Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!uunet!pdn!tct!chip
From: chip@tct.com (Chip Salzenberg)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.isis
Subject: Re: More on use of kill() to detect process failures
Message-ID: <2869F793.4F50@tct.com>
Date: 27 Jun 91 14:34:59 GMT
References: <1991Jun25.120346.21111@cs.cornell.edu>
Organization: TC Telemanagement, Clearwater, FL
Lines: 15

According to ken@cs.cornell.edu (Ken Birman):
>2) the kill() solution works quite well, but you can't use the debugger
>   on the programs being probed this way, since you get a debugger trap
>   every few seconds.  So, if you use this, you will not be able to use
>   dbx/gdb on the active program, a strong disadvantage in my opinion.

First, at least on System V, you can kill with the pseudo-signal zero.
This feature provides a "process exists" test.

Second, gdb allows you to specify that specific signals should not
cause a debugger trap.  See the gdb "handle" command.
-- 
Chip Salzenberg at Teltronics/TCT     <chip@tct.com>, <uunet!pdn!tct!chip>
 "I want to mention that my opinions whether real or not are MY opinions."
             -- the inevitable William "Billy" Steinmetz