Richard Thompson / MutexLocker

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  1. Mutex Locker

Mutex Locker

This utility class is most useful when you have an activity that needs to be protected by a mutex that has multiple return points.

You would normally do this:

Using standard mutex access

Mutex myMutex;

void do_some_stuff()
{
  myMutex.lock();
  /* Do Stuff */

  if (condition) {
    myMutex.unlock();
    return 0;
  }

  /* Call other method */
  int temp = other_method();  // Temp so can unlock after function returns

  myMutex.unlock();
  return temp;
}

However, it's very easy to miss one of the unlock points which would later freeze the application.

Debugging this kind of error can be very hard.

The same example using MutexLocker:

Using a MutexLocker

Mutex myMutex;

int do_some_stuff()
{
  MutexLocker locker(myMutex);
  /* Do Stuff */

  if (condition) {
    return 0;
  }
  /* Call other method */
  return other_method();
  /* Mutex unlocks itself here */
}

No matter where or how your method returns, the mutex will always be unlocked as the MutexLocker goes out of scope.

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