pSignalSemaphore

pSignalSemaphore is a synchronization primitive used in concurrent programming. It is a type of semaphore, which is a signaling mechanism that allows threads to communicate and coordinate their access to shared resources. Unlike binary semaphores which can only hold a value of 0 or 1, signaling semaphores can be initialized with a non-negative integer value representing the number of available resources or permits.

When a thread wants to access a resource protected by a pSignalSemaphore, it attempts to acquire a permit. If a permit is available (the semaphore's value is greater than zero), the thread decrements the semaphore's value and proceeds. If no permits are available (the semaphore's value is zero), the thread blocks until another thread releases a permit.

Releasing a permit involves incrementing the semaphore's value. This action can potentially unblock a waiting thread, allowing it to acquire a permit and continue execution. The pSignalSemaphore is often used to control access to a pool of finite resources, such as database connections or buffer slots, ensuring that the number of threads accessing these resources does not exceed the available capacity. Its primary purpose is to prevent race conditions and ensure orderly access to shared data.