effects:
Constructs a thread object
representing the current thread of execution.
Postconditions:
*this is non-joinable.
Notes:
Danger:*this is valid only within the current thread.
explicit thread(const boost::function0<void>& threadfunc);
Effects:
Starts a new thread of execution and constructs a
thread object representing it.
Copies threadfunc (which in turn copies
the function object wrapped by threadfunc)
to an internal location which persists for the lifetime
of the new thread of execution. Calls operator()
on the copy of the threadfunc function object
in the new thread of execution.
Postconditions:
*this is joinable.
Throws:
boost::thread_resource_error if a new thread
of execution cannot be started.
~thread();
Effects:
Destroys *this. The actual thread of
execution may continue to execute after the
thread object has been destroyed.
Notes:
If *this is joinable the actual thread
of execution becomes "detached". Any resources used
by the thread will be reclaimed when the thread of execution
completes. To ensure such a thread of execution runs to completion
before the thread object is destroyed, call
join().
void join();
Requires:
*this is joinable.
Effects:
The current thread of execution blocks until the
initial function of the thread of execution represented by
*this finishes and all resources are
reclaimed.
Notes:
If *this == thread() the result is
implementation-defined. If the implementation doesn't
detect this the result will be
deadlock.
static void sleep(const xtime& xt);
Effects: The current thread of execution blocks until xt is reached.
static void yield();
Effects:
The current thread of execution is placed in the
ready
state.
Notes:
Allow the current thread to give up the rest of its
time slice (or other scheduling quota) to another thread.
Particularly useful in non-preemptive implementations.
| Copyright © 2001-2003 William E. Kempf |