PTHREAD_KEY_DELETE(3)

NAME
pthread_key_delete - delete a thread-specific data key

LIBRARY
libpthread

SYNOPSIS
#include <pthread.h>
int
pthread_key_delete(pthread_key_t key);

DESCRIPTION
The pthread_key_delete() function deletes a thread-specific data key previously returned by pthread_key_create(). The thread-specific data values associated with key need not be NULL at the time that pthread_key_delete() is called. It is the responsibility of the application to free any application storage or perform any cleanup actions for data structures related to the deleted key or associated thread-specific data in any threads; this cleanup can be done either before or after pthread_key_delete() is called. Any attempt to use key following the call to pthread_key_delete() results in undefined behavior.

The pthread_key_delete() function is callable from within destructor functions. Destructor functions are not invoked by pthread_key_delete(). Any destructor function that may have been associated with key will no longer be called upon thread exit.

RETURN VALUES
If successful, the pthread_key_delete() function will return zero. Otherwise an error number will be returned to indicate the error.

ERRORS
pthread_key_delete() may fail if:

[EINVAL]
    The key value is invalid.

SEE ALSO
pthread_getspecific(3), pthread_key_create(3), pthread_setspecific(3)

STANDARDS
pthread_key_delete() conforms to p1003.1-96.

BUGS
The current specifications of pthread_key_create() and pthread_key_delete() are flawed and do not permit a clean implementation without potential problems. The current implementation of these functions NetBSD in addresses these problems by not supporting key reuse.