multi threading in c

[michael9000]

Hi

I am looking to build an app to expand my coding skills that will likely include multithreading in the form of a 3d renderer.

I expect to have to learn a new language to achieve this. Currently I only know python.

C looks interesting but I'm unclear how well c lends itself to multithreading.

So, my question, is c a practical language to write multithreaded code?

Thanks
Michael

[DarkElvenAngel]

C programming and multiple threads are no problem at all.

[LdB]

Yes under linux you use pthreads
https://www.tutorialspoint.com/cplusplu ... eading.htm

[jahboater]

Do you still need pthreads?
See section 7.26 in the ISO standard.

[knute]

Threads are pretty simple in C++. The compiler command line is in the code.

Code: Select all

#include <iostream>
#include <unistd.h>
#include <thread>

// g++ mt.c -o mt -lpthread

using namespace std;

void a() {
    for (int i=0; i<25; i++) {
        cout << "a";
        cout.flush();
        sleep(1);
    }
}

void b() {
    for (int i=0; i<12; i++) {
        cout << "b";
        cout.flush();
        sleep(2);
    }
}

int main(int argc,char *argv[]) {
    thread a_thread(a);
    thread b_thread(b);

    a_thread.join();
    b_thread.join();

    cout << endl;
}

pi:~/bin$ mt
ababaabaabaabaabaabaabaabaabaabaabaaa

[LdB]

Do you still need pthreads?
See section 7.26 in the ISO standard.

I still avoid C11 threads too many problems and different implementations. All supposed to being fixed in C2x lets see

Rather than me give you biased personal views you can just search for the official defect list at the standards committee and work out how big a problem it is to what you want to do.

[illecitnom]

If your purpose is exploiting multi-core capabilities of today CPUs, why don't you get the easiest way, i.e. C + OpenMP?
OpenMP comes with the C/C++ (but also Fortran) compiler and is as easy as

#include <omp.h>
int i;
# pragma omp parallel num_threads (4) // run with 4 threads
{
... block of code to be distributed among cores
}

Then compile with -openmp option (or equivalent, may vary for different compilers)

gcc my_test.c -openmp -O3 -o my_test

If you compile without the -openmp option the openmp pragmas are simply ignored and the program is executed single-thread

PS: the choice of C sounds good to me

[michael9000]

Thankyou all for your answers. I will go with C.

Michael