document functions in the Thread class; add a helper detach() method for future use;

src/common/Thread.cpp

@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ bool Thread::run()
 }
 
 /// <summary>
-///
+/// Make calling thread wait for termination of the thread.
 /// </summary>
 void Thread::wait()
 {
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ void Thread::wait()
 }
 
 /// <summary>
-///
+/// Set thread name visible in the kernel and its interfaces.
 /// </summary>
 /// <param name="name"></param>
 void Thread::setName(std::string name)
@@ -80,6 +80,19 @@ void Thread::setName(std::string name)
 #endif // _GNU_SOURCE
 }
 
+/// <summary>
+/// Indicate that the thread is never to be joined with wait().
+/// The resources of thread will therefore be freed immediately when it
+/// terminates, instead of waiting for another thread to perform wait()
+/// on it.
+/// </summary>
+void Thread::detach()
+{
+    if (!m_started)
+        return;
+    ::pthread_detach(m_thread);
+}
+
 /// <summary>
 ///
 /// </summary>
@@ -94,7 +107,7 @@ void Thread::sleep(uint32_t ms)
 // ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
 /// <summary>
-///
+/// Internal helper thats used as the entry point for the thread.
 /// </summary>
 /// <param name="arg"></param>
 /// <returns></returns>

src/common/Thread.h

@@ -39,19 +39,25 @@ public:
     /// <summary>User-defined function to run for the thread main.</summary>
     virtual void entry() = 0;
 
-    /// <summary></summary>
+    /// <summary>Make calling thread wait for termination of the thread.</summary>
     virtual void wait();
 
-    /// <summary></summary>
+    /// <summary>Set thread name visible in the kernel and its interfaces.</summary>
     virtual void setName(std::string name);
 
+    /// <summary>Indicate that the thread is never to be joined with wait().
+    /// The resources of thread will therefore be freed immediately when it
+    /// terminates, instead of waiting for another thread to perform wait()
+    /// on it.</summary>
+    virtual void detach();
+
     /// <summary></summary>
     static void sleep(uint32_t ms);
 
 private:
     pthread_t m_thread;
 
-    /// <summary></summary>
+    /// <summary>Internal helper thats used as the entry point for the thread.</summary>
     static void* helper(void* arg);
 
 public: