pthreads: a thread that triggers other threads

Question

Hello, I'm new to multi-thread programming. I'm trying to create a code that creates a thread THREAD1, that, after it has done something, it triggers two other threads, say THREAD2 and THREAD3, and then exits.

I wrote two possible solutions.

1) Use of condition variables (DOESN'T WORK: in some case I get a deadlock):

pthread_mutex_t ready_mutex = PTHREAD_MUTEX_INITIALIZER;
pthread_cond_t  ready_cond  = PTHREAD_COND_INITIALIZER;
bool ready = false;

void* trigger(void*);
void* func1(void*);
void* func2(void*);

int main()
{
    pthread_t thread1;
    pthread_t thread2;
    pthread_t thread3;  
    pthread_create(&thread1, 0, &trigger, 0);
    pthread_create(&thread2, 0, &func1, 0);
    pthread_create(&thread3, 0, &func2, 0);
    pthread_join(thread1, 0);
    pthread_join(thread2, 0);
    pthread_join(thread3, 0);
}

void *trigger(void*)
{
    pthread_mutex_lock(&ready_mutex);
    ready = true;
    pthread_cond_broadcast(&ready_cond);
    pthread_mutex_unlock(&ready_mutex);
    return 0;
}

void *func1(void*)
{
    while (!ready) // Needed to avoid spuriuos wake-up
    {
        pthread_mutex_lock(&ready_mutex);
        pthread_cond_wait(&ready_cond, &ready_mutex);
        pthread_mutex_unlock(&ready_mutex);
    }
    std::cout << "In 'func1'>> Do something" << std::endl;
    return 0;
}

void *func2(void*)
{
    while (!ready) // Needed to avoid spuriuos wake-up
    {
        pthread_mutex_lock(&ready_mutex);
        pthread_cond_wait(&ready_cond, &ready_mutex);
        pthread_mutex_unlock(&ready_mutex);
    }
    std::cout << "In 'func2'>> Do something" << std::endl;
    return 0;
}

2) THREAD1 directly creates the two other threads.

pthread_mutex_t ready_mutex = PTHREAD_MUTEX_INITIALIZER;
pthread_cond_t  ready_cond  = PTHREAD_COND_INITIALIZER;

pthread_t thread1;
pthread_t thread2;
pthread_t thread3;

void* trigger(void*);
void* func1(void*);
void* func2(void*);

int main()
{
    pthread_create(&thread1, 0, &trigger, 0);

    pthread_join(thread1, 0);
    pthread_join(thread2, 0);
    pthread_join(thread3, 0);
}

void *trigger(void*)
{
    std::cout << "In 'trigger'>> Do something" << std::endl;

    pthread_create(&thread2, 0, &func1, 0);
    pthread_create(&thread3, 0, &func2, 0);

    return 0;
}

void *func1(void*)
{
    std::cout << "In 'func1'>> Do something" << std::endl;

    return 0;
}

void *func2(void*)
{
    std::cout << "In 'func2'>> Do something" << std::endl;

    return 0;
}

I would like to know your opinion. Thank you very much

Answer 1

Use of condition variables (DOESN'T WORK: in some case I get a deadlock):

The code doesn't lock the mutex when checking the state of shared variable ready. When it does lock the mutex ready may have well changed by that time, this is why you see deadlocks.

The correct version to wait for state change with a condition variable is (error checking omitted):

pthread_mutex_lock(&ready_mutex);
while(!ready) // Needed to avoid spuriuos wake-up
    pthread_cond_wait(&ready_cond, &ready_mutex);
// ready == true here
pthread_mutex_unlock(&ready_mutex);

The above assumes that ready is ever changed only when the same mutex is held.