Uid_t cuid /* Effective UID of creator */ Key_t _key /* Key supplied to semget(2) */ Struct ipc_perm sem_perm /* Ownership and permissions */ Struct seminfo *_buf /* buffer for IPC_INFO */Īnd, the struct semid_ds for the above union is, Unsigned short *array /* array for GETALL & SETALL */ Struct semid_ds *buf /* buffer for IPC_STAT & IPC_SET */ The initial semaphore value for the cmd SETVAL can be passed in the union member, val. Semctl can have a fourth optional argument, which is the union, semun. The important commands are, IPC_STAT, for getting the data from kernel data structures for the semaphore set into the struct semid_ds pointed by buf described below, IPC_SET, for setting some of the fields in the struct semid_ds for the semaphore set, GETALL, for getting values of all semaphores of the set in the array described below, SETALL, for setting initial values of all semaphores in the set, SETVAL, for setting an initial value for a semaphore, and IPC_RMID for removing the semaphore set. The third parameter is the command for the semctl system call. In a semaphore set, semaphores are numbered 0 onwards. This call can be used for all semaphores in the set identified by semid and for a particular semaphore identified by semid and semnum. Semctl is for semaphore control operations. Int semctl (int semid, int semnum, int cmd. It has to be initialized with a value using semctl, before P and V operations can be done on it using the semop system call. So if a semaphore has been created with semget, it cannot be used right away. semget does not initialize the semaphores for that, semctl system call has to be used. If semflg specifies IPC_CREAT | IPC_EXCL, and a semaphore set exists for the key, semget fails with errno set to EEXIST. If the last parameter, semflg specifies IPC_CREAT and no semaphore set is associated with the key, a new semaphore set is created. However, we can keep things simple by making nsems = 1 and asking for just one semaphore. The System V semaphore calls are complicated because they deal with a set of semaphores. (Other bits of semflg are not considered if the key is IPC_PRIVATE.) nsems is number of semaphores requested. If the key has the value IPC_PRIVATE, a new set of semaphores is created, using the last nine bits of semflg for permissions. Semget gets a semaphore set id based on the first parameter, a System V IPC key. Int semget (key_t key, int nsems, int semflg) A System V IPC key of type key_t is returned. Only the lowest eight bits of proj_id are used, which must not be zero. The contents of this file are immaterial.

The pathname must be an existing and accessible file. Key_t ftok (const char *pathname, int proj_id) We can create the key with the ftok function. To create a System V semaphore, we need a System V IPC key. In this post, we will look at the System V semaphores. Under Linux, the IPC comes in two flavors, the traditional System V IPC and the newer POSIX IPC. Semaphores are not just about interprocess communication they can be used for any synchronization requirement between processes and threads. While message queues can be used by themselves for interprocess communication, semaphores are needed for implementing shared memory based interprocess communication systems. Semaphore, in Unix-like systems, are provided under interprocess communication (IPC) facilities along with message queues and shared memory. A semaphore is a mechanism for synchronizing processes and threads.

Geting semaphor value