Question

I have implemented a POSIX timer using timer_create( ) API, and this will generate SIGUSR1 when the timer expires for which i have put a handler code. Now the problem is, if this program receives another SIGUSR1, then the same signal handler will be invoked and caught.

Is there any way to prevent this, so that the handler can catch signals only generated by the timer?

Answer 1

Will this work for you? (Modified the code from example in timer_create man page.)

#include <stdlib.h>
#include <unistd.h>
#include <stdio.h>
#include <signal.h>
#include <time.h>

#define CLOCKID CLOCK_REALTIME
#define SIG SIGUSR1
timer_t timerid;


static void handler(int sig, siginfo_t *si, void *uc)
{
    if(si->si_value.sival_ptr != &timerid){
        printf("Stray signal\n");
    } else {
        printf("Caught signal %d from timer\n", sig);
    }
}

int main(int argc, char *argv[])
{
    struct sigevent sev;
    struct itimerspec its;
    long long freq_nanosecs;
    sigset_t mask;
    struct sigaction sa;

    printf("Establishing handler for signal %d\n", SIG);
    sa.sa_flags = SA_SIGINFO;
    sa.sa_sigaction = handler;
    sigemptyset(&sa.sa_mask);
    sigaction(SIG, &sa, NULL);

    sev.sigev_notify = SIGEV_SIGNAL;
    sev.sigev_signo = SIG;
    sev.sigev_value.sival_ptr = &timerid;
    timer_create(CLOCKID, &sev, &timerid);
    /* Start the timer */

    its.it_value.tv_sec = 10;
    its.it_value.tv_nsec = 0;
    its.it_interval.tv_sec = its.it_value.tv_sec;
    its.it_interval.tv_nsec = its.it_value.tv_nsec;

    timer_settime(timerid, 0, &its, NULL);
    sleep(100);
    exit(EXIT_SUCCESS);
}

When signal from timer is caught Caught signal 10 from timer will be displayed. Otherwise Stray signal will be displayed.