C / C++ / MFC

// these handles are created and passed out to whoever'll
// let the thread know when to work and when to quit

HANDLE hWorkToBeDone=CreateEvent(0,FALSE,FALSE,0); // resets on wait
HANDLE hTimeToQuit=CreateEvent(0,TRUE,FALSE,0); // once signalled, stays so

// Basic thread loop

HANDLE Waitables[]={hTimeToQuit,hWorkToBeDone};
for (DWORD W=~WAIT_OBJECT_0;W!=WAIT_OBJECT_0;)
{
	switch (W=WaitForMultipleObjects(2,Waitables,FALSE,INFINITE))
	{
	case WAIT_FAILED:
		// use GetLastError and handle this
		break;
	case WAIT_OBJECT_0: // It is time to quit
		break;
	case WAIT_OBJECT_0+1: // There is work to be done
		; // Do some work
		break;
	case WAIT_TIMEOUT: // impossible? we specified no timeout
	default: // there should be no other cases. (e.g. for abandoned mutexes)
		ASSERT(FALSE);
	}
}