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Name

Synopsis

Posix

#include <pthread.h>
int pthread_mutex_init(pthread_mutex_t *mp, const pthread_mutexattr_t *attr);
pthread_mutex_t mutex = PTHREAD_MUTEX_INITIALIZER ;
int pthread_mutex_lock(pthread_mutex_t *mp);
int pthread_mutex_trylock(pthread_mutex_t *mp);
int pthread_mutex_unlock(pthread_mutex_t *mp);
int pthread_mutex_destroy(pthread_mutex_t *mp);

Solaris

#include <thread.h>
#include <synch.h>
int mutex_init(mutex_t *mp, int type, void * arg);
int mutex_lock(mutex_t *mp);
int mutex_trylock(mutex_t *mp);
int mutex_unlock(mutex_t *mp);
int mutex_destroy(mutex_t *mp);

MT-Level

Description

Mutexes can synchronize threads within the same process or in other processes. Mutexes can be used to synchronize threads between processes if the mutexes are allocated in writable memory and shared among the cooperating processes (see mmap(2) ), and have been initialized for this task.

Initialize

For inter-process synchronization, a mutex needs to be allocated in memory shared between these processes. Since the memory for such a mutex must be allocated dynamically, the mutex needs to be explicitly initialized using mutex_init() or pthread_mutex_init() with the appropriate attribute that indicates inter-process use.

POSIX Initialize

In POSIX, the attributes of a mutex may be specified via the attribute object created via pthread_mutexattr_init() and modified using the pthread_mutexattr_*() functions. To explicitly specify whether a mutex is or is not shared between processes, it can be initialized with an attribute object modified via pthread_mutexattr_setpshared(3T) . The second argument to this function can be either of the following:

PTHREAD_PROCESS_PRIVATE

The mutex can synchronize threads within this process. The PTHREAD_PROCESS_PRIVATE POSIX mutex type for process scope is equivalent to the USYNC_THREAD flag to mutex_init() in the Solaris API (see below).

PTHREAD_PROCESS_SHARED

The mutex can synchronize threads in this process and other processes. Only one process should initialize the mutex. The PTHREAD_PROCESS_SHARED POSIX mutex type for system-wide scope is equivalent to the USYNC_PROCESS flag to mutex_init() in the Solaris API (see below). The object initialized with this attribute must be allocated in memory shared between processes, either in System V shared memory (see shmop(2) ). or in memory mapped to a file (see mmap(2) ). It is illegal to initialize the object this way and to not allocate it in such shared memory.

Initializing mutexes can also be accomplished by allocating in zeroed memory (default), in which case, PTHREAD_PROCESS_PRIVATE is assumed. The same mutex must not be simultaneously initialized by multiple threads, nor should a mutex lock be re-initialized while in use by other threads.

If default mutex attributes are used, statically allocated mutexes can be initialized by the macro PTHREAD_MUTEX_INITIALIZER . The effect is the same as a dynamic initialization by a call to pthread_mutex_init() with parameter attr specified as NULL , except error checks are not performed.

Default mutex initialization (intra-process):
   pthread_mutex_t mp;
   pthread_mutexattr_t mattr;
   pthread_mutex_init(&mp, NULL);


    OR 


   pthread_mutexattr_init(&mattr);
   pthread_mutex_init(&mp, &mattr);


    OR 


   pthread_mutexattr_setpshared(&mattr, PTHREAD_PROCESS_PRIVATE);
   pthread_mutex_init(&mp, &mattr);


    OR 

   pthread_mutex_t  mp  =  PTHREAD_MUTEX_INITIALIZER;


    OR 

   pthread_mutex_t mp;
   mp = calloc (1, sizeof (pthread_mutex_t));


Customized mutex initialization (inter-process):

   pthread_mutexattr_init(&mattr);
   pthread_mutexattr_setpshared(&mattr, PTHREAD_PROCESS_SHARED);
   pthread_mutex_init(&mp, &mattr);

Solaris Initialize

The equivalent Solaris API used to initialize a mutex so that it has several different types of behavior is the type argument passed to mutex_init(). No current type uses arg although a future type may specify additional behavior parameters via arg. type may be one of the following:

USYNC_THREAD

The mutex can synchronize threads only in this process. arg is ignored. The USYNC_THREAD Solaris mutex type for process scope is equivalent to the POSIX mutex attribute setting PTHREAD_PROCESS_PRIVATE .

USYNC_PROCESS

The mutex can synchronize threads in this process and other processes. Only one process should initialize the mutex. arg is ignored. The USYNC_PROCESS Solaris mutex type for process scope is equivalent to the POSIX mutex attribute setting PTHREAD_PROCESS_SHARED . The object initialized with this attribute must be allocated in memory shared between processes, either in System V shared memory (see shmop(2) ). or in memory mapped to a file (see mmap(2) ). It is illegal to initialize the object this way and to not allocate it in such shared memory.

Initializing mutexes can also be accomplished by allocating in zeroed memory (default), in which case, a type of USYNC_THREAD is assumed. The same mutex must not be simultaneously initialized by multiple threads. A mutex lock must not be re-initialized while in use by other threads.

If default mutex attributes are used, the macro DEFAULTMUTEX can be used to initialize mutexes that are statically allocated.

Default mutex initialization (intra-process):

   mutex_t mp;
   mutex_init(&mp, NULL, NULL);


    OR 


   mutex_init(&mp, USYNC_THREAD, NULL);


    OR 

   mutex_t  mp  =  DEFAULTMUTEX;


    OR 

   mutex_t mp;
   mp = calloc(1, sizeof (mutex_t));


    OR 

   mutex_t mp;
   mp = malloc(sizeof (mutex_t));
   memset(mp, 0, sizeof (mutex_t));

Customized mutex initialization (inter-process):

   mutex_init(&mp, USYNC_PROCESS, NULL);

Lock and Unlock

Mutexes have ownership, unlike semaphores. Although any thread, within the scope of a mutex, can get an unlocked mutex and lock access to the same critical section of code, only the thread that locked a mutex can unlock it.

If a thread waiting for a mutex receives a signal, upon return from the signal handler, the thread resumes waiting for the mutex as if there was no interrupt. A mutex protects code, not data; therefore, strongly bind a mutex with the data by putting both within the same structure, or at least within the same procedure.

POSIX/Solaris Locking

pthread_mutex_trylock() and mutex_trylock() is the same as pthread_mutex_lock() and mutex_lock(), respectively, except that if the mutex object referenced by mp is locked (by any thread, including the current thread), the call returns immediately with an error.

pthread_mutex_unlock() or mutex_unlock() are called by the owner of the mutex object referenced by mp to release it. The mutex must be locked and the calling thread must be the one that last locked the mutex (the owner). If there are threads blocked on the mutex object referenced by mp when pthread_mutex_unlock() is called, the mp is freed, and the scheduling policy will determine which thread gets the mutex. If the calling thread is not the owner of the lock, no error status is returned, and the behavior of the program is undefined.

Destroy

Return Values

pthread_mutex_trylock() or mutex_trylock() returns 0 if a lock on the mutex object referenced by mp is obtained; otherwise, an error number is returned.

Errors

EFAULT

mp or attr points to an illegal address.

pthread_mutex_init() or mutex_init() fails and returns the corresponding value if any of the following conditions are detected:

EINVAL

The value specified by mp or attr is invalid.

pthread_mutex_trylock() or mutex_trylock() fails and returns the corresponding value if any of the following conditions occur:

EBUSY

The mutex pointed to by mp was already locked.

Examples

Single Gate

/* cc thisfile.c -lthread */

#define _REENTRANT
#include <stdio.h>
#include <thread.h>
#define NUM_THREADS 12
void *change_global_data(void *);     /*  for thr_create()   */
main(int argc,char * argv[])    {
    int i=0;
    for (i=0; i< NUM_THREADS; i++)    {
        thr_create(NULL, 0, change_global_data, NULL, 0, NULL);
    }
    while ((thr_join(NULL, NULL, NULL) == 0));
}
void * change_global_data(void *null)    {
    static mutex_t    Global_mutex;
    static int    Global_data = 0;
    mutex_lock(&Global_mutex);
    Global_data++;
    sleep(1);
    printf("%d is global data\n",Global_data);        
    mutex_unlock(&Global_mutex);    
     return NULL;
}

Multiple Instruction Single Data

The previous example, the mutex, the code it owns, and the data it protects was enclosed in one function. The next example uses C++ features to accommodate many functions that use just one mutex to protect one data:

/* CC thisfile.c -lthread   use C++ to compile*/
#define _REENTRANT
#include <stdlib.h>
#include <stdio.h>
#include <thread.h>
#include <errno.h>
#include <iostream.h>
#define NUM_THREADS 16
void *change_global_data(void *);     /*  for thr_create()   */
class Mutected {
    private:
        static mutex_t    Global_mutex;
        static int    Global_data;
    public:
        static int    add_to_global_data(void);
        static int    subtract_from_global_data(void);
};
int Mutected::Global_data = 0;
mutex_t Mutected::Global_mutex;
int Mutected::add_to_global_data()    {
    mutex_lock(&Global_mutex);    
    Global_data++;
    mutex_unlock(&Global_mutex);    
    return Global_data;
}
int Mutected::subtract_from_global_data()    {
    mutex_lock(&Global_mutex);    
    Global_data--;
    mutex_unlock(&Global_mutex);    
    return Global_data;
}
void
main(int argc,char * argv[])    {
    int i=0;
    for (i=0;i< NUM_THREADS;i++)    {
        thr_create(NULL,0,change_global_data,NULL,0,NULL);
    }
    while ((thr_join(NULL,NULL,NULL) == 0));
}
void * change_global_data(void *)    {
    static int switcher = 0;
    if ((switcher++ % 3) == 0)   /* one-in-three threads subtracts */
        cout << Mutected::subtract_from_global_data() << endl;        
    else
        cout << Mutected::add_to_global_data() << endl;        
    return NULL;
}

Interprocess Locking

A mutex can protect data that is shared among processes. The mutex would need to be initialized as either PTHREAD_PROCESS_SHARED for POSIX (see pthread_mutexattr_init(3T) ), or USYNC_PROCESS for Solaris threads. One process initializes the process-shared mutex and writes it to a file to be mapped into memory by all cooperating processes (see mmap(2) ). Afterwards, other independent processes can run the same program (whether concurrently or not) and share mutex-protected data.

/* cc thisfile.c -lthread */
/* To execute, run the command line "a.out 0 & a.out 1" */
#define _REENTRANT
#include <sys/types.h>
#include <sys/mman.h>
#include <sys/stat.h>
#include <fcntl.h>
#include <stdio.h>
#include <thread.h>
#define INTERPROCESS_FILE "ipc-sharedfile"
#define NUM_ADDTHREADS 12
#define NUM_SUBTRACTTHREADS 10
#define INCREMENT ’0’
#define DECREMENT ’1’
typedef struct { 
        mutex_t    Interprocess_mutex;
        int        Interprocess_data;
} buffer_t;
buffer_t *buffer;
void *add_interprocess_data(), *subtract_interprocess_data();
void create_shared_memory(), test_argv();
int zeroed[sizeof(buffer_t)];
int ipc_fd, i=0;
void
main(int argc,char * argv[])    {
    test_argv(argv[1]);
    switch (*argv[1])  {
      case INCREMENT:
        create_shared_memory();
        ipc_fd = open(INTERPROCESS_FILE, O_RDWR);
        buffer = (buffer_t *)mmap(NULL, sizeof(buffer_t),
                  PROT_READ|PROT_WRITE, MAP_SHARED, ipc_fd, 0);
        buffer->Interprocess_data = 0;
        mutex_init(&buffer->Interprocess_mutex, USYNC_PROCESS,0);
        for (i=0; i< NUM_ADDTHREADS; i++)    
        thr_create(NULL, 0, add_interprocess_data, argv[1],
                  0, NULL);
        break;
      case DECREMENT:
        while((ipc_fd = open(INTERPROCESS_FILE, O_RDWR)) == -1)
            sleep(1);
        buffer = (buffer_t *)mmap(NULL, sizeof(buffer_t),
                  PROT_READ|PROT_WRITE, MAP_SHARED, ipc_fd, 0);
        for (i=0; i< NUM_SUBTRACTTHREADS; i++)    
         thr_create(NULL, 0, subtract_interprocess_data, argv[1],
                      0, NULL);
        break;
    } /* end switch */
    while ((thr_join(NULL,NULL,NULL) == 0));
} /* end main */
void *add_interprocess_data(char argv_1[])    {
    mutex_lock(&buffer->Interprocess_mutex);
    buffer->Interprocess_data++;
    sleep(2);
    printf("%d is add-interprocess data, and %c is argv1\n",
              buffer->Interprocess_data, argv_1[0]);
    mutex_unlock(&buffer->Interprocess_mutex);
    return NULL;
}
void *subtract_interprocess_data(char argv_1[])    {
    mutex_lock(&buffer->Interprocess_mutex);
    buffer->Interprocess_data--;
    sleep(2);
    printf("%d is subtract-interprocess data, and %c is argv1\n",
              buffer->Interprocess_data, argv_1[0]);
    mutex_unlock(&buffer->Interprocess_mutex);
    return NULL;
}
void create_shared_memory()    {
    int i;
    ipc_fd = creat(INTERPROCESS_FILE, O_CREAT|O_RDWR );
    for (i=0; i<sizeof(buffer_t); i++)    {
        zeroed[i] = 0;    
        write(ipc_fd, &zeroed[i],2);    
    }
    close(ipc_fd);
    chmod(INTERPROCESS_FILE, S_IRWXU|S_IRWXG|S_IRWXO);
}
void test_argv(char argv1[])     {
  if (argv1 == NULL)  {
    printf("use 0 as arg1 for initial process\n \ 
    or use 1 as arg1 for the second process\n");
    exit(NULL);
  }
}

In this example, run the command line

a.out 0 & a.out 1

Dynamically Allocated Mutexes

The following example allocates and frees memory in which a mutex is embedded.

struct record {
            int field1;
            int field2;
            mutex_t m;
} *r;
r = malloc(sizeof(struct record));
mutex_init(&r->m, USYNC_THREAD, NULL);
/*
  * The fields in this record are accessed concurrently
  * by acquiring the embedded lock.
  */

The thread execution in this example is as follows:

Thread 1 executes:	Thread 2 executes:
...	...
mutex_lock(&r->m);	mutex_lock(&r->m);
r->field1++;	localvar = r->field1;
r->field2 += 2;	r->field2 += 3;
mutex_unlock(&r->m);	mutex_unlock(&r->m);
...	...

Later, when a thread decides to free the memory pointed to by r, the thread should call mutex_destroy() on the mutexes in this memory.

In the following example, the main thread can do a thr_join() on both of the above threads. If there are no other threads using the memory in r, the main thread can now safely free r:

for (i = 0; i < 2; i++)
       thr_join(0, 0, 0);
mutex_destroy(&r->m);    /* first destroy mutex */
free(r);        /* Then free memory */

If the mutex is not destroyed, the program could have memory leaks.

See Also

mmap(2) , shmop(2) , pthread_create(3T) , pthread_mutexattr_init(3T)

Notes

Currently, the only supported policy is SCHED_OTHER . In Solaris, under the SCHED_OTHER policy, there is no established order in which threads are unblocked.

In the current implementation of threads, pthread_mutex_lock(), pthread_mutex_unlock(), mutex_lock(), mutex_unlock(), pthread_mutex_trylock(), and mutex_trylock() do not validate the mutex type. Therefore, an uninitialized mutex or a mutex with an invalid type does not return EINVAL . Interfaces for mutexes with an invalid type have unspecified behavior.

Uninitialized mutexes which are allocated locally may contain junk data. Such mutexes need to be initialized using pthread_mutex_init() or mutex_init().

By default, if multiple threads are waiting for a mutex, the order of acquisition is undefined.

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Table of Contents

• Name
• Synopsis
• Posix
• Solaris
• MT-Level
• Description
• Initialize
• POSIX Initialize
• Solaris Initialize
• Lock and Unlock
• POSIX/Solaris Locking
• Destroy
• Return Values
• Errors
• Examples
• Single Gate
• Multiple Instruction Single Data
• Interprocess Locking
• Dynamically Allocated Mutexes
• See Also
• Notes