Interlocked.CompareExchange using GreaterThan or LessThan instead of equality

Question

The System.Threading.Interlocked object allows for Addition (subtraction) and comparison as an atomic operation. It seems that a CompareExchange that just does

Answer 1

With these helper methods you can not only exchange value but also detect was it replaced or not.

Usage looks like this:

int currentMin = 10; // can be changed from other thread at any moment

int potentialNewMin = 8;
if (InterlockedExtension.AssignIfNewValueSmaller(ref currentMin, potentialNewMin))
{
    Console.WriteLine("New minimum: " + potentialNewMin);
}

And here are methods:

public static class InterlockedExtension
{
    public static bool AssignIfNewValueSmaller(ref int target, int newValue)
    {
        int snapshot;
        bool stillLess;
        do
        {
            snapshot = target;
            stillLess = newValue < snapshot;
        } while (stillLess && Interlocked.CompareExchange(ref target, newValue, snapshot) != snapshot);

        return stillLess;
    }

    public static bool AssignIfNewValueBigger(ref int target, int newValue)
    {
        int snapshot;
        bool stillMore;
        do
        {
            snapshot = target;
            stillMore = newValue > snapshot;
        } while (stillMore && Interlocked.CompareExchange(ref target, newValue, snapshot) != snapshot);

        return stillMore;
    }
}