Unix to Windows Porting Dictionary for HPC

header file: pthread.h

int pthread_cond_wait(pthread_cond_t *cv, pthread_mutex_t *mutex);

header file: Windows.h

BOOL WINAPI SleepConditionVariableCS(
  __inout  PCONDITION_VARIABLE ConditionVariable,
  __inout  PCRITICAL_SECTION CriticalSection,
  __in     DWORD dwMilliseconds
);
      

The pthread_cond_wait causes the calling thread to block on the condition variable until the variable is signaled. It will atomically release the mutex before blocking and re-acquire it before returning. You cannot infer the state of the condition variable upon the return of the call.

The Windows equivalent function is effectively the same as the POSIX version but it adds the timed wait ability (and a critical section replaces the mutex). If the time period is set to zero, the effect is a test of the condition variable with an immediate return. If the value is between zero and INFINITE, the call will wait for that number of milliseconds then return even if not signaled. If the wait is set to INFINITE, the effect is the same as the POSIX version, the call will block until the condition variable is signaled. (See pthread_cond_timedwait for more detail.

The return value is zero if the call succeeds. If not call GetLastError to get extended error information.

This is a simple example of a ring buffer that is controlled by a pair of condition variables that throttle the producer and consumer threads. This same example is also used for the WakeConditionVariable and InitializeConditionVariable calls.

#include <windows.h>
#include <stdlib.h>
#include <stdio.h>

#define BUFFER_SIZE 10
#define PRODUCER_SLEEP_TIME_MS 500
#define CONSUMER_SLEEP_TIME_MS 2000

LONG Buffer[BUFFER_SIZE];
LONG LastItemProduced;
ULONG QueueSize;
ULONG QueueStartOffset;

ULONG TotalItemsProduced;
ULONG TotalItemsConsumed;

CONDITION_VARIABLE BufferNotEmpty;
CONDITION_VARIABLE BufferNotFull;
CRITICAL_SECTION   BufferLock;

BOOL StopRequested;

DWORD WINAPI ProducerThreadProc (PVOID p)
{
    ULONG ProducerId = (ULONG)(ULONG_PTR)p;

    while (true)
    {
        // Produce a new item.

        Sleep (rand() % PRODUCER_SLEEP_TIME_MS);

        ULONG Item = InterlockedIncrement (&LastItemProduced);

        EnterCriticalSection (&BufferLock);

        while (QueueSize == BUFFER_SIZE && StopRequested == FALSE)
        {
            // Buffer is full - sleep so consumers can get items.
            SleepConditionVariableCS (&BufferNotFull, &BufferLock, INFINITE);
        }

        if (StopRequested == TRUE)
        {
            LeaveCriticalSection (&BufferLock);
            break;
        }

        // Insert the item at the end of the queue and increment size.

        Buffer[(QueueStartOffset + QueueSize) % BUFFER_SIZE] = Item;
        QueueSize++;
        TotalItemsProduced++;

        printf ("Producer %u: item %2d, queue size %2u\r\n", ProducerId, Item, QueueSize);

        LeaveCriticalSection (&BufferLock);

        // If a consumer is waiting, wake it.

        WakeConditionVariable (&BufferNotEmpty);
    }

    printf ("Producer %u exiting\r\n", ProducerId);
    return 0;
}

DWORD WINAPI ConsumerThreadProc (PVOID p)
{
    ULONG ConsumerId = (ULONG)(ULONG_PTR)p;

    while (true)
    {
        EnterCriticalSection (&BufferLock);

        while (QueueSize == 0 && StopRequested == FALSE)
        {
            // Buffer is empty - sleep so producers can create items.
            SleepConditionVariableCS (&BufferNotEmpty, &BufferLock, INFINITE);
        }

        if (StopRequested == TRUE && QueueSize == 0)
        {
            LeaveCriticalSection (&BufferLock);
            break;
        }

        // Consume the first available item.

        LONG Item = Buffer[QueueStartOffset];

        QueueSize--;
        QueueStartOffset++;
        TotalItemsConsumed++;

        if (QueueStartOffset == BUFFER_SIZE)
        {
            QueueStartOffset = 0;
        }

        printf ("Consumer %u: item %2d, queue size %2u\r\n", 
            ConsumerId, Item, QueueSize);

        LeaveCriticalSection (&BufferLock);

        // If a producer is waiting, wake it.

        WakeConditionVariable (&BufferNotFull);

        // Simulate processing of the item.

        Sleep (rand() % CONSUMER_SLEEP_TIME_MS);
    }

    printf ("Consumer %u exiting\r\n", ConsumerId);
    return 0;
}

void __cdecl wmain (int argc, const wchar_t* argv[])
{
    InitializeConditionVariable (&BufferNotEmpty);
    InitializeConditionVariable (&BufferNotFull);

    InitializeCriticalSection (&BufferLock);

    DWORD id;
    HANDLE hProducer1 = CreateThread (NULL, 0, ProducerThreadProc, (PVOID)1, 0, &id);
    HANDLE hConsumer1 = CreateThread (NULL, 0, ConsumerThreadProc, (PVOID)1, 0, &id);
    HANDLE hConsumer2 = CreateThread (NULL, 0, ConsumerThreadProc, (PVOID)2, 0, &id);

    puts ("Press enter to stop...");
    getchar();

    EnterCriticalSection (&BufferLock);
    StopRequested = TRUE;
    LeaveCriticalSection (&BufferLock);

    WakeAllConditionVariable (&BufferNotFull);
    WakeAllConditionVariable (&BufferNotEmpty);

    WaitForSingleObject (hProducer1, INFINITE);
    WaitForSingleObject (hConsumer1, INFINITE);
    WaitForSingleObject (hConsumer2, INFINITE);

    printf ("TotalItemsProduced: %u, TotalItemsConsumed: %u\r\n", 
        TotalItemsProduced, TotalItemsConsumed);
}