Description
1. Summary
This project follows the topic of threads and asks you to design a real scenario/application with
multiple threads. You will use the threads programming interface, POSIX Threads (Pthreads). You
should implement this in Linux, which supports Pthreads as part of the GNU C library.
2. Description
This project asks to write a multithreaded sorting program that works as follows: A list of integers
is divided into two smaller lists of equal size. Two separate threads (which we will term sorting
threads) sort each sublist using a sorting algorithm of your choice. The two sublists are then merged
by a third thread—a merging thread—which merges the two sublists into a single sorted list. In the
above list, x is a placeholder for the student identifier.
Because global data are shared across all threads, perhaps the easiest way to set up the data is to
create a global array. Each sorting thread will work on one half of this array. A second global
array of the same size as the unsorted integer array will also be established. The merging thread
will then merge the two sublists into this second array.
Graphically, this program is structured as
in the below figure:
This programming project will require passing parameters to each of the sorting threads. In
particular, it will be necessary to identify the starting index from which each thread is to begin
sorting.
The parent thread will output the sorted array once all sorting threads have exited.
3: The Required Deliverable Materials
(1) A README file, which describes how we can compile and run your code.
(2) Your source code, you may use a Makefile and be submitted in the required format.
(3) Your report, which discusses the design of your program.
(4) A recorded video shows the output and runtime
3. Submission Requirements
You need to strictly follow the instructions listed below:
1) This is a group project, please submit a .zip/.rar file that contains all files, only one submission
from one group.
2) Make a video to record your code execution and outputs. The video should present your name
or time as identification.
3) The submission should include your source code and project report. Do not submit your binary
code. Project report should contain your groupmates name and ID.
4) Your code must be able to compile; otherwise, you will receive a grade of zero.
5) Your code should not produce anything else other than the required information in the output
file.
7) If you code is partially completed, please explain the details in the report what has been
completed and the status of the missing parts, we will grade it based on the entire performance.
8) Provide sufficient comments in your code to help the TA understand your code. This is
important for you to get at least partial credit in case your submitted code does not work properly.
Grading criteria:
Details Points
Have a README file shows how to compile and test your submission 5 pts
Submitted code has proper comments to show the design 5 pts
Screen a video to record code execution and outputs 10 pts
Have a report (pdf or word) file explains the details of your entire design 30 pts
Report contains clearly individual contributions of your group mates 5 pts
Code can be compiled and shows correct outputs 45 pts
4. Policies
1) Late submissions will be graded based on our policy discussed in the course syllabus.
2) Code-level discussion is prohibited. We will use anti-plagiarism tools to detect violations of
this policy.
5. Resources
The Pthreads tutorials at https://computing.llnl.gov/tutorials/pthreads and
https://pages.cs.wisc.edu/~travitch/pthreads_primer.html are good references to learn Pthreads
programming.
6. References
[1] POSIX Threads Programming: https://computing.llnl.gov/tutorials/pthreads/
[2] Pthreads Primer: https://pages.cs.wisc.edu/~travitch/pthreads_primer.html
[3] POSIX thread (pthread) libraries:
https://www.yolinux.com/TUTORIALS/LinuxTutorialPosixThreads.html
