Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!sdd.hp.com!hplabs!hpl-opus!hpnmdla!darrylo
From: darrylo@hpnmdla.hp.com (Darryl Okahata)
Newsgroups: comp.windows.x
Subject: Re: What is the error "alarm clock"?
Message-ID: <990024@hpnmdla.hp.com>
Date: 22 Apr 91 00:36:15 GMT
References: <1991Apr16.182428.15148@elroy.jpl.nasa.gov>
Organization: HP Network Measurements Div, Santa Rosa, CA
Lines: 25

In comp.windows.x, gdykes@theory.tn.cornell.edu (Gene Dykes) writes:

> In article <1991Apr16.182428.15148@elroy.jpl.nasa.gov> pjs@euclid.jpl.nasa.gov writes:
> >We're getting X applications terminated at random times by
> >a cryptic error message, "alarm clock".
>
> I've seen this a lot, too.  My analysis may be wrong, but it appears
> that on HPUX, alarms are not automatically reset, whereas they are on
> other operating systems.  Seems awfully strange.  The solution, which
> has always worked for me, is to go into the function that is called
> for an alarm, and set another alarm there.

     This is a difference between BSD and SYSV signal-handling semantics
(read: it's supposed to work this way -- it is *NOT* a bug).

     If you want to get BSD signal-handling semantics under HP-UX, link
your program with -lBSD.

     -- Darryl Okahata
	UUCP: {hplabs!, hpcea!, hpfcla!} hpnmd!darrylo
	Internet: darrylo%hpnmd@relay.hp.com

DISCLAIMER: this message is the author's personal opinion and does not
constitute the support, opinion or policy of Hewlett-Packard or of the
little green men that have been following him all day.