Condition Variables Manual

Table of Contents

About

A condition variable is used to wake a waiting thread to perform some action. It is typically used together with custom threads, see Threads Manual.

Condition

A condition variable is based on maxon::ConditionVariableInterface:

Warning
Waiting for a condition variable in a job might result in a deadlock. Consider using LazyInit or LazyInitThreaded for initialization instead.

A condition variable can have multiple dependencies. This means that Set() must be called multiple times:

A condition variable is typically used as a member variable of a custom thread:

// This example shows how a thread uses a condition variable to wait for a command.
class ExampleThread : public maxon::ThreadInterfaceTemplate<ExampleThread>
{
public:
~ExampleThread() { }
{
// create the condition variable
return maxon::OK;
}
// worker
maxon::Result<void> operator ()()
{
while (!IsCancelled())
{
// check if condition is set, if not wait for another second
const maxon::Seconds timeValue = maxon::Seconds(1);
if (_condition.Wait(timeValue))
{
DiagnosticOutput("Action");
// clear the condition variable to wait again
_condition.Clear();
}
}
return maxon::OK;
}
// set the condition variable to wake the thread
void Action()
{
_condition.Set();
}
const maxon::Char* GetName() const { return "ExampleThread"; }
private:
maxon::ConditionVariableRef _condition;
};
Timer value in seconds.
Definition: timevalue.h:411
Definition: thread.h:180
@ OK
User has selected a font.
char Char
signed 8 bit character
Definition: apibase.h:198
static auto Create(ARGS &&... args)
Definition: apibase.h:2818
return OK
Definition: apibase.h:2735
#define DiagnosticOutput(formatString,...)
Definition: debugdiagnostics.h:170
const Char * GetName() const
Definition: job.h:189
Bool IsCancelled() const
Checks if the job should stop. THREADSAFE.
Definition: job.h:307
The maxon namespace contains all declarations of the MAXON API.
Definition: autoweight.h:14
#define iferr_scope
Definition: resultbase.h:1389
#define iferr_return
Definition: resultbase.h:1524

This example thread can be used like this:

// This example creates, starts and controls a thread with its condition variable.
if (!g_exampleThread)
{
// create thread and call Init()
g_exampleThread = NewObj(ExampleThread) iferr_return;
g_exampleThread->Init() iferr_return;
DiagnosticOutput("Start thread...");
g_exampleThread.Start() iferr_return;
}
if (g_exampleThread)
{
// wake the thread
g_exampleThread->Action();
}
#define NewObj(T,...)
Definition: newobj.h:108

Further Reading