1membar_ops(3C)           Standard C Library Functions           membar_ops(3C)
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NAME

6       membar_ops, membar_enter, membar_exit, membar_producer, membar_consumer
7       - memory access synchronization barrier operations
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SYNOPSIS

10       #include <atomic.h>
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12       void membar_enter(void);
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15       void membar_exit(void);
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18       void membar_producer(void);
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21       void membar_consumer(void);
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DESCRIPTION

25       The membar_enter() function is a generic  memory  barrier  used  during
26       lock  entry.  It is placed after the memory operation that acquires the
27       lock to guarantee that the lock protects its data. No stores from after
28       the  memory  barrier  will reach visibility and no loads from after the
29       barrier will be resolved before the  lock  acquisition  reaches  global
30       visibility.
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33       The membar_exit() function is a generic memory barrier used during lock
34       exit. It is placed before the      memory operation that  releases  the
35       lock to guarantee that the lock protects its data. All loads and stores
36       issued before the barrier      will be resolved before  the  subsequent
37       lock update reaches visibility.
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40       The  membar_enter()  and  membar_exit()  functions are used together to
41       allow regions of code to be in relaxed store order and then ensure that
42       the  load or store order is maintained at a higher level. They are use‐
43       ful in the implementation of mutex exclusion locks.
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46       The membar_producer() function arranges for all  stores  issued  before
47       this  point  in  the  code to reach global visibility before any stores
48       that follow. This is useful in producer  modules  that  update  a  data
49       item,  then set a flag that it is available. The memory barrier guaran‐
50       tees that the available flag is not visible earlier  than  the  updated
51       data, thereby imposing store ordering.
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54       The  membar_consumer()  function  arranges  for all loads issued before
55       this point in the code to be completed  before  any  subsequent  loads.
56       This  is useful in consumer modules that check if data is available and
57       read the data. The memory barrier guarantees that the data is not  sam‐
58       pled  until  after  the  available flag has been seen, thereby imposing
59       load ordering.
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RETURN VALUES

62       No values are returned.
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ERRORS

65       No errors are defined.
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ATTRIBUTES

68       See attributes(5) for descriptions of the following attributes:
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73       ┌─────────────────────────────┬─────────────────────────────┐
74       │      ATTRIBUTE TYPE         │      ATTRIBUTE VALUE        │
75       ├─────────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────────┤
76       │Interface Stability          │Stable                       │
77       ├─────────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────────┤
78       │MT-Level                     │MT-Safe                      │
79       └─────────────────────────────┴─────────────────────────────┘
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SEE ALSO

82       atomic_add(3C),   atomic_and(3C),   atomic_bits(3C),    atomic_cas(3C),
83       atomic_dec(3C),    atomic_inc(3C),    atomic_ops(3C),    atomic_or(3C),
84       atomic_swap(3C), attributes(5), atomic_ops(9F)
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NOTES

87       Atomic instructions (see atomic_ops(3C)) ensure  global  visibility  of
88       atomically-modified  variables  on completion. In a relaxed store order
89       system, this does not guarantee that the visibility of other  variables
90       will  be synchronized with the completion of the atomic instruction. If
91       such synchronization is required, memory barrier instructions  must  be
92       used.
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96SunOS 5.11                        14 Feb 2005                   membar_ops(3C)
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