problem threading a member function

I'm having problems using a simple Threading library from a book i'm reading (Mud Game Programming). It isn't working when the function I want to thread is a member of a class I create. Other than removing ThreadFunc from MyClass, how could I code around my problem?

Code:

---

class MyClass
{
protected:
        ThreadLib::ThreadID TID_ThreadID;
        void ThreadFunc(void *);
public:
        void MyFunc();
};

void MyClass::MyFunc()
{
        TID_ThreadID = ThreadLib::Create( ThreadFunc, (void*)NULL );
}

void MyClass::ThreadFunc(void *)
{

}

---

Code:

---

//Related ThreadLib code
//from header file
namespace ThreadLib
{
        typedef void (*ThreadFunc)(void*);
        typedef DWORD ThreadID;
        extern std::map< DWORD, HANDLE > g_handlemap;
        class DummyData
        {
        public:
                ThreadFunc m_func;
                void* m_data;
        };
        DWORD WINAPI DummyRun( void* p_data );
        ThreadID Create( ThreadFunc p_func, void* p_param )
        {
                ThreadID t;
                DummyData* data = new DummyData;
                data->m_func = p_func;
                data->m_data = p_param;
                HANDLE h;
                h = CreateThread( NULL, 0, DummyRun, data, 0, &t );
                if( h != 0 )
                        g_handlemap[t] = h;
                if( t == 0 )
                {
                        delete data;
                        throw Exception( CreationFailure );
                }
                return t;
        }
}

//from cpp
namespace ThreadLib
{
        std::map< DWORD, HANDLE > g_handlemap;
        DWORD WINAPI DummyRun( void* p_data )
        {
                DummyData* data = (DummyData*)p_data;
                data->m_func( data->m_data );
                delete data;
                return 0;
        }
}

---

The error I get:
"error C3867: MyClass::ThreadFunc: function call missing argument list; use '&MyClass::ThreadFunc' to create a pointer to member"

The error I get if it's &MyClass::ThreadFunc
"error C2664: 'ThreadLib::Create' : cannot convert parameter 1 from 'void (__thiscall MyClass::* )(void *)' to 'ThreadLib::ThreadFunc'
There is no context in which this conversion is possible"

The error I get if i try to cast it to a void*
"error C2440: 'initializing' : cannot convert from 'void (__thiscall MyClass::* )(void *)' to 'void *'"

<edit> The posted ThreadLib only shows what was defined as win32. I removed all defines, if/else, for anything other than win32 to make it easier to read. The author wrote the library for both windows and linux.

The problem you have while using &MyClass::ThreadFunc (which , btw, is what you really WANT to use), is that MyClass::ThreadFunc doesn't actually match the function signature of the ThreadFunc function pointer, due to the fact that it has an (unlisted) argument - the this pointer. In a case like this, you can either use the helper functions in <functional>, like mem_fun and its kin, or you can write your thread function as a free function, and pass in a pointer to your class instance as needed. A third option would be to use Boost.Thread, which is all but guaranteed to be at least as good, and likely better, than the library written for that book.

Thanks, I'll look into your suggestions. MyClass has private members that are used in the function, so making it a member function would be best. I downloaded boost already during my searching, but the instructions for setting it up was a little confusing. I'll search some more on how to setup boost and use it.

Trying to just CreateThread isn't working either. It gives "error C2664: 'CreateThread' : cannot convert parameter 3 from 'DWORD (__stdcall MyClass::* )(LPVOID)' to 'LPTHREAD_START_ROUTINE' There is no context in which this conversion is possible"
I haven't had any luck with Boost yet :o
Making a member a function pointer to the function seems to work. I can make it a friend to access the private members, but i have to pass it a pointer to the MyClass instance that calls it or I don't have the data. Is this an acceptable implementation? And if MyClass is a member inside of another class, is there a simple way for ThreadFunc to communicate with the class it's a member of without returning from the function?

That error looks like you're having problems with function pointers.

Now I've run into a potential problem passing a pointer to the class to use inside the thread function. If MyClass changes it's location in memory (like if I have a vector of MyClass and it resizes) then the pointer I passed is no longer pointing to the right spot, correct?

For a vector, you go past the value given by the capacity() function, then it has to reallocate and any iterators/pointers/references you have are invalid. For lists, sets, multisets, maps, and multimaps, inserting or removing elements never invalidates pointers/iterators/references

The solution is simply change "DummyRun" function type to:

Code:

---

static unsigned _stdcall DummyRun( void* p_data );

---

Define your CreateThread with:

Code:

---

h = CreateThread( NULL, 0, (LPTHREAD_START_ROUTINE) DummyRun, data, 0, &t );

---

and then in the CPP, implement with:

Code:

---

unsigned _stdcall DummyData::DummyRun( void* p_data )
{
    DummyData* data = (DummyData*)p_data;
    data->m_func( data->m_data );
  delete data;
  return 0;
}

---

To use CreateThread the function has to be DWORD WINAPI Func(LPVOID)

Code:

---

class MyClass

{

protected:

    ThreadLib::ThreadID TID_ThreadID;

    DWORD WINAPI ThreadFunc(LPVOID);

public:

    void MyFunc();

};

---

then it will work like this -

Code:

---

ThreadHandle = CreateThread(NULL , 0 , this->ThreadFunc , NULL , 0 , &ThreadID);

---

Never cast a function pointer unless you are really, really, really, really, really SURE what you are doing!
If you have done it correctly, no cast is necessary!

Also, this is a common misconception...
A global function is just that - a function of which there is only one instance.
However, when working with classes, you are working with instances of the classes. So which instance of the function are you trying to call?
You see the problem here, yes? That is why you cannot use a class member function as a callback function. The API was not designed for it. You have to use workarounds.

Also, when creating a function pointer, usually we need to take the address of the function. For global functions, you can get away with only typing the name - but this is really wrong. You should use the address-of operator &. This is even more obvious when trying to pass a function pointer to a member function of a class where it is required. It is not necessary for global functions for backwards compatibility only.
Also, when working with class member functions, you need to pass the instance the function belongs to, as well.

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