sem_open(3pthread)

sem_open -- initialize and open a named semaphore

Synopsis

   cc [options] -Kthread file
   
   #include <semaphore.h>
   

   sem_t *sem_open(const char *name, int oflag, ...);

Description

The sem_open function establishes a connection between a named semaphore and a process. Following a call to sem_open with semaphore name, the process may reference name using the address returned from the call. This semaphore may be used in subsequent calls to sem_wait, sem_trywait, sem_post, and sem_close. The semaphore remains usable by this process until it is closed by a successful call to sem_close, _exit, or one of the exec functions.

The oflag argument controls whether the semaphore is created or merely accessed by the call to sem_open. The following flag bits may be set in oflag:

O_CREAT: This flag is used to create a semaphore if it does not already exist. If O_CREAT is set and the semaphore already exists, then O_CREAT has no effect, except as noted under O_EXCL. Otherwise, sem_open creates a named semaphore. The O_CREAT flag requires a third and a fourth argument: mode, which is of type mode_t, and value, which is of type unsigned int. The semaphore is created with an initial value of value. Valid initial values for semaphores are less than or equal to SEM_VALUE_MAX. The user ID of the semaphore is set to the effective user ID of the process; the group ID of the semaphore is set to a system default group ID or to the effective group ID of the process. The permission bits of the semaphore are set to the value of the mode argument except those set in the file mode creation mask of the process. When bits in mode other than the file permission bits are specified, the effect is unspecified. After name has been created by sem_open with the O_CREAT flag, other processes can connect to it by calling sem_open with the same value of name.
O_EXCL: If O_EXCL and O_CREAT are set, sem_open fails if the semaphore name exists. The check for the existence of the semaphore and the creation of the semaphore if it does not exist are atomic with respect to other processes executing sem_open with O_EXCL and O_CREAT set. If O_EXCL is set and O_CREAT is not set, the effect is undefined. Flags other than O_CREAT and O_EXCL specified in the oflag parameter are ignored.

name points to a string naming a semaphore object. name conforms to the construction rules for a pathname. If name begins with the slash character, then processes calling sem_open with the same value of name will refer to the same semaphore object, as long as name has not been removed. If name does not begin with the slash character, the semaphore is opened in the current working directory of the process.

If a process makes multiple successful calls to sem_open with the same value for name, the same semaphore address is returned for each such successful call, provided that there have been no calls to sem_unlink for this semaphore.

Return values

Upon successful completion, the function returns the address of the semaphore. Otherwise, it returns a value of SEM_FAILED and sets errno to indicate the error. The symbol SEM_FAILED is defined in the header semaphore.h.

Diagnostics

If any of the following conditions occur, the sem_open function will return SEM_FAILED and set errno to the corresponding value:

EACCES: name exists and the permissions specified by oflag are denied, or name does not exist and permission to create the named semaphore is denied.
EEXIST: O_CREAT and O_EXCL are set and name already exists.
EINTR: sem_open was interrupted by a signal.
EINVAL: sem_open is not supported for name, or O_CREAT was specified in oflag and value was greater than SEM_VALUE_MAX.
EMFILE: Too many semaphore descriptors or file descriptors are currently in use by this process.
ENAMETOOLONG: The length of the name string exceeds PATH_MAX, or a pathname component is longer than NAME_MAX while _POSIX_NO_TRUNC is in effect.
ENFILE: Too many semaphores are currently open in the system.
ENOENT: O_CREAT is not set and name does not exist.
ENOSPC: There is insufficient space for the creation of name.

Standards compliance

The Single UNIX Specification, Version 2; The Open Group.

References

sem_close(3pthread), sem_post(3pthread), sem_trywait(3pthread), sem_unlink(3pthread), sem_wait(3pthread), semaphore(4)