What is a good pattern for using a Global Mutex in C#?
Using the accepted answer I create a helper class so you could use it in a similar way you would use the Lock statement. Just thought I'd share.
Use:
using (new SingleGlobalInstance(1000)) //1000ms timeout on global lock
{
//Only 1 of these runs at a time
RunSomeStuff();
}
And the helper class:
class SingleGlobalInstance : IDisposable
{
//edit by user "jitbit" - renamed private fields to "_"
public bool _hasHandle = false;
Mutex _mutex;
private void InitMutex()
{
string appGuid = ((GuidAttribute)Assembly.GetExecutingAssembly().GetCustomAttributes(typeof(GuidAttribute), false).GetValue(0)).Value;
string mutexId = string.Format("Global\\{{{0}}}", appGuid);
_mutex = new Mutex(false, mutexId);
var allowEveryoneRule = new MutexAccessRule(new SecurityIdentifier(WellKnownSidType.WorldSid, null), MutexRights.FullControl, AccessControlType.Allow);
var securitySettings = new MutexSecurity();
securitySettings.AddAccessRule(allowEveryoneRule);
_mutex.SetAccessControl(securitySettings);
}
public SingleGlobalInstance(int timeOut)
{
InitMutex();
try
{
if(timeOut < 0)
_hasHandle = _mutex.WaitOne(Timeout.Infinite, false);
else
_hasHandle = _mutex.WaitOne(timeOut, false);
if (_hasHandle == false)
throw new TimeoutException("Timeout waiting for exclusive access on SingleInstance");
}
catch (AbandonedMutexException)
{
_hasHandle = true;
}
}
public void Dispose()
{
if (_mutex != null)
{
if (_hasHandle)
_mutex.ReleaseMutex();
_mutex.Close();
}
}
}
I want to make sure this is out there, because it's so hard to get right:
using System.Runtime.InteropServices; //GuidAttribute
using System.Reflection; //Assembly
using System.Threading; //Mutex
using System.Security.AccessControl; //MutexAccessRule
using System.Security.Principal; //SecurityIdentifier
static void Main(string[] args)
{
// get application GUID as defined in AssemblyInfo.cs
string appGuid =
((GuidAttribute)Assembly.GetExecutingAssembly().
GetCustomAttributes(typeof(GuidAttribute), false).
GetValue(0)).Value.ToString();
// unique id for global mutex - Global prefix means it is global to the machine
string mutexId = string.Format( "Global\\{{{0}}}", appGuid );
// Need a place to store a return value in Mutex() constructor call
bool createdNew;
// edited by Jeremy Wiebe to add example of setting up security for multi-user usage
// edited by 'Marc' to work also on localized systems (don't use just "Everyone")
var allowEveryoneRule =
new MutexAccessRule( new SecurityIdentifier( WellKnownSidType.WorldSid
, null)
, MutexRights.FullControl
, AccessControlType.Allow
);
var securitySettings = new MutexSecurity();
securitySettings.AddAccessRule(allowEveryoneRule);
// edited by MasonGZhwiti to prevent race condition on security settings via VanNguyen
using (var mutex = new Mutex(false, mutexId, out createdNew, securitySettings))
{
// edited by acidzombie24
var hasHandle = false;
try
{
try
{
// note, you may want to time out here instead of waiting forever
// edited by acidzombie24
// mutex.WaitOne(Timeout.Infinite, false);
hasHandle = mutex.WaitOne(5000, false);
if (hasHandle == false)
throw new TimeoutException("Timeout waiting for exclusive access");
}
catch (AbandonedMutexException)
{
// Log the fact that the mutex was abandoned in another process,
// it will still get acquired
hasHandle = true;
}
// Perform your work here.
}
finally
{
// edited by acidzombie24, added if statement
if(hasHandle)
mutex.ReleaseMutex();
}
}
}