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.NET Framework Class Library
System.Threading Namespace

Updated: November 2007

The System.Threading namespace provides classes and interfaces that enable multithreaded programming. In addition to classes for synchronizing thread activities and access to data ( Mutex, Monitor, Interlocked, AutoResetEvent, and so on), this namespace includes a ThreadPool class that allows you to use a pool of system-supplied threads, and a Timer class that executes callback methods on thread pool threads.

  ClassDescription
AbandonedMutexException The exception that is thrown when one thread acquires a Mutex object that another thread has abandoned by exiting without releasing it.
AutoResetEvent Notifies a waiting thread that an event has occurred. This class cannot be inherited.
CompressedStack Provides methods for setting and capturing the compressed stack on the current thread. This class cannot be inherited.
EventWaitHandle Represents a thread synchronization event.
ExecutionContext Manages the execution context for the current thread. This class cannot be inherited.
HostExecutionContext Encapsulates and propagates the host execution context across threads.
HostExecutionContextManager Provides the functionality that allows a common language runtime host to participate in the flow, or migration, of the execution context.
Interlocked Provides atomic operations for variables that are shared by multiple threads.
LockRecursionException The exception that is thrown when recursive entry into a lock is not compatible with the recursion policy for the lock.
ManualResetEvent Notifies one or more waiting threads that an event has occurred. This class cannot be inherited.
Monitor Provides a mechanism that synchronizes access to objects.
Mutex A synchronization primitive that can also be used for interprocess synchronization.
Overlapped Provides a managed representation of a Win32 OVERLAPPED structure, including methods to transfer information from an Overlapped instance to a NativeOverlapped structure.
ReaderWriterLock Defines a lock that supports single writers and multiple readers.
ReaderWriterLockSlim Represents a lock that is used to manage access to a resource, allowing multiple threads for reading or exclusive access for writing.
RegisteredWaitHandle Represents a handle that has been registered when calling RegisterWaitForSingleObject. This class cannot be inherited.
Semaphore Limits the number of threads that can access a resource or pool of resources concurrently.
SemaphoreFullException The exception that is thrown when the Semaphore..::.Release method is called on a semaphore whose count is already at the maximum.
SynchronizationContext Provides the basic functionality for propagating a synchronization context in various synchronization models.
SynchronizationLockException The exception that is thrown when a method requires the caller to own the lock on a given Monitor, and the method is invoked by a caller that does not own that lock.
Thread Creates and controls a thread, sets its priority, and gets its status.
ThreadAbortException The exception that is thrown when a call is made to the Abort method. This class cannot be inherited.
ThreadExceptionEventArgs Provides data for the ThreadException event.
ThreadInterruptedException The exception that is thrown when a Thread is interrupted while it is in a waiting state.
ThreadPool Provides a pool of threads that can be used to post work items, process asynchronous I/O, wait on behalf of other threads, and process timers.
ThreadStartException The exception that is thrown when a failure occurs in a managed thread after the underlying operating system thread has been started, but before the thread is ready to execute user code.
ThreadStateException The exception that is thrown when a Thread is in an invalid ThreadState for the method call.
Timeout Contains a constant used to specify an infinite amount of time. This class cannot be inherited.
Timer Provides a mechanism for executing a method at specified intervals. This class cannot be inherited.
WaitHandle Encapsulates operating system–specific objects that wait for exclusive access to shared resources.
WaitHandleCannotBeOpenedException The exception that is thrown when an attempt is made to open a system mutex or semaphore that does not exist.
  StructureDescription
AsyncFlowControl Provides the functionality to restore the migration, or flow, of the execution context between threads.
LockCookie Defines the lock that implements single-writer/multiple-reader semantics. This is a value type.
NativeOverlapped Provides an explicit layout that is visible from unmanaged code and that will have the same layout as the Win32 OVERLAPPED structure with additional reserved fields at the end.
  DelegateDescription
ContextCallback Represents a method to be called within a new context.
IOCompletionCallback Receives the error code, number of bytes, and overlapped value type when an I/O operation completes on the thread pool.
ParameterizedThreadStart Represents the method that executes on a Thread.
SendOrPostCallback Represents a method to be called when a message is to be dispatched to a synchronization context.
ThreadExceptionEventHandler Represents the method that will handle the ThreadException event of an Application.
ThreadStart Represents the method that executes on a Thread.
TimerCallback Represents the method that handles calls from a Timer.
WaitCallback Represents a callback method to be executed by a thread pool thread.
WaitOrTimerCallback Represents a method to be called when a WaitHandle is signaled or times out.
  EnumerationDescription
ApartmentState Specifies the apartment state of a Thread.
EventResetMode Indicates whether an EventWaitHandle is reset automatically or manually after receiving a signal.
LockRecursionPolicy Specifies whether a lock can be entered multiple times by the same thread.
ThreadPriority Specifies the scheduling priority of a Thread.
ThreadState Specifies the execution states of a Thread.
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