Subj : Re: asynchronous cancel vs calling pthread_exit in signal handler
To   : comp.unix.programmer,comp.programming.threads
From : Loic Domaigne
Date : Tue Apr 26 2005 10:31 pm

Hello Dave.

> so what is the general rule?
> (1) If I'm sure that the signal doesn't interrupt any
> nonasync-signal-safe functions, can I call nonasync-signal-safe
> function in the signal handler?

quoted from Dave Butenhof:

<quote>
Technically, yes. But I wouldn't bet much on it, as it's hard to code 
and hard to test. It may be satisfying on some level to know that the 
reason your application fails is an IMPLEMENTATION bug rather than an 
APPLICATION bug; but your application still doesn't work. ;-)

Furthermore, this guarantee helps you only if you know exactly what your
thread will be doing at every instant in time. That is, essentially, 
that you're writing a monolithic embedded application and never calling 
any outside code with any signal unmasked. If you use the C or C++ 
runtime or threads, for example, any time you spend in those libraries 
is NOT safe against async signals; unless you have all your signals 
masked on each call.
</quote>


Hope this help,
Loic.

.