How can I use Boost for thread synchronization in C++?

How can I use Boost for thread synchronization in C++?

You can use the Boost.Thread library, which provides various synchronization primitives like mutexes, locks, and condition variables.

Can you give me an example of using a mutex?

Sure! Here's a simple example:

#include <boost/thread.hpp>
#include <iostream>

boost::mutex mtx;

void print(int id) {
    mtx.lock();
    std::cout << "Thread " << id << " is running." << std::endl;
    mtx.unlock();
}

int main() {
    boost::thread threads[5];
    for (int i = 0; i < 5; ++i) {
        threads[i] = boost::thread(print, i);
    }
    for (int i = 0; i < 5; ++i) {
        threads[i].join();
    }
    return 0;
}

This code creates five threads that print their IDs while ensuring that only one thread accesses the output at a time.

What about using condition variables?

Condition variables are useful for signaling between threads. Here's a basic example:

#include <boost/thread.hpp>
#include <iostream>

boost::mutex mtx;
boost::condition_variable cond;
bool ready = false;

void wait_for_signal() {
    boost::unique_lock<boost::mutex> lock(mtx);
    while (!ready) {
        cond.wait(lock);
    }
    std::cout << "Thread received signal!" << std::endl;
}

void send_signal() {
    boost::lock_guard<boost::mutex> lock(mtx);
    ready = true;
    cond.notify_one();
}

int main() {
    boost::thread waiter(wait_for_signal);
    boost::thread sender(send_signal);
    waiter.join();
    sender.join();
    return 0;
}

In this example, one thread waits for a signal while another thread sends it.