I am creating a program where a user enters a really long code using a pattern, and the computer can tell them the pattern they used. But it might take a long time for the pc to try a lot of combinations one at a time. Is there a way to get the computer to try many patterns at once?
Sincerely,
Art
You can use multi-threading for this, but from the description of your problem, I'm willing to bet you would have a tough time implementing it such that it goes faster with multiple threads than it does with 1 thread.
I want to try it partly to see if I can do it. But how would I get it to multi thread? Is there a special header I need to include?
Threading is not built into the C language, so you have to use an external Library. What OS are you using?
Windows Vista 64 Bit, why?
C has, or at least Microsoft's implementation has, _beginthread and _beginthreadex to start threads.
Unfortunately C lacks any sort of synchronization functions.
I would go read up on Threading on MSDN, because you will need to learn about threading in general and the problems it may cause and what Windows-specific API you need to use (hence the what OS question).
Originally Posted by Adak
A good start would be to read everything on this page.
thanks for everyone's help. i definitely have enough to keep me busy for a while
Wait 'til he finds out about that "lack of synchronization" issue in C!
C programming resources:
GNU C Function and Macro Index -- glibc reference manual
The C Book -- nice online learner guide
Current ISO draft standard
CCAN -- new CPAN like open source library repository
3 (different) GNU debugger tutorials: #1 -- #2 -- #3
cpwiki -- our wiki on sourceforge
Well if you can say that C lacks synchronization, you can just as easily say C lacks threading entirely. Either way, you need to make calls to the OS to perform these functions. I think the biggest wakeup call for people who start multi-threaded programming is when they realize they have to think about synchronization in the first place
Could there be a language where this is not true?
C programming resources:
GNU C Function and Macro Index -- glibc reference manual
The C Book -- nice online learner guide
Current ISO draft standard
CCAN -- new CPAN like open source library repository
3 (different) GNU debugger tutorials: #1 -- #2 -- #3
cpwiki -- our wiki on sourceforge
Yeah, Java for instance has threading as part of the standard language.
Hmmm, I guess in that sense so does javascript -- altho there are no "threading" functions, you can
C programming resources:
GNU C Function and Macro Index -- glibc reference manual
The C Book -- nice online learner guide
Current ISO draft standard
CCAN -- new CPAN like open source library repository
3 (different) GNU debugger tutorials: #1 -- #2 -- #3
cpwiki -- our wiki on sourceforge
It will be, in C++0x, as well.
Unless you're already an experienced programmer, with excellent debug skills, trying to debug a badly threaded program with a race condition is a real eye opener.
If you dance barefoot on the broken glass of undefined behaviour, you've got to expect the occasional cut.
If at first you don't succeed, try writing your phone number on the exam paper.
