Subj : Re: creating a pthread
To   : comp.programming.threads
From : Eric Sosman
Date : Thu Mar 17 2005 03:56 pm



JS wrote:
> I have an incomplete pthread_create function that looks like this:
> 
> pthread_create(pthread * thread, pthread_attr_t *attr, void *
> (*start_routine)(void *), void *arg){
> 
> }
> 
> The third parameter is where my new thread will start to execute:
> 
> void * start_routine(void *param){
> 
> }
> 
> 
> my questions is:
> 
> Will the fourth parameter (void * arg) be the parameter send to the
> start_routine function??

    Are you trying to use the pthread_create() function your
POSIX system provides, or are you trying to implement your
own version of pthread_create() for a system that lacks one?
Either way, if the function conforms to the POSIX description
the fourth argument to pthread_create() is passed to the
target function as its single argument.

    If you're writing a function to compute Fibonacci numbers
or search your hard disk for bad blocks, the arguments have
whatever significance you attach to them -- but *please* don't
call the function pthread_create()!

-- 
Eric.Sosman@sun.com

.