Any lightweight way for one thread to force another thread to suspend execution?

[Eric Smith]

Is there any method for one thread to force another thread to suspend
execution, then later let it resume, that is lighter weight than using
signals?  I don't need it to be portable to anything other than Linux.
The suspend needs to be synchronous, but resume doesn't.

What I've thought about so far (but haven't tested) for thread A
to suspend thread B is to use a signal and two pthread conditions:

    Thread A                   Thread B
    -----------------------    -----------------------
    send signal to B

    wait on a cond 1

                               enter signal handler

                               signal cond 1

                               wait on cond 2

    wake up
    do stuff that needs
    thread B suspended

    signal cond 2

    continue                   wake up


Thanks for any suggestions!
Eric Smith

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