pthread function from a class

Question

Let's say I have a class such as

class c { 
    // ...
    void *print(void *){ cout << "Hello"; }
}

And then I have a vector of c

vector<c> classes; pthread_t t1;
classes.push_back(c());
classes.push_back(c());

Now, I want to create a thread on c.print();

And the following is giving me the problem below: pthread_create(&t1, NULL, &c[0].print, NULL);

Error Ouput: cannot convert ‘void* (tree_item::)(void)’ to ‘void* ()(void)’ for argument ‘3’ to ‘int pthread_create(pthread_t*, const pthread_attr_t*, void* ()(void), void*)’

Answer 1

You can't do it the way you've written it because C++ class member functions have a hidden this parameter passed in. pthread_create() has no idea what value of this to use, so if you try to get around the compiler by casting the method to a function pointer of the appropriate type, you'll get a segmetnation fault. You have to use a static class method (which has no this parameter), or a plain ordinary function to bootstrap the class:

class C
{
public:
    void *hello(void)
    {
        std::cout << "Hello, world!" << std::endl;
        return 0;
    }

    static void *hello_helper(void *context)
    {
        return ((C *)context)->hello();
    }
};
...
C c;
pthread_t t;
pthread_create(&t, NULL, &C::hello_helper, &c);

Answer 2

Too many times I've found ways to solve what you are asking for that, in my opinion are too complicated. For instance you have to define new class types, link library etc. So I decided to write a few lines of code that allow the end user to basically be able to "thread-ize" a "void ::method(void)" of whatever class. For sure this solution I implemented can be extended, improved etc, so, if you need more specific methods or features, add them and please be so kind to keep me in the loop.

Here are 3 files that show what I did.

    // A basic mutex class, I called this file Mutex.h
#ifndef MUTEXCONDITION_H_
#define MUTEXCONDITION_H_

#include <pthread.h>
#include <stdio.h>

class MutexCondition
{
private:
    bool init() {
        //printf("MutexCondition::init called\n");
        pthread_mutex_init(&m_mut, NULL);
        pthread_cond_init(&m_con, NULL);
        return true;
    }

    bool destroy() {
        pthread_mutex_destroy(&m_mut);
        pthread_cond_destroy(&m_con);
        return true;
    }

public:
    pthread_mutex_t m_mut;
    pthread_cond_t m_con;

    MutexCondition() {
        init();
    }
    virtual ~MutexCondition() {
        destroy();
    }

    bool lock() {
        pthread_mutex_lock(&m_mut);
        return true;
    }

    bool unlock() {
        pthread_mutex_unlock(&m_mut);
        return true;
    }

    bool wait() {
        lock();
        pthread_cond_wait(&m_con, &m_mut);
        unlock();
        return true;
    }

    bool signal() {
        pthread_cond_signal(&m_con);
        return true;
    }
};
#endif
// End of Mutex.h

// The class that incapsulates all the work to thread-ize a method (test.h):

#ifndef __THREAD_HANDLER___
#define __THREAD_HANDLER___

#include <pthread.h>
#include <vector>
#include <iostream>
#include "Mutex.h"

using namespace std;

template <class T> 
class CThreadInfo
{
  public:
    typedef void (T::*MHT_PTR) (void);
    vector<MHT_PTR> _threaded_methods;
    vector<bool> _status_flags;
    T *_data;
    MutexCondition _mutex;
    int _idx;
    bool _status;

    CThreadInfo(T* p1):_data(p1), _idx(0) {}
    void setThreadedMethods(vector<MHT_PTR> & pThreadedMethods)
    {
        _threaded_methods = pThreadedMethods;
      _status_flags.resize(_threaded_methods.size(), false);
    }
};

template <class T> 
class CSThread {
  protected:
    typedef void (T::*MHT_PTR) (void);
    vector<MHT_PTR> _threaded_methods;
    vector<string> _thread_labels;
    MHT_PTR _stop_f_pt;
    vector<T*> _elements;
    vector<T*> _performDelete;
    vector<CThreadInfo<T>*> _threadlds;
    vector<pthread_t*> _threads;
    int _totalRunningThreads;

    static void * gencker_(void * pArg)
    {
      CThreadInfo<T>* vArg = (CThreadInfo<T> *) pArg;
      vArg->_mutex.lock();
      int vIndex = vArg->_idx++;
      vArg->_mutex.unlock();

      vArg->_status_flags[vIndex]=true;

      MHT_PTR mhtCalledOne = vArg->_threaded_methods[vIndex];
      (vArg->_data->*mhtCalledOne)();
      vArg->_status_flags[vIndex]=false;
        return NULL;
    }

  public:
    CSThread ():_stop_f_pt(NULL), _totalRunningThreads(0)  {}
    ~CSThread()
    {
      for (int i=_threads.size() -1; i >= 0; --i)
          pthread_detach(*_threads[i]);

      for (int i=_threadlds.size() -1; i >= 0; --i)
        delete _threadlds[i];

      for (int i=_elements.size() -1; i >= 0; --i)
         if (find (_performDelete.begin(), _performDelete.end(), _elements[i]) != _performDelete.end())
              delete _elements[i];
    }
    int  runningThreadsCount(void) {return _totalRunningThreads;}
    int  elementsCount()        {return _elements.size();}
    void addThread (MHT_PTR p, string pLabel="") { _threaded_methods.push_back(p); _thread_labels.push_back(pLabel);}
    void clearThreadedMethods() { _threaded_methods.clear(); }
    void getThreadedMethodsCount() { return _threaded_methods.size(); }
    void addStopMethod(MHT_PTR p)  { _stop_f_pt  = p; }
    string getStatusStr(unsigned int _elementIndex, unsigned int pMethodIndex)
    {
      char ch[99];

      if (getStatus(_elementIndex, pMethodIndex) == true)
        sprintf (ch, "[%s] - TRUE\n", _thread_labels[pMethodIndex].c_str());
      else 
        sprintf (ch, "[%s] - FALSE\n", _thread_labels[pMethodIndex].c_str());

      return ch;
    }
    bool getStatus(unsigned int _elementIndex, unsigned int pMethodIndex)
    {
      if (_elementIndex > _elements.size()) return false;
      return _threadlds[_elementIndex]->_status_flags[pMethodIndex];
    }

    bool run(unsigned int pIdx) 
    {
      T * myElem = _elements[pIdx];
      _threadlds.push_back(new CThreadInfo<T>(myElem));
      _threadlds[_threadlds.size()-1]->setThreadedMethods(_threaded_methods);

      int vStart = _threads.size();
      for (int hhh=0; hhh<_threaded_methods.size(); ++hhh)
          _threads.push_back(new pthread_t);

      for (int currentCount =0; currentCount < _threaded_methods.size(); ++vStart, ++currentCount)
      {
                if (pthread_create(_threads[vStart], NULL, gencker_, (void*) _threadlds[_threadlds.size()-1]) != 0)
        {
                // cout <<"\t\tThread " << currentCount << " creation FAILED for element: " << pIdx << endl;
                    return false;
                }
        else
        {
            ++_totalRunningThreads;
             // cout <<"\t\tThread " << currentCount << " creation SUCCEDED for element: " << pIdx << endl;
                }
      }
      return true;
    }

    bool run() 
    {
            for (int vI = 0; vI < _elements.size(); ++vI) 
            if (run(vI) == false) return false;
          // cout <<"Number of currently running threads: " << _totalRunningThreads << endl;
        return true;
    }

    T * addElement(void)
    {
      int vId=-1;
      return addElement(vId);
    }

    T * addElement(int & pIdx)
    {
      T * myElem = new T();
      _elements.push_back(myElem);
      pIdx = _elements.size()-1;
      _performDelete.push_back(myElem);
      return _elements[pIdx];
    }

    T * addElement(T *pElem)
    {
      int vId=-1;
      return addElement(pElem, vId);
    }

    T * addElement(T *pElem, int & pIdx)
    {
      _elements.push_back(pElem);
      pIdx = _elements.size()-1;
      return pElem;
    }

    T * getElement(int pId) { return _elements[pId]; }

    void stopThread(int i)  
    {
      if (_stop_f_pt != NULL) 
      {
         ( _elements[i]->*_stop_f_pt)() ;
      }
      pthread_detach(*_threads[i]);
      --_totalRunningThreads;
    }

    void stopAll()  
    {
      if (_stop_f_pt != NULL) 
        for (int i=0; i<_elements.size(); ++i) 
        {
          ( _elements[i]->*_stop_f_pt)() ;
        }
      _totalRunningThreads=0;
    }
};
#endif
// end of test.h

// A usage example file "test.cc" that on linux I've compiled with The class that incapsulates all the work to thread-ize a method: g++ -o mytest.exe test.cc -I. -lpthread -lstdc++

#include <test.h>
#include <vector>
#include <iostream>
#include <Mutex.h>

using namespace std;

// Just a class for which I need to "thread-ize" a some methods
// Given that with OOP the objecs include both "functions" (methods)
// and data (attributes), then there is no need to use function arguments,
// just a "void xxx (void)" method.
// 
class TPuck
{
  public:
   bool _go;
   TPuck(int pVal):_go(true)
   {
     Value = pVal;
   }
   TPuck():_go(true)
   {
   }
   int Value;
   int vc;

   void setValue(int p){Value = p; }

   void super()
   {
     while (_go)
     {
      cout <<"super " << vc << endl;
            sleep(2);
         }
      cout <<"end of super " << vc << endl;
   }

   void vusss()
   {
     while (_go)
     {
      cout <<"vusss " << vc << endl;
      sleep(2);
     }
      cout <<"end of vusss " << vc << endl;
   }

   void fazz()
   {
     static int vcount =0;
     vc = vcount++;
     cout <<"Puck create instance: " << vc << endl;
     while (_go)
     {
       cout <<"fazz " << vc << endl;
       sleep(2);
     }
     cout <<"Completed TPuck..fazz instance "<<  vc << endl;
   }

   void stop()
   {
      _go=false;
      cout << endl << "Stopping TPuck...." << vc << endl;
   }
};


int main(int argc, char* argv[])
{
  // just a number of instances of the class I need to make threads
  int vN = 3;

  // This object will be your threads maker.
  // Just declare an instance for each class
  // you need to create method threads
  //
  CSThread<TPuck> PuckThreadMaker;
  //
  // Hera I'm telling which methods should be threaded
  PuckThreadMaker.addThread(&TPuck::fazz, "fazz1");
  PuckThreadMaker.addThread(&TPuck::fazz, "fazz2");
  PuckThreadMaker.addThread(&TPuck::fazz, "fazz3");
  PuckThreadMaker.addThread(&TPuck::vusss, "vusss");
  PuckThreadMaker.addThread(&TPuck::super, "super");

  PuckThreadMaker.addStopMethod(&TPuck::stop);

  for (int ii=0; ii<vN; ++ii)
  {
    // Creating instances of the class that I need to run threads.
    // If you already have your instances, then just pass them as a
    // parameter such "mythreadmaker.addElement(&myinstance);"
    TPuck * vOne = PuckThreadMaker.addElement();
  }

  if (PuckThreadMaker.run() == true)
  {
    cout <<"All running!" << endl;
  }
  else
  {
    cout <<"Error: not all threads running!" << endl;
  }

  sleep(1);
  cout <<"Totale threads creati: " << PuckThreadMaker.runningThreadsCount()  << endl;
  for (unsigned int ii=0; ii<vN; ++ii)
  {
    unsigned int kk=0;
    cout <<"status for element " << ii << " is " << PuckThreadMaker.getStatusStr(ii, kk++) << endl; 
    cout <<"status for element " << ii << " is " << PuckThreadMaker.getStatusStr(ii, kk++) << endl; 
    cout <<"status for element " << ii << " is " << PuckThreadMaker.getStatusStr(ii, kk++) << endl; 
    cout <<"status for element " << ii << " is " << PuckThreadMaker.getStatusStr(ii, kk++) << endl; 
    cout <<"status for element " << ii << " is " << PuckThreadMaker.getStatusStr(ii, kk++) << endl; 
  }

  sleep(2);
  PuckThreadMaker.stopAll();
  cout <<"\n\nAfter the stop!!!!" << endl;
  sleep(2);

  for (int ii=0; ii<vN; ++ii)
  {
    int kk=0;
    cout <<"status for element " << ii << " is " << PuckThreadMaker.getStatusStr(ii, kk++) << endl; 
    cout <<"status for element " << ii << " is " << PuckThreadMaker.getStatusStr(ii, kk++) << endl; 
    cout <<"status for element " << ii << " is " << PuckThreadMaker.getStatusStr(ii, kk++) << endl; 
    cout <<"status for element " << ii << " is " << PuckThreadMaker.getStatusStr(ii, kk++) << endl; 
    cout <<"status for element " << ii << " is " << PuckThreadMaker.getStatusStr(ii, kk++) << endl; 
  }

  sleep(5);
  return 0;
}

// End of test.cc