segmentation fault while using pthreads in class - c++

I have the follwing code that gets core dumped error. Each C instance creates their own thread then runs. I guess there is something wrong with static function and class argument "count". When I comment out the code that prints it, no fault occurs..
#include <iostream>
#include <pthread.h>
using namespace std;
class C {
public:
int count;
C(int c_): count(c_){}
public:
void *hello(void)
{
std::cout << "Hello, world!" <<std::endl;
std::cout<<count; // bug here!!!
return 0;
}
static void *hello_helper(void *context)
{
return ((C *)context)->hello();
}
void run() {
pthread_t t;
pthread_create(&t, NULL, &C::hello_helper, NULL);
}
};
int main() {
C c(2);
c.run();
C c2(4);
c2.run();
while(true);
return 0;
}

Decided to write an answer. You were calling hello_helper with a context of NULL based on how you were creating your thread. C++ fully allows you to call member functions on null pointers, and no error occurs unless a member element is accessed.
In your case, by adding the line to print count. You are now accessing a member variable on a null pointer, which is a big no-no.
Here's an example of what you were getting away with:
#include <iostream>
class Rebel
{
public:
void speak()
{
std::cout << "I DO WHAT I WANT!" << std::endl;
}
};
int main()
{
void * bad_bad_ptr = NULL;
((Rebel*)bad_bad_ptr)->speak();
}
Output:
I DO WHAT I WANT!
By modifying your pthread_create call to pass the this pointer (i.e. pthread_create(&t, NULL, &C::hello_helper, this);, you now have a valid instance to access member variables on.

I solved the problem by passing this pointer instead off NULL while creating threads. I guess os created same thread twice int the former case ?

Related

pthread does not see instance variable passed as argument

I have a class in C++ that uses boost python. I am trying to run python code in a thread from C++ using pthread. The problem is that the code below isn't producing any output. I was expecting an output John DOE in stdout. It seems that &this->instance doesn't carry the values that are being set inside the object. How can I pass current object or its instance variable to the pthread_create so that pthread can see what is being passed?
Python:
class A:
def __init__(self, name):
self.name = name
def printName(self, lastName):
print self.name + " " + lastName
C++:
#include <boost/python.hpp>
#include <string.h>
#include <pthread.h>
using namespace std;
using namespace boost::python;
class B {
public:
object instance;
B();
void setupPython();
static void *runPython(void *);
};
B::B() {
Py_Initialize();
}
void B::setupPython() {
pthread_t t1;
try {
object a = import("A");
instance = a.attr("A")("John");
pthread_create(&t1, NULL, runPython, &this->instance); // THIS IS PROBLEM
}
catch(error_already_set const &) {
PyErr_Print();
}
}
void *B::runPython(void *instance) {
((object *)instance)->attr("printName")("DOE");
}
int main() {
B b;
b.setupPython();
}
Thank you.
The problem is:
int main() {
B b;
b.setupPython(); // You create a thread here
// But here, b is destroyed when it's scope ends
}
The code in your thread is not guaranteed to run before b is freed.
Try allocating b on the heap and check if it works:
int main() {
B* b = new B();
b->setupPython();
// also, you should add a call to pthread_join
// here to wait for your thread to finish execution.
// For example, changing setupPython() to return the
// pthread_t handle it creates, and calling pthread_join on it.
}

Pointer to a different instance.

How can such a code work correctly when the IWindow pointer clearly has an address to a ISheet class which has no method Say?
#include <iostream>
using namespace std;
class IWindow
{
private:
int p;
double f;
public:
void Say() { cout << "Say in IWindow"; }
};
class ISheet
{
public:
void foo() { cout << "ISheet::foo"; }
};
int main()
{
ISheet *sh = new ISheet();
int ptr = (int)sh;
IWindow *w = (IWindow*)ptr;
w->Say();
sh->foo();
return 0;
}
When compiled in Visual Studio 2015 it runs and executes with no problems, but I was expecting to get an error on line w->Say(). How is this possible?
It works by the grace of the almighty Undefined Behavior. Your functions don't try to access any data members of the containing class, they just write something to std::cout, which anyone can do.
What you've effectively done is
#include <iostream>
void IWindow_Say(void*)
{
std::cout << "Say in IWindow";
}
int main()
{
IWindow_Say(0xdeadbeef); // good luck with that pointer
}
You never used the pointer (which became this in your original example) so no side-effects were observed.

How to invoke a C++ function after main() finishes

I am developing a C++ tool that should run transparent to main program. That is: if user simply links the tool to his program the tool will be activated. For that I need to invoke two functions, function a(), before main() gets control and function b() after main() finishes.
I can easily do the first by declaring a global variable in my program and have it initialize by return code of a(). i.e
int v = a() ;
but I cannot find a way to call b() after main() finishes?
Does any one can think of a way to do this?
The tool runs on windows, but I'd rather not use any OS specific calls.
Thank you, George
Use RAII, with a and b called in constructor/destructor.
class MyObj {
MyObj()
{
a();
};
~MyObj()
{
b();
};
};
Then just have an instance of MyObj outside the scope of main()
MyObj obj;
main()
{
...
}
Some things to note.
This is bog-standard C++ and will work on any platform
You can use this without changing ANY existing source code, simply by having your instance of MyObj in a separate compilation unit.
While it will run before and after main(), any other objects constructed outside main will also run at this time. And you have little control of the order
of your object's construction/destruction, among those others.
SOLUTION IN C:
have a look at atexit:
#include <stdio.h>
#include <stdlib.h>
#include <unistd.h>
void bye(void)
{
printf("That was all, folks\n");
}
int main(void)
{
long a;
int i;
a = sysconf(_SC_ATEXIT_MAX);
printf("ATEXIT_MAX = %ld\n", a);
i = atexit(bye);
if (i != 0) {
fprintf(stderr, "cannot set exit function\n");
exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
}
exit(EXIT_SUCCESS);
}
http://linux.die.net/man/3/atexit
this still implies however that you have access to your main and you can add the atexit call. If you have no access to the main and you cannot add this function call I do not think there is any option.
EDIT:
SOLUTION IN C++:
as sudgested there is a c++ equivalent from std. I simply paste in here an example which i copied from the link available just below the code:
#include <iostream>
#include <cstdlib>
void atexit_handler_1()
{
std::cout << "at exit #1\n";
}
void atexit_handler_2()
{
std::cout << "at exit #2\n";
}
int main()
{
const int result_1 = std::atexit(atexit_handler_1);
const int result_2 = std::atexit(atexit_handler_2);
if ((result_1 != 0) or (result_2 != 0)) {
std::cerr << "Registration failed\n";
return EXIT_FAILURE;
}
std::cout << "returning from main\n";
return EXIT_SUCCESS;
}
http://en.cppreference.com/w/cpp/utility/program/atexit
Isn't any global variable constructed before main and destructed afterward? I made a test struct whose constructor is called before main and the destructor afterward.
#include <iostream>
struct Test
{
Test() { std::cout << "Before main..." << std::endl; }
~Test() { std::cout << "After main..." << std::endl; }
};
Test test;
int main()
{
std::cout << "Returning now..." << std::endl;
return 0;
}
If you're happy to stick with a single compiler and non-standard C/C++, then GCC's __attribute__((constructor)) and __attribute__((destructor)) might be of use:
#include <stdio.h>
void __attribute__((constructor)) ctor()
{
printf("Before main()\n");
}
void __attribute__((destructor)) dtor()
{
printf("After main()\n");
}
int main()
{
printf("main()\n");
return 0;
}
Result:
Before main()
main()
After main()
Alternatively to the destructor, you can use atexit() in a similar manner - in C++, you do not need to have access to main() to register atexit there. You can do that as well it in your a() - for example:
void b(void) {
std::cout << "Exiting.\n";
}
int a(void) {
std::cout << "Starting.\n";
atexit(b);
return 0;
}
// global in your module
int i = a();
That being said, I'd also prefer the global C++ class object, which will call the b() stuff in its destructor.

Using a class function in int main()

I am having problems calling my functions from my main program.
These functions HAVE to be in my class.
How do I access them from my int main()?
#include <iostream>
#include <stdio.h>
#include <pthread.h>
#include <stdlib.h>
#include <math.h>
#include <sys/types.h>
#include <semaphore.h>
#include <synch.h>
using namespace std;
class myCountingSemaphoreUsingBinarySemaphore {
public:
void waitSemaphore(pthread_mutex_t *thread)
{
pthread_mutex_lock(*thread);// Makes value 1 (Not Available)
}
void signalSemaphore(pthread_mutex_t *thread)
{
pthread_mutex_unlock(*thread); // Makes value 0 (Available)
}
void deleteSemaphore(pthread_mutex_t *thread)
{
pthread_mutex_destroy(*thread);// Deletes
}
};
int readerCount;
int database = (rand() / 100); // Number less than 1000
void reader_writer(void);
int main(int argc, char *argv[])
{
myCountingSemaphoreUsingBinarySemaphore obj;
pthread_mutex_t mutex1;
pthread_mutex_t wrt;
pthread_create( &mutex1, NULL, reader_writer, void);
pthread_create( &wrt, NULL, reader_writer, void);
//----------------------READER------------------------//
do{
cout << "Database Before Read = " << database << endl;
obj.waitSemaphore(mutex1);//lock
readerCount++;
if (readerCount == 1)
{
obj.waitSemaphore(wrt);//lock
obj.signalSemaphore(mutex1);//unlock
//reading is preformed
obj.waitSemaphore(mutex1); // lock
readerCount--;
}
if(readerCount == 0)
{
obj.signalSemaphore(wrt);//unlock
obj.signalSemaphore(mutex1); // unlock
}
cout << "Database After Read = " << database << endl;
}while (true);
//-----------------------WRITER---------------------//
do{
cout << "Database Before Write = " << database << endl;
obj.waitSemaphore(wrt);//lock
//writing is preformed
database = database + 10;
obj.signalSemaphore(mutex1);//unlock
cout << "Database After Write = " << database << endl;
}while(true);
pthread_join( mutex1, NULL);
pthread_join( wrt, NULL);
obj.deleteSemaphore(* mutex1);
obj.deleteSemaphore(* wrt);
return 0;
}
void reader_writer () {}
Here is an error I get:
what type do they need to be? pthread_mutex_t_create? or pthread_t_create?
what is the proper type?
Functions inside a class are called methods. You need to instantiate an object of that class to be able to use it's methods:
myCountingSemaphoreUsingBinarySemaphore obj; // obj is an instance of the class
obj.waitSemaphore(&mutex1);
obj.signalSemaphore(&mutex1);
EDIT:
By the way, pthread_create and pthread_join take a pthread_t* and not a mutex!
int pthread_create(pthread_t* thread,
pthread_attr_t* attr,
void* (*start_routine)(void*),
void* arg);
You can either declare those methods as static or use an object to make the calls:
myCountingSemaphoreUsingBinarySemaphore s;
s.waitSemaphore(wrt);
You are calling class methods as just waitSemaphore without creating the object of myCountingSemaphoreUsingBinarySemaphore.
You should create the object first.
myCountingSemaphoreUsingBinarySemaphore obj;
obj.waitSemaphore(mutex1);
The two threads you create (via reader_writer()) do nothing. main() just goes into the first do loop with no way of getting out.
Also, you seem to have confused mutex, semaphores, and condition variables. The function names makes it look like you're trying to implement condition variables in your class. But you're building it as just wrappers to mutex locks.
And finally, you are calling pthread_mutex_lock() et al. on a pthread_t when those functions are supposed to be called on a pthread_mutex_t.
There probably are other errors, but these are the ones that really jump out. Basically, you need to review multi-threaded programming, both in terms of how threads are created, and how they are synchronized.
You need to create an instance of the class (an object) in order to call his member functions.
In this particular code the member functions has no reason to be instance and could be static:
class foo{
public:
static void bar(int val)
{
//do something
}
};
int main()
{
foo::bar(10);
}
karlphillip was right, you need to pass by pointer instead of reference
BTW, following line are mistake also, the pthread_create accept and pthread_t instead of pthread_mutex_t
pthread_create( &mutex1, NULL, reader_writer, void);
pthread_create( &wrt, NULL, reader_writer, void);

pthread_mutex_lock/unlock help [duplicate]

I am having problems calling my functions from my main program.
These functions HAVE to be in my class.
How do I access them from my int main()?
#include <iostream>
#include <stdio.h>
#include <pthread.h>
#include <stdlib.h>
#include <math.h>
#include <sys/types.h>
#include <semaphore.h>
#include <synch.h>
using namespace std;
class myCountingSemaphoreUsingBinarySemaphore {
public:
void waitSemaphore(pthread_mutex_t *thread)
{
pthread_mutex_lock(*thread);// Makes value 1 (Not Available)
}
void signalSemaphore(pthread_mutex_t *thread)
{
pthread_mutex_unlock(*thread); // Makes value 0 (Available)
}
void deleteSemaphore(pthread_mutex_t *thread)
{
pthread_mutex_destroy(*thread);// Deletes
}
};
int readerCount;
int database = (rand() / 100); // Number less than 1000
void reader_writer(void);
int main(int argc, char *argv[])
{
myCountingSemaphoreUsingBinarySemaphore obj;
pthread_mutex_t mutex1;
pthread_mutex_t wrt;
pthread_create( &mutex1, NULL, reader_writer, void);
pthread_create( &wrt, NULL, reader_writer, void);
//----------------------READER------------------------//
do{
cout << "Database Before Read = " << database << endl;
obj.waitSemaphore(mutex1);//lock
readerCount++;
if (readerCount == 1)
{
obj.waitSemaphore(wrt);//lock
obj.signalSemaphore(mutex1);//unlock
//reading is preformed
obj.waitSemaphore(mutex1); // lock
readerCount--;
}
if(readerCount == 0)
{
obj.signalSemaphore(wrt);//unlock
obj.signalSemaphore(mutex1); // unlock
}
cout << "Database After Read = " << database << endl;
}while (true);
//-----------------------WRITER---------------------//
do{
cout << "Database Before Write = " << database << endl;
obj.waitSemaphore(wrt);//lock
//writing is preformed
database = database + 10;
obj.signalSemaphore(mutex1);//unlock
cout << "Database After Write = " << database << endl;
}while(true);
pthread_join( mutex1, NULL);
pthread_join( wrt, NULL);
obj.deleteSemaphore(* mutex1);
obj.deleteSemaphore(* wrt);
return 0;
}
void reader_writer () {}
Here is an error I get:
what type do they need to be? pthread_mutex_t_create? or pthread_t_create?
what is the proper type?
Functions inside a class are called methods. You need to instantiate an object of that class to be able to use it's methods:
myCountingSemaphoreUsingBinarySemaphore obj; // obj is an instance of the class
obj.waitSemaphore(&mutex1);
obj.signalSemaphore(&mutex1);
EDIT:
By the way, pthread_create and pthread_join take a pthread_t* and not a mutex!
int pthread_create(pthread_t* thread,
pthread_attr_t* attr,
void* (*start_routine)(void*),
void* arg);
You can either declare those methods as static or use an object to make the calls:
myCountingSemaphoreUsingBinarySemaphore s;
s.waitSemaphore(wrt);
You are calling class methods as just waitSemaphore without creating the object of myCountingSemaphoreUsingBinarySemaphore.
You should create the object first.
myCountingSemaphoreUsingBinarySemaphore obj;
obj.waitSemaphore(mutex1);
The two threads you create (via reader_writer()) do nothing. main() just goes into the first do loop with no way of getting out.
Also, you seem to have confused mutex, semaphores, and condition variables. The function names makes it look like you're trying to implement condition variables in your class. But you're building it as just wrappers to mutex locks.
And finally, you are calling pthread_mutex_lock() et al. on a pthread_t when those functions are supposed to be called on a pthread_mutex_t.
There probably are other errors, but these are the ones that really jump out. Basically, you need to review multi-threaded programming, both in terms of how threads are created, and how they are synchronized.
You need to create an instance of the class (an object) in order to call his member functions.
In this particular code the member functions has no reason to be instance and could be static:
class foo{
public:
static void bar(int val)
{
//do something
}
};
int main()
{
foo::bar(10);
}
karlphillip was right, you need to pass by pointer instead of reference
BTW, following line are mistake also, the pthread_create accept and pthread_t instead of pthread_mutex_t
pthread_create( &mutex1, NULL, reader_writer, void);
pthread_create( &wrt, NULL, reader_writer, void);