FIX: Two threads may deadlock when you use the STL map or set in a multithreaded application (248477)



The information in this article applies to:

  • The Standard C++ Library, when used with:
    • Microsoft Visual C++, 32-bit Editions 6.0

This article was previously published under Q248477

SYMPTOMS

Two threads can deadlock when one thread uses a map, multimap, set, or multiset class member that waits for a second thread and that uses another run-time object that requires synchronization.

CAUSE

The _Tree class in the <xtree> STL header, the basic data structure used for map and set, uses the same critical section to protect _Tree static data members as other run-time objects use to protect their private data.

RESOLUTION

Change the architecture of your application so that two threads do not use C run-time objects that use the same critical section. For instance, if your object contained in a map has a destructor that waits for a second thread to create an ostream-derived class, then change the architecture so that the destructor does not need to wait for the ostream-derived class to be constructed.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a bug in the Microsoft products that are listed at the beginning of this article. This bug was corrected in the latest service pack for Visual Studio 6.0.

For additional information about Visual Studio service packs, click the following article numbers to view the articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

194022 INFO: Visual Studio 6.0 Service Packs, What, Where, Why

194295 HOWTO: Tell That a Visual Studio Service Pack Is Installed

To download the latest Visual Studio service pack, visit the following Microsoft Web site:

Modification Type:MinorLast Reviewed:12/12/2005
Keywords:kbBug kbCRT kbfix kbQFE kbSTL kbVC600fix kbVS600sp4fix kbVS600sp5fix KB248477 kbAudDeveloper