C Language Threads (native) Inititialization by one thread
Example
In most cases all data that is accessed by several threads should be initialized before the threads are created. This ensures that all threads start with a clear state and no race condition occurs.
If this is not possible once_flag and call_once can be used
#include <threads.h>
#include <stdlib.h>
// the user data for this example
double const* Big = 0;
// the flag to protect big, must be global and/or static
static once_flag onceBig = ONCE_INIT;
void destroyBig(void) {
free((void*)Big);
}
void initBig(void) {
// assign to temporary with no const qualification
double* b = malloc(largeNum);
if (!b) {
perror("allocation failed for Big");
exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
}
// now initialize and store Big
initializeBigWithSophisticatedValues(largeNum, b);
Big = b;
// ensure that the space is freed on exit or quick_exit
atexit(destroyBig);
at_quick_exit(destroyBig);
}
// the user thread function that relies on Big
int myThreadFunc(void* a) {
call_once(&onceBig, initBig);
// only use Big from here on
...
return 0;
}
The once_flag is used to coordinate different threads that might want to initialize the same data Big. The call to call_once guarantees that
initBigis called exactly oncecall_onceblocks until such a call toinitBighas been made, either by the same or another thread.
Besides allocation, a typical thing to do in such a once-called function is a dynamic initialization of a thread control data structures such as mtx_t or cnd_t that can't be initialized statically, using mtx_init or cnd_init, respectively.
