Solved: Threading: how to invoke it properly?

[divideby0]

I'm using MS' optimizing compiler CL 13.10 (one from VCToolkit 2003) along with WinAPI threading functions and is being compiled as a C console program.

I was wondering how to implement threading in a production setting? I've seen and tried various examples, but they all show basically the same thing - startup in main, run their function, clean up, and then the program exits.

I don't know the proper terminology, but I was looking for two maybe three functions to run simultaneously with a loop in main. I tried a small test program and was wondering if it's setup correctly.

A structure is used as the argument for each function.

int running = 1; // global variable
 
DWORD WINAPI function_1(LPVOID);
DWORD WINAPI function_2(LPVOID); 
 
main() {
 
   HANDLE hndThreads[2];
   DWORD threadIDs[2];
   // other initialization
 
   hndThreads[0] = CreateThread(...);
   hndThreads[1] = CreateThread(...);
 
   if(handles are valid) {
 
      while(running == 1) {
         // user interaction; user
         // input sets running = 0 to quit
      }
 
      WaitForMultipleObjects(2, hndThreads, TRUE, INFINITE);
      // close handles 
   }
 
   // clean up main
}
 
DWORD WINAPI function_1(LPVOID lpParam) {
 
   // sdata is typedef struct
 
   sdata test = *((sdata *)lpParam);
 
   do {
      // manipulate test
   } while(running == 0);
 
   return 0;
}

Right now, function_2 is just a copy of function_1's definition. Everything *appears* to do what I want, but is it setup correctly? Any comments would be greatly appreciated

Thank you

[weaknessforcats]

You will need to set an event that your threads can look for.

The thread starts running as soon as CreateThread fires. Each thread should have a loop where you can use WaitForSingleObject and test the event handle. This is the only way your thread knows whether to continue or not.

Then in the mainline you can use WaitFoMltileObjects until all your threads have repoted in that they have stopped.

And don't forget to use CRITICAL_SECTION functions for all shared data.

Check the book Windows via C/C++ by Jeremy Richter for goos examples on thread management.

[divideby0]

You've been a great help again. :) Thank you for this information; I sure do appreciate your time.