SDL_CreateThread(3)

📦
version 3.4.18 · 10 versions
, in fedora 43, fedora 44

💖 SDL_CreateThread 💖

okay bestie, welcome to the SDL3 FUNCTIONS corner of the SDL_CreateThread(3) page — yes that's the manual name, we're keeping it, it's iconic. let's get you a whole new thread fr fr 🧵✨

✨ NAME ✨

SDL_CreateThread — spin up a brand new thread with a default stack size. that's it, that's the whole vibe. 🦋

🌸 SYNOPSIS 🌸

#include <SDL3/SDL_thread.h>

SDL_Thread * SDL_CreateThread(SDL_ThreadFunction fn, const char *name, void *data);

💅 DESCRIPTION 💅

so this one is a convenience function, meaning it's literally equivalent to calling SDL_CreateThreadWithProperties but with these properties already set for you:

  • SDL_PROP_THREAD_CREATE_ENTRY_FUNCTION_POINTER: fn
  • SDL_PROP_THREAD_CREATE_NAME_STRING: name
  • SDL_PROP_THREAD_CREATE_USERDATA_POINTER: data

and now the plot twist 👀 — this "function" is actually a macro that calls an internal function with two extra parameters that aren't listed here. they're hidden behind preprocessor macros, and they exist to support various C runtimes right at the point of the function call. so if you're writing language bindings and you're not using the C headers, you're gonna have to deal with that yourself. sorry babe, that's just the lore. 😭

but usually? apps should just call this function the same way on every platform and let the macros handle the details. no cap, that's the move. 👑

🎀 FUNCTION PARAMETERS 🎀

  • fn — the SDL_ThreadFunction function that gets called in the new thread. the main character of your thread's whole storyline. ⭐
  • name — the name of the thread. give it a cute one. 🏷️
  • data — a pointer that gets passed to fn. 🍓

🌈 RETURN VALUE 🌈

on success it returns an opaque pointer to the new thread object. if the new thread couldn't be created you get NULL instead — and in that case, go call SDL_GetError() for more info, she'll tell you what went wrong. 🙈

🔥 THREAD SAFETY 🔥

it is safe to call this function from any thread. yes, any. go off. 💯

⭐ AVAILABILITY ⭐

this function is available since SDL 3.2.0. vintage-ish but make it fresh. ✨

👑 SEE ALSO 👑

and that's the whole page, bestie!! 🫶 this little love letter to SDL_CreateThread(3) came to you straight from Simple Directmedia Layer, SDL 3.4.18 — mwah, go forth and spawn threads responsibly 💖🧚🌸

📦 where this page comes from