#include <sys/types.h>
#include <sys/lock.h>
#include <sys/sema.h> void
sema_init (struct sema *sema int value const char *description); void
sema_destroy (struct sema *sema); void
sema_post (struct sema *sema); void
sema_wait (struct sema *sema); int
sema_timedwait (struct sema *sema int timo); int
sema_trywait (struct sema *sema); int
sema_value (struct sema *sema);
DESCRIPTION
Counting semaphores provide a mechanism for synchronizing access to a pool of
resources.
Unlike mutexes, semaphores do not have the concept of an owner, so they can also
be useful in situations where one thread needs to acquire a resource, and
another thread needs to release it.
Each semaphore has an integer value associated with it.
Posting (incrementing) always succeeds, but waiting (decrementing) can only
successfully complete if the resulting value of the semaphore is greater than or
equal to zero.
Semaphores should not be used where mutexes and condition variables
will suffice.
Semaphores are a more complex synchronization mechanism than mutexes and
condition variables, and are not as efficient.
Semaphores are created with
sema_init (,);
where
Fa sema
is a pointer to space for a
Vt struct sema ,
Fa value
is the initial value of the semaphore, and
Fa description
is a pointer to a null-terminated character string that describes the semaphore.
Semaphores are destroyed with
sema_destroy (.);
A semaphore is posted (incremented) with
sema_post (.);
A semaphore is waited on (decremented) with
sema_wait (,);
sema_timedwait (,);
or
sema_trywait (.);
The
Fa timo
argument to
sema_timedwait ();
specifies the minimum time in ticks to wait before returning with failure.
sema_value ();
is used to read the current value of the semaphore.
RETURN VALUES
The
sema_value ();
function
returns the current value of the semaphore.
If decrementing the semaphore would result in its value being negative,
sema_trywait ();
returns 0 to indicate failure.
Otherwise, a non-zero value is returned to indicate success.
The
sema_timedwait ();
function
returns 0 if waiting on the semaphore succeeded; otherwise a
non-zero error code is returned.