SEMA(9) BSD Kernel Developer's Manual SEMA(9)
NAME
sema, sema_init, sema_destroy, sema_post, sema_wait, sema_timedwait, sema_trywait, sema_value -- kernel counting semaphore
SYNOPSIS
#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 success-
fully 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 sema is a pointer to space for a struct sema, value is the initial value of the semaphore, and
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 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.
ERRORS
The sema_timedwait() function will fail if:
[EWOULDBLOCK] Timeout expired.
SEE ALSO
condvar(9), locking(9), mtx_pool(9), mutex(9), rwlock(9), sx(9)
BSD
February 1, 2006 BSD
