Using a private method for threading

[Xx r3negade]

Consider this:

I have the class foo, with the public method thread(), and the private method bar()

In the thread() method, I would like to create a new thread, using pthread_create( ), that points to bar().

Could someone tell me how to do this? I have the following code:

#include <iostream>
#include <pthread.h>

using namespace std;

class foo
{
  public:
    foo()
    {
    }

    void thread()
    {
        void* g;
        g = this->bar;
        pthread_t thread1;
        char* whatever = "hello";

        pthread_create( &thread1,
                        NULL,
                        &g,
                        static_cast<void*>(whatever)
                        );
    }

  private:
    void* bar(void* arg)
    {
        cout << "Whatever" << endl;
    }
};

int main()
{
    foo New;
    New.thread();
    return 0;
}

I get the following error message (line 16):
argument of type ‘void* (foo::)(void*)’ does not match ‘void*’

[TamusJRoyce]

help on pthreads...

I meant to pm instead of msg here and am new to the board. It's interesting... thanks for asking about this. I'm curious too.

[gpraghuram]

You should pass the address of a static function for pthread_create and this->bar is invalid to access a function in a class
Like this
static void* bar(void* arg)

Raghuram

[TamusJRoyce]

Excellent Example - Runable

But making this->bar() static removes it from being part of the class, and makes it to be like a function within a namespace of that class. You need a way to pass "this" to your new static function to be used to make the thread so it may call this->bar();

// pthreadsclass.h  (everything in header for 
//   example)

#ifndef MYPTHREADSCLASS_H
  #define MYPTHREADSCLASS_H

#include <pthread.h>

/** Change code how you see fit.  Code usable by 
 *    anyone.  If you try to copywrite it as your own,
 *    keeping others from using it as well, code is 
 *    GPL-3 to begin with.  Else it's your code to use,
 *    edit, manipulate, add to, remove from, and/or change 
 *    as his/hers/your own code.  */
class MyPThread
{
  // Keeps track if thread is suppose to be running...
  bool threadIsRunning;

  // Keeps track of the thread
  pthread_t threadHandle;

  // This is our most important function.  It takes "this" 
  //    object as input (to be set when thread made).
  //    This function is the thread which loops "void update()"
  static void *updateThread(void *input)
  {
    // May need dynamic_ or static_ cast
    MyPThread *myPThread = (MyPThread *)input;

    if (myPThread) // Always check to see if pointer !NULL
    { // Makes sure thread is set to run while looping
      while (myPThread->isThreadRunning())
      {
        myPThread->update(); // Loops, running class' 
                                            //   update() method
      } // End while
    } // End if

    pthread_exit(NULL);
  } // End updatThread() Callback Function
  
public:
  // CONSTRUCTORS //
  /** Default constructor.  Thread is made by calling
   *    <CODE>startThread()</CODE> */
  MyPThread()
  {
    threadHandle = (pthread_t)0;
  } // End MyPThread() Constructor

  MyPThread(const MyPThread &thread)
  {
    if (this != &thread)
    {
      // Nothing to really copy... expand if you need it to.
      threadHandle = (pthread_t)0;
    } // End if
  } // End MyPThread() Copy Constructor

  // DESTRUCTOR //
  /** Destructor.*/
  ~MyPThread()
  {
    // Called automatically when object
    //   goes out of scope.  Makes sure
    //   thread gets stopped.
    stopThread();
  } // End ~MyPThread() Destructor   
 
  // INQUIRERS //
  bool isThreadRunning() const
  {
    return(threadIsRunning);
  } // End isThreadRunning() Method

  /** Makes and starts the thread.  */
  int startThread()
  {
    if (threadIsRunning)
    {
      return(1); // Failure
    } // End if

    /* From https://computing.llnl.gov/tutorials/pthreads/
     *   tutorial.  Look at there site to see if and how you
     *   may use this block of code...  */
    pthread_attr_t attr;      // Holds attributes for thread
    pthread_attr_init(&attr); // Initializes attr to default attrib.'s of thread
    pthread_attr_setdetachstate(&attr, PTHREAD_CREATE_JOINABLE); //Adds Joinable

    threadIsRunning = true;
    int iret1 = pthread_create(&threadHandle, &attr, updateThread, (void *)this);
    pthread_attr_destroy(&attr);
    if (iret1)
    {
      threadIsRunning = false;
      return(iret1); // Returns pthread_create's error if one found.
    } // End if

    return(0); // Return success
  } // End startThread() Method

  virtual int stopThread()
  {
    if (!threadIsRunning) // Returns error if pthread is not running
    {
      return(1);
    } // End if

    int iret1 = pthread_cancel(threadHandle);
    if (iret1)
    {
      return(iret1);
    } // End if

    threadHandle = (pthread_t)0;
    threadIsRunning = false;
    return(0);
  } // End stopThread() Method

protected:
  /** Loops continually within a thread. */ 
  virtual void update()
  {
    // Do stuff you want it too here
  } // End update() Method

}; // End MyPThread() class

#endif

// main.cpp

#include <iostream>

using namespace std;


// Don't have to worry what's in header.
//   Just that it's there (hopefully no prob.
//   or else it's fun to study)
#include "pthreadclass.h"

/** : public MyPThread makes this class
 *    have functions: bool isThreadRunning(), 
 *    void startThread(),  and void endThread().
 *    You have to have a method called
 *    "void update() {  // stuff  } */
class FooClass : public MyPThread
{
  int foo;

  // update() is my "generic" updating function.
  //   feel free to change the code in the header
  //   to reflect the function being bob! : D
  inline void bob()
  {
    cout << "foo # is: " << foo 
            << ", and Bob is soooo cool. " << endl;
  } // End bob() Method

  /** Required method.  Must be implemented.
   *    but when start() is ran, code is looped
   *    about 100 times a minute within a
   *    thread*/
  void update()
  {
    bob();
  } // End update() Method
public:
  /** Normal constructor except : MyPThread()
   *    added. */
  FooClass() : MyPThread()
  {
    foo = 1;
  } // End FooClass

  /** Starts the thread */
  void start()
  {
    startThread();
  } // End start() Method 

  /** Stops the thread */
  void stop()
  {
    stopThread();
  } // End stop() Method
};

// Caution:  Hit Ctrl+C to exit looping.
int main()
{
  FooClass fooClass;

  // Should make output be repeated
  //   a lot of times...
  fooClass.start();

  // Waits for user input
  int waitForInput;
  cin >> waitForInput;

  // Probably won't work because data will
  //   be repeating too fast to input data.
  fooClass.stop();

  return(0);
} // End main() Function

//Sorry it's so long. But linking the static function updateThread() to how you use it in the class and keeping it private can be hard unless all the code is given in a plain, viewable format. Class theads is a feature which is much easier to implement in Java, but thankfully more powerfull in c++.

//Just don't forget to expand your thread's stack size to be large enough to hold your void update() function (I believe it's needed, but not sure). I've not found out how to do this yet. Also adding low level timer (using clock.h or otherwise) so the work update() does doesn't end up being done excessively (100 times a second).

//There are also an excellent set of algorithms which can increase and decrease how fast void update() is being called by the object itself updating how many times a second it's being called. Search "Java's graphic threads and timing" on how to do this.

[Xx r3negade]

Okay, I have this, and it works...

#include <iostream>
#include <pthread.h>

using namespace std;

class foo
{
    static void* staticFunc( void* obj )
    {
        foo* thisObj = static_cast<foo*>(obj);
        thisObj->privateFunc();
    }
  public:
    foo()
    {
    }

    void thread()
    {
        pthread_t thread1;

        pthread_create( &thread1,
                        NULL,
                        staticFunc,
                        this
                        );
    }
  private:
    void privateFunc()
    {
        cout << "In private function!  Woot!" << endl;
    }
};

int main()
{
    foo New;
    New.thread();
    return 0;
}

Would it be possible to pass a second parameter in staticFunc() that determines which method will be accessed?

[gpraghuram]

Okay, I have this, and it works...

#include <iostream>
#include <pthread.h>

using namespace std;

class foo
{
    static void* staticFunc( void* obj )
    {
        foo* thisObj = static_cast<foo*>(obj);
        thisObj->privateFunc();
    }
  public:
    foo()
    {
    }

    void thread()
    {
        pthread_t thread1;

        pthread_create( &thread1,
                        NULL,
                        staticFunc,
                        this
                        );
    }
  private:
    void privateFunc()
    {
        cout << "In private function!  Woot!" << endl;
    }
};

int main()
{
    foo New;
    New.thread();
    return 0;
}

Would it be possible to pass a second parameter in staticFunc() that determines which method will be accessed?

pthread_create takesa function pointer which has this definition
void *fun(void*)
If you want to pass more than one paramter then define a structure and then add the members which you require.
After that pass the structure as a argument to the thread function

Thanks
Raghuram

[TamusJRoyce]

I'm curious how the second parameter you wish to pass would determine which method you want to call... Just for the sake of learning how to do this myself : )

But gpraghuram's correct. Or you could choose to keep the data, which determines which method you want to call, as a private variable in class foo. Set it through a public function, then use it when you run thread();

// Could be a class instead, functioning like a class...
struct threadParam { // (struct is a class defaultly public)
  foo *thisToRunThreadFuncIn;

  // Other parameters to determine which method to run
}; // End threadParam struct

Then cast the obj as threadParam.