Subj : Re: Recursive lock?
To   : comp.programming.threads
From : Jarek Kucypera
Date : Thu May 19 2005 01:45 pm

  > Also, does the POSIX standard support recursive lock via
> pthread_mutex_lock?

AFAIR yes, you must specify it in mutex attributes

> I believe recursive lock means you can call the lock multiple times
> from the same thread and it won't block your thread.

Your belief is right ;)

> I'm not sure if it means you need to call unlock the same amount of
> times you called lock.

Yes, you do need to balance locks with unlocks.

 > and is it bad, and if so why?

I don't think it is (bad). I haven't followed the discussion above,
but in general case the gratest benefit is (IMO), it supports splitting
your code into a number of independent blocks (routines, methods,
objects, whatever) that can be smoothly reused.

J.K.

.