osf1 man page for sem_wait

sem_wait(3)						     Library Functions Manual						       sem_wait(3)

NAME
       sem_wait, sem_trywait - Performs (or conditionally performs) a semaphore lock (P1003.1b)

LIBRARY
       Realtime Library (librt.so, librt.a)

SYNOPSIS
       #include <semaphore.h>

       int sem_wait (
       sem_t *sem);

       int sem_trywait (
       sem_t *sem);

PARAMETERS
       sem	 Specifies a pointer to the semaphore to be locked.

DESCRIPTION
       The sem_wait function locks the semaphore referenced by sem by performing a semaphore lock operation on it. If the semaphore value is zero,
       the sem_wait function blocks until it either locks the semaphore or is interrupted by a signal.

       The sem_trywait function locks a semaphore only if the semaphore is currently not locked.  If the semaphore value is zero, the  sem_trywait
       function returns without locking the semaphore.

       These  functions  help ensure that the resource associated with the semaphore cannot be accessed by other processes.  The semaphore remains
       locked until the process unlocks it with a call to the sem_post function.

       Use the sem_wait function instead of the sem_trywait function if the process should wait for access to the semaphore.

RETURN VALUES
       If the sem_wait or sem_trywait function returns successfully, a value of 0 (zero) is returned and the function executes the semaphore  lock
       operation.

       On  an unsuccessful call, a value of -1 is returned and errno is set to indicate that an error occurred. The state of the semaphore remains
       unchanged.

ERRORS
       The sem_wait and sem_trywait functions fail under the following conditions:

       [EAGAIN]       The semaphore was already locked and cannot be locked by the sem_trywait operation (sem_trywait only).

       [EINTR]	      A signal interrupted this function.

       [EINVAL]       The sem argument does not refer to a valid semaphore.

RELATED INFORMATION
       Functions: sem_post(3)

       Guide to Realtime Programming delim off

																       sem_wait(3)