[boost] [thread] getting boost::thread* form boost::thread::id

Subject: [boost] [thread] getting boost::thread* form boost::thread::id
From: vicente.botet (vicente.botet_at_[hidden])
Date: 2008-11-13 12:02:11

Hi Anthony,

I'm working with a keep_alive mechanism. I need to interrupt threads that 
are considered 'dead'. I have access to the thread specific context using a 
map : boost::thread::id -> context. This mapping is modified by self 
registration from the thread. On the other side I need a boost::thread 
pointer to interrupt the thread.

With the current Boost.Thread interface, I don't see how I can get it either 
from the current thread or from the thread::id. Can I?
Currently only the thread creator wrapper can add this information. I think 
that I could add a thread creator wrapper that add this as a thread specific 
pointer, but I will be able to get only the thread* for the threads created 
with this wrapper, which is not completly satisfactory.

Do you think that at least one of these functions could be of general use: 
one for getting a boost::thread* form a boost::thread::id and one for 
getting the boost::thread* of the current thread?

namespace boost {
    class thread {
       // ...
        static thread* get_thread_ptr(id);
    };
    namespace this thread {
        thread* get_thread_ptr();
    }
}

To implement this in Boost.Thread it will be need to store the thread* on 
the detail::thread_data_ptr. Do you think that this could be a possible 
addition on the Boost.Thread library?

Thanks,

Vicente