Hello Simon, it's a nice implementation. Maybe you could add a timed enqueue and dequeue and a limitation (amount) for the work items in the queue. I could use the implementation form thread_queue in the same sandbox folder. With regards, Oliver

a second version of library Defer is now in the sandbox under Concurrent Programming. (this version primarily adds the promised win32 message pump version)

To recap - this library defines a uniform means to send work items (boost::function objects) to thread pools, single threads and the windows gui thread via a runtime polymorphic interface.

Other implementations of the defer concept included in the library are defer_null, which makes no attempt to defer, but invokes the supplied boost::function object immediately and defer_mutex, which also invokes the object on the calling thread, but only after first acquiring a mutex (thus serialising requests from different threads).

The benefits of such a library are:. -It allows an efficient reuse of threads. -It provides an abstract way to parameterise threading architecture i.e. -It allows the programmer to define what thread s/he wishes to receive callbacks in from cooperating components. -It can be used to eliminate thread deadlocking issues, and remove mutex use from much application code. -It can help break recursive calling cycles in event driven code.

The scheme is wide open for the addition of more models of the defer concept. The base defer class provides the queue facilities, and simply requires the deriving classes to implement a 'signal' function, in which to perform an implementation specific wakeup or notification to the appropriate thread.

Three examples of possible other styles are: -demuxer style thread parking - create the object and then call a run() function in an appropriate thread -recursion breaking - first defer in a given thread executes immediately, subsequent recursive defers on the same object are queued to be serviced in turn before the thread finally leaves the object -thread creating - creates an entirely new thread per work item.

All comments again welcome, though I know its a busy time for boosters with the huge effort going into the next release.

Cheers

Simon

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