Library initialization -- pthread_once in Win32 implementation

Answer 1

I would check out this article. It is a solution for C++ singletons, but I believe you can use the solution for your code as well: http://www.ddj.com/cpp/199203083?pgno=1

Sadly the listing for the QLock itself is missing, it looks as if they are trying to sell the CD, but there appears to be enough description of it to write one yourself.

Answer 2

I think you want to use the One-Time Initialization functionality. In synchronous mode, all threads block until the first thread to call it completes. Seems analogous to pthread_once().

There is sample code here.

So in your case, you would say:

BOOL CALLBACK CallLibInitInternal(PINIT_ONCE InitOnce, PVOID Parameter, PVOID *lpContex) {
    libInitInternal();
    return TRUE;
}

void libInit() {
#ifdef WIN32
    static INIT_ONCE s_init_once;
    InitOnceExecuteOnce(&s_init_once, CallLibInitInternal, NULL, NULL);
#else
...
#endif
}

Answer 3

You might want to check what pthreads-win32 does in its pthread_once() implementaion. or just use that, if that proves to be easier.