the behavior of std::async with std::launch::async policy
I have some question about behavior of std::async function with std::launch::async policy & std::future object returned from async.
In following code, main thread waits for the completion of foo() on the thread created by async call.
#include <thread>
#include <future>
#include <iostream>
void foo()
{
std::cout << "foo:begin" << std::endl;
std::this_thread::sleep_for(std::chrono::seconds(10));
std::cout << "foo:done" << std::endl;
}
int main()
{
std::cout << "main:begin" << std::endl;
{
auto f = std::async(std::launch::async, foo);
// dtor f::~f blocks until completion of foo()... why??
}
std::this_thread::sleep_for(std::chrono::seconds(2));
std::cout << "main:done" << std::endl;
}
And I know http://www.stdthread.co.uk/doc/headers/future/async.html says
The destructor of the last future object associated with the asynchronous state of the returned std::future shall block until the future is ready.
My question is:
Yes, this is required by the C++ Standard. 30.6.8 [futures.async] paragraph 5, final bullet:
— the associated thread completion synchronizes with (1.10) the return from the first function that successfully detects the ready status of the shared state or with the return from the last function that releases the shared state, whichever happens first.
The destructor of the one and only std:future satisfies that condition, and so has to wait for the completion of the thread.