Chapter 47: System V Semaphores

This chapter describes System V semaphores. Unlike the IPC mechanisms described in previous chapters, System V semaphores are not used to transfer data between processes. Instead, they allow processes to synchronize their actions. One common use of a semaphore is to synchronize access to a block of shared memory, in order to prevent one process from accessing the shared memory at the same time as another process is updating it.

47 System V Semaphores
47.1 Overview
47.2 Creating or Opening a Semaphore Set: semget()
47.3 Semaphore Control Operations: semctl()
47.4 Semaphore Associated Data Structure
47.5 Semaphore Initialization
47.6 Semaphore Operations: semop()
47.7 Handling of Multiple Blocked Semaphore Operations
47.8 Semaphore Undo Values
47.9 Implementing a Binary Semaphores Protocol
47.10 Semaphore Limits
47.11 Disadvantages of System V Semaphores
47.12 Summary
47.13 Exercises