SetEvent function (synchapi.h)

Sets the specified event object to the signaled state.

Syntax

BOOL SetEvent(
  [in] HANDLE hEvent
);

Parameters

[in] hEvent

A handle to the event object. The CreateEvent or OpenEvent function returns this handle.

The handle must have the EVENT_MODIFY_STATE access right. For more information, see Synchronization Object Security and Access Rights.

Return value

If the function succeeds, the return value is nonzero.

If the function fails, the return value is zero. To get extended error information, call GetLastError.

Remarks

The state of a manual-reset event object remains signaled until it is set explicitly to the nonsignaled state by the ResetEvent function. Any number of waiting threads, or threads that subsequently begin wait operations for the specified event object by calling one of the wait functions, can be released while the object's state is signaled.

In contrast, the state of an auto-reset event object remains signaled until a single waiting thread is released, at which time the system automatically sets the state to nonsignaled. If no threads are waiting, the event object's state remains signaled.

Setting an event that is already set has no effect.

Windows Store apps can respond to named events and semaphores as described in How to respond to named events and semaphores.

Examples

For an example that uses SetEvent, see Using Event Objects.

Requirements

Requirement Value
Minimum supported client Windows XP [desktop apps | UWP apps]
Minimum supported server Windows Server 2003 [desktop apps | UWP apps]
Target Platform Windows
Header synchapi.h (include Windows.h on Windows Server 2003, Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows Server 2008 Windows Server 2008 R2)
Library Kernel32.lib
DLL Kernel32.dll

See also

CreateEvent

Event Objects

OpenEvent

PulseEvent

ResetEvent

Synchronization Functions