Question

I am getting a C++ error with threading:

terminate called without an active exception
Aborted

Here is the code:

#include <queue>
#include <thread>
#include <mutex>
#include <condition_variable>

template<typename TYPE>
class blocking_stream
{
public:
    blocking_stream(size_t max_buffer_size_)
        :   max_buffer_size(max_buffer_size_)   
    {
    }

    //PUSH data into the buffer
    blocking_stream &operator<<(TYPE &other)
    {
        std::unique_lock<std::mutex> mtx_lock(mtx); 
        while(buffer.size()>=max_buffer_size)
            stop_if_full.wait(mtx_lock);

        buffer.push(std::move(other));

        mtx_lock.unlock();
        stop_if_empty.notify_one();
        return *this;
    }
    //POP data out of the buffer 
    blocking_stream &operator>>(TYPE &other)
    {
        std::unique_lock<std::mutex> mtx_lock(mtx);
        while(buffer.empty())
            stop_if_empty.wait(mtx_lock);

        other.swap(buffer.front()); 
        buffer.pop();

        mtx_lock.unlock();
        stop_if_full.notify_one();
        return *this;
    }

private:
    size_t max_buffer_size;
    std::queue<TYPE> buffer;
    std::mutex mtx;
    std::condition_variable stop_if_empty,
                            stop_if_full;
    bool eof;   
};

I modeled my code around this example:
http://www.justsoftwaresolutions.co.uk/threading/implementing-a-thread-safe-queue-using-condition-variables.html

What am I doing wrong and how do I fix the error?

Answer 1

When a thread object goes out of scope and it is in joinable state, the program is terminated. The Standard Committee had two other options for the destructor of a joinable thread. It could quietly join — but join might never return if the thread is stuck. Or it could detach the thread (a detached thread is not joinable). However, detached threads are very tricky, since they might survive till the end of the program and mess up the release of resources. So if you don’t want to terminate your program, make sure you join (or detach) every thread.