You find pretty soon that anytime you work with ACE_Task<> you have to create a derivative. The Task.h header simply provides that derivative with the overrides we'll need in our application.

// $Id$

// Task.h
//
// Tutorial regarding a way to use ACE_Stream.
//
// written by bob mcwhirter (bob@netwrench.com)
//
//

#ifndef TASK_H
#define TASK_H

#include <ace/Task.h>
#include <ace/Synch.h>

// Always typedef when possible.

typedef ACE_Task<ACE_MT_SYNCH> Task_Base;

class Task : public Task_Base
{

public:

  typedef Task_Base inherited;
  // This is just good form.

  Task(const char *nameOfTask,
       int numberOfThreads);
  // Initialize our Task with a name,
  // and number of threads to spawn.

  virtual ~Task(void);

  virtual int open(void *arg);
  // This is provided to prevent compiler complaints
  // about hidden virtual functions.

  virtual int close(u_long flags);
  // This closes down the Task and all service threads.

  virtual int put(ACE_Message_Block *message,
                  ACE_Time_Value *timeout);
  // This is the interface that ACE_Stream uses to
  // communicate with our Task.

  virtual int svc(void);
  // This is the actual service loop each of the service
  // threads iterates through.

  const char *nameOfTask(void) const;
  // Returns the name of this Task.

private:

  int d_numberOfThreads;
  char d_nameOfTask[64];

  ACE_Barrier d_barrier;
  // Simple Barrier to make sure all of our service
  // threads have entered their loop before accepting
  // any messages.
};


#endif // TASK_H