Win32 Multithreaded Programming (Paperback)

by Aaron Cohen (Author), Mike Woodring (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
This book clearly explains the concepts of multithreaded programs and shows developers how to skillfully construct efficient and complex applications. From basic thread synchronization using mutexes and semaphores, to advanced topics like creating reusable thread pools or implementing a deferred processing queue, the book uses real-world applications and carefully constructed examples to illustrate the principles of multithreaded programming. Some of the topics covered include:

• How the Windows operating systems handle threads
• Multithreading primitives in the Win32 API
• Techniques for generating thread-safe dynamic link libraries
• Advanced techniques for thread synchronization
• Basic scenarios for building multithreaded user interfaces

The CD-ROM features Mcl, the authors' C++ class library for multithreaded programming, which both wraps multithreaded API functions and easily supports more complex multithreaded scenarios. For programmers using MFC, an additional library, Mcl4Mfc, is included for MFC compatibility.

About the Author
Aaron Michael Cohen started programming computers as a hobby in 1977, on an RCA 1802 single board microcomputer. While attending medical school in the early '80s, he explored numerous computer platforms (in his spare time!) including the Atari 800, the Macintosh, and the IBM PC. Realizing his greatest talents lay in computer programming, he decided to leave medicine and pursue a career in software development. His first jobs involved computer based medical imaging, which lead to work on high-quality image and video compression. Currently, Aaron is employed at Intel Corporation developing video teleconferencing systems in C and C++ on Windows 95 and NT. He has an undergraduate background in engineering and holds an M.D. from the University of Michigan. Mike Woodring has been programming retail Windows applications, DLLs, and device drivers on Intel architecture platforms since the release of Windows 3.0. As a systems software engineer at Intel, he developed realtime ISDN telecommunications software in C++ for telephony, Internet, and desktop video conferencing products. Currently, he works as an independent consultant and teaches courses on Win32 programming. Mike holds a bachelor's degree in computer science from Montana State University.

Product Details

• Paperback: 720 pages
• Publisher: O'Reilly; 1 edition (December 1, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1565922964
• ISBN-13: 978-1565922969
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 7 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #837,712 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This one is a Keeper, March 17, 2000

By	Jaideep Baphna (Cambridge, MA United States) - See all my reviews

Here's what I liked about the book:

(1) It provides simple explanation of central concepts and issues around multithreaded programming. This knowledge is platform independent.

(2) Provides clear explanation of Win32 specific API and Kernel Objects, knowledge that is necessary to do Multithreaded Programming on most Microsoft Platforms.

(3) Builds a simple C++ based OO Wrapper class Library for Multithreaded programming that elegantly conceals Win32 APIs idiosyncrasies.

(4) Also builds additional higher Level OO Abstractions (like Monitors) that Win32 does not need to support directly but Programmers need often.

(5) Great illustrations of Multithreading problems, solutions and Patterns through the trailing part of the book.

(6) Code and Diagrams abound.

What's there not to like?

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very useful class libraries included in this book..., May 4, 1999

By A Customer

This is one of the best books I've ever read. Before reading this book, I didn't have experience of multithreaded programming in Windows NT. The class libraries inside give me a good paradigm on how to write safe multithreading codes, and help me to finish the software development at my job as soon as possible. I honestly appreciate that the authors made their efforts to write this excellent book.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A must have for your library, April 5, 1999

By A Customer

One of the best book on programming I have ever read. The book expands your brain to think in parallel. The included class libraries (C++) are excellent building blocks and I use them all the time in my own projects.

The debugging and exception advice is spot on.

Although the book never mentions WinSock-2 anywhere, it gives you a full understanding of kernel event objects necessary to impliment event-based socket code.... Should you feel the need to as I did.

Beginners to C++, should learn C++ first before buying this book.