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PTHREAD_DETACH(3P)         POSIX Programmer's Manual        PTHREAD_DETACH(3P)

PROLOG
       This  manual  page is part of the POSIX Programmer's Manual.  The Linux
       implementation of this interface may differ (consult the  corresponding
       Linux  manual page for details of Linux behavior), or the interface may
       not be implemented on Linux.
NAME
       pthread_detach - detach a thread
SYNOPSIS
       #include <pthread.h>
       int pthread_detach(pthread_t thread);

DESCRIPTION
       The pthread_detach() function shall indicate to the implementation that
       storage  for the thread thread can be reclaimed when that thread termi-
       nates. If thread has not terminated, pthread_detach() shall  not  cause
       it  to  terminate. The effect of multiple pthread_detach() calls on the
       same target thread is unspecified.
RETURN VALUE
       If the call succeeds, pthread_detach() shall return  0;  otherwise,  an
       error number shall be returned to indicate the error.
ERRORS
       The pthread_detach() function shall fail if:
       EINVAL The  implementation  has  detected  that  the value specified by
              thread does not refer to a joinable thread.
       ESRCH  No thread could be found corresponding to that specified by  the
              given thread ID.

       The  pthread_detach()  function  shall  not  return  an  error  code of
       [EINTR].
       The following sections are informative.
EXAMPLES
       None.
APPLICATION USAGE
       None.
RATIONALE
       The pthread_join() or pthread_detach() functions should  eventually  be
       called for every thread that is created so that storage associated with
       the thread may be reclaimed.
       It has been suggested that a "detach" function is  not  necessary;  the
       detachstate  thread  creation  attribute  is sufficient, since a thread
       need never be dynamically detached. However, need arises  in  at  least
       two cases:
        1. In  a cancellation handler for a pthread_join() it is nearly essen-
           tial to have a pthread_detach() function in  order  to  detach  the
           thread on which pthread_join() was waiting. Without it, it would be
           necessary to have the handler do another pthread_join() to  attempt
           to  detach the thread, which would both delay the cancellation pro-
           cessing for an  unbounded  period  and  introduce  a  new  call  to
           pthread_join(),  which  might itself need a cancellation handler. A
           dynamic detach is nearly essential in this case.
        2. In order to detach the "initial thread" (as  may  be  desirable  in
           processes that set up server threads).
FUTURE DIRECTIONS
       None.
SEE ALSO
       pthread_join(),  the  Base  Definitions volume of IEEE Std 1003.1-2001,
       <pthread.h>
COPYRIGHT
       Portions of this text are reprinted and reproduced in  electronic  form
       from IEEE Std 1003.1, 2003 Edition, Standard for Information Technology
       -- Portable Operating System Interface (POSIX),  The  Open  Group  Base
       Specifications  Issue  6,  Copyright  (C) 2001-2003 by the Institute of
       Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc and The Open  Group.  In  the
       event of any discrepancy between this version and the original IEEE and
       The Open Group Standard, the original IEEE and The Open Group  Standard
       is  the  referee document. The original Standard can be obtained online
       at http://www.opengroup.org/unix/online.html .

IEEE/The Open Group                  2003                   PTHREAD_DETACH(3P)