From owner-freebsd-questions@FreeBSD.ORG  Wed May 20 19:19:35 2009
Return-Path: <owner-freebsd-questions@FreeBSD.ORG>
Delivered-To: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org
Received: from mx1.freebsd.org (mx1.freebsd.org [IPv6:2001:4f8:fff6::34])
	by hub.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 0837B1065672
	for <freebsd-questions@freebsd.org>;
	Wed, 20 May 2009 19:19:35 +0000 (UTC)
	(envelope-from korvus@comcast.net)
Received: from mx04.pub.collaborativefusion.com
	(mx04.pub.collaborativefusion.com [206.210.72.84])
	by mx1.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id C6B0B8FC1C
	for <freebsd-questions@freebsd.org>;
	Wed, 20 May 2009 19:19:34 +0000 (UTC)
	(envelope-from korvus@comcast.net)
Received: from [192.168.2.164] ([206.210.89.202])
	by mx04.pub.collaborativefusion.com (StrongMail Enterprise
	4.1.1.4(4.1.1.4-47689)); Wed, 20 May 2009 15:14:14 -0400
X-VirtualServerGroup: Default
X-MailingID: 00000::00000::00000::00000::::151
X-SMHeaderMap: mid="X-MailingID"
X-Destination-ID: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org
X-SMFBL: ZnJlZWJzZC1xdWVzdGlvbnNAZnJlZWJzZC5vcmc=
Message-ID: <4A1457C2.1040901@comcast.net>
Date: Wed, 20 May 2009 15:19:30 -0400
From: Steve Polyack <korvus@comcast.net>
User-Agent: Thunderbird 2.0.0.21 (X11/20090327)
MIME-Version: 1.0
To: Peter Steele <psteele@maxiscale.com>
References: <19206470.1651242845780966.JavaMail.HALO$@halo>
In-Reply-To: <19206470.1651242845780966.JavaMail.HALO$@halo>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8; format=flowed
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
Cc: #freebsd-questions <freebsd-questions@freebsd.org>
Subject: Re: pthread_detach doesn't release memory
X-BeenThere: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org
X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.5
Precedence: list
List-Id: User questions <freebsd-questions.freebsd.org>
List-Unsubscribe: <http://lists.freebsd.org/mailman/listinfo/freebsd-questions>, 
	<mailto:freebsd-questions-request@freebsd.org?subject=unsubscribe>
List-Archive: <http://lists.freebsd.org/pipermail/freebsd-questions>
List-Post: <mailto:freebsd-questions@freebsd.org>
List-Help: <mailto:freebsd-questions-request@freebsd.org?subject=help>
List-Subscribe: <http://lists.freebsd.org/mailman/listinfo/freebsd-questions>, 
	<mailto:freebsd-questions-request@freebsd.org?subject=subscribe>
X-List-Received-Date: Wed, 20 May 2009 19:19:35 -0000

Peter Steele wrote:
> I create a thread using something like this: 
>
> pthread_t thread; 
> pthread_create(&thread, NULL, mythread, NULL); 
> pthread_detach(thread); 
>
> I use the detach because I want to make sure the thread's resource are reclaimed when the thread completes. However, this does not seem to work. Each time I create a thread the application's memory footprint grows by 128 bytes and this memory is never released. 
>
> Am I doing this right? 
>
>   
 From man pthread_detach:

The *pthread_detach*() function indicates that system resources for the 
specified /thread/ should be reclaimed when the thread ends. If the 
thread is already ended, resources are reclaimed immediately. *This 
routine does not cause the thread to end.

*So, unless your 'mythread' routine has successfully completed, the 
associated resources will not be reclaimed.