std::atomic_thread_fence

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Defined in header <atomic>

extern "C" void atomic_thread_fence( std::memory_order order );
(C++11 feature)

Establishes memory synchronization ordering of non-atomic and relaxed atomic accesses, as instructed by order, without an associated atomic operation. For example, all non-atomic and relaxed atomic stores that happen before a std::memory_order_release fence in thread A will be synchronized with non-atomic and relaxed atomic loads from the same locations made in thread B after an std::memory_order_acquire fence.

Contents

[edit] Parameters

order - the memory ordering executed by this fence

[edit] Return value

(none)

[edit] Exceptions

noexcept specification:  
noexcept

  (C++11 feature)

[edit] Examples

Scan an array of mailboxes, and process only the ones intended for us, without unnecessary synchronization.

const int num_mailboxes = 32;
std::atomic<int> mailbox[num_mailboxes];
 
// The writer threads update non-atomic shared data and then update mailbox[i] as follows
 std::atomic_store_explicit(&mailbox[i], std::memory_order_release);
 
// Reader thread needs to check all mailbox[i], but only needs to sync with one
 for (int i = 0; i < num_mailboxes; ++i) {
    if (std::atomic_load_explicit(&mailbox[i],  std::memory_order_relaxed) == my_id) {
        std::atomic_thread_fence(std::memory_order_acquire); // synchronize with just one writer
        do_work(i); // guaranteed to observe everything done in the writer thread before
                    // the atomic_store_explicit()
    }
 }

[edit] See also

memory_order (C++11)
defines memory ordering constraints for the given atomic operation
(typedef)
atomic_signal_fence (C++11)
fence between a thread and a signal handler executed in the same thread
(function)