Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!apple!mips!sgi!vjs@rhyolite.wpd.sgi.com
From: vjs@rhyolite.wpd.sgi.com (Vernon Schryver)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.sgi
Subject: Re: Irix 3.3.1 C problem - can't display load averages
Summary: strip the sign bit
Message-ID: <76704@sgi.sgi.com>
Date: 1 Dec 90 19:40:29 GMT
References: <1990Nov27.190305.9267@csrd.uiuc.edu>
Sender: guest@sgi.sgi.com
Distribution: comp
Organization: Silicon Graphics, Inc., Mountain View, CA
Lines: 14

In article <1990Nov27.190305.9267@csrd.uiuc.edu>, kai@sp1.csrd.uiuc.edu (Kuck And Associates) writes:
> Here is a short program which, when compiled under Irix 3.2, runs and displays
> the load averages on both Irix 3.2 and, interestingly, 3.3.1.
> However, when compiled under Irix 3.3.1, it quits after nlist() with the error
> message "lseek: Invalid argument".


There are two main kinds of UNIX systems in the world.  Those where the
answers you get from nlist() can be used directly on /dev/kmem, and those
where you have to strip the sign bit before using lseek().  They are many
species in both genera, and no doubt other characteristics in other phyla.


Vernon Schryver,   vjs@sgi.com